{"id":7740,"date":"2026-02-02T18:48:02","date_gmt":"2026-02-02T18:48:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/robertjwallace.com\/?p=7740"},"modified":"2026-02-03T04:26:34","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T04:26:34","slug":"13-down","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/robertjwallace.com\/es\/13-down\/","title":{"rendered":"13 Down"},"content":{"rendered":"

This card trick is a “self-working” effect by Peter Duffie. Here is the clear, step-by-step breakdown of how to perform it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The Setup<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  1. Write the Prediction:<\/strong> On a piece of paper, write “13 down.”<\/strong> Place it face down on the table.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. The Intro:<\/strong> Tell the spectator, “This is a prediction that guarantees a lucky outcome from an unlucky premise.”<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
    \n\n\n\n

    The Selection Process<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    1. Count the Packet:<\/strong> Take a deck of cards and count out exactly 24 cards<\/strong>.\n
        \n
      • Tip:<\/em> Do this casually (e.g., in groups of three) so it doesn’t look like you are counting.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Or do a Faro check to split the deck at 26 and then drop two cards.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • The Shuffle:<\/strong> Give the 24-card packet to the spectator and have them shuffle it. Turn your back so you cannot see what they do next.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • The Secret Number:<\/strong> Ask the spectator to:\n
          \n
        • Cut a small pile of cards (less than half) from the top.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Count how many cards are in that small pile and remember that number (let’s call it X<\/em>).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Put those X<\/em> cards away (in their pocket or on the rest of the unused deck).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Memorizing the Card:<\/strong> Ask them to pick up the remaining packet and count down to their secret number (X<\/em>).\n
            \n
          • Ejemplo:<\/em> If they kept 7 cards earlier, they look at the 7th card from the top.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Crucial:<\/strong> Tell them to remember the card but keep it in the same position<\/strong>. Do not move it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
            \n\n\n\n

            The Spelling Procedure<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
              \n
            1. The Reveal:<\/strong> Turn back around. Explain that you will use a “lucky sentence” to find their card.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            2. Move the Cards:<\/strong> For every letter you speak, the spectator must move one card from the top of the packet to the bottom<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            3. Spell “MY CARD IS NOW”:<\/strong> Have them move a card for each letter:\n
                \n
              • M – Y<\/strong> (2 cards)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • C – A – R – D<\/strong> (4 cards)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • I – S<\/strong> (2 cards)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • N – O – W<\/strong> (3 cards)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • Pause for Effect:<\/strong> After they finish spelling “NOW,” stop them.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
                \n\n\n\n

                The Big Finish<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                  \n
                1. Reveal the Prediction:<\/strong> Ask the spectator to turn over your paper. They will read: “13 down.”<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
                2. The Final Count:<\/strong> Explain that 13 is the “unlucky” number. Ask them to count down to the 13th card<\/strong> in their hand.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                3. The Result:<\/strong> The 13th card will be their memorized card every single time.<\/li>\n<\/ol>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                  This card trick is a “self-working” effect by Peter Duffie. Here is the clear, step-by-step breakdown of how to perform it.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_eb_attr":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7,159],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7740","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-magic","category-self-working"],"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"Bob","author_link":"https:\/\/robertjwallace.com\/es\/author\/admin\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/robertjwallace.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7740","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/robertjwallace.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/robertjwallace.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robertjwallace.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robertjwallace.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7740"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/robertjwallace.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7740\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7744,"href":"https:\/\/robertjwallace.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7740\/revisions\/7744"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/robertjwallace.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7740"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robertjwallace.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7740"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robertjwallace.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7740"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}