Here are the five tricks explained in the original $1 Si Stebbins Pitch Pamphlet to get you started. Today, there are hundreds of card tricks that use the Si Stebbins stack or arrangement in some form.

Si Stebbins Card Trick 1

To name a card that a person may draw from behind the back. Spread the cards out behind the back in such a manner that when the card is drawn you can separate the deck at the point bringing the two parts in front of you and placing the upper half underneath.

In that way you know that the card the person has drawn should be the one following the bottom card, so that by glancing at the bottom card, adding three to it, and calling the suit that follows the bottom card, you will name the card drawn.

EXAMPLE – A person draws a card and on making the shift in front, you find that the bottom card is the Nine of Diamonds. You then add three to nine, which is twelve or the Queen (Rule 3), and call it the Queen of Clubs, as Clubs follow Diamonds, and you will have named the card drawn.

Si Stebbins Card Trick 2

To tell how many and what cards a person may draw from behind the back. Place cards behind you as in trick one, and make same shift as in trick one. Look at bottom card and at the card of the same suit on or nearest the top.

Subtract the number of the suit card on or nearest the top from that of the same suit as the bottom card, multiply the result by four and subtract the number of cards, including the suit card on top, and the result will be the number of cards drawn.

EXAMPLE – On making the shift you find the bottom card to be the 12 or Queen of Clubs; on looking at the top you find the third card to be the Seven of Clubs, which makes the problem as follows: 7 from 12 is 5, 4 times 5 is 20; 3 from 20 is 17, or the number of cards drawn. In case the card on the bottom is smaller than the one at the top of the same suit, add 13 to the bottom card and proceed as per example.

Si Stebbins Card Trick 3

To let a person think of a card that they see as you run them over; and then to make that person place the card they are thinking of in their pocket without knowing it.

Hold the deck squarely in the palm of the left hand in such a manner that you can bend the cards toward you with the fingers of the right hand, then let them slip back easily one at a time, but very fast, being careful to stop or hesitate on one card longer than the rest; in that way you impress that ONE card on the person’s mind, and it becomes the card they are thinking of.

And, of course, by watching closely you know the card even better than the person with whom you are doing the trick. Next get the card that they have seen to a position fourth from the top.

You then place cards in left hand again with their face toward the person with whom you are doing the trick, and with the thumb of your right hand you lightly slip up the top card so the person can see its face, and ask if that is their card, to which they, of course, answer “No.” You then draw the card off the deck (backward) and showing it to them for the second time ask them if they are sure it is not their card, and at the same time ask them to place it in their pocket. Repeat the same operation with the next card, showing the person this card twice also.

By the time they have placed the second card in their pocket they will have about made up their mind that they have you stuck, which impression it is well to give them also in your talk, such as half admitting that you may have made a mistake. But after you have shown him the third card, instead of handing him that one, let the thumb drop on the next card underneath (which you know is his card), and as you draw the card back that you have just shown him, you draw out and hand him the card he is thinking of – this time without showing it to him the second time and which he will invariably put in his pocket without looking at it.

After he has the card in his pocket you can carry him along as far as you like.

Si Stebbins Card Trick 4

To run the cards over behind the back and name any card you may be asked to stop on. Place cards behind the back, first taking notice what the bottom card is. Then start with top card, add three to bottom card, call by the suit that follows, and in that way as you run through the deck you naturally know what card you are asked to stop on, as you are naming them to yourself as you go along.

Si Stebbins Card Trick 5

To tell how far from the top any card is that may be called for. A person calls for a card. First find the card of the same suit that is nearest the bottom, subtract the number of the card called for from the number of the card of the same suit nearest the bottom, multiply the result by four, then subtract the number of cards (if any) below the bottom suit card and the result will be the number the card called for is from the top. If the suit card on or nearest the bottom is smaller than the card called for, add 13 and proceed.

EXAMPLE – A person calls for the Four of Diamonds. You look at bottom and find that the Nine of Diamonds is the third card from the bottom, subtract 4 from 9, with a result of 5. Multiply 5 by 4 making 20, and subtracting 2, the number of cards below the 9 of Diamonds, it leaves a result of 18, which will be the number the Four of Diamonds is from the top.