I came across a great self-working card while surfing the net a while ago that I don't ever recall seeing before. Normally I'm not a fan of card tricks that involve dealing cards into piles, but this one really fascinates me.

The basic effect is that two piles of fifteen cards are dealt to two spectators, and they are each told to cut their pile into two. The first then selects a card from the remainder of the deck to represent the master criminal. He looks at it and then places it face down on either one of his piles. The second then places either one of his piles on the criminal card and then takes a card from the remainder of the deck to be the master detective. This is placed faced up on his remaining pile and the first spectator's left over pile is placed on top. Now this packet is placed on the packet containing the master criminal, and the assembled packet is cut several times. The second spectator now deals this into two piles, noting which pile contains the detective. This pile is now dealt into another two piles and this is repeated until he is left with the face up detective and one face down card. The first spectator is asked to reveal the idenity, and the card is turned over to reveal the detective has successfully tracked down his man!

Does anyone know the original source of this card trick as well as it's original name and presentation? This trick is so basic I am sure it must be a classic . I checked various books on self-working card tricks and have yet to find it.

Thanks

Although I don't remember the exact source of the trick, it is an extreme use of 'Free Cut Principle' by John Hamilton.

Bob Longe has a similar tirck in his 'Lttle Giant Book of Card Tricks' (2000) titled 'A Good Match'. Instead of dealing and eliminating until you get two cards, you do Milk Shuffle twice to pair the Criminal card and Detective card.

Hideo Kato

After I posted the above, I struggled to find a method to sandwich the criminal card between two detective cards in similar handling. Although it does not use Free Cut Principle, I found a method. The proceedure is as below.

1.You explain that there are two face up black Jacks detectives in the deck.
2. Spectator cut the deck and place the upper half on the table.
3. He takes top card of the packet in his hand, remember it and place it on the tabled packet. He then place the packet in his hand on the packet on the table. You don't know the position of the selection.
4. The spectator deal the cards into two piles. He stops anytime, at least, after two face up Jacks are dealt. He discards the remaining cards.
5. The spectator deal the cards into two piles and discard the pile not including the face up Jacks.
5. The spectator repeat the deal until he get 3 cards, which are two face up jacks and one face down card. the face down card is the selection. (No.125)

Thanks for the inspiration.

Hideo Kato

I know its an old thread but sounds like Jack the Bounty Hunter.