Effect: This is a whole story of Seven detectives chasing a murderer (the selected card).
Procedure:
1) Take any four of the same face cards out of the deck, usually kings.
2) Shuffle the deck and memorize the bottom card.
3) Fan the cards out and ask the spectator to select one.
4) Tell the spectator to place it on the top of the deck.
5) Ask the spectator to cut the deck.
6) Explain that the card they selected was a murderer and the four face cards you took out were detectives to find him.
7) Look through the deck, the selected card will be after what the bottom card was.
8) Place the four face cards so that they're sticking out of the deck about half way and in the order of: Face Card-Bottom Card-Face Card-Selected Card-Face Card-Card after Selected-Face Card. Explain that the detectives are searching in those places.
9) Fold the deck back up and leave the four cards sticking out. Turn it up side down and hit the four cards against a table. The three alternate cards should all pop up with the selected one in the middle. Say the detectives called on these three guys to help them and show them to the spectator.
10) Take those three cards sticking up and hit them against the table and two face cards should pop up. Hit those against the table and the selected card should pop up.
Note: When hitting the cards against a table, hold the deck on the sides, not the face and back. Also, don't hold it too tight or your cards will bend and not work.
First of all: set up the pack by alternating red, black, red, black through the whole pack. Do this before your audience arrives. Now you are ready to start.
1. Tell a spectator to cut the pack as many times as they want.
2. Have them riffle shuffle it, but once only.
3. You cut the pack between two cards of the same colour.
4. Turn over the top card. If it is red, deal it to your left, face up. If it is black deal it to your right, face up.
5. Deal the next card face down underneath it. Repeat step 4, then this step (5) until the pack is gone.
6. The piles you have are mirror images. The cards underneath the red face up pile are black, and the cards underneath the black face up pile are red. Reveal this to everyone.
7. Take your well deserved bow.
This card trick is very easy but it fools alot of people.
1. Shuffle the deck or get the spectator to shuffle it.
2. Take the card on top of the deck and look at it, without letting the spectator see it, and place it, face-down, in front of him.
3. Ask the spectator to pick a color: red or black.
4. (example: if the card was the Three of Hearts, a RED card.) If the spectator says black, then you say: "Well, that leaves red." If he says red, you say: "Good Choice"
5. Now you ask: "Which suit do you like better, Hearts or Diamonds?" (Remember, the card you looked at is RED.)
6. If the spectator says Hearts, you say: "Good choice." If he says Diamonds, you say: "That just leaves Hearts." Either way, you then say: "Pick five cards in that suit you like the best."
7. If the five cards he picks don't contain your card, say "Okay, now from the remaining cards pick five cards you like the best."
8. If these five cards still don't contain your card, say: "That just leaves three cards." Name the three remaining cards.
9. On the first or second try, five cards will have been selected. On the third try, only three cards. Ask him: "Out of the five (or three) cards which, two do you like the best"
10. (example: out of the five cards 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 he picks the 5 and 6.) You say: "That leaves the 2, 3, and 4."
11. Now you ask him which he likes out of those three. If he says the Three of Hearts, you turn over the card and amaze him!
12.If he does not pick the card, you ask him out of the remaining two, which one he likes the best. If he still doesn't pick it, you say, while turning over the card: "Well that just leaves the Three of Hearts," and you amaze him!
The trick seems simple, and you think any one will get it. They don't. Try it on a friend. The trick is this: the spectator gets so caught up in picking everything, he doesn't realize that you are making the choices, so he thinks he picked the card. It amazes him!
Effect: Performer shuffles the deck and then riffles through it (see below.) A spectator is asked to say stop before the end of the deck is reached. The performer separates the deck at that point, shows the card to the audience (without looking) and "guesses" the card.
The Riffle:Hold deck horizontally, place thumb on bottom of deck, and middle, ring, and index fingers on top of deck. Place unused hand around deck with thumb on the back of the deck (not the bottom, the back...) Pull top of deck back with top fingers and smoothly lift fingers from top of deck so the cards flip forward one by one.
The Trick: The trick is in the initial shuffle. When you shuffle, note the bottom card. As they tell you to stop while riffling, separate the cards, but use your thumb to pull the bottom card out, along with the top half of the deck. Hold the chosen half up, facing the audience. Don't look at the card. Tell them the card that you saw when you shuffled. That is their card. When they ask you to do it again, which they will, do it without looking at the deck. That will amaze them.
This trick takes a bit of practice, but once mastered, makes an awesome sleight of hand trick.
Effect: Begin the trick by what I call riffling the deck. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, see below.) Tell the spectator to say stop. Where you stop you cut the deck. The card on top of the bottom pile is the spectator's card. Tell the spectator to look at the card and put it back where it was. You put the top half of the deck back on top of their card. Now you lay the cards face up so you can see them all. You pick a card and that is the spectator's.
Card Trick: The trick is really simple. It makes some people laugh at how simple it is. (Editor's note: but DON'T tell them!). All you do is this: while they look at their card, turn the top pile you cut over so that you can see the face of that card. Then you'll know that the card you're looking for is right next to it. It is always best to do this innocently so the spectator doesn't suspect anything. You don't have to lay the cards face up - it is good to customize this effect for yourself. I recommend you pretend to get it wrong the first time, to fool the spectator.
Riffling the deck: Hold the deck in your left hand, in the normal position for dealing. Place your right ring, middle, and index finger on the edge of the cards that is facing outward. Place your right thumb on the middle of the top card. With your right fingers, starting at the bottom of the deck quickly brush your fingers up.
Effect: The magician takes a fresh deck of cards out of the box and shuffles them to demonstrate that they are in no particular order. He deals the cards into a bunch of piles, until the deck is cleared. There are 13 piles, and when he is done each of them contains all four cards of each suit!
Card Trick:
The cards must be a fresh deck with the Jokers removed. Make sure the deck is in order like A,2,3... of each suit.
When you shuffle, you do it end over end. Actually, you are just cutting the deck every time. You must do it thirteen times. (Make sure you count it to yourself, not out loud.) Deal out thirteen cards. Once you are at thirteen go back to one and repeat. Do this until the deck is done, and you have thirteen piles of four cards each. Tap the cards, or make some other magical gesture, and flip over each pile. They are all together!
Effect: The spectator is given the cards, which they may shuffle as much as they want. While the magician's back is turned, the spectator looks at the top card, and replaces it back on the top. The spectator is asked to place as many cards as the top card (King is 13, Queen is 12 and so on..) from the bottom to the top (still behind the magician's back). The magician turns around and takes the deck and finds the card!
Card Trick:
This works based on a mathematical principle. All the magician does is start with the second card from the top, and counts mentally as one, two, and so on, going down through the deck. The spectator's card will be at the same number as the card value that matches the magician's count! There are better methods of revealing the result, however.
To the Reader: For this trick to work you have to know the number that the spectator has counted. To do this you can simply tell them to count out loud.
Start out by telling a story of four king thieves (have the Kings separated from the rest of the deck). One day the kings decide to rob their local Famous Store. The four kings fly their helicopter to the roof and begin to devise their plans. (As you say this, place the four Kings on the top of the deck.)
The first king says, "I'll take the clothes from the first floor" (Place the King on the bottom of the deck). The next king says, "Okay, I'll rob the second floor (Place the King somewhere in the middle, but near the bottom." The third king says, "Then I'll rob the third floor (Place the King somewhere above the second, but not on top.) The fourth king says, "I'll be the lookout. If I see some police coming, I'll whistle and you should all come up to the roof."
The kings begin to rob the store. However, the king on the roof sees the cops are starting to surround the store. So he gives the whistle (whistle - or scream or something, if you can't whistle) and the four kings all run up to the roof and fly away in their helicopter to safety (take the four cards off the top, one by one, revealing the four Kings!)
How it's done:
The whole trick is done right at the very beginning. Along with the four Kings you place on the top of the deck, you also place three other cards on top of those. When you show the Kings, keep the others hidden behind them, so it looks like there's only four Kings. When you put these together and put them on the "roof," and then move the three Kings to the various parts of the building, you're actually moving those three cards.
Prepration: Find a volunteer (One who won't mess up the trick). Teach him about the trick. Inform him not to tell anyone about your secret code (see below.)
Trick:
Split the deck into several piles. Leave the room.
While you are out of the room your assistant will tell a person to pick a card from one of the piles. They call you back into the room. The assistant will have spread out the pile, face down, on the table.
Next have the assistant point to various cards. When the assistant points to the chosen card he will point to the middle of the card, while on every other card he will point to its corner. When you see him point to the middle of a card, you'll know it is the selection. Wait until he points to a couple more cards, then tell him to stop. Flip the correct card face up. Listen for applause.
Description: A story is acted out with the cards.
1. You must have the four Queens on the top of the deck, four Jacks below the Queens, four Kings below the Jacks, and four Aces below the Kings.
2.)Deal out the Queens, face up, in four different piles, while saying, "Four girls went to a hotel. Each stayed in a different room."
3.) Deal out the Jacks onto the same four piles, while saying, "They needed their baggage, so they called up four bellboys."
4.) Deal the four Kings onto the piles, while saying, "Four desk clerks came in."
5.) Finally, deal the four Aces, while saying, "The girls panicked because they thought the clerks were burglars, so they called the police."
6.) Set the rest of the deck aside. Put the piles together. Tell one of the audience members to cut the cards.
7.) Deal the cards into four face up piles, again. Viola! They have returned to their proper places!
Trick Courtesy of: Frankus
Holding a deck of cards face down in your left hand, take a small bunch of cards with your right. Turn the
cards in your right hand face up, and put them on top of the cards in your left. Square up the deck. Grab all
of the face up cards and a bunch more from your left hand. Take this new stack of cards, turn it over and
place it back on those in your left hand. Continue this process until you've exhausted the entire deck. The
cards now appear to be hopelessly mixed, face up and face down.
The cards are really just divided into two halves, facing each other. (But don't tell the spectators this.) Find
the place where the two piles come together, and separate them. Put the piles on the table and give them
one quick riffle shuffle. (The kind where you flip the edges of the cards so they interlace.) Now spread the
cards out, to show they have been magically restored to order!
Effect: Deck is shuffled, and a spectator cuts in half. Spectator chooses one cut portion and performer
takes the other. Both spectator and performer hold cards behind their back and select a card. The cards
selected are then exchanged and placed face up behind the back. This is repeated one more time. When
done, both people bring out their pile and spread them out. All four Two's will be face up.
Preparation:
Put the four Two's in your back pocket. Do this where no one can see you.
Card Trick:
Put the four Two's in your back pocket. Do this where no one can see you.
1) Shuffle deck. Let spectator cut in half and choose a pile; you take the other pile.
2) Tell spectator to do exactly what you do.
3) Put cards behind back, have spectator do the same. (You secretly take the four Two's from your pocket
and put them on the top of your pile.)
4) Both of you select a card (you pick the top Two).
5) Then you exchange cards with out looking at them.
6) Tell spectator to put it, behind her back, face up, anywhere in the deck.
7) As she does this, put the spectator's card on the bottom of your pile, take a Two from the top and put it
face up anywhere.
8) Repeat steps 4-7 one more time.
9) Then bring the cards out. Join the two halves together. Spread the cards to show all four Two's face up!
Editor's Note: If you like, you can have the Two's on top of the deck. In this case, YOU make the cut, and
give the bottom half to the spectator. Then proceed as above. Getting the Two's in place can be done while
you're ending another trick.
Effect: The magician shuffle a normal deck of card, he show it to the audience, he pick the three first, lets
say 6, that he put on table, then he take a card from top and he put on 6 on it, another card then a 6 another
card again and a 6, he put the little pile on top of the deck then he take off the 3 first card and they are the
three 6, then he ask a spectator to blow the card on top of the deck, and when he show it the spectator are
amaze to see the other 6!!!
1. After shuffling the deck you fan the deck to proof that its not a tricked deck, but you have to look to the
third card, lets say its a 6, then you tell the spectator that from the bottom you will take off the first three 6
you see.
2. you put a card on table from top of the deck, then you put a 6, another card, then another 6 and another
card from top of deck that you know is a 6, then you put another six.
3. you put them back on top of the deck, then you pick the three first card and put it face down on table,
you tell the spectator to look at them.
4. you put them back on top of the deck, then you pick the three first card and put it face down on table,
you tell the spectator to look at them.
5. then you ask the spectator to blow the first card on the deck and you throw it on table.
Kings Family Variation Kings Party Variation
This card trick seems magical, but it's not. To perform, separate all of the Aces, Kings, Queens and Jacks
from a deck of cards. The rest of the cards will not be used. Begin the trick by telling this story of the
greatest and most powerful wizard.
Once upon a time there were four kingdoms. In each kingdom there was a beautiful castle. (Put down the
four Aces, face-up, in a row, next to each other.)
In each castle lived a wise and just King. (Put down the four Kings: the King of spades on the Ace of
spades, each of the other Kings on the Ace of the same suit.)
Each King was married to an equally wise and just Queen. (Put down the four Queens, the Queen of
spades on the King of spades, etc.)
One year to each family was born a healthy, happy child, and all seemed right with the world. (Put down
the four Jacks, the Jack of spades on the Queen of spades, etc.)
And the greatest and most powerful wizard saw just how good things were and said, "Great! Now I can
take that vacation to Disney World and visit the Florida Keys to soak up some sun." And so he began to
pack. (While you are saying this, pick up the four piles and place them one on top of the other.)
In the mean time the evil wizard, Morganus, was conjuring up an evil spell to be cast on the four
kingdoms. Once the good wizard left, Morganus didn't waste any time. He chanted, "Mouse tails, bat's
eyes, blood from a rat. Mix it together in a great big vat." (While saying this, deal the cards into four facedown
piles, one card for each word.)
His spell took hold of the four kingdoms and, leaving no stone unturned, he cast them to the four winds.
(While saying this arrange the four piles in a diamond shape.)
The results were devastating. The children became lost in the forests, the Kings and Queens wandered
aimlessly in the desert, and the castles were empty. (While saying this turn over the four piles to show the
piles of all Aces, Kings, Queens, and Jacks.)
But soon the greatest, most powerful and most rested wizard returned, and he saw what Morganus had
done. "This just cannot go on!" he said. And he cast his spell. It worked a magic much more powerful - it
gathered in the Kings and Queens, children, and castles from the four corners of the earth. (While saying
this, pick up the four piles and lay them on top of each other.) And he said, "Morganus is in trouble if ever
he's sighted. But these families four will soon be united." (While saying this, deal the cards into four facedown
piles, placing one card for each word.)
And the wizard proclaimed that all was right in the kingdoms. (While saying, turn over the four piles to
reveal the four united families.)
Note: with some practice you can cut the cards during the trick, but you have to make sure that you only
cut the deck after card #4 or 8.
Effect: There are four islands in an ocean. Each has a king, queen, a son named Jack (the Jack will be
used,) and a dog named Ace (the Ace will be used.) One day, a hurricane storms through the ocean,
creating complete chaos and wiping everything on the islands away. Finally, each king lands on his own
island, each queen on her own island, etc.
Card Trick:
To perform this trick, you need to remove all Kings, Queens, Jacks, and Aces. Create four "rows" of cards
going down as you would in solitaire. Each row should have a King, Queen, Jack, and Ace all of one suit.
Explain the setting as you set them up on their islands.
When you tell about the hurricane, sweep the cards up from the bottom of the "island" (the Ace) up. Do
this to each row, in order from left to right. Hold the cards face down. The order will be King, Queen,
Jack, Ace (of each suit.) Have a member of the audience cut the small deck in half, and complete the cut
(top half of deck goes beneath the bottom half.) This may be done with several audience members. Don't
let them make more than one cut at a time. Now just deal them out, one at a time, onto their four different
islands (four piles.) If you have done it right, each island will have all of one type of card.
Lucky Guess Variation 11th Card Variation Sim Sala Bim Variation
In this trick 16 cards are placed face up on a table, in four rows of four cards. Ask a spectator to pick a
card in his mind, and to tell you only the vertical column in which the card is located. Gather up the cards,
making sure to pick the fourth vertical column first. (Take the top card in your hand, face up. Pick up the
second card and put it onto the first card. The third card goes on these, and then the fourth.) Place those
four cards face down in a pile. Next pick up the third vertical column and place it on top of the pile.
Repeat this for the second and first columns.
Next deal out the cards in four rows of four, only this time make sure that the first four cards go into the
top row, the second four cards go into the second row and so on. You must remember which column (1,2,3
or 4) contained the card. By remembering this you now know which horizontal row contains the chosen
card. Ask the spectator to again state which vertical column (1,2,3 or 4) contains his card. The intersection
of this column with the original row is the spectator's card. You can pick out the card immediately. In this
case the spectator's answers provide us the final row and column of the card.
Most people will see through the magic in this trick in a hurry, though it might remain a mystery to first
graders for a long time.
You will need someone to act as your assistant for this. Have your assistant leave the room during the first
part.
Nine cards are laid out, face down, in three rows of three. (eh: You can have them choose a card by the
method in Find The Card The Easy Way.) Once a card has been selected, have someone call your
assistant back in.
When the assistant returns, you are holding the rest of the deck in your left hand. Your thumb will
represent which card was chosen. Example: if the spectator chooses the card in the middle, when the
assistant returned, your thumb would be directly in the middle of the deck. You will have to do this once
for the row the card is in, and again for the column.
The trick is to be VERY DISCRETE when holding the deck. Shuffle the deck a little so as not to draw
attention to yourself. Keep a serious look on your face, and stare at the assistant, as if you actually had
ESP. Let your assistant reveal the chosen card.
Use any full deck and its case. Allow a friend to shuffle the cards. Tell him/her to keep one of the cards,
look at it, and give the rest back to you. Then you place the rest of the cards in the case, but leave the flap
open. Ask the friend to put the card back inside of the deck. The secret to this trick is holding the case.
You prevent the card from going in all the way: tighten your grip on the case, while the friend is trying to
put the card in the deck. (Don't grip it too hard or the card will not be able to go in at all.) Turn your back
and pull out the card that is different from the rest. It should be sticking out very slightly. Take it out and
reveal the card. If you pull the deck halfway out of the case it will be easier for you to know which card is
theirs.
You will need someone to be an accomplice in this trick. Arrange eight cards in the pattern of the symbols
on the face of an eight. One of the eight cards must be an eight. While you look away, have a spectator
choose a card. When you look back, have your accomplice point to a few cards, saying "was it this one?".
Make sure they point to the eight, and to the symbol marking the position of the card the spectator chose.
You will get it right every time.
This trick is much more effective after perplexing the spectator by doing the trick several times. The
average person will think it is something the accomplice is SAYING, so they probably won't figure out the
trick for a while.
Effect: The spectator discovers his own card in a mysterious manner.
Card Trick:
Have the spectator shuffle the cards, take half the deck and give the rest to you. "Now," you say, "while I
turn my back, pick out a card, look at it, show it to everybody, and put it back on top of your pile."
Turn away and secretly turn the bottom card and the second card from the top face up.
When the spectator is done turn back. Tell the spectator to hold out his cards and place your pile on top of
his. Even up the cards, and then direct him to place his arm behind his back saying, "Now I want to
perform a little experiment with the cards behind your back."
Make sure that no one can see what happens behind the spectator's back and that he does not bring the
cards forward. Say this to the spectator: "Take the top card ... no, put that onto the bottom, so that you
know I'm not trying to fool you.
"Have you done that? All right take the next card, turn it over, and stick it in the middle. Even up the
cards."
Have the spectator bring the cards forward. Take the deck and run through the cards until you come to the
face up card. Ask the spectator to name his card. Turn over the next card. "As you can see you located
your card yourself."
Tips: once in a great while the spectator will stick the card between the face up card and the chosen card.
When you turn up the wrong card simply say: "You missed it by one," and turn up the next card.
Effect: After mixing the deck of cards, the performer asks a spectator to cut the deck that is in his left
hand. The spectator then places the top portion of the cards on the performer's right hand. The spectator is
asked to take the top card off the portion in the performer's left hand. The spectator looks at the card
without showing the performer. The performer uses his mind reading capability to tell what card has been
chosen.
Card Trick:
Rigging the deck before hand: Place the cards in four piles starting with Spades then Hearts, Clubs, and
finally Diamonds. Each of these piles should then be arranged, face up, in order from King on the bottom
to Ace on top.
Now starting with the Spades count back until the King is showing (bottom card is now Queen then Jack,
Ten etc) Next take the Hearts and count back in the same manner until the Ten of Hearts is on top. For the
Clubs you need the Seven on top, and the Diamonds will have the Four on top.
One more step to complete. Take the King of Spades from its pile, turn it face down, and start a new pile.
Onto this put the face down Ten of Hearts, then the Seven of Spades, and finally the Four of Diamonds.
Continue to place the top cards in the same order of suits on the new pile until all the cards are placed into
one pile. This completes the rigging of the deck.
Action:
Now practice your mind reading skills. Have someone cut the deck (as above) and take the top card off the
left pile. You place the right half of the deck under the left half. While doing so, take a glance at the
bottom card without making it obvious. Mentally count three cards up from the card you see on the bottom
of the deck, and this is the value of card that was chosen. As for the suit, if a Spade is showing on the
bottom then the card chosen is a Diamond. (Example: Six of Hearts is the bottom card, then the Nine of
Spades is the chosen card; Ten of Clubs is on the bottom, then the King of Hearts is the chosen card.
Tips - Always tell the spectator to place the chosen card back on top of the deck after the trick is
completed. Mix the cards each time you perform the trick, by cutting the deck in half, so as to appear to
shuffle but not to actually change the order. If the audience asks to see the cards, flip them over and
quickly run through them, as they appear to be in random order. Don't let the audience shuffle the deck.
Once you have completed the trick a couple of times, really shuffle the deck well and hand it to them.
While doing this trick, you might first make a "mistaken" guess to throw the audience off, after all, it's
80% your game, 20% your trick.
Variation
Effect: The spectator picks a card, puts it on the top of the deck, cuts the deck, and the magician finds the
card.
How it's done
All you have to do is have a glimpse at the bottom card of the deck. Ask the spectator to take any card.
After he does, ask him to put it on top of the deck, and to do a complete cut of the deck, putting the bottom
part of the deck onto the top. You count off the cards from the top, flipping them face up until you reach
what used to be the bottom card. The next one is the chosen card.
Trick Description: You shuffle the deck several times and then ask a person to tell you when to STOP
when they think you drop ten cards. You then count the correct amount of cards actually dropped. You
then tell them to memorize the top card and put it back into the deck shuffling anyway they want to. You
then fan all the cards out in a spiral towards the middle and pick their card out for them.
How Its Done
1. Shuffle the card deck a lot, memorizing the bottom card. Depending on the war you shuffle, you should
be able to keep a certain card always on the bottom. I usually lead with the right hand first so that is
always the bottom card no matter how many times you shuffle. If you lose the card, keep shuffling until
you memorize the bottom card.
2. Since you now know what the bottom card really is, it is a simple job getting the other person to pick
the card. When you drop cards, no matter how many you drop, you should count the DROPPED cards
back to them and eventually the bottom card will be on top.
3. After they shuffle and give the cards back to you, throw the cards out in a pattern to confuse them, then
show them their card.
(I like to confuse them even more by throwing out about 10-20 more than the one they actually pick and
then say "Is this your card?". Since they will say no... dig through the stack and get the real one.
Effect: To guess someone's card by memorizing order of deck.
Preperation Before the performance, set the cards in this order: 8, K, 3, 10, 2, 7, 9, 5, Q, 4, A, 6, J. Also
in suit order: Clubs, Hearts, Spades, Diamonds. To remember numeric order simply memorize this: "8
kings threatened to save 95 queens 4 1 sick knave*." To remember the suit order, use CHaSeD (Clubs,
Hearts, Spades, Diamonds.)
Card Trick:
When someone picks a card, sneak a peek at the card above it. Now you should know what their card is.
You can also let them return their card, and look for a card out of place.
Editor's note: "knave " is an old word for knight, which is the same here as the Jack.
This trick will take a lot of practice, but you'll have a real mystery when you get good at it!)
Effect: You hold the Ace of Clubs, Diamonds, and Spades, spread out like a fan so that everyone can see them. You turn them face down, have someone tap them three times (the "magic" number,) turn them face up, and the Ace of Diamonds has now amazingly changed to the Ace of Hearts!
Card Trick: You say you are holding the Ace of Diamonds, but you are really holding the Ace of Hearts.
When you fan out the cards make sure that the Ace of Hearts is upside down so the point of the heart is up.
Put it in the middle, but on the bottom, with the other two overlapping it enough so only a red diamond
shape shows in its center. It will seem to be the Ace of Diamonds. Turn the cards face down and have
someone tap them three times. Lay the cards down, separately, one at a time, and it appears that the Ace
has changed!
Effect: You guess the bottom card without even looking at it (or so your audience thinks.)
Presentation:
1. Look at the bottom card of the deck.
2. Shuffle the cards but not the bottom one. Leave the bottom card on the bottom. You can tell everyone
that you aren't a very good shuffler.
3. Place the deck face down on the table.
4. Name four numbers in the deck (making sure that the card on the bottom is amongst them.) Have a
spectator choose two of the numbers.
5. Let's say your card is a Four and you named a Three, Five, Four, and Nine. They picked the Five and
Nine. Say, OK pick out of the Three and Four. If they say three say okay then the bottom card is a Three.
6. Now tell them to pick two of the four suits. If your card is a Four of Spades and they pick Hearts and
Diamonds, tell them to pick one out of Spades and Clubs. If they say Spades say OK the card should be a
Three of Spades.
7. Now turn over the deck and your audience will be amazed.
8. Remember the object of the trick is to get the person to pick the card on the bottom of the deck, so make
sure you lead them to the right numbers and suits.
This is a very simple trick, and works best on kids, but it can be made to look pretty impressive.
EFFECT: Audience member picks a card, which the magician does not see. The audience member inserts
the card back into the deck. Next the magician drops the card onto a table top, and the card jumps out of
the deck, face up!
HOW IT'S DONE:
-Shuffle the deck so that everyone can see you are not preparing the deck in any way. (Don't
comment on this, just do it.)
- Fan out the cards in your hand, and have someone pick a card.
- While they look at the card, you do two quick, easy maneuvers:
1) Quickly move the top card to the bottom, while flipping it face up. You're left with a deck with the
bottom card upside down.
2) Turn the whole deck over. You're left with an upside down deck, but because the (now) top card is
reversed, it looks like a regular deck.
- Now hold the deck out (make sure you don't fan the cards at all - you don't want to reveal
that you're really holding onto an upside down deck.) Have them insert their card.
- Turn around (yeah, this part is kinda cheesy, but it works fine, especially on kids.) Turn the
top card back over so it faces the same as the rest of the deck. Scan through the deck to find
the upside down card that the audience member just inserted.
- Here's the BIG FINALE, that really makes this trick worth it: put the card on top of the
deck, and hold onto the deck from above. You are about to drop it, flatly, onto a table top.
BUT slide the top card back off the deck by a quarter-inch (this will be covered by your
hand). Then, drop the deck from about two feet up. The deck will hit the table, and the top
card (the selected card) will flip over. This is a real crowd-pleaser.
- An alternative ending is NOT to turn around, but just to move the deck back to right-sideup,
while moving the inverted top/bottom card back to its former position. Now, you put the
deck down, do some Hocus Pocus and tell them you just made their card flip over, inside the
deck. Fan the deck out, and their card is the only one reversed (it's actually better if you put
the deck upside down and fan it out, so the chosen card is the only one that's right side up)
However, a smart audience member will quickly figure you out this way, just because you
mentioned "reversed" - it kinda gives them a clue...
Ending Variation
Instead of the last three steps tell the person to imagine their card flipping over backwards, then go through
the deck and show them the card. (But be careful not to show the bottom card!)
Effect: A spectator picks a card out of a shuffled deck. You put it with three random cards, place the cards
at the bottom of the deck, and shuffle. You take three cards from the bottom of the deck and ask the
spectator if any of those are his. None are. These are laid on the table, one of the cards is flipped over, and
the selection appears on the table.
How It's Done:
Ask a person to shuffle the cards and then choose one card. Have them give you the deck. Take three cards
from the bottom. Tell the spectator to put their card on top of those three, then to place the four cards at the
bottom of the deck.
Shuffle the deck, but be sure to keep the four bottom cards in the same spot. (Editor's note: There are false
shuffles explained on the Terminology Page.) Shuffle the cards a couple of times. Now take the first
bottom card and place it face down on the table. Take the new bottom card and put it at the top of the deck.
Place the other two bottom cards face down on the table. The last card you put down is the spectator's
card. Be sure you have that card at the top of the tabled pile. Set the rest of the deck aside.
Pick up the tabled cards. Square them up, and hold them so the spectator can see the face of just the
bottom card. Ask if this is their card. They will say no. Lower the cards so they are in dealing position and
quickly deal the top card (actually their card) onto the table. If you do this naturally, without comment,
they will think you dealt the card you just showed them.
Show them the top card from those in your hand, and ask if it is theirs. Again they will say no. Lay this
card on the table. Finally, show them the last card in your hand and ask if it's the selection. When they say
no, put this card onto the other two. Ask them what their card was. When they tell you, use the other two
cards (like a spatula) to flip their card face up on the table. You have made their card appear!
Effect: The spectator cuts the deck into four piles. From each pile three random cards are dealt onto each
of the other piles. The top card of each pile is turned over to reveal all four Aces.
Preparation: Put all four aces onto the top of the deck.
Procedure:
1) Tell the spectator to cut the deck into two piles. Once he has done that, have them divide the two piles
into four.
2) We will call the piles numbers one to four; four being the top pile with the Aces. (Don't tell the
spectator these numbers. They are just for us to keep track of things.)
3) Have the spectator pick up pile one, put the top three cards onto the bottom, and deal the (now) top
three cards onto the other piles (two, three, and four. One card to each pile.)
4)The spectator continues, in order, to do the same with the other piles. (You just point to each pile, when
you want them to use it.)
5)There IS no 5, you're done! Just turn over the top cards to reveal the Aces!
Afterthought: This would be a good trick to precede the Acrobatic Aces.
This is a GREAT trick. And it's REALLY EASY. It is "detectable," but you get away with it most of the
time. If people have had a drink or two, this is an incredible trick -- they'll think you're David Copperfield
or something...
EFFECT: The audience is given two random cards. They look at them, but the magician doesn't see them.
The audience inserts the cards into the deck, and without shuffling, the magician throws the deck into a
chair, but somehow manages to pick up the two cards, holding them up in front of the gaping audience
members.
HOW IT'S DONE: This is a trick of the mind.
- You prepare the deck this way: pick two cards of different suits, but the same color, such
as the Eight of Spades, and the Three of Clubs. These are the cards you are going to give to
the audience. Next, pick the "opposites" of the cards: the Eight of Clubs, and the Three of
Spades. These are the cards you will fool your audience with. Put the opposite cards at the
top and bottom of the deck - Eight of Clubs on top, Three of Spades on bottom. And the
"real" cards both go on top.
- Without too much explanation, deal the two top cards out, face down, and let the audience
look at them. Next, let them insert the cards back into the deck.
- Make sure they can see that you're not doing ANYTHING to the deck. Hold the deck
between your thumb on top, and your fingers on the bottom. Swing the deck back and forth
a few times (make SURE they can't see the bottom card, though!) Perhaps you count 1, 2, 3,
and then throw the deck into a chair (or couch, or something, where it'll be easy to pick up.)
As you throw the deck, hold onto the top and bottom card with your thumb and middle
finger. IMMEDIATELY hold the cards up for all to see.
- It helps if you position yourself so that the audience doesn't turn their heads around to
watch where you threw the cards. You should be close to the chair you throw the deck into,
so you can draw their attention back to the two cards you held onto.
- They picked the Eight of Spades, Three of Clubs - but you are holding the Eight of Clubs,
Three of Spades. It's VERY rare that anybody notices. And if the audience is drunk, you get
a lot of "Ohmygaaawd, how'd he DO that?" and gaping mouths... Great trick!
Effect: With the spectator's help, you make four piles of cards. When this is done you flip over all the
piles and all four Aces are there.
Preperation: Arrange the deck like so: three Aces on the bottom and one on the top.
Presentation:
Ask the spectator to tell you when to stop putting down cards. Begin dealing cards face down on the table.
Continue until they have you stop. After the first pile is down, stick the card deck, still in your hand, under
the table and put the bottom card on top. This gives you an Ace on the top. Repeat the above steps until
you have four piles. Then flip over all the piles to show an Ace on the bottom of each!
One Way Deck -- Here is a deck that you dont have to buy, you arrange the
back of the deck pictures all the same way and when the spectator picks his
card just switch the deck around. Then it is s the only one that is backwards.
No more fake shuffles!
Overhand Shuffle -- A shuffle where you hold the cards in your right hand
and you pull them off a few at a time into your left hand.
Palming a Card -- Method of concealing a card. Click on title for
complete description.
Pass -- A sleight.
Patter -- The talk a magician uses to accompany a trick.
Reversed Card -- Any card that is face up in a face-down pack (or faced
down in a face-up pack).
Riffle Shuffle -- Common shuffle, used often. Click on title for complete
description.
Sandwiched Card -- Any card that is placed, or located, between two other
pre- designated cards.
Self-Working Tricks -- Tricks that don't require sleight of hand.
Shuffle -- The process of mixing a deck of cards
Slip Force -- Quick Force. Click on title for complete description.
Spot Cards -- Any card from ace through ten in any suit.
Springing Cards -- A flourish in which you bend the cards, let go, and catch
them with the other hand
Stranger Cards -- Not a card that's extra weird. A Stranger Card is a card
taken from another deck, and added to the deck you're using. This allows you
to perform many tricks in a much more mystifying way. For instance, cards
inserted into the middle of the deck can be made to instantly reappear on the
top or bottom. (See: The Teleporting Card in the Easy Trick index.) Some
Stranger Cards are specially manufactured, to make things happen that
couldn't, otherwise. A good example is the gag card made to look like a Threeand-
a-half of Clubs! (You can find these at your local Magic store, and many
novelty shops.)
Stripper -- This deck is cut in sort of a subtle 'trianglar' shape. meaning the
top is wider than the bottom. therefore, if a card is place in upside down, the
wider end of the card now matches with the decks lower end, thus making it
easy to locate or even slip the card right out of the middle of the deck. Click
on title for complete description.
*Svengali -- The Svengali Deck consists of 26 ordinary cards, all different,
and 26 short cards all of the same suit and value. The latter may be narrower
as well as shorter, but short duplicates only are generally used. The pack is set
up by arranging the two sets alternately, thus every other card from the top is
a card of the same suit and value. Click on title for complete description.
Switch -- A sleight or move in which one object is secretly substitued for
another.
Vegas Shuffle -- The vegas shuffle is the same as the reno shuffle when you
cut the deck into two piles and with your thumbs merge them together. It is
the same except you only merge the two piles in the corners, and then you
straighten them out..
Vanish -- The act of making an object suddenly become nonexistent.
Gimmick -- A secret device used in the execution of a magic trick.
Glide -- The glide is simply pulling back a bottom card so that the second to
the bottom card is revealed alittle(this is done face-down though, so no-one
can see the faces) It is only revealed for touch. The second to bottom card is
the slipped out as if it was the bottom card. (Usually it looks 'the bottom card
is shown. then the deck is facedown(no attention drawn to this), then the
bottom card is slipped out.(Of course, really the 2nd the bottom is slipped
out.)' Click on title for complet description.
Glimpse -- Secretly noting a card while holding or shuffling the pack.
Greek Shift -- Move used to shift a card, or make a false cut. Click on
title for complete description.
Greek Shuffle -- False Shuffle. Watch your angles. Click on title for
complete description.
Haunted Deck -- Spectator freely selects a card, and that card is placed back
onto the deck. The deck is cut and the spectator is told that the deck will
remove the card by itself and then watches, as the deck removes the card!!!!
The deck can then be given to the spectator to reveal no gimmick!!!!!
*Hindu Shuffle -- An effective way to keep a card or several at the bottom of
the deck. Click on title for complete description.
Indicator Card -- A playing card used to identify the location, value, or suit
of a diffferent card, usually selected by the audience.
Invisible Deck -- This deck is a trick deck wherein the backs of the cards
used have a thick, non-slick surface. The cards are placed back to back in
certain pairs. Click on title for complete description.
Jog -- A card sleight in which a card is made to secretly protrude from the
deck to a slight extent, thus enabling the magician to secretly locate it or the
card next to it at a future moment. Click on title for complete description.
Key Card -- A Card, generally gimmicked, which is used to locate a
particular card or cards in the deck.
Legerdemain -- A French term for magic of the hands or sleight of hand.
Marked Deck -- A deck a cards with markings on the back to identify the
front. You can name any marked card by looking at the back of it.
Mechanic's Grip -- The mechanics grip is one of the most often used for
false dealing. It is sort of a compromise between the erdnase grip and the full
grip. The forefinger curls around the outer right corner of the deck while the
other three fingers curl around the side of the deck.
Miscalling a Card -- TIn card magic, purposely giving an incorrect
identification of a card. Click on Title for complete description.
Biddle Move: -- Move used to bring selected card to the bottom of the
deck. Click on title for complete description.
Bottom Charge: -- Move used to change cards. Click on title for complete
description.
Break -- A slight opening secretly held in a deck of cards.
Breather Crimp -- The Breather crimp is a special type of "pyramid" crimp
put into a card. It's good because it's not really detectable like the standard
crimp is--but it's harder to put into the card and requires a little privacy. The
breather crimp is an undetectable crimp that can be put on a card at a
moments notice, and is an extremely powerful weapon in the card conjurors
arsenal.
Book Pass Force -- The book-pass force is where you do an overhand shuffle
(take a group of cards then throw them on the other pile, you do this
repeatedly) except you hold the top card and keep it on top. This will leave
the selected card on top.
Bridge-Sized Deck -- A deck of cards slightly smaller than a poker deck,
measuring 2-1/4’ wide. Bridge-size cards are frequently used and give the
magician an advantage in certain tricks becauseof their smaller width.
Card Discovery -- The climax or end of many card tricks during which the
spectator’s card is revealed or produced in a “magical” manner.
Card Location -- Any method that allows the magician to find or locate a
selected card after it has been returned to the pack.
Conjurer -- A magician
Control -- Any method that allows the performer to move a particular card or
cards to a specific location in the pack.
Crimp -- This involves putting a bend or crease in a playing card in such a
way that you are able to locate it in the deck by feel alone. The crimp can be
put anywhere on the card, but the corners or long sides are generally used.
You can crimp the card simply by bending the corner slightly upwards when
showng it. You can also crimp the side of a card by squeezing it gently at the
side between the thumb and forefinger. Basically, any (subtle) identifying
bend or crease in a playing card qualifies as a crimp.
Cut Deck -- Magician pulls a deck of cards out of a box showing that the
deck is cut in half! (from upper right corner to lower left corner). Magician
claims that he/she performed at a restaurant a while ago, and when he was
showing a trick to the cook that required him to cut the deck, he took it
literally and chopped the deck in half. Now, the spectator fans the left half and
asks the spectator to point to a card. That card is removed and given to the
spectator. The spectator then fans the right half and asks another spectator to
point to a card. That card is removed and given to the other spectator. The
spectators are then asked to place their cards face down on the table. The
magician takes their cards and puts them together, showing an exact match on
the back of the cards. They are flipped over and revealed to be the 2 matching
sections of one card!!!!!!
Do As I Do -- When you have the spectator do the same things as you do.
Double Cut Force -- The double cut force is a way of forcing the top card
of the deck. Click on Title for complete description.
Double Lift -- This is were the two top cards are drawn up to be shown as
one card alone. A fingerbreak between the two top cards before the
sleight is executed, is very nice. Otherwise it requires really light fingers.
Click on title for complete description.
Double Sided Cards -- Simply a double sided card which you can buy or
make for many good effects.
Double Undercut -- Card Control used to return a card back to the top of
the deck. Click on title for complete description.
Effect -- A sleight or trick
Elmsley Count/Elmsley Pass -- This is a sleight-of-hand manuever that can
be done ambidexterously. It is not as hard as a 'parallel pull', but it takes much
more grace and skill than a Hindu Shuffle, if that puts this sleights difficulty
into perspective. Click on title for complete description.
Face -- The face of a card shows its value and suit.
Face Cards, Picture cards, or Court Cards -- All of the jacks, queens, and
kings.
False Cut -- Any cut that leaves the deck in the same order as it was before
the cut.
False Shuffle -- Any shuffle that leaves the deck in the same order as it was
before the shuffle. Click on title for complete description.
Faro Shuffle -- The faro, also known as the weave shuffle is a technique that
perfectly interlaces the cards. It is not a false shuffle, but properly speaking a
controlled shuffle. The shuffle can be made in the hands, or on the table
which gives it the appearance of a tabled riffle shuffle. The in the hands
method is, by far, the easier of the two and I will describe the method that I
use. Click on title for complete description.
*Finger Break -- Move used to return to cards easily. Click on title for
complete description.
Flash -- Allowing the spectator to briefly see the face of any card.
Flourish -- A display of skill with cards. Usually not a trick but an important
part of a trick like one handed cut, fan, and ribbon spread.
Force -- Causing a spectator to select a particular card or cards when the
spectator thinks the choice was freely made. Click on title for complete
description.
List of Forces in Card Trick Central: Glide Force, Double Cut
Force, Dribble Force, Spread Cull Force, 20 Count Force,
etc... (Click on definition to go to force page...)
Free Choice -- When a spectator really has a free choice, no force.
Trick Courtesy of: Jason (changkc@cadvision.com)
Effect: This trick is exactly like the 4 Friendly Kings above. However, this variation allows for less
chance of making a mistake. The magician has three Kings in his hand, and tells the audience one of their
friends is missing in the forest (represented by the deck.) Then he tells of how the three Kings decide to go
looking for their friend. He then squares up the Kings and puts them on top of the deck. He says the first
King decides to go to the back of the forest, in case their friend came out. Magician puts the first King on
the bottom of the deck. Then he says that the second of the Kings will look for the missing King inside the
forest, so then he puts the second card in the middle of the deck. Lastly, he tells the audience that the third
King decides he will wait for the missing King at the entrance to the forest, so he leaves the King on top.
He then tells the audience that the three King's decided before they started to meet in the forest if they
could not find him, to discuss their next move. The magician cuts the deck, flips the cards face over and
finds the Kings are all together!!
Card Trick
Before Hand:
1) Gather all four Kings.
2) Put one King on the top of the deck. Fan the other three out, and put one card (any card) behind the
second King. (Make sure it is hidden.)
With the audience:
3) Tell the audience the story.
4) Sqaure the cards and put them on top of the deck.
5) Put first King on the bottom.
6) Put second "King" (really not a King) somewhere in the center.
7) Leave the third King on top.
8) Cut the deck, putting the bottom half of the deck onto the top.
9) Find the Kings in the deck with their missing friend!!
This variation is a little easier because there is only one fake card to hide and to put into the deck.
Trick Courtesy of: Nick (nick@empire.net)
Original Author: Unknown
Do the first 3 steps away from your audience or pre-prepared.
1) Take the four Kings out of the deck, and also two other cards.
2) Fan the four Kings out, and place the two other cards you selected behind the second King. Line them
up so your audience cannot see the two other cards.
3) Show the Kings to the spectators.
4) Place the Kings (and the two secret cards) face down on the top of the deck.
5) Tell the audience that the four Kings are good friends, and they don't let anything get between them.
6) Place the top King on the bottom of the deck. You may show the audience this card.
7) Place the next card (not a King) into the center of the deck.
8) Repeat step 7.
9) Leave the fourth card on the top. You may show the audience that it is a King.
10) Explain that the Kings are real good friends and will soon be back together.
11) Cut the deck in the middle, and put the bottom half on the top.
12) Search the deck for the four Kings. They have been magically moved next to each other.
Trick Courtesy of: Mike (Mike)
Original Author: Unknown
Effect: The magician picks out two cards. He has a spectator cut the deck. He flips over the cards that he
picked, then he flips over two cards of the deck that was cut. The cards match.
1. Shuffle the deck so the specator doesn't think you've rigged it.
2.) Tell them you will pick two cards. Go through the deck making sure you look at the bottom and the top
cards of the deck.
3.) Pick out a card that matches the bottom card. (If the bottom card is a Four of Hearts, you would pick
out the Four of Diamonds to match it.) Then pick out a card that is the same as the top card.
4.) Ask the spectator to cut the deck.
5.) Take the first card, the one on top of the original top of the deck, and flip it over.
6.) Flip the bottom half of the deck over completely.
7.) Flip over the cards you picked. They all match!
