Software Engineer Unveils Anomalies in 1909 Tarot Deck

A software engineer has meticulously measured the 1909 Tarot deck, revealing some intriguing anomalies that challenge the traditional understanding of the cards. According to Fran?ois R. Bonchamp, the author of the new English-language thriller "79: The Seventy-Ninth Card" (ISBN: 9798161723838), the deck is not as symmetrical as commonly believed.

Bonchamp, a systems architect with over three decades of experience, used a ruler to measure the 78 illustrations created by the synesthetic artist Pamela Colman Smith, known as "Pixie." In his measurements, he found that the card "The Magician" has a raised wand tilted exactly three degrees to the left. His outstretched index finger points downward and to the right at a 33-degree angle. If you connect the tip of the staff to the tip of the index finger with a straight line, it runs at a 36-degree angle right through the middle of his face, passing a hair's breadth to the left of the bridge of his nose, and exits the right edge of the card at exactly two-thirds (0.66) of the card's height.

Bonchamp's findings suggest that the deck is not just a tool for divination but a meticulously designed user interface. He argues that the precise directions of gaze and the subtle asymmetries in the illustrations, such as the twelve flames on the left side and ten on the right of "The Tower" card, indicate a deliberate choice rather than a bug. These details, he believes, could be the result of a hidden code or a game-theoretic coordination board.

The book "79: The Seventy-Ninth Card" invites readers to verify Bonchamp's geometric discoveries with their own ruler. It also provides a comprehensive manual ("The Reading of the Pack") and a table of vectors and viewing directions for all 78 original cards from 1909. Bonchamp's meticulous surveying work forms the backbone of his thriller, which moves effortlessly between the hard logic of server rooms and the cultural history of the "Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn."

The 1909 Tarot deck, illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith, was commissioned by the mystic A. E. Waite for a modest flat fee. Smith, a 31-year-old artist from Jamaica, created the deck between April and October 1909, producing 78 tarot cards. Despite her significant contributions, she never received any royalties and died in September 1951 at the age of 73, completely destitute, in a small attic apartment in the Cornish coastal town of Bude. Her possessions were auctioned off to cover her debts, and her grave in St. Michael's Cemetery remains unmarked to this day.

In "79: The Seventy-Ninth Card," Bonchamp explores the idea that the 1909 Tarot deck is not an oracle but a game-theoretic coordination board. Since the late 19th century, a tiny elite at a fictional Oxford college has been taught to read the cards as a tool for strategic decision-making. When 33 cards are laid out in a fixed grid, the characters' lines of sight reveal to every initiate exactly what conclusion all the other initiates will reach. This model of a conspiracy that no longer needs orders, backroom deals, or collusion is presented as a terrifyingly plausible scenario.

The book's appendix includes a complete manual and a comprehensive table of vectors and viewing directions for all 78 original cards from 1909, allowing readers to verify Bonchamp's findings. Bonchamp's work is described as the first fully verifiable coordinate system for the most famous deck of cards of the modern era.

The release of "79: The Seventy-Ninth Card" marks a significant moment in the tarot card market, which is expected to witness massive growth by 2029. The Global Tarot Card Market Study, which spans more than 143+ pages and describes the product and industry scope as well as the market prognosis and status for 2025-2032, highlights the potential for the market to expand further. The study emphasizes the importance of understanding the underlying mechanisms and geometric patterns in the tarot cards, as highlighted by Bonchamp's work.

Bonchamp's meticulous measurements and the book's invitation to readers to verify his findings have sparked renewed interest in the 1909 Tarot deck and its potential as a strategic tool. The release of "79: The Seventy-Ninth Card" is set to challenge traditional interpretations of the tarot and open up new avenues for exploration and understanding.