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Get lucky, ridiculously lucky with two new card tricks!

Thursday, May 7th, 2009 – running time 09:23
If you're comfortable with taking a little risk for a chance at a HUGE reward, you're going to love this week's episode.

We've got two impossibilities that rely on people's inherent misunderstanding of probability.

First up: 5-card mind control: In front of your friend lay down (in this order) the King of Hearts, the Seven of Clubs, the Ace of Diamonds, the Four of Hearts, and the Nine of Diamonds. Ask him to mentally choose any card. 80% of the time, they will choose the Four of Hearts. Try it!

The key to this one is dropping just a hint that you might try to influence their decision. Once you intimate that, they'll eliminate the ace of diamonds as too obvious. They'll eliminate the seven of clubs since it's the only black card. They'll eliminate the King of Hearts as the only face card, and (for some reason), nobody seems to like the nine of diamonds.

Next, a twist of probability that blew my mind when I first experienced it: grab a deck of cards (shuffled), and think of any two random card values (from ace through king). What would you guess the odds are that two cards of exactly those values are right next to each other in your deck? 20%? 10%? 1%?

Amazingly (and to just about everyone's disbelief), it seems that about 70% of the time, any two named values will just happen to be side by side in a shuffled deck of cards!

(by the way, math wizards: if you can figure out a way to calculate the exact odds on this, I'm all ears. After hours of playing with the numbers, I finally gave up and just did a brute force calculation: after 50 trials, I ended up averaging about a 70% success rate)


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Highlights
Big Ten ( 7:08, 7:08 ) Brian Brushwood ( 0:32, 0:32 ) Scam ( 0:04, 0:28, 3:28, 8:32, 0:04, 0:28, 3:28, 8:32 ) Big Ten ( 7:08, 7:08 ) Brian Brushwood ( 0:32, 0:32 ) Scam ( 0:04, 0:28, 3:28, 8:32, 0:04, 0:28, 3:28, 8:32 )

Automatically Generated Transcript(may not be 100% accurate) ( more )

" Warm and coming up on this episode a Scam School a scientific impossibility we're going to defy all logic and learn how to break. The laws of probability."

" System -- the scandal brought to you by those insidious wizards and then place. -- the popcorn get a life like -- out of the basement classes in session welcome to Scam School the only show dedicated to social engineering at the bar and on the street and your host Brian Brushwood and today we're gonna learn how to get lucky how lucky."

" Ridiculously lucky unfairly lucky super actually lucky I'm talking this lucky."

" It'll help I'm --"

" Anybody tells -- And oh my -- specially selected in the Detroit MI. Crazy it is -- in the lineup. I've made a prediction about what. But I want to make excellent use one of them. Yeah I. I -- kind of looked -- it. Get this right it's. WWL I don't know what today. Now when it's. Okay."

" Okay."

" All right."

" This week we're gonna take a break from our usual homework assignments involving stands on movies and instead just have some fun. Head on over to Netflix and check out there watch instantly tab you haven't used it history. On demand video -- The incredible had to give -- a test I want to check out the first season of avatar the last air Bender I know it's cartoon and I know it's targeted to eleven year old but it's also some of the best epic fantasies -- the best fight choreography I've ever seen. Trust me once you start watching these shows they are. If you're not gonna be able to stop at just one and the best part is with the watch instantly feature is going to be able golf formal upstream through. Now you don't have Netflix here's what you gonna do don't forget to go to the website www. Netflix.com. Slash CM. I know he is important you put those WWW. Beginning or we don't get credit for the sale and you guys don't get anymore Scam School."

" So the reveal the answer how did we do it how do we get so lucky -- turns out that we just sort of got lucky."

" This relies on weird psychological defects that causes things to seem a little more random or unpredictable or unusual than they actually -- This book reports about 80% of the time and this is really -- people and I don't even know how worked up for some reason if you pull out exactly these parts in order. The king of hearts to several clubs. The ace of diamonds before hearts and the united diamonds that alone will cause most people when they have a free choice to try to pick the for a cards."

" Don't know why it."

" But you can sweeten the deal by saying something like you may think that I actually walk you choose one of these cards by saying that don't. Immediately get flabby -- the lobbyist Vicki just lobbyist because there's only. Based on the seven is -- as the only black art and for some reason everyone just hates the united diamonds I don't really know why. But by process of elimination 80% of the time it seems like everybody uses the core parts. Does this work all the time -- it works enough for the time that it's very much."

" Only a couple of those cards in my hand. --"

" I know it's. Hard. Grownup things like -- never -- they."

" You come up."

" A limited six and."

" And noted that the jacket is."

" city."

" I'll tell you. --"

" And -- running."

" I didn't forget I think people. Make -- I'm kidding."

" There's the jacket and."

" Advanced rightly didn't."

" It's. And -- and -- night I don't know."

" That's right."

" That's coming down."

" I don't want."

" all right you've got the death."

" The second of that takes advantage of peoples' and here misunderstanding of mathematics and probability. You take something that sounds totally improbable when in fact it's highly likely. If you ask people out of nowhere -- made the probability that. Who random numbers would be right next to each other from the deck of cards still come up with some of the Big Ten and 30% when in fact is true odds are well over. Just play this for money it makes him great even money bet. But if you do as a magic trick he's prepared how to move forward. If it doesn't work is so one of those we're going killed another stand up before we go forward though I do want you to grab a deck of cards and actually tried this the first time I've heard about is that I sent down. And three times in a -- blew my whole line by making up -- numbers and having been right there next to each other in the deck card. I do remember these guys do not worth a 100% of the night told we're gonna put collection of some of my epic fails. --"

" Do you -- we'll."

" You guys win the -- resident Jack I."

" Yeah."

" I don't know that the."

" I don't let my epic -- keep you from trying this -- trust -- it's gonna work most of their time and when it does it will blow people away take full credit that's what -- all about and why -- try to shoot some video you're pulling up these scams or better yet your failures -- open up the boards at revision3.com. Slash Scam School."

" Any question about this game if you want to suggest your favorite bars again why -- directly at Brian at revision3.com. Don't forget to join us next episode we're gonna take a very special journey to the center of the earth but only one that's not. -- And making this more hints."

" Warm and coming up on this episode a Scam School a scientific impossibility we're going to defy all logic and learn how to break. The laws of probability."

" System -- the scandal brought to you by those insidious wizards and then place. -- the popcorn get a life like -- out of the basement classes in session welcome to Scam School the only show dedicated to social engineering at the bar and on the street and your host Brian Brushwood and today we're gonna learn how to get lucky how lucky."

" Ridiculously lucky unfairly lucky super actually lucky I'm talking this lucky."

" It'll help I'm --"

" Anybody tells -- And oh my -- specially selected in the Detroit MI. Crazy it is -- in the lineup. I've made a prediction about what. But I want to make excellent use one of them. Yeah I. I -- kind of looked -- it. Get this right it's. WWL I don't know what today. Now when it's. Okay."

" Okay."

" All right."

" This week we're gonna take a break from our usual homework assignments involving stands on movies and instead just have some fun. Head on over to Netflix and check out there watch instantly tab you haven't used it history. On demand video -- The incredible had to give -- a test I want to check out the first season of avatar the last air Bender I know it's cartoon and I know it's targeted to eleven year old but it's also some of the best epic fantasies -- the best fight choreography I've ever seen. Trust me once you start watching these shows they are. If you're not gonna be able to stop at just one and the best part is with the watch instantly feature is going to be able golf formal upstream through. Now you don't have Netflix here's what you gonna do don't forget to go to the website www. Netflix.com. Slash CM. I know he is important you put those WWW. Beginning or we don't get credit for the sale and you guys don't get anymore Scam School."

" So the reveal the answer how did we do it how do we get so lucky -- turns out that we just sort of got lucky."

" This relies on weird psychological defects that causes things to seem a little more random or unpredictable or unusual than they actually -- This book reports about 80% of the time and this is really -- people and I don't even know how worked up for some reason if you pull out exactly these parts in order. The king of hearts to several clubs. The ace of diamonds before hearts and the united diamonds that alone will cause most people when they have a free choice to try to pick the for a cards."

" Don't know why it."

" But you can sweeten the deal by saying something like you may think that I actually walk you choose one of these cards by saying that don't. Immediately get flabby -- the lobbyist Vicki just lobbyist because there's only. Based on the seven is -- as the only black art and for some reason everyone just hates the united diamonds I don't really know why. But by process of elimination 80% of the time it seems like everybody uses the core parts. Does this work all the time -- it works enough for the time that it's very much."

" Only a couple of those cards in my hand. --"

" I know it's. Hard. Grownup things like -- never -- they."

" You come up."

" A limited six and."

" And noted that the jacket is."

" city."

" I'll tell you. --"

" And -- running."

" I didn't forget I think people. Make -- I'm kidding."

" There's the jacket and."

" Advanced rightly didn't."

" It's. And -- and -- night I don't know."

" That's right."

" That's coming down."

" I don't want."

" all right you've got the death."

" The second of that takes advantage of peoples' and here misunderstanding of mathematics and probability. You take something that sounds totally improbable when in fact it's highly likely. If you ask people out of nowhere -- made the probability that. Who random numbers would be right next to each other from the deck of cards still come up with some of the Big Ten and 30% when in fact is true odds are well over. Just play this for money it makes him great even money bet. But if you do as a magic trick he's prepared how to move forward. If it doesn't work is so one of those we're going killed another stand up before we go forward though I do want you to grab a deck of cards and actually tried this the first time I've heard about is that I sent down. And three times in a -- blew my whole line by making up -- numbers and having been right there next to each other in the deck card. I do remember these guys do not worth a 100% of the night told we're gonna put collection of some of my epic fails. --"

" Do you -- we'll."

" You guys win the -- resident Jack I."

" Yeah."

" I don't know that the."

" I don't let my epic -- keep you from trying this -- trust -- it's gonna work most of their time and when it does it will blow people away take full credit that's what -- all about and why -- try to shoot some video you're pulling up these scams or better yet your failures -- open up the boards at revision3.com. Slash Scam School."

" Any question about this game if you want to suggest your favorite bars again why -- directly at Brian at revision3.com. Don't forget to join us next episode we're gonna take a very special journey to the center of the earth but only one that's not. -- And making this more hints."

chuckles

Started discussion: May 7, 2009 @ 8:27am GMT

Episode 60 - Get lucky, ridiculously lucky with two new card tricks!

If you're comfortable with taking a little risk for a chance at a HUGE reward, you're going to love this week's episode.

Watch and download here.

sorryawkward
6 months ago
Too lazy to do the exact calcuations but given one card there is ~2/13 that the second card would be on either side or next to the card. And you have 4 chances at it. So assuming dependency its like ~8/13.
Actually, its greater than 8/13 (61%) because a deck of card is based on dependency of the previous occurences in the deck. So your next chance becomes better than the previous. i think. Too lazy to do the set calculations.
frankiethewaffle
6 months ago
In reply to sorryawkward:
Too lazy to do the exact calcuations but given one card there is ~2/13 that the second card would be on either side or next to the card. And you have 4 chances at it. So assuming dependency its like ~8/13.
Actually, its greater than 8/13 (61%) because a deck of card is based on dependency of the previous occurences in the deck. So your next chance becomes better than the previous. i think. Too lazy to do the set calculations.


Uh, ok. Your are not my neighbor are you? I don't want to be living next to you when you go off.

Anyway, it is going to be fun trying these.

Brian mentioned that he doesn't know why the 9 of Diamonds is never picked. The only thing I can come up with is that the Diamonds make up, somewhat of an X, like crossing it out subconsciously . It has to be red because of the only one black card part. It has to be Diamonds as opposed to hearts because the straight lines help the image of an "X". Just a theory. It kinda falls apart if you consider the "X marks the spot" thing. Then again, that could be another reason people avoid it, as it would be too obvious. Good show.
MrPopular
6 months ago
Both Tricks are so great.

Except the 1st trick is kinda a one trick pony. where as the second scam you can do over and over again.


As for what they said previously about the 9 of diamonds. The only thing I can think of is that the 9 of Diamonds is to cluttered. 4 of hearts is clean.
NickTack
6 months ago

Red card

I think the main reason why they dont pick the nine is that it is on the side, most people pick the second or the fourth card and because one of those is the only black card they don't pick that one.

What i do when i do this trick is i take a red four and put it with the other cards that are blue.
When the spectator has a card in his mind i ask him to turn it over. At first they don't know what is going on but then i turn over the other cards one by one and thay freak out.
bgappleguy
6 months ago

guests

anyone else recognize all those people from previous episodes? sort of like scam school alumni day!
frankiethewaffle
6 months ago
In reply to bgappleguy:
anyone else recognize all those people from previous episodes? sort of like scam school alumni day!


Yeah most are part of the Digg.com squad or the Rev3 crew. Doesn't make this a set up, just easier to convince them to take part.
Guytheninja
6 months ago
In reply to NickTack:
I think the main reason why they dont pick the nine is that it is on the side, most people pick the second or the fourth card and because one of those is the only black card they don't pick that one.

What i do when i do this trick is i take a red four and put it with the other cards that are blue.
When the spectator has a card in his mind i ask him to turn it over. At first they don't know what is going on but then i turn over the other cards one by one and thay freak out.


For some reason I went with the King of Hearts. I figured that the three cards in the middle had a higher likelihood of being chosen than the ones on the edges. I agree that the number 9 is a sorry number, so I went with the king.

Also, I'm not a fan of the number 4. I like 3 7 and 10, but I don't like 4 6 and 9.
uziq
6 months ago
I tried it on two people so far. They both picked the 4 of hearts. :)
travislopes
6 months ago
I've tried it on two people so far.

And if all went well, I'd have a success story here. But neither of them chose the 4 of hearts. :(
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