Okay...I really don't have a problem with thye math of invisible deck...i have an issue with what suits pair with what...SO....I'm trying a "NEW" SET UP BLACK SUITS PAIRED WITH BLACK SUITS AND RED SUITS PAIRED WITH RED SUITS.....Sorry about the caps.....What do you'all think of my setup???

I think when you spread them and all they see are red or black it is less than ideal.

There are a lot of alternate setups for an Invisible Deck. I'll admit I'm usually baffled by the perceived need.

With a standard setup, all you really have to remember is that Spades and Hearts look alike.

But if, as I understand it, you want to have Spades and Hearts on one side, and Clubs and Diamonds on the other, and you can remember that better, then do it.

If you hold the deck at chest level and spread/fan the cards up near your face, you do not have to remember any pairings. You will be looking for the card they called on the backside of the fan/spread.

Then you separate the named card as you spread the cards. You obviously cannot do this if you have people behind you, but often it is the simplest method of performing the Invisible Deck.

For the record I don’t believe anyone studies the cards at all. Not order or suit it what a proper distribution of either should be. Sure they may see all black and that hits them odd I agree.

I think if you are setting them to make it easier on yourself and performance, more power to you. Definitely do that. Makes perfect sense to facilitate performance.

I wish this realization had hit me before setting up my cards across. I spent hours, then redid it and spent more hours and performed it and redid the cards looking for the perfect distribution of suits. Then it occurred to me it mostly didn’t matter as it is random anyhow.

This setup eliminates the math while reinforcing the named card during the search. Even card or Odd card? That's it.

Observe the Odd side setup above. All the Odd cards are in suited order with the even card beneath the card in between. AS, JH (2S), 3S, 9H (4S) and so on...

A ten of Spades is called for. Even card means flip to the odd side above. The Spades, starting with Ace are in order. The card between the 9S and the JS is relevant, only to the extent that it hides the 10S beneath it.

I purposely showed the setup upjogged and downjogged to promote the idea that you ignore the other color when searching while also clarifying the order of the suits in the stack.

The ID needs no math or memorization past Odd or Even with this setup. Flip to the side opposite and focus on the actual card by counting it's mates till you get to it. Ace of Spades, 3, 5, 7, 9S, Ten of Spades, in between the 9 and J of Spades.

Just like the setup above shows, ignore the other color cards like they aren't even there...

Thanks, Kaliix for sharing your setup again.

MagiCal52, if you haven't already, you might read our extended discussion on alternative ID setups at:

https://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/view......orum=203

Also, I found this:
https://www.stonecoldmagicmagazine.com/f......finesse/

Thanks. I wasn't sure I wanted to post about it again, broken record and all, so I attempted to simplify the explanation and show the stack differently, allowing the order and colors to be clearer via the up/down jog.

I appreciate the links to previous discussions.

Magicians helping magicians...