Card trick using spelling to locate a chosen card

[soroban]

I found this fascinating card trick recently.
Obviously it has a mathematical basis,
$\quad$but I'm still working on a proof.

Use any nine cards from a deck
Display them on the table in three face-up fans.
Ask a volunteer to name a card (out loud).

Casually move his card to the bottom on its fan.
Then gather the fans face down, with his fan on top.

Suppose his catd was the Jack of Hearts.

Deal the cards face down, one at a time,
$\quad$one for each letter you recite.

Spell J-A-C-K, dealing four cards in a face-down pile.
Drop the other cards on top.

Pick up the packet and spell O-F (two cards, face down).
And drop the other cards on top.

Pick up the packet and spell H-E-A-R-T-S.
And drop the other cards on top.

Pick up the packet and say, "Here is the Magic."
Spell M-A-G-I-C.

On "C", turn over that card.
It will be the Jack of Hearts .

 

[ineedhelpnow]

what if their card isn't jack of hearts? do you always spell out "jack of hearts magic" no matter what?

 

[Dethrone]

I know a very similar trick where instead of spelling "J-A-C-K", I would deal out the number of cards that the card is associated with: Ace=1, 2=2, ... , Jack=11, Queen = 12, King =13. :D

 

[soroban]

Hello, ineedhelpnow!

What if their card isn't Jack of Hearts?
Do you always spell out "Jack of Hearts Magic" no matter what?

Jeez!
It wouldn't be much of a magic trick, would it?

Didn't you hear me say "any nine cards"?
And "Suppose his card was the Jack of Hearts?"

 

[ineedhelpnow]

No, I'm a bit deaf. Sorry.

 

[soroban]

In case you haven't discovered the secret
$\quad$ of the Spelling Trick, here it is.The value of the card has at least 3 letters.
Its spelling places it third from the bottom.

Spelling "OF" moves it to fifth from the bottom
$\quad$(fifth from the top).

Spelling the suit (at least 5 letters)
$\quad$keeps it at fifth from the top.

Then spelling M-A-G-I-C leads us to the card.