If any of you have read Expert Card Technique, then you'll know about Dai Vernon's psychological force. Has anyone tried it? Does it work most of the time?

If you are referring to the same thing I know as "Five Card Mental Force," I must say I've had a tough time getting it to be consistent. So far, the card he says no one ever picks is hitting at least as often as the target card. Old threads here seem to indicate that this one's rarely 100 percent for people. Adding a bet to it seems to help, since it forces people to think about it longer. But a good out is essential-- I'm still looking for a really good one.

Of course, perhaps you mean another psychological force entirely! I'll be intrigued to learn about another, if so.

_______________________________________________
Let him borrow and return his handkerchief like a man, and trust to his sleight of hand.

--Edwin Sachs

Guys,

Many informed cardmen have praised my "Psyboards" as the best version of this type of effect. It appeared in the September 2005 issue of MAGIC. Check it out.

Enjoy,

Tom Frame

Vernon says the 9 of Diamonds is never chosen because it is "widely considered an unlucky card".
This is evidently an old superstition that must have been commonly known 70 years ago, but is virtually unheard of today.
I conducted an (extremely) informal and unscientific survey of probably 30-40 people, including both magicians and lay people, and not one had ever heard of it.
Some research on line revealed that the 9D was sometimes called the "Curse of Scotland" and considered unlucky. There are several explanations given, but the most common one is because it resembles the coat of arms of John Dalrymple, the Earl of Stair, who ordered what has become known as the Glencoe Massacre.
Apparently people nowadays are both less superstitious and less historically literate than they were in the past.
In researching this, I did find the "Curse of Scotland" mentioned in a couple of modern articles on Bridge, so Vernon's 5-card Mental force might have a marginally higher success rate among Bridge players.
Bear in mind, it's just a force, if it misses, you can always just proceed to do another trick with whichever card they choose.
Don