Help us get to over 8,769 articles in 2026.

If you know of a magician not listed in MagicPedia, start a New Biography for them. Contact us at magicpediahelp@gmail.com

Miraskill: Difference between revisions

From Magicpedia, the free online encyclopedia for magicians by magicians.
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(→‎Effect: Updated the description (which is not complete) with better one.)
m (→‎Combinatorial analysis: More accurate description of the results in Tuenter's article.)
 
(6 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
[[Miraskill]] is a classic card effect and principle developed and marketed in 1935 by the Canadian magician [[Stewart James]] (1908–1996).
[[Miraskill]] is a classic card effect and principle developed and marketed in 1935 by the Canadian magician [[Stewart James]] (1908–1996).
The first description was published in the September 1936 issue of [[The Jinx]]
Its description was first published in the September 1936 issue of [[The Jinx]],
<ref>James, Stewart. Miraskill. ''The Jinx''. 24:147, 151, September 1936.</ref>,
<ref name="James1936">James, Stewart. Miraskill. ''The Jinx''. 24:147, 151, September 1936.</ref>
a magic periodical published and edited by [[Ted Annemann]] (1907&ndash;1942).
a magic periodical published and edited by [[Ted Annemann]] (1907&ndash;1942).
A description can also be found in the [[Encyclopedia of Card Tricks]] (1937).
A reprint appeared in the [[Encyclopedia of Card Tricks]] (1937).
More contemporary descriptions of Miraskill can be be found in the second volume of [[The James File]]
<ref name="Slaight:2000">Slaight, Allan (editor). ''The James File'', Vol. 2, p. 1886. Jogestja Ltd., Toronto, 2000.</ref>
and [[Essential Stewart James|The essential Stewart James]].
<ref name=Slaight:2007>Slaight, Allan (editor). ''The essential Stewart James''. Toronto: Magicana; 2007. p. 23.</ref>
 
   
   
== Effect ==
A good description [and a condensed version of the 1936 original] can be be found in the Essential Stewart James, page 23.
<blockquote>
To prepare: Be sure there is no Joker in your deck, and hide four black cards in a pocket
from which they can be palmed later.
Ask someone to shuffle the cards thoroughly, and also to state whether they wish to
have the red or the black cards. If they say red, for your secret prediction write: “You will
have four more cards than I.” If they say black, you write: “I will have four more cards
than you.” Fold the slip of paper and place it in full view on the table.
We will assume the volunteer chose the red cards. Instruct him to remove two cards at
a time from the deck and turn them face up while still holding them in his hand. If they
are both red, they go face up to start a pile before him; if they are both black, they go
face up before you; if there is one card of each colour they go in a discard pile. He deals
through the deck in this manner, distributing the cards as directed.
When he has finished, casually pick up the discard pile as if to get it out of the way as
you tell him to count the cards in his red pile, and then to count the cards in your black
pile. While he is thus engaged, it is a simple matter to palm the four black cards from your
pocket and quietly add them to the top of the discard group in your hand.
He then opens the slip and reads your prediction aloud. You are correct. State that,
while he assembles all the cards and shuffles them again, you will make another prediction.
Although it is for effect, ask him which colour he prefers this time, then write: “We will
both have the same number of cards.”
The volunteer goes through the identical procedure a second time and, once more,
your prediction proves to be correct.
</blockquote>
== Variations ==
== Variations ==
Over the decades since its inception, many variations of Miraskill have been developed.  
Over the decades since its inception, many variations of Miraskill have been developed.  
The ''Conjuring Archive'' has a list of well over one hundred variations.
The ''Conjuring Archive'' has a list of over one hundred of them.
<ref>Conjuring Archive. [https://www.conjuringarchive.com/list/category/2113 Miraskill & Variations].</ref>.
<ref>Conjuring Archive. [https://www.conjuringarchive.com/list/category/2113 Miraskill & Variations]</ref>
Not very well known is that the first variation is actually due to Stewart James himself and was called ''The Candy King'', where the audience consists of kids and the deck of cards is replaced by a bag with candies in red and white wrappers; a description can be found in the same issue of ''The Jinx'' and follows that of Miraskill.
Not very well known is that the first variation is actually due to Stewart James himself and was called ''The Candy King'', where the audience consists of kids and the deck of cards is replaced by a bag with candies in red and white wrappers; a description can be found in the same issue of ''The Jinx'' and follows that of Miraskill.
In 1948, [[Martin Gardner]] (1914&ndash;2010), who was himself an established magician and corresponded with Stewart James, described an extended
version of Miraskill in the mathematical journal ''Scripta Mathematica''.
<ref>Gardner, Martin. (1948). "Mathematical Card Tricks", ''Scripta Mathematica'', 14(2):99–111.</ref>
Although he does not mention Miraskill as the name of the trick, he does give due credit at the end of his description and mentions
"This clever trick was invented ten or eleven years ago by Stewart James, a magician living in Courtright, Ontario, Canada."
Gardner subsequently included this description of Miraskill in his first book on magic for the general public, ''Mathematics, Magic and Mystery''.
<ref>Gardner, Martin. (1956). ''Mathematics, Magic and Mystery''. New York: Dover Publications; pp. 13-15.</ref>
The whole of Chapter 47, called "Miraschool", in [[Essential Stewart James|The essential Stewart James]] is devoted to variations
on the Miraskill theme; these appeared in the period 1950&ndash;1993 and are due to several magicians. 
We mention "Magnetic Miraskill" by [[Allan Slaight]] (1931&ndash;2021), and "Miraskull" by [[Max Maven]] (1950&ndash;2022).
A more recent variation of Miraskill, that originated from a class on mathematics and magic tricks at
Harvard University, can be found in the book ''Magical Mathematics''.
<ref name="DiaconisGraham:2012"> Persi Diaconis and Ron Graham. (2012).
      ''Magical Mathematics. The mathematical ideas that animate great magic tricks'', Princeton University Press;
      pp. 181&ndash;189.
</ref>


In [[Stewart James in Print]], [[Allan Slaight]] devotes an entire chapter to variations on the “Miraskill” theme by James and other magicians.
== Combinatorial analysis ==
In the discussion of Miraskill,<ref name="James1936" /> Stewart James makes the following comment,
"This trick practically works itself. It is based on the actuality that, if a full deck of 52 cards be so separated after a genuine mixing,
the red and black piles will always contain an equal number of cards. There Is no way of telling EXACTLY HOW MANY will be in each pile,  
but they positively will be the same." [emphasis in original].


Although, as SJ mentioned, one can not predict how many pair of cards will be in each pile, one can work out how likely certain outcomes and combinations are. This analysis was done only recently.
<ref>Tuenter, Hans J. H. (2024). "Combinatorial Analysis of a Classic Card Trick", ''Mathematics Magazine'', 97(5):551–558. [https://doi.org/10.1080/0025570X.2024.2402197]</ref>
It was shown that, for a [properly randomized] standard deck with 26 black and 26 red cards,
the most probable outcome is six pairs of black cards, followed closely in probability by the outcome of seven or five pairs of black cards. One can be 99.9% certain that the outcome will lie in the range from three to ten pairs of black cards (end points included).
The probability that all cards end up in the discard pile, leaving both the black and red pile empty, is roughly one in ten million.


==References==
==References==
Line 53: Line 51:
* Mckay, Joe. (2016). "Stewart James". [https://forums.geniimagazine.com/viewtopic.php?t=48263 GeniiForum]
* Mckay, Joe. (2016). "Stewart James". [https://forums.geniimagazine.com/viewtopic.php?t=48263 GeniiForum]
* Waterman (2021). "Thoughts on Miraskill". [https://www.themagiciansforum.com/post/thoughts-on-miraskill-12226121 The Magicians Forum]
* Waterman (2021). "Thoughts on Miraskill". [https://www.themagiciansforum.com/post/thoughts-on-miraskill-12226121 The Magicians Forum]
*http://www.geniimagazine.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=39257
==Further reading==
* Tuenter, Hans J. H. (2024). "Combinatorial Analysis of a Classic Card Trick", ''Mathematics Magazine'', 97(5):551–558. [https://doi.org/10.1080/0025570X.2024.2402197]
   
   


[[Category:Card Plots]]
[[Category:Card Plots]]

Latest revision as of 10:04, 19 January 2025

Miraskill is a classic card effect and principle developed and marketed in 1935 by the Canadian magician Stewart James (1908–1996). Its description was first published in the September 1936 issue of The Jinx, [1] a magic periodical published and edited by Ted Annemann (1907–1942). A reprint appeared in the Encyclopedia of Card Tricks (1937). More contemporary descriptions of Miraskill can be be found in the second volume of The James File [2] and The essential Stewart James. [3]


Variations

Over the decades since its inception, many variations of Miraskill have been developed. The Conjuring Archive has a list of over one hundred of them. [4] Not very well known is that the first variation is actually due to Stewart James himself and was called The Candy King, where the audience consists of kids and the deck of cards is replaced by a bag with candies in red and white wrappers; a description can be found in the same issue of The Jinx and follows that of Miraskill. In 1948, Martin Gardner (1914–2010), who was himself an established magician and corresponded with Stewart James, described an extended version of Miraskill in the mathematical journal Scripta Mathematica. [5] Although he does not mention Miraskill as the name of the trick, he does give due credit at the end of his description and mentions "This clever trick was invented ten or eleven years ago by Stewart James, a magician living in Courtright, Ontario, Canada." Gardner subsequently included this description of Miraskill in his first book on magic for the general public, Mathematics, Magic and Mystery. [6] The whole of Chapter 47, called "Miraschool", in The essential Stewart James is devoted to variations on the Miraskill theme; these appeared in the period 1950–1993 and are due to several magicians. We mention "Magnetic Miraskill" by Allan Slaight (1931–2021), and "Miraskull" by Max Maven (1950–2022). A more recent variation of Miraskill, that originated from a class on mathematics and magic tricks at Harvard University, can be found in the book Magical Mathematics. [7]

Combinatorial analysis

In the discussion of Miraskill,[1] Stewart James makes the following comment, "This trick practically works itself. It is based on the actuality that, if a full deck of 52 cards be so separated after a genuine mixing, the red and black piles will always contain an equal number of cards. There Is no way of telling EXACTLY HOW MANY will be in each pile, but they positively will be the same." [emphasis in original].

Although, as SJ mentioned, one can not predict how many pair of cards will be in each pile, one can work out how likely certain outcomes and combinations are. This analysis was done only recently. [8] It was shown that, for a [properly randomized] standard deck with 26 black and 26 red cards, the most probable outcome is six pairs of black cards, followed closely in probability by the outcome of seven or five pairs of black cards. One can be 99.9% certain that the outcome will lie in the range from three to ten pairs of black cards (end points included). The probability that all cards end up in the discard pile, leaving both the black and red pile empty, is roughly one in ten million.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 James, Stewart. Miraskill. The Jinx. 24:147, 151, September 1936.
  2. ↑ Slaight, Allan (editor). The James File, Vol. 2, p. 1886. Jogestja Ltd., Toronto, 2000.
  3. ↑ Slaight, Allan (editor). The essential Stewart James. Toronto: Magicana; 2007. p. 23.
  4. ↑ Conjuring Archive. Miraskill & Variations
  5. ↑ Gardner, Martin. (1948). "Mathematical Card Tricks", Scripta Mathematica, 14(2):99–111.
  6. ↑ Gardner, Martin. (1956). Mathematics, Magic and Mystery. New York: Dover Publications; pp. 13-15.
  7. ↑ Persi Diaconis and Ron Graham. (2012). Magical Mathematics. The mathematical ideas that animate great magic tricks, Princeton University Press; pp. 181–189.
  8. ↑ Tuenter, Hans J. H. (2024). "Combinatorial Analysis of a Classic Card Trick", Mathematics Magazine, 97(5):551–558. [1]
  • Culpepper, Joe. (2007). "Miraskill (1935)", Stewart James Exhibition. Magicana

Discussion threads

Retrieved from "https://geniimagazine.com/wiki/index.php?title=Miraskill&oldid=92781"