David Jonathan has created a fantastic prediction trick with UNO cards. With this routine, you display a stack of UNO cards, sorted by four different colors; blue red, green and yellow. The spectator picks a color and then shuffles the deck, not once, but twice. A free choice of color and a true riffle shuffle (times two). The cards are shown to be thoroughly shuffled. Then the spectator removes the first three cards from the color they selected at the outside. So, for example, if the spectator selected the yellow cards, they would deal until they got the first three yellow cards, for example, the 4, the 7 and the 2. You openly show that each color has different three cards that appear and had they chosen another color, the number would have been different. Then the performer picks up an envelope that has been on the table from before the cards were even shuffled and the number “13” is written on it. That is the total of the three numbers (4,7 and 2) added together. Ok, not bad, but not exactly mind-boggling. However, inside the envelope and it states “You will choose the yellow cards…and you will deal 472.” Now, that is incredible!
One of the things that I like about this trick is that it is based on a method that is over 100 years old, published in Stanyon’s Magic magazine in 1913. The same method was later used by Charles Jordan in 1919 in his book Thirty Card Mysteries. I love learning “new” methods that are a hundred years old!
David also brainstorms a few alternative uses for the method, including using it to select a page for a book test and how to apply the method to a deck of cards. To be honest, I jumped on the book test idea and used a regular deck of cards and it really eviscerated my spectators.
What I also like about this trick is that it is something a bit different because it uses UNO cards. However, UNO cards are not as easy to handle as regular Bikes, especially when you need to spread them on the table. David does address this issue in his explanatory video.
The instructional video is 40 minutes long and is well produced for a self-produced video. It basically consists of David sitting behind a table speaking into a camera. He starts the video with a demonstration without any spectators using straight ahead camera shots and aerial views. The explanation is clear and detailed and covers all questions that you may have. The video is edited with the alternate camera angles throughout. There is a looping spa/lounge instrumental track playing throughout the instructional video which did get a bit annoying after a while.
For $8.95 you get the downloadable video and a PDF that contains a revised handling which is a bit more direct, although not a gamechanger.
The ad copy for this trick claims that:
“You Know is a powerful display of foresight that is so direct, so fair and so utterly baffling. It uses an ancient, underused principle that has been dusted off and modernized with new twists to create a stunning hands-off prediction.
So what’s the effect? A pack of UNO cards is introduced and a participant names any of the four colors in the game to be their target color. They take the cards and genuinely shuffle them into a truly random order. They now look through the shuffled pack and remove the first three cards of their target color that they come to. The numbers on these cards are added together to arrive at a sum. An envelope, that has been on the table, is turned over to show one number was written on it – the sum of the three numbers! Even more impressive, inside the envelope is a prediction of the SPECIFIC COLOR they named and the EXACT THREE NUMBERS they arrived at!
- Ends clean
- No gimmicks
- No sleight of hand
- Super easy to do
Tons of extra ideas and variations are covered on the tutorial, as well as ways to incorporate the concepts into a variety of routines (e.g. book tests, pin code revelations, etc.).
You Know provides an engaging change of pace from run-of-the-mill card tricks, so download it today to learn one of the strongest effects with a pack of UNO cards!
Note: While this effect was designed for UNO cards, it is also easily adapted to playing cards”
The ad copy is accurate and properly descriptive.
You will need to supply your own deck of UNO cards, but these are available for $5-$10 bucks in tons of places. I got mine from my kid’s desk!
This trick and method is something that I have added to my repertoire and I expect it to stay there. I highly recommend You Know for the trick, the method, the teaching and the strong thinking behind it.
You Know is very easy to perform, it is sleight free and it is impossible to back track.
Jonathan David sent me this trick to review and give my honest feedback, which I did. And, if you are interested in checking this out for only 9 bucks, it is available at his website (www.davidjonathanmagic.com) and also at Penguin Magic.