I thought it might be interesting to start a thread on vernon's "the trick that cannot be explained" and the various strategies that people have found usefull in the past. Now...before some wisecracking, holier than thou, 12 year old card guru points out that the trick cannot be explained... let me just say this: I AM AWARE that this is the trick that cannot be explained, however I think there is some value in the attempt, and evidently so did Lewis Ganson since he outlines a few strategies in the inner card trillogy, and so did vernon himself since he taught/coached other magicians in the performance of the trick.
With that in mind, let me say that for myself I have been experimenting with a spectator as magician type patter that can be fitted to what ever outcome chance and cunning afford during a given performance. If the outcome of the trick provides for it, I'll have the spectator deal the selected card face town and then slowly and dramatically turn it over to reveal say the two of spades. I'll tell them to take a bow and congradulate them on a job well done. Naturally they'll be confused. I turn over the prediction--they've become a great magician and discovered my card...if only they knew how they did it! Of course it can't always play this way but I'm slowly learning to coax the effect in this direction. Just my 2 cents. I'd love to hear how other people present this trick and or the strategies they've found usefull in presenting the ellusive "Trick that cannot be explained"!

j