Eliminator by Adrian Sullivan

Effect

The Eliminator is a card trick that appears to involve an incredible feat of memory and logical deduction. The magician asks two spectators to each think of a number between 1 and 52—one odd and one even. They deal down to their chosen numbers, take the corresponding cards, and place them in their pockets without revealing them. The magician then claims to memorize the entire deck in seconds, despite the cards being shuffled multiple times. Through a series of deductions—such as identifying the color, suit, and value of the missing cards—the magician reveals the exact cards the spectators chose. The effect is clean, baffling, and requires no sleight of hand.

Full Details

Eliminator is a self-working card trick created by Adrian Sullivan. It relies on mathematical principles rather than sleight of hand, making it accessible to magicians of all skill levels. The trick includes a specially designed deck and comes with instructional material, often a DVD or digital instructions, detailing multiple presentations.

Key features:

• No sleight of hand required.
• Works with any two freely selected cards.
• Can be performed with a borrowed deck (with slight modifications).
• Includes multiple presentation options, including mentalism and memory-based approaches.
• Resets quickly, making it suitable for walk-around or table-hopping performances.

Who Should Consider the Trick

Eliminator is ideal for:

• Beginners looking for a strong, easy-to-learn card effect.
• Mentalists who want a logical, deduction-based routine.
• Close-up performers needing a quick, impactful trick with minimal setup.
• Magicians who dislike sleight-heavy tricks but still want a powerful card revelation.

Difficulty

The trick is easy to learn but benefits from confident presentation. Since it relies on mathematical principles rather than manual dexterity, the main challenge is delivering the routine convincingly. Some practice is needed to smoothly guide spectators through the selection process and to sell the "memory" aspect effectively.

What Magicians Say

• Peter Nardi (AlakazamMagicUK) calls Eliminator "one of the strongest card tricks" he’s performed, praising its versatility in mentalism, mind-reading, or card magic acts. He notes that it was a hit at the Magic Circle competition before its official release.
• Dave Loosley (AlakazamMagicUK) describes it as a "self-working classic" that remains in his repertoire due to its strong audience reactions. He particularly likes the pocket production variation, where the magician retrieves the selected cards from their own pocket.
• A reviewer from a tutorial video highlights that Eliminator is "easy to perform" and "affordable," making it a great option for magicians on a budget. They emphasize that the trick’s strength lies in its presentation rather than complex mechanics.

Eliminator is consistently praised for its deceptive simplicity, making it a must-have for magicians who want a powerful, no-sleight card trick.