Plays Big, Folds Flat Prediction

EFFECT: The magician introduces 4 different colored paper bags and 4 corresponding colored silks. A spectator arranges the bags in any order, and the bags are numbered. The spectator then randomly places the 4 colored hankies, one in each colored bag. The magician places a prediction envelope on the table and has a spectator shuffle a deck of cards. The cards are dealt face up until a card comes up that corresponds to a number on one of the bags. The hanky is removed from that bag, and the bag is folded flat. This is repeated until one bag is left standing. The spectator opens the prediction envelope, which gives the color of the last bag standing and the color of the silk in the bag.

NEEDED:

• 4 different 5 x 10-inch colored paper bags (red, green, blue, & yellow).
• 4 different 12 inch colored silks (red, green, blue & yellow)
• 4 decks of playing cards inconspicuously numbered 1, 2, 3 & 4
• 4 Envelopes, each containing a prediction
• 1 Small pad of Post-it notes; pre-numbered 1, 2, 3 & 4 in bold print and left on the pad.

PREPERATION:

1. From Deck-1, remove all the Aces (1s). From Deck-2, remove all the 2s. From Deck-3, remove all the 3’s. From Deck-4, remove all the 4’s. New unopened decks can be used by unsealing the bottoms, removing cards, and resealing.
2. Place the four Decks in your pockets or where they can easily be retrieved. NOTE: I place the decks in my right and left pants and jacket pockets.
3. On 4 pieces of paper, write the following four predictions and place each prediction in an envelope.
   
   “The last bag standing will be Yellow with a blue hanky inside the bag.”
   “The last bag standing will be Red with a blue hanky inside the bag.”
   “The last bag standing will be Green with a blue hanky inside the bag
   “The last bag standing will be Blue with a blue hanky inside the bag.”

Mark the upper corner of each envelope with a small letter Y, R, G & B, which will correspond to the colors of the last bag standing. Place the envelopes where you can easily retrieve one of the envelopes once you know which bag contains the Blue silk. You will want to remove the prediction and place it on the table without calling attention to it as you retrieve a deck of cards to give to the spectator.

NOTE: I place 2 envelopes (Y & G) in my left coat breast pocket and 2 envelopes (B & R) in your right coat breast pocket for easy retrieval.

PRESENTATION: Introduce the 4 bags and the 4 silk hankies.

1. Have a spectator arrange the bags in any order.
2. Place post-it-notes 1 to 4 on the front of each bag randomly as directed by the spectator.
3. Have the spectator place the silks randomly, one in each bag.
4. Repeat until all 4 silks have been placed in the 4 bags (one hanky in each bag). It is at this point that you will note the number on the bag that contains the Blue silk.
5. Bring out the prediction envelop that corresponds to the color of the bag that contains the blue silk (envelope Y, G, R or B) and place it on the table without calling attention to it as you give the spectator a deck of cards numbered 1, 2, 3 or 4 that corresponds to the post-it-note number on the bag that contains the Blue silk (see example below)
6. Have the spectator shuffle the cards and start dealing them face up in your hand until an Ace (1), 2, 3, or 4 card comes up. Remove the silk from the same numbered bag as the card and collapse the bag.
7. Have two spectators each shuffle the cards and deal them face up until the numbers come up for the remaining bags. The silks are removed, and the bags collapse.
8. At this point, there will be one bag remaining with a silk in it. Have the spectator read the predication to the audience: it will have the color of the last bag remaining and the color of the silk inside the bag.

Example: If the blue silk ends up in a Yellow bag with a number 3 post-it note on the bag (as in #4 above), the magician places prediction envelope Y on the table and gives the spectator deck 3 to deal.