Old ideas never die... they just get re-invented, and in some cases improved.  I don't know for sure, but I would bet a large sum of money that Ed Marlo has probably written a dozen variations on the central idea of the Cardiologist's deck.  It is a version of the mene-tekel deck but does have the distinct advantage that the deck can be shown to contain 52 different cards -- because it does.  It could be given a casual examination by a spectator, but too much time looking and they might discover part of the deck's secret.

The effects possible are numerous, and Tomas Medina teaches a few nice routines with the deck.  The simplest effect is this:   the deck is riffle shuffled (possibly by the spectator, but more surely by the magician), and the spectator chooses a card, turns it face up and cuts it into the facedown deck.  The deck is again riffle shuffled and another spectator chooses a card and cuts it faceup intot he deck.  One more time with the riffle shuffles and one more time a card is chosen and cut faceup into the facedown deck.  magi gives the deck a riffle shuffle and spreads it on the table.  The three faceup selections are removed, along with the card immediately next to each.  The cards next to each selected card turn out to be the mates (same value and color).

Another routine (which I like better) is this:   the spectator chooses a card, the deck is riffle shuffled and the magician cuts to the mate of the selected card.  The deck is riffle shuffled again, and another card selected.  Again the magi finds the card's mate.    You can do this repeatedly, despite all the shuffles.

This deck can make anyone (who can riffle shuffle and cut a deck) look like a card expert.

With DVD instructions.

Back to previous page