Devilix,TedLashley and tltq, thanks for the answer to my question. I was confused for a bit about the two packets of six, however I figured out what that meant in your answers.

Jon Racherbaumer published a three phase routine on his website, 11/7/2000, with the spelling card match as a climax. Gives it a bit of structure. It´s called In the Pink Sync and is credited to Terry LaGerould, Howard Adams and Larry Becker

See http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewtopic.php?topic=15666&forum=37.
In that thread, back in December 2002, Larry Becker gave a remarkable amount of detailed information about "Will the Cards Match." That's where I learned the effect, though I was interested in it because I had just been reading Phil Goldstein's "Redivider" and was thinking about the mirror stack principle. You don't have to tear the cards in two to do this kind of effect.

That's amazing! I have that book, and had no idea till I saw your post that "Hocus Pocus Pairs" was, in principle, the same thing as "Will the Cards Match." It is, though! Thanks for pointing that out.

It's Howard Adams's Ramasee principle which originally appeared in the OICUFESP series of booklets. Larry Becker put a meaningful phrase to it, rather than odd words, gave it to Harry for Apocalypse as stated earlier, after which the idea travelled around rapidly. Larry himself has several variants of it which can be found in "Stunners".

I used it with business cards of famous people and also with foreign currency notes in envelopes.

There are lots of routines like this that are very adaptable in Howard's books but so far this one just seems to have become most popular.

Paul.

Yesterday I was looking through a library book and came across the make the cards match effect. To my surprise, Paul Curry was given credit for the trick. Anybody ever heard of this trick being a Paul Curry discovery?

I've always read that it is as Paul wrote, with Larry Becker taking it from the set of unrelated words in the Adams effect to spelling out the phrase "Will The Cards Match?," to give the effect a reason. Larry writes in his book Stunners that after making this alteration:

"The effect spread like wildfire so to protect its origins I decided to include it in my lectures. Eventually, I gave Harry Lorayne permission to publish it in the May 1987 Apocalypse after Harry called and warned me that a well known East Coast magician was going to claim it as his own in a new book."

Harry is any of this the way you recall it? I know it is over 20 years ago but what you wrote above presents a VERY different scenario.

In any case, Larry has a great variation in Stunners. I can't even mention the title because it would give away the presentation which is inherently funny and entertaining.

I used to do this with 2 sets of 5 Jumbo ESP cards and the phrase, "Feel The Minds Power." It always played well.

I also performed Paul Harris' version from Secrets of the Astonishing Executive (1991), "The Break-Room Boredom Buster." This is a great impromtu close up effect and with a little imagination can also be performed over the telephone.

No, I don't really recall the EXACT sequence. I do know this - NOBODY TALKED ABOUT THE ROUTINE, NOBODY CHANGED IT (usually badly), nobody KNEW ABOUT IT, it certainly wasn't talked about - UNTIL I PUBLISHED IT IN APOCALYPSE. Suddenly, every one all over the world was talking about it. IT STARTED WITH MY WRITE UP AND PUBLICATION IN APOCALYPSE. THAT'S THE STORY, FOLKS - IF YOU KNOW DIFFERENTLY, PLEASE ADVISE. hl

I'm just quoting Larry, Harry! Straight from his book Stunners Plus. This is kind of ironic given he's saying you called and warned him it was going to be stolen.

I don't recall that at all, Bill, but that's not saying it "ain't so." I was extremely busy in those days, trying to get APOCALYPSE written, printed, etc., out on time every month, while I was very, very, busy with my regular work - writing, appearances all over the world, etc. I should have kept a "log" of all the changes, additions, "betterments" I received for Will The Cards Match after I published it. Most were not "betterments" at all. Best - HARRY L.

I've thought about it carefully and thoroughly. Larry is mistaken. Someone else may have told him that it was going to be stolen; I never did. He simply sent me, contributed, Will The (not "these") Cards Match. I liked it, so I ran it the first chance I had. I was always a few issues, months, ahead. HL

So, as long as Harry gave the proper credit, what's the beef? If it wasn't for those willing and able to bring these nuggets to press, we wouldn't have the wonderful variety in magic that we enjoy today.

Jim

There is no beef at all and credit isn't an even mentioned as an issue. I'm not sure what I wrote that you misinterpreted.

Larry isn't criticizing Harry in any way in the quote I shared above. He's thanking him for the warning that someone was going to lay claim to Will The Cards Match. And for publishing it first in Apocalypse properly credited to Larry.

It has been over 20 years and it isn't surprising that two people remember things differently. I asked Larry about the discrepancy and he wrote back the following (with permission to share):

"The magician that Harry warned me about was Frank Garcia. Funny how Harry's great memory fails him over stuff like this. Oh well. This kind of crap will never end. Especially as we age. My next birthday is my 80th. Trust me on
this."

So this isn't about crediting at all. Just two different recollections of how Larry Becker's Will The Cards Match ended up in Apocalypse.

Okay; Larry's mention of the magician in the above post, makes this all just a bit clearer in the mists of time. Yes, it's been over twenty years, and certainly not important - not to me anyway. And age doesn't have to get you into "memory failure." As a matter of fact, Larry, that's the POINT of my latest book, AGELESS MEMORY. (Yes, obvious plug, and obvious help.) But, because of the name you mention, it all starts to vaguely come back to me, and I'm not surprised. Best - HARRY LORAYNE.

PS: There are some things one WANTS not to remember! HL

The reaction from an audience on this trick always seems to be way more than I would expect.

I agree, and it's a great reason to use ESP cards. (Breaks things up in the audiance/spectators mind)

All The Best

For reference purposes, "Will the Cards Match" can be found in Apocalypse Vol 10, No. 5 (May 1987).

To quote Harry's opening paragraph: "It seems as if one of our "creators" is thinking of including this effect in a book -- as his. That's what I've been told. (It doesn't surprise me, or anyone. Larry refers to him as "The thief of Hearts"!) Know ye' all that it is not his - not at all. Perhaps, and hopefully, this article will prevent that bit of grand larceny. And if it's too late to prevent it, at least it will let all know the truth. It also gives me the opportunity, with Larry's permission, to run it here. You have lucked out! If I had another cover in this issue, this would be a cover item."

---

I personally like performing this trick and have settled upon 2 identical sets of 5 Disney character cards (rather than playing cards)- it makes it more interesting for the kids. My plot/set-up is that I have the fastest hands that anyone has ever seen. Despite attempts to mix up the cards in the piles, I will be able to match them up anyway.

Thanks again, Harry, for putting out such a fantastic collection.

p.s.

Bob and Happy send you their warmest regards.

I have tried all sorts of formulas in the past for this effect- each one a little stronger than the previous.

"Will the cards match"

"Will our minds merge?"(for a mentalist approach)

"Lion, Dog, Mouse, Tiger, Elephant" (using kid's animal cards bought for less than £1 from 'Toys R Us'.)

"Fire, Air, Water, Earth, Universe" (made my own cards with a picture drawn of the respective element on each card)

Finally I created my own formula for the cards as follows:-

"Star, Round Circle, Wavy Line, Cross, Square"

I now simply use regular ESP cards.Five pairs.I had never really liked using an abstract sentence.It seemed contrived to me. Using the ESP cards naturally brings forth the potential for a strong and relevant presentation which strengthens (I feel) the impact of the reveal at the end.

The ESP cards are marked (Rhine Star style)on the backs which means that I can apply a simple Haymow false shuffle to the pile of cards at the start of the effect and simply cut to correct to bring the 'Star' card to the top of the pile again. This is accomplished in the guise of spreading the cards with some cards in either hand (Tamariz style)to emphasis the fact that I am going to divide the cards up.I then reverse the spreads in my hands and do the dirty.

I then simply deal five cards down onto the table and show that the other five remain in my hand. Mission accomplished.

This is a lovely little effect that fights over it's weight.
If anyone has come up with an improved formula for the ESP cards please let me know!

The best version of the effect, that I saw, was by Bob King. He used specially printed cards, that if my memory serves me, had front and back halves of cars on them. It appeared at first that the cards didn't match, because the halves of the cars didn't match up. But, he turned over the cards and the backs matched in each pair of cards, yet they matched no other cards. The plot was quite memorable.