OVERVIEW | The Bart Harding Stack

Stack
The Bart Harding stack system originated around 1962 and unlike other deck stacks it appears totally
random in values and colours. With this system it’s possible to determine at which position a named
playing card is and/or which card resides in a given number position.
It is not a “memory” deck system, you do not need to memorize an entire “mixed” deck sequence, but
instead it uses a very simple algorithm (simple calculation) to find a card or number from an imaginary
“Sorted” deck.

Bart Harding Stack Order

Sorted Order Deck

To use the Bart Harding system you need to visualise a deck is a sorted order. Suits in the Sorted Order
deck are Clubs, Hearts, Spades, Diamonds (CHaSeD) sequence.

The Sorted Order deck along with the Bart Harding Stack algorithm let you know where every card is:
For example; where is 5 of Spades in the Bart Harding Stack?
It’s the 31st card in the Sorted Order deck, so it is the 31  13th card in the BH Stack.

How to Know which Playing Card is in a given Number Position

Here’s the Rules:
1. Any number from 1 to 52 is given by the spectator.
2. Reverse its digits. (If it is a single digit, put a zero in front before reversing.)
3. If the result is greater than 52, subtract 5 from the first digit and add 5 to the second digit.

3 Examples showing which card is in the following positions:

Number Given: 12 Number Given: 41 Number Given: 1

(12 becomes 21) (41 becomes 14) (1 becomes 10, since 01 reversed is 10)

21st Card in Sorted Deck 14th Card in Sorted Deck 10th Card in Sorted Deck
8 of Hearts Ace of Hearts 10 of Clubs

12th Card in Harding Deck 41st Card in Harding Deck 1st Card in Harding Deck
8 of Hearts Ace of Hearts 10 of Clubs

This free leaflet was compiled from various resources online. For more detailed information regarding this system,
Search Google for Bart Harding. You will find numerous interpretations of the system.
What happens if the reversed number is over 52?
The only time you need to do additional work is when the reversed number is greater than 52:
A simple calculation needs to be performed on the reversed number, you ALWAYS subtract 5 from the
first digit and Add 5 to the second digit, simples!

35 becomes 53 which then becomes 8 (since 5-5=0 and 3+5=8)

17 becomes 71 which then becomes 26 (since 7-5=2 and 1+5=6)
[See table below]

Number Given: 3 5 1 7
Reversed Value: 5 3 7 1
Subtract 5 from 1st Digit
Add 5 to 2nd digit -5 +5 -5 +5
Number used in Sorted Deck 0 8 2 6
8 of Clubs King of Hearts

Note: There are 2 cards that are exempt from the rules. 6 and 7 of Clubs. Both
these cards are in the 6th and 7th positions in both the Bart Harding stack AND
the Sorted Order deck.

Locate a Given Card position

If the spectator gives a card such as Jack of Hearts.. Where is this located in the Harding
stack?

Visualise its position in the “Sorted” order deck (remember you must have a number!), this
card is in position 24, Reverse the number, 42. The Jack of Hearts is in the 42 nd position of
the Harding stack.

(If the number when reversed is greater than 52 repeat the explanation given on previous page)

Finally, a couple of examples for finding a card location OR which card is in a location.
Which card is in position 31? King of Clubs (Reverse 31 gives 13, the 13 th card in Sorted deck)
Where is 3 of Diamonds? It’s in the 24th position (3D is card 42 in Sorted deck, Reverse number 24)

Practice this stack a few times and it can become a powerful method for numerous card trick effects such
as Any Card at Any Number type of routines. It may sound confusing upon first reading, but try it, and
you’ll find it can be performed without much effort. Good Luck.

©Bart Harding – All Rights Recognised.

This free leaflet was compiled from various resources online. For more detailed information regarding this system,
Search Google for Bart Harding. You will find numerous interpretations of the system.