HYPOCARDREACT
By Dave Rumfelt
 
EFFECT: A magician displays a pack of playing cards and asks a spectator to tell him when to stop as he riffles down the cards. Where the spectator stops him, he is asked to remember that card. The cards are then cut a few times, after which the Magi announces that the top card is the one remembered by the spectator — but when it is turned over, it isn’t the selected card.
 
The magician scoffs and tells his audience that he meant the number of the top card will tell him where the card is. So he counts down that number, and that too is wrong. Then the magician admits that he has failed, but that he had a magician friend who told him what to do on such an occasion. This magician was a doctor, and he was a little needle-happy.
The magician then brings out a large hypodermic needle. He explains that when the doctor messed up a trick, he would stick one of his needles into the deck and extract the card that was giving him trouble. As the Magi draws the needle, the card is seen inside.
 
But wait — that’s not all! When the magician spreads out the cards face up, the card is missing; in its place is a blank card.
 
Condition Notes:  Overall in very good condition with only light wear. The setup can be easily adapted to work with any deck of cards without requiring changes to the gimmicked syringe.