Introducing Ultra-Mental Plus by Mark Strivings with thanks to the genius of Joe Berg
Finally! An 'Invisible Deck' effect that actually looks like a regular deck of cards!
Anything that you can do with the classic 'Invisible Deck' can be done with Ultra-Mental Plus, and just as easily.
So, if you already do the Invisible Deck, and would like for it to look like a regular shuffled deck, now you can!
PLUS! I have included a killer effect in this manuscript.
I call it "Ultra Ultra Mental"
I'll describe it for you here, but be sure to keep the underlined points firmly in mind as you read this...
A deck of cards is introduced, removed from its box, and left face up on the table. The deck is in full view (NOT in the box) and on the table the entire time. A regulation die is also introduced.
"We're going to play a game of choice and chance," says the performer, who then asks his helper to name any card in the deck. This is a 100% free choice, and can even include the card that is face up on the deck as it sits on the table.
"That is your choice. Here's the chance." The performer hands the die to his helper and has them roll it a couple of times to prove that it is a regular die. It is finally rolled one final time. Let's suppose that the helper chose the Eight of Clubs as their card, and that they rolled a three on the die. Both of these can be ANY card and ANY number on the die.
"You chose the eight of clubs, and you rolled a three. This is where chance comes into the picture. You can now decide, do you want to go UP a value of three, to the Jack of Clubs, or do you want to go DOWN a value of three, to the Five of Clubs?"
Suppose they choose to go down to a Five.
"Is there ANY way that you could possibly have known that you would end up on the Five of Clubs? ANY way that I could possibly have known? Would you agree that this is a genuinely random selection?"
Anyone would have to agree that this is, indeed, the case.
With literally zero change to the orientation of the deck - in other words, the card that showed on the face when the deck is on the table, is still on the face when the cards are spread, the deck is NEVER turned in any way - the deck is spread, and one card is reversed in the middle of the deck. It is the Five of Clubs. The deck appears to be an otherwise standard, shuffled deck.
This effect kills and leaves no clues. Plus, it's about as easy as it gets.
Keep in mind, just like the classic Invisible Deck, 'Ultra-Mental Plus' has -
ZERO sleight of hand
ZERO complicated calculations. In fact, this is even easier than the original Ultra-Mental Deck in many ways.
ANYTHING that you can do with the classic Invisible Deck, you can do with Ultra-Mental Plus, and just as easily.
PLUS these decks use a special configuration for the roughing, which makes both functions - spreading the deck in pairs AND separating the proper pair when the time comes - incredibly easy and sure-fire.
These decks are prepared by using a roughing stick for this procedure, which means that if your deck ever starts to wear out, you can easily refresh it by using a roughing stick on it (readily obtainable from your favorite dealer).
