Magic Review: The Intuition Test by Larry Hass
Overall Rating: (4.5 out of 5 or 90%)
Format: Instant Download (Video)
Difficulty: Intermediate
Price: £8 (approx. $9.95 or €9 at time of release)
Available From: Penguin Magic
I recently purchased an impressive trick called “The Intuition Test”, created by Larry Hass and sold by Penguin Magic. Larry is an accomplished writer, teacher, professor of philosophy, and the current Dean of Jeff McBride’s Magic & Mystery School in Las Vegas, Nevada.
As the name suggests, the trick deals with the concept of intuition—a type of knowledge that arises without conscious effort or deliberation. This “borrowed card stunner” is designed to astonish non-magicians and is part of Larry’s EDC (“everyday carry”). In other words, he never leaves home without the props needed to perform the trick. The routine requires just two business card predictions and a deck of cards.
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"The Intuition Test" by Larry Hass and Penguin Magic. Image Credit: Penguin Magic. |
In the instructional video, Larry reveals that the trick fooled his friends and fellow master magicians, Eugene Burger and Jeff McBride. That’s high praise for any card routine. Clearly, the method behind “The Intuition Test” is exceptionally clever and deceptive. Here’s what happens:
A member of the audience shuffles a deck of cards. The magician places two business cards on the table and asks the participant to choose one. The performer then slowly deals cards onto the table, stopping when instructed to do so. The cards are shuffled again and then divided into two groups. The participant is encouraged to freely exchange cards between the two piles to ensure they're randomised. Finally, the prediction is read aloud and is found to match the condition of the two piles exactly! You can see a full performance of the trick in the trailer from Penguin Magic.
"The Intuition Test" trailer by Larry Hass and Penguin Magic. Video Credit: Penguin Magic. |
In the 37-minute video download, Larry explains the mechanics and theatrical dynamics of the trick in meticulous detail. He also points out three common mistakes that can occur with the method, which is a helpful addition. I'd like to see other creators follow this practice as well. Larry’s clear and concise delivery shows that he is an experienced teacher who cares about his students.
Larry Hass was a student, close friend and confidant of Eugene Burger, a legendary magician, author and teacher based in Chicago. Larry has written several books about Eugene, who is adored and admired by magicians throughout the world, myself included. Eugene's profound influence is evident in Larry's performance style and the ingenious methods he employs. In fact, during Larry's performance, it often felt like he was channelling the spirit of his mentor! 👻
The trick uses a “deep method” to conceal the secret, much like hiding something far below the surface of a still lake. This subtle and layered construction would make Eugene proud (I’m also sure he’d approve of Larry’s poetic metaphor). There are no visible ripples or hints that anything lies beneath the surface of the water, making it difficult for even the most discerning of magicians to unravel the mystery or find any clues that might lead to the method.
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The trick uses what Larry calls a "deep method", hidden at the bottom of a metaphorical placid lake. Photo Credit: Bessi via Pixabay. |
The trick does not require any complex sleight of hand, but it will require some practice to become comfortable with the handling. You must also remember a few simple rules to ensure the trick is executed successfully. Even so, “The Intuition Test” is essentially self-working. The spectator selects one written "outcome" that proves correct 100% of the time without relying on multiple outs or secret manipulation of the cards.
I came across a few comments online from magicians who were complaining that the trick is too procedural. However, I have never fully understood this criticism. While some tricks may require too much repetitive dealing, this one does not. The switching of cards between piles is crucial because it convinces the participant beyond any doubt that the two piles have been thoroughly mixed in a random and haphazard manner. Without this important step, the revelation at the end of the trick would be meaningless. People enjoy hands-on tricks like this one because they feel more involved in the magic. Although this trick is procedural, like most self-working tricks of this nature, the required actions are fully justified by the "intuition test" presentation.
A Real Hummer-dinger of a Trick!
Larry’s handling makes everything seem natural and fair. Even so, after watching the trailer for the trick, I immediately realised that the core method was based on a well-known mathematical principle. While Larry’s inspiration for “The Intuition Test” was Herb Zarrow’s “Minimal Miraskill” 1, the method has nothing to do with the Stuart James classic. In fact, it uses a mathematical principle discovered and popularised by Bob Hummer in his trick “The Magic Separation”, which can be found in his slim booklet Half-A-Dozen Hummers 2.
If you'd like to learn more about the principle behind "The Magic Separation", watch this short video from Michael Stevens (Vsauce on YouTube):
A video explanation of the principle behind "The Magic Separation". Video Credit: VSauce. |
You can watch the full video from Michael on TikTok. In it, he teaches "The Magic Separation" using a total of ten cards. Disappointingly, while he thanks "math" for the trick, he fails to credit its inventor Bob Hummer.
I have always been fond of “The Magic Separation”. However, to truly impress an audience, you have to perform it multiple times in a row, which relegates it to the category of “puzzling stunt”. While there’s nothing wrong with this type of effect, the method behind it is capable of so much more. Larry has managed to use the same principle to create a theatrical experience that plays with the audience’s understanding of intuition. Given the choice, I'd rather perform the latter.
Final Thoughts
In Larry’s discussion of the trick, one important detail is missing—how to customise the effect. It is possible to expand the “outcomes” from two to three, which makes the routine more impressive. Additionally, if you don’t have the pre-written predictions, you can write the outcomes on a notepad and ask another spectator to scribble out two of them. As I’m not a professional magician, it wouldn’t make sense for me to use business cards. Instead, I will use three outcomes written on plain pieces of card stock, labelled “A”, “B” and “C”, as follows:
- I have the same number of BLACK cards as you have RED.
- I have one more BLACK card than you have RED.
- I have two more BLACK cards than you have RED.
Using Deddy Corbuzier’s Free Will Principle and these three outcomes, you can allow your participant to switch their entire pile with yours at any point in the routine, adding another layer of deception to “The Intuition Test”. They can also do this as often as they like, even after the card-switching process has been completed, just before the chosen outcome is revealed. I also prefer the clarity of asking your helper to select one of three clearly labelled outcomes (A, B or C). However, you might prefer the way Larry does it.
It's worth mentioning that Carl Jung, the well-known Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who founded analytical psychology, devoted a significant portion of his life to exploring intuition. He believed it to be an extraordinary ability and an essential aspect of human consciousness. Therefore, including information about Jung's research in "The Intuition Test" would be an excellent way to enhance the presentation.
Finally, I think “The Intuition Test” works best as a prelude to Paul Curry’s “Out of This World” 3 or one of the many published variations of this popular effect. My personal favourite is “Cosmos Duo (2)” by Greg Rostami 4 (although there is nothing wrong with the original handling). If you use your own deck of cards, you might as well mark the backs to indicate the card's colour. This way, you can count the cards face down into a pile at the beginning of the routine but still know how many red cards are in it (you need to know this for the trick to work). Again, this small addition sinks the method deeper into Larry’s metaphorical lake! You can also use this feature of the deck to help you when performing Out of This World.
Rating Breakdown
Effect: (4 out of 5)
Although experienced magicians may not be impressed by the effect, it leaves a lasting impression on laypeople. The only downside to the routine is that the predictions are not phrased directly. If you could really predict the outcome of the experiment, you would write down the exact number of red and black cards in each pile. However, the odd phrasing can be easily justified by presenting intuition as a vague and imprecise science, which is not too far from the truth.
Presentation: (5 out of 5)
Larry has created an engaging hook and script for what is a very simple, self-working card trick. By presenting it as a test of innate intuition, the method is well-hidden, and the trick is more memorable and entertaining. I particularly like the line he uses to foreshadow the ending without ruining the surprise: "But there are also two colours. Red and black. Fire and earth".
Practicality: (4 out of 5)
This powerful card trick requires no setup—it can be performed from a shuffled deck in use (FASDIU). The cards can even be borrowed. However, the cognitive nature of the effect does demand an attentive audience willing to concentrate.
While "The Intuition Test" is completely impromptu, it's best suited for intimate, quiet settings rather than noisy or walk-around environments. The effect hits hardest when spectators are fully focused and invested in testing their intuitive abilities.
Instruction: (4.5 out of 5)
The quality of Larry's instruction is excellent. However, including a text document with the script, the rules that relate to the method, and the wording for the business cards would have been immensely helpful.
Props
No props are provided, so I haven’t included a star rating for this category. However, you only need some business cards and a pack of playing cards to perform "The Intuition Test".
Overall Rating: (4.5 out of 5)
Larry Hass has brilliantly updated a mathematical magic principle that has been used by magicians for more than eighty years. Although the method may seem complicated at first, the fundamental concepts make this a surprisingly effortless routine once you get the hang of it. The method's self-working nature allows you to concentrate entirely on your performance and presentation.
I highly recommend "The Intuition Test" to anyone who is interested in card magic with a mental or paranormal twist. The trick involves using ordinary shuffled cards, but the result is completely inexplicable. This clever modernisation of a classic effect will deceive the sceptics and astonish those who are open to the mysteries of the subconscious mind.
"The Intuition Test" is exclusively available from Penguin Magic as an instant download.
Footnotes
David Ben, “Minimal Mirrorskill,” in Zarrow: A Lifetime of Magic, (Fair Lawn, NJ: Meir Yedid Magic, 2008), 156.
Bob Hummer, “The Magic Separation,” in Half-A-Dozen Hummers, (Chicago: Caddy Manufacturing Company, 1940), 3.
Paul Curry, Out of This World, (New York: Self Published, 1942), 1.
“Cosmos Duo (2)” is available for purchase as an instant download from Penguin Magic at a price of $24.95. The price includes a standard gaffed deck that is needed for the trick. However, for an additional $5, you can purchase Greg’s Penguin LIVE lecture, where he teaches the routine in detail (with and without the need for the special deck). The lecture lasts for three hours and includes lots of additional materials.
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