2023 Invisible Thoughts by Chris Rawlins

© Christopher Rawlins.
Published, September 2020.
Manchester, England.
    INVISIBLE THOUGHTS
An exploration of tools, routines and concepts to elevate the
                    ‘Invisible Deck’.
                         WHY?
This collection of approaches and ideas utilising the
Invisible Deck has for me been long overdue. For many
years previous to my stage work, I worked primarily as a
strolling performer. This alone faces unique challenges. As
we all know, whether it is a drinks reception, private party,
networking event or any other type of gathering,
performing to a new group every few minutes can be
initially daunting and difficult.
    Here in the UK there is a large market for wedding
entertainment, a market that I quickly discovered was not
for my taste or enjoyment. Additionally, I realised very
quickly that Mentalism, more specifically mind reading was
the only area of close up performance that I was interested
in performing professionally. These collective decisions
once again made performances more challenging for
some time. By removing any visible props or devices and
committing to the premise of mind reading, I had
unintentionally limited the material of my own and others
that I was permitted to perform.
    Although not usually a demonstration of mind reading,
the Invisible Deck has always been something I have
performed in paid strolling environments and is something
that to this day I use as a demonstration of mind reading.
    Though my days of being a strolling mind reader
reduce each year with my focus and efforts primarily
towards stage performance, the Invisible Deck has for me
and many others, stood the test of time.
    These notes are intended to tip and highlight
approaches with the Invisible Deck that I have used for a
long period. Though these are simple changes, the results
are powerful. I urge you to play around with these
concepts. I believe you will find great value in them.
    It should be pointed out that not all the taught details
must be used in conjunction with each other. Although that
is possible, I would suggest starting with one or two of the
approaches and working from there to discover which
combination works best for you.
    The devil really is in the details, and that is exactly what
these notes are about. As always...

   LETS. PUSH. THINGS. FORWARD.




          Manchester, 2020.
                      HISTORY
What we now call the Invisible Deck was in fact a creation
of Joe Berg published in 1936. It was originally titled the
Ultra-Mental Deck. Over time and with the help of ideas,
routines and published works of Don Allen and Eddie
Fields, we have transitioned into calling it the ’Invisible
Deck‘. Don Allen and Eddie Fields would present the
routine using Joe Bergs deck combined with the premise
of having invisible cards, which would ultimately manifest
in the hands of the performer with the named card
reversed.
    Dai Vernon published his Brainwave Deck in The Jinx in
1938, though it is understood to pre date that by some
considerable time, though to me the exact date of creation
is unknown. Vernons deck allows you to reveal any named
card as the only card reversed and with the additional
kicker that it is from a different coloured deck. It is truly
superb, amazing and wonderful. A real benefi t of Dai
Vernons Brainwave Deck is that it proves without any doubt
the performer knew exactly which card would be called for
and that it was not just simply secretly turned over.
    After Vernon & Joe Berg shared their creations with the
magic world a flurry of interpretations, routines and
variations began to be published. Some of which can be
found in The Jinx and well worth searching out.
    It is also understood that Edward Bagshawe’s Reverso
Deck, 1921 may have provided some of the foundational
thinking applied in both Joe Bergs Ultra-Mental Deck and
Dai Vernons Brainwave Deck.
    I appreciate the Brainwave Deck and use it on occasion,
though my first exposure was to the Ultra-Mental Deck
which is the sole reason for me performing with it much
more frequently. For clarity and ease throughout the
contents of these notes I will refer to the Ultra-Mental Deck
as an Invisible Deck.
    One thing is certain, whether you choose to use a
Brainwave or Ultra-Mental, your audiences will stand in
silence as you reveal their card to be the only one different
from the rest, whether that is in orientation alone or also
back design.
 VARIATIONS & ENHANCEMENTS
I have a relatively quick mind and working with digits,
addition, memorisation and mental process is no problem
for me. Though as with many other approaches of mine, I
realised over time that if it is possible to make the
performance of an effect easier without affecting the
audiences experience, I should.


                   “A ‘New’ Way To Pair”


Though the mental process of locating a called for card in
the standard Invisible Deck set up is not difficult, I did have
a desire to streamline the search through a more logical (to
me) arrangement. With some thought I realised that I could
change the way the deck is paired to eliminate all counting
and mental process. The simple and elegant solution I
experimented with and can now swear by is: to arrange the
deck so that all the Spades and Hearts are on one side.
With all of the Diamonds and Clubs on the other.
Additionally, you should pair the cards so that each pair
contains one full set of that value. For example, the Six of
Clubs should be paired with the Six of Spades. This rule
should run true through all of the deck. By having all of the
Hearts and Spades on one side and the Clubs and
Diamonds on the other, the location of any necessary card
could not be any more direct, quick and simple.
    After using this approach for many years, and sharing it
with various other professionals and with the passing of
time I came across the superb booklet Invisible Secrets
Revealed (1976) only to discover that the very same
method for arranging the deck had been taught there. The
booklet truly is excellent and comes with my highest
recommendation (Within its pages you’ll learn a superb
approach that allows you to perform a table spread display
by Ed Marlo amongst many other golden nuggets that are
worth seeking out).
    In the years since reading the Eddie Fields, Don Allen
and Michael Schwartz’s compilation of approaches I have
added what I believe to be valuable touches that take this
simple and logical way of organising the deck, and elevate
it.
    * I have always preferred to reveal and display the
reversed card with the deck parallel to the ground, so
please read the following with that in mind.
    With your deck arranged as discussed it is a simple
matter of removing deck the right way up, which is in
actuality the wrong way up. A simple way to think about it
is as follows: whatever card is called for, bring out the deck
so that its mate will face you. Remember, you are looking
for “your mate”. A simple an elegant way to know which was
is up with the cards in the box is to place your prepared
deck into one of the ‘Standard Rider Back’ boxes. These
boxes display a Ten of Hearts on one side of the box. Place
the deck in the box so that when you remove the deck with
that side up, the Hearts and Spades will be uppermost.
(See Fig.1)
   This simple memory aid and visual indicator, combined
with the method of pairing will now eliminate the
possibility of ever having to think about when performing
the Invisible Deck. Below (Fig.2 & 3) are images of both
sides of my deck, before reading, see if you can notice the
other key features of the arrangement and how they might
be useful and advantageous to the performer.
                      “Know Your Deck”

    Another detail that I have found to be of great value
when using the aforementioned system of pairing is to
know your deck more than the average performer, plan
ahead. We have all experienced the situation whereby a
spectator names a card that ‘happens’ to fall as the very last
card and when this does happen, it is only logical for a
spectator to imagine that you have the ability to turn that
card over secretly. Luckily, you can change your own bad
luck.
     In the last eight years I have made sure to know which
cards are uppermost and lowermost in my deck and been
certain to never state that the card is “reversed somewhere
in the middle” before they name the card (I’ll talk more
about my exact language later). For example, the Queen of
Hearts is always my uppermost card in my deck on the
Hearts/Spades side. The Nine of Clubs uppermost on the
Club/Diamond side. Should those cards be called for
(Either the Nine of Clubs of Queen of Hearts) instead of
showing the card reversed as the last card in the spread I
do the following: I place the box on my hand with the
relevant card facing up (using the box’s natural indicator)
and slowly open the tab. I then very slowly slide the deck
out of the box, which in turn slowly reveals the named card.
The reaction is huge. The perception of what has
happened is that they card they named is INTENTIONALLY
on the top of the deck. I then take that single card away
from the top of the deck and flop it back face down onto
the deck, a simple action that perfectly illustrates that the
card was indeed “Facing the wrong way” as in flopping
over the named card they see the back of the card beneath
it. Of course, the same is true for if the Nine of Clubs is
called for. This approach flips a weakness into a strength
and really does solve an issue that I always disliked.
     You can take this approach further by simply knowing
your deck in more detail. By this I mean that you should
place specific cards at specific locations within the deck.
Those cards should be cards that come up often. So that
after the card is named you can define roughly where they
are about to see the named card reversed. The obvious
option is to memorise the order of your deck on both
sides. I have experimented with this and although it’s a fine
option, it is not my preference. A much more practical
solution for me, as someone who works less and less in
strolling environments is to simply place commonly named
cards in central locations within the deck. This is with two
exceptions, as previously described (QH & 9C). Meaning
that should one of your commonly named cards not be
called for, you’ll know that it is not central and therefore be
capable to make an accurate and true statement.
     These alterations to the usual approaches I see with the
Invisible Deck give you the full power and confidence to
always get the strongest reactions when using this tool in
performance.
                   “Facing The Wrong Way”

    I have on more than one occasion seen performers
using an Invisible Deck who make the claim that the card is
“In the middle...and reversed.” Which I have seen be
followed by the card being nowhere close to the middle,
sometimes lowermost. Although this minor discrepancy
will most likely go unnoticed, why take the chance? My
language that I have used to great effect and for a very
long time is that simply, “...there is one card facing the
wrong way.” I recommend that you use the same. It means
that should your spectator name one of the two cards on
the decks faces, you can proceed as previously described
and still meet your claim. It also means that you are making
no commitment regarding the reversed cards location,
which eliminates the possibility of any discrepancy. After all
where it is is not as important as the identity of the card
itself. Lastly, it is a clear and simple statement that needs no
further clarification in performance or by me here, now.



          “There is one
        card facing the
         wrong way.”
                      ”Jokers In The Box”

    Before we move away from physical adjustments to the
physical deck of cards, there is one final approach that you
can add to your performances with the previous additions
or in isolation. It comes with my highest recommendation
and all it requires is two Jokers. It allows you to further
imply the illusion that only one card is facing the wrong
way, though without having to cut the deck. Although it is
not a necessary implication, it can serve you well as an
additional convincer should anyone see you perform
multiple times.
    These Jokers are placed onto the deck facing the
Queen of Hearts and the Nine of Clubs. So that if you
removed everything and looked at all sides of the deck,
you would see only backs. The deck is boxed.
    When removing the deck the orientation of the deck
and the key to look for “your mate” still applies. However
you will simply hold back one of the Jokers in the box and
leave one on the back of the deck, furthest from you. Which
Joker you hold back will depend on which side you want to
display. If you are bringing out the deck to reveal a
Diamond or Club you will of course bring the deck out with
the Hearts and Spades uppermost, which means that you
will hold back the uppermost Joker, leaving it in the box.
The same is true for the other side of the deck. Simply, you
hold back the Joker that is uppermost as you remove the
deck.
    Why? The result of this is such that every visible card will
be face up, except the card called for, and including the
Joker lowermost in the deck. What this allows for is for you
to spread through, locate the called for and reversed card,
out jog it (still face down) and spread through the rest of
the deck. You are then able to square the deck but leave
the called for and revered card protruding. Slowly, you are
now able to lift the deck to display the called for reversed
card. This will also display one full back (the Joker you left
in place) and therefore subtly imply that the deck is exactly
as normal as it should be. Additionally, if you do not
remove the called for card but simply slide it back into the
deck and then re-box the deck underneath the boxed
Joker, you are reset for another performance automatically.
    The below image (Fig.4) shows you the display position
from the audiences perspective.
                     ”As Mind Reading”

    As I mentioned previously I perform with the Invisible
Deck in strolling situations through the premise of mind
reading, not prediction. The change is minimal but thinking
about consistency with your performance claims is a
valuable way to spend your time. Of course when I started
to perform professionally and began using this exciting
tool I performed it as a feat of prediction, without ever
considering the premise. I was able to know, without doubt
which card my spectators would name and the reversed
card in my deck was simple but unquestionable proof of
that claim. It was only as a spent more and more time
focusing on being a mind reader that I realised how I was
performing with the deck did not fit into place anymore.
There are a number of truly great thinkers and performers
that I’m lucky to call friends and mentors of mine, who have
taught me this lesson and who continue to remind me to
really think about how you are claiming to do what it is you
are doing. It is a valuable lesson that I feel is worth thinking
on.
    What I arrived at and have used frequently achieves two
things. One: the demonstration stays true to the claim of
mind reading. Two: it allows me to reveal an unspoken
thought, which in turn further sells the claim. Both of which
are achieved through simple language and implication. I’ll
give an example performance script below, so that you can
understand how it feels and then I’ll add commentary to
the script for you to understand what is at play and why it is
effective.
    Performer: “On your hand is a common object, a deck
of playing cards. In a moment I’m going to ask you to think
of any playing card in the deck. Before you do please
understand that in that deck of cards there is one card
facing the wrong way. That’s the card I’m hoping we can
work together to arrive at. So please, just think of one.”

   Spectator: “Okay...I have one.”

   Performer: “Let me tell you that is...not the card facing
the wrong way. So please change your mind.”

   Spectator: “...okay, done.”

   Performer: “Please change your mind again.”

   Spectator: “Okay yes, I’m thinking of a new one.”

   Performer: “That’s SO close! Can you keep that card in
mind but I’d like you to make some changes to it. So please
take one away from the value and change the suit to the
other one of the same colour.”

   Spectator: “Okay, done.”

   Performer: “Please say out loud the name of the new
card you are now thinking of.”

   Spectator: “The Eight of Hearts.”
    Performer: “And you were thinking of the Nine of
Diamonds before the changes...but together we’ve arrived
at the Eight of Hearts.”

    The spectator is shocked by the performers last
statement and just as the dust settles the performer cleanly
shows the only card in the deck that is facing the wrong
way is exactly the Eight of Hearts!

    What this performance of the Invisible Deck becomes is
two people working together through unspoken thoughts
to arrive at a target. The spectator makes free choices and
the performer sees and understands these thoughts and
guides them to hit the bullseye. Below is the exact same
script, although I have added annotations for extra
clarification. These are in bold.

    Performer: “On your hand is a common object, a deck if
playing cards. In a moment I’m going to ask you to think of
any playing card in the deck. Before you do please
understand that in that deck of cards there is one card
facing the wrong way. That’s the card I’m hoping we can
work together to arrive at. So please, just think of one.”
    The premise is set clearly with these simple words.

   Spectator: “Okay...I have one.”
   The spectator is likely to be surprised by how free
this mental selection is and will be open to proceed.
     Performer: “Let me tell you that is...not the card facing
the wrong way. So please change your mind.”
     The slight pause here, shown by the ellipsis adds a
little drama, the spectator is likely to be expecting to
move from A to B and we just jumped sideways to S.

   Spectator: “...okay, done.”

   Performer: “Please change your mind again.”

   Spectator: “Okay yes, I’m thinking of a new one.”

   Performer: “That’s SO close! Can you keep that card in
mind but I’d like you to make some changes to it. So please
take one away from the value and change the suit to the
other one of the same colour.”
   The tension builds and the instructions are clear. By
asking them to make specific changes that are
determined by their previous free thoughts the process
retains a fairness and logic whilst still feeling
impossible. You are also instructing the spectator make
changes that in a moment you can backtrack quickly to
reveal the last thought of card.

   Spectator: “Okay, done.”

   Performer: “Please say out loud the name of the new
card you are now thinking of.”
   If asked why, you explain that it is for everybody
else to understand. to involve the masses.
   Spectator: “The Eight of Hearts.”

    Performer: “And you were thinking of the Nine of
Diamonds before the changes....”
    Here you name out loud the card that they just had
in their mind. As you asked them to “take one away
from the value and change the suit to the other one of
the same colour.” You can quickly calculate the other
card they thought of. The final line should be delivered
quickly as if you are clarifying a thought that you
already understood. It should also be the last thing you
say, the rest speaks for itself.

     A variation of this that is only slightly different is actually
what I prefer to use whenever I feel in the groove. I will
instruct them to “Take one away from the value and change
it to what you would consider to be the opposite suit.” Now
this does not guarantee that you’ll name the right card
however, I usually feel confident that I can really
understand what they will change too. If you don’t, use the
bulletproof version above. Though understand that the
extra layer of an actual free choice at the end can really
elevate the verbal implication that you can hear or see their
thoughts. When working backwards, you’ll be able to
always be exact with the value as all you need to do is add
one. With the suit, the use of the word opposite guides
them to one of the other colour. So if they name the the
Eight of Hearts at the end, you can be sure they were
thinking of a nine and either a Club or Spade. Most likely a
Club. Diamonds tend to jump to Hearts. My understanding
is that this is due to Diamonds beings angular and Clubs
being rounded. Spades also angular, Hearts more
rounded. This is of course all theory, it essentially comes
down to a 50/50 guess. If you are comfortable taking that
small risk, it can be worth the pay off. If not, the bulletproof
way is still powerful (Other suit of the same colour).
    On paper it makes sense that you can backtrack and
seems transparent but I assure you that with the right
delivery, timing and confidence it can truly help to
transform the claim of mind reading into something much
more real.
    What I like most about this approach is that you are
working together to reach a goal, it is no longer you
demonstrating a skill as much as it becomes an experience
you share together.
    All of that being said, I have used everything described
previously to great surprise and success of my clients and
will continue to do so.
                    “Invisible Safety Net”

    Usually when working the room in a strolling capacity I
will also be set to perform on stage. It will come as no
surprise that I had one particular event many years ago that
when I arrived none of my technical requirements had
been met. This was because back then I hadn’t realised the
importance of specifying these things so clearly. As it
turned out, that’s was the least of my problems. Before I
was due to perform a short set from the platform and whilst
I was strolling around with the guests, the band started. I
love Music, I play Music but on that day, at that moment,
however superb those musicians were...I HATED Music. I
had just performed for my first group, the whole event was
of a casual atmosphere. As soon as the Music started my
ability to speak to anyone clearly and without shouting was
stolen from me. I rushed over to one of the bars in the
room and decide to make some cue cards, using blank
billets and one of the few Sharpies I had on my person. I
then spent the duration of my strolling performance time at
the event silent and performing one effect.
    The performer approaches a group of people and
extends his hand whilst looking at his own actions. The
spectator quickly understand that they are to follow suit
and they extend their hand. The boxed deck is placed on
their extended hand. The performer then removes some
small cue cards and displays each in turn, ending with the
spectator naming a card, which is found to be the only one
facing the wrong way in the deck. The performers leaves
without saying a word. The spectators are equally silent
from shock, amazement and awe.
   This has since that time many years ago become
something I have always had in mind and with me should
those situations ever arise again, and believe me, they
have. Here’s what the cue cards say, each new line is a new
cue card.

   HI, I’M CHRIS!

   IT’S VERY LOUD IN HERE.

   IN THAT DECK OF CARDS...

   IS ONE CARD, FACING THE WRONG WAY...

   AND IT IS A CARD I CAN MAKE YOU THINK OF.

   SO NAME ONE...

    This order of cue cards is never mixed and by moving
each to the back of the stack to display the next, you
become instantly reset after each performance. The
language shows that you understand the situation is not
ideal and makes your spectators smile, relax and feel
comfortable with you as a performer who is aware of their
surroundings and audience. It also uses my language of
facing the wrong way and makes a bold claim that you are
able to back up with solid proof.
    It is worth addressing that I am well aware that this is a
change of claim and premise. However should you ever
find yourself using this in such an emergency situation, it is
very likely that you will not need to or be able to perform
anything else, so although the claim changes it remains
consistent throughout the evening.
    A friend, mentor and someone who I greatly respect
Luke Jermay added two ideas to this approach that allow
you to leave a business card in your spectators hands.I
have applied both these approaches since he shared them
to great success.
    The first suggestion is to have all these cue cards
written or printed upon the reverse of your business cards
and for you to print multiple extra cards that have SO
NAME ONE... on the reverse so after each performance
you can add a new business card to the back of the stack.
the reason for this is that when taking back the deck from
the spectators hands you can place the cue card on their
hand and leave it with them.
    Lukes further idea was to perform as described and
place a different business card on their hand with your
details face up, and for the reverse printed with the words
WE NEED TO TALK... this for me is the ultimate approach
as it doesn’t disturb the stack and leaves them with a
business card and a great way to generate future enquiries
that is more thoughtful, interesting and unique than just
giving someone your card. The website moo.com offer the
ability to print business cards with multiple and different
back designs, which is a great solution worth your
consideration.
                  “Remember This Moment”

    I thought that to close out these notes I would shift from
details with the Invisible Deck itself and explain a routine
that I have had performed a substantial amount. This is
especially when I’ve performed for repeat clients in a
private party setting. This usually involves me in one fixed
location with access to a table.
    The performer removes two decks of cards, one red
and one blue. The red deck is placed aside and the blue
deck is shuffled by a spectator and returned to the
performer. Who then spreads the deck between his hands.
The spectator removes a card sight unseen by the
performer, remembers the card and then places it facing
the wrong way back into the deck. The spectators is asked
to remember the image of one card reversed. The
performer removes the red deck from its box and spreads
through the face up cards to reveal one card that is indeed
facing the wrong way. Both these cards are revealed to be
a perfect match!
    This routine was something that was born out of
performance, for me it just seemed to self create naturally.
Within Invisible Secrets Revealed Eddie Fields describes a
similar routine, and though I was using this long before I
came across the superb booklet, Eddie Fields of course
gets the full credit. That being said I would not be including
my version here if I didn’t believe the small changes to
make a substantial difference. Eddie described an
alternative to knowing the free selection of card that was
and is smart and logical and very deceptive. He would have
a card removed from the face downed deck and replace
into the face up deck. Through a subtle glimpse of the card
he would know which card to reveal in the gimmicked
deck. I have always had the spectator draw a card from the
shuffled face up deck. After the shuffle I spread the cards
between my hands and invite the spectator to remove any
card. Just as I see which card they are heading towards I
turn my head away. Simultaneously all focus and eye-lines
are looking at the spectator choosing the card and their
hands which are moving towards the deck. Only after the
card is removed does everyone eyeline shift up to me, at
which point my head is turned away. Once the card is face
down I turn back as I ask them to place the card in facing
the wrong way at which point I visually check if they did
indeed take the card I thought they were heading towards,
they always have. Of course you can just watch the whole
process to be sure but the above choreography is tested
and sound.
    At this point you are done, and they will be too after
they see the perfect match. It should be noted that as we
discussed previously, Eddies effect has another difference:
he turns around and places one card reversed, which turns
this effect into a coincidence. Mine is very much a
prediction of a free choice.
    Additionally, should you frequently use marked cards,
you can perform this by having a spectator remove a card
from the face down deck and glimpse the marking of the
card as they remove the card or as they replace it.
                         ”Thank You!”

    I have been intending to write up these notes for a
considerable time. Though on multiple occasions I have
prioritised other projects instead. I truly believe that the
contents of these notes are valuable to any working
professional that uses any variation of this gaffes deck.
    My hope is that these notes inspire you to think about
and examine something that you have performed for some
time, and to really look at the claim you are making as you
perform said routine. This will result in minor changes that
will no doubt increase the impact that particular routine has
in performance.
    I will not stop thinking about everything I perform, and
when the time feels right, I’m sure I will be back again to
share even more developments.
    for now, thank you for investing in my work and taking
the performance of Magic and Mentalism seriously. I think
we all need to.
     Till next time,
                        CREDITS
   Edward Bagshawe’s - Reverso Deck. 1921.

               Joe Berg - Ultra-Mental Deck. 1936.

    Dai Vernon - Brainwave Deck, The Jinx, Issue 49. 1938

     Judson.S. Brown - A Super- Reverse Problem. 1937.
            Encyclopaedia of Card Tricks.

   John J. Crimmins Jr - Ill Read Your Mind, 1940. The Jinx,
                         Issue 117.

     Eddie Fields & Don Allen - (Various tips, routines and
 handlings - including the use of paired mates, two decks
and the well known ‘Invisible’ presentation), 1976. Invisible
                    Secrets Revealed.

                   Luke Jermay - Words. 2006.

     Vanishing Inc, Lawrence Turner & Harry Robson -
Roughing Stick - (giving you the ability to make an Invisible Deck /
  Ultra-Mental /Brainwave Deck with any deck of cards, any place,
                             anytime!)


    Sintija - For designing the cover and being incredible!