ODDS (Osterlind's Design Duplication System)
This elegant system has graced the magic world since the early 2000s, and truthfully, it surpasses many...
Last month, a few people asked about ODDS in response to our custom Lexicon-esque stacks. We didn’t respond publicly for a couple of reasons: 1) We didn’t want to distract from the power of Lexicon before allowing people to give it a try, and 2) Richard’s point in Essays, where he explains ODDS, holds true for most mentalism stacks of a similar nature: "The more you play with the idea, the more you will love it!"
ODDS has not eluded our notice.
Our Premium Access members have already indulged in several custom mentalism stacks we've shared. They're still accessible for anyone that takes the $3 plunge. With built-in mnemonic guides, these stacks are simple, powerful, and hit strong in our professional repertoires.
The stack hidden at the bottom of this post is packed with cinematic entertainment, tailor-made for those with an appreciation for the silver screen. A Film Festival gig inspired its creation. For upscale gigs with clients that travel the globe, this stack is near perfection. And yes, we pop this stack out when we're roaming the streets of London.
Yes, I'm biased.
No, we're not opposed to you sending us an email at DirtyDeckClub@gmail.com telling us why they're inferior to something else comparable on the market. And yes, we'll judge you based on the standards set forth at the beginning of this post if you email us with any nonsense. But we do enjoy the free entertainment.
But I digress.
Richard's ODDS stack has graced the magic world since the early 2000s, and truthfully, it surpasses many straight alphabetical order stacks in both utility and subtlety. When I refer to "straight alphabetical order," I mean precisely that: an unbroken sequence of "A-B-C," without deviation or omitted letters—a system that can be as transparent as glass to some astute observers if not presented correctly. ODDS fixes this problem.
{Out of respect, we shall not disclose Richard’s carefully curated word bank.}
Richard Osterlind aptly describes ODDS as akin to a Si Stebbins deck—but with word cards. Its brilliance lies in its minimalism: a meticulously chosen collection of words, ideal for drawing duplications, is ordered alphabetically by their first letters and then spaced evenly across the sequence. Thus, if one glimpses a word beginning with “C,” one immediately discerns the participant is pondering a word starting with “F.”
Compare this to the custom Lexicon-style stacks circulated in December, wherein the last letter of the card you glimpse reveals the first letter of the selection. Both methodologies have their merits. December’s creations were tailored for particular effects, whereas ODDS was crafted with a singular, focused intention: drawing duplications. Both approaches allow multiple fooling presentations.
Both stack systems withstand scrutiny when openly displayed. Yet herein lies a caution: laymen are entirely competent in recognizing the starkness of an overt alphabetical sequence. An A-B-C stack is far less covert than some enthusiasts might optimistically assume. It's literally one of the first things children -
In the end, ODDS remains a testament to Osterlind’s ingenuity—proof that simplicity, when applied judiciously, can be as deceptive as it is effective. We maintain that the custom Lexicon stacks are equally deceptive, albeit used for different purposes and a bit easier to use with their mnemonic guides than mentally counting ahead a few letters for each word.
