Switcheroo

Setup: Before you start the card trick, find the two black 6's and the two black 9's. (The 6 of Spades, the 6 of Clubs, the 9 of Spades, and the 9 of Clubs.) Take the 6 of Spades and the 9 of Clubs, and place one of them on the top of the deck and the other on the bottom. Keep the 6 of clubs and the 9 of spades separate.

Trick: Show the deck of cards to your victim. (The person you are showing the card trick to.) Hold the 6 of clubs and the 9 of spades in front of the person. Ask them to tell you what cards they are. They will say the 6 of clubs and the 9 of spades, of course. Ask them if the are sure. They will say they are sure. Hold up either of the cards and ask them what card it is. After they respond, place that card in the middle of the deck. Now do the same with the other card.

Once both cards are inside the deck, place it down on the table, and tell the person to tap the deck three times. After that ask them if they have any magic card trick dust. If they say, no say you will loan them some and reach into your pocket and pretend to sprinkle dust on the cards. If they say yes, tell them there's no such thing as magic card trick dust. Now rub your hands together and blow on them so your fingers are slightly moist. (This is important.)

Pick up the deck by putting your thumb on top and your other fingers on bottom. Hold the deck very lightly. Swing the deck back and forth, and on the third swing throw the deck to your other hand, but make sure you hold onto the top and bottom card. Your moistened fingers will help.

Ending: After all that, your victim will still remember the cards, but only vaguely. When you show them the 6 of spades and 9 of clubs that you "pre-placed" they will be astounded, unless they have an awesome memory.

Telepathy

EFFECT: The Magician spreads the cards in his hands and asks a spectator to select a card. Spectator memorizes the card, and gives it back to Magician, who puts it in the deck at a random place. The Magician counts off cards from the bottom and then stops. Magician holds up a card: the spectator's!

PREPARATION: You can count any number. I always use nine, ten, or thirteen. When you spread the cards in your hands, you have already counted the number you need. Push the rest of the deck up a bit so the counted cards stick out lower (so you recognize them) from the rest. When the spectator gives you the card, put it on top of the counted cards, and the rest of the deck on top of them. Then count out the number you already counted (e.g. thirteen.) The fourteenth card will be the spectator's.

You can also count cards from the top of the deck, if you like. In this case, have them return their card onto the other (larger) part of the deck, then set the smaller pile onto these. Count down from the top, and reveal their card.

Teleporting Cards

Effect: A spectator picks two cards from the top of the deck. The spectator then puts the two cards into the middle of the deck. Without shuffling or arranging of the cards, the cards magically teleport into your hands!

Preparation:

For this trick, you have to have two pairs of cards that are EXACT matches. That means same colour, same number, same suit. Take two cards from another deck to get these. (Editor's note: these are called "Stranger Cards"; see the Techniques Page.) Let's say you're using the Ace of Hearts and Ace of Diamonds. Arrange the deck like this; take the two cards that belong to the original deck and place one on the top and one on the bottom. Take the two duplicate cards and place both on the top. Now you're ready for the trick. (Note: do not let them see the bottom card)

Card Trick:

Tell the spectator to take the top two cards (Ace of Hearts and Ace of Diamonds). Flip through the deck till you reach the middle (do not expose the bottom card). Tell him to place the two cards in the middle. With the back of the deck facing the spectator, use your thumb and pointer finger to gently hold the deck with your right hand; use your left hand to catch the deck. Swiftly push down, letting the whole deck, (but not the top and bottom cards) fall into your left hand. And there they are: the Ace of Hearts and Ace of Diamonds magically teleported right into your fingertips.

Think of a Card

Effect: The magician takes a packet of ten cards from the top of a shuffled deck. A spectator thinks of one of those cards and memorizes it. The magician tells the spectator to also memorize the position of the card from the top of the (face-down) packet. That done, the magician squares the packet up.

Magician divides the packet in half. He takes the top five cards and places them under the bottom five. He asks the spectator for the position of the remembered card. Magician takes a card from the top of the packet and puts it on the bottom. Do this the same number of times as the number the spectator gave you.

The magician finds the card, using the Elimination Shuffle.

The Elimination Shuffle: Take the top card off the packet and put on the bottom. Take the new top card and put it on the table. Keep doing this, one card to the bottom, next card to the table, until you hold only one card. It will be the card the spectator chose.

Three In A Row

Put one of the RED Aces on the bottom of the deck, so that the audience does not see. Gather the other three Aces and show them. Then ask a spectator to put one on the top, of the deck, one on the bottom, and one in the middle. Have her cut the deck, putting the bottom half onto the top half. Ask her to hand the deck back to you. Tell her you will find the three Aces, now magically together. Go through the deck and find the three Aces next to each other.

Hint: They will be near the middle.

The Turn Around Card Trick

Effect: The performer places eight cards face up on the table and then turns his back. He tells the spectator to turn one card around. When the performer turns back around he points at the card which was turned.

Trick:

Place eight cards on top of the deck in this order: Three of Clubs, Six of Spades, Five of Clubs, Nine of Spades, Seven of Clubs, Six of Hearts, Three of Hearts, and the Seven of Hearts.

Deal the eight cards off the top of the deck, face up. You must be sure that the centre of the cards are all facing the same direction (that is, the spots in the centre of the cards all face one way.)

When the spectator turns one card around, the centre spot will be facing the opposite direction. (eh: Try it; you'll see what he means.)

This trick works really well with children or at parties.

Turn Around Deck

Take an ordinary deck of cards and memorize the bottom card. Before you start the trick turn the bottom card upside down and place it back on the bottom of the deck. Give the top half of the deck to a spectator and keep the bottom half for yourself. Tell them you will remove one card from the deck you are holding and do so. Look at the card but do not memorize it, the card you need to remember the bottom one. Place it on the table in front of you. Tell them to remove one card from their deck but do not let you see. When they do this put the hand with the deck in down to your side and when no one looking just let flip the deck over. When the spectator has removed one card and looked at it. Tell him to place it on the table face down next to yours. Now tell him to put your card face down in his deck without looking, that way it is lost and no one knows what it was. Now take his card and place it in your deck face down so that it is the only card, except for your card, that is face down. Now take half of his deck and turn it face up and lace it on the top of you deck. Take the other half of his deck and place it face up on the bottom of your deck. Now tell him that the deck should be face up, face down, face up. He will naturally agree. Show him that all the cards are face up except two. Turn over your card and ask him what he had. He will tell you and then turn over his card.

Vanishing Card

Performer shows a pack of cards in its case. He withdraws the deck and announces he will magically make a card leave the deck invisibly. He requests that five cards be drawn. These cards are placed face down on the table so no one can see them. Performer now picks them up and asks someone in the audience to write down their names as he calls them off. After the cards are listed, he puts them back in the deck. Someone now looks through the deck trying to find the five selections. Only four are found in the deck! The performer opens the case the cards came in... the missing card is found to have left the pack and gone back into the case.

Explanation: When performer withdrew pack from the case, all he did was to leave one card in it, secretly learning its suit and number. When performer reads the names of the five cards, he says the name of this card instead of one of the drawn cards.

Editor's note: This is known as "Miscalling" a card. Read more about it on the Techniques page.

Where's the Card?

Effect: Spectator picks a card from deck and magician finds it. Magician then lays out four cards which are different from the one the spectator picked. Finally, magician causes selected card to reappear.

Card Trick:

1. Finding the card: tell spectator to pick a card and put it back on top of deck. Then take deck and put it behind your back. Turn top card over.

2. Bring deck out and show the bottom card to spectator; ask if it's the same suit as their chosen card (ask any question... it's just a decoy.) Since the card chosen by the spectator is facing you, you now can glance at it and memorize it.

3. Disappearing card: don't reveal the spectator's chosen card yet. Turn your whole body so the spectator can't see what you're doing and take the chosen card from the deck and place it at either the 2nd, 4th, 6th, or 8th position from the bottom of the deck. (Let's say the 2nd.)

4. Turn around again and show the bottom card (which is not spectator's card,) and ask if that's their card. They'll say no. Take that card and place it on top Take their chosen card (which is the 2nd card,) and put it on the table. Do this until you have 3 more cards laying on the table. Spectator will think their card is not on the table.

5. After a big build-up, reveal that the spectator's card is now among those on the table. They will be surprised!

Who's The Magician

Hand a full deck of cards to a volunteer to shuffle. (Make sure it's a FULL deck.) Ask the volunteer to deal the deck into two piles. Have them choose one of the piles and remember the bottom card. Tell the volunteer to show the bottom card to the audience (anyone else who's there,) but not you. Ask them to place the pile containing the bottom card on top of the other pile. Then ask the volunteer to deal the deck into four piles from left to right.

Pick up each pile and ask the volunteer if their card is in that pile. As you ask, reassemble the deck, making sure the pile with their card goes on the very top. Give the deck to the volunteer and have them deal the cards, one at a time face down on the table, spelling out the word "PRESTO". Have them turn the next card over. This is their chosen card!

2 of a Kind

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 spectator 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!

4 Friendly Kings

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 centre 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.

4 Friendly Kings (Variation)

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) Square 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 centre.

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.

Ace Party

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.

Preparation: 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!

All The Aces

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.

Preparation: Before you start the trick place the four Kings on top of the deck.

Procedure:

Tell your spectator's) that this is a special royal deck and the Kings run it all. Start by making four piles: take about one-fourth the deck from the bottom, and set it on the table. Take another quarter from the bottom, and set it to the right of those. The third quarter goes to the right of the two piles, and the fourth (the rest of the cards) goes to the far right.

From the pile at far LEFT, place the top three cards on the bottom of the pile, then deal one card to each of the other three piles. Repeat this with each pile, moving from left to right.

Ok, now you're all set. Point to each pile and say "King of the Hill." Turn each top card face up, to show that the Kings have magically come to the top.

Appearing Card

Trick Courtesy of: Matt

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 Techniques 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!

Back Flip

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 manoeuvres:

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-side-up, 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!)

Behind The Back

Fan out the cards face down and have the spectator pick any card. When he has memorized it, have him put the card on the top of the deck (don't worry he will be fooled). Put the deck behind your back, flip the top card over so the card is face up and the rest of the deck is face down. Bring the deck from behind your back and ask the person if the card on the bottom is their card. While doing this, his card should be in plain sight of you face up in the back of the deck. He of course will tell you that that card is not his. Put the cards behind your back again and flip over the spectator's card again so that all cards are now face up. Cut the deck and show the spectator the card on the bottom again. He will tell you that it is not his card again and thinks you are a fool. Tell him to shuffle the deck anyway he wants since you already know his card. When he gives you the deck back you can go directly to his card and amaze him.

The Bottom Card

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.

Calling the Shots

Card Trick:

First of all the card trick centres around the idea that you know the bottom card which means you need to be good at shuffling. Make sure you know the bottom card.

Tell your friend or guest that you are going to make him or her pick cards out of the deck without even looking at them.

For example let's say the bottom card is the 3 of diamonds. Keep shuffling making sure that card stays on the bottom.

Next set the deck on a table. Tell the guest that you want him/her pick the cards out of the deck but not to look at them and to place them face down on the table.

You tell them to draw the top card of the deck and put it face down on the table. Then act like your concentrating of it and say it is the 3 of diamonds. Then pick it up look at it and say I am right.

Don't let you guest see the card. At this point they probably think you are faking it. before you put the card face down on the table again memorize the card. it was a 2 of spades.

Now tell your friend to pick any card in the middle of the deck. This one really gets them. your guest flips meagrely through the deck and pulls any card and lays it face down on the table.

Concentrate again and say the 2 of spades. Look at it and verify again and say I am right again....2 out of 2. don't let him see the card. lets say it is really a queen of hearts.

Put the card face down on the table again and tell your friend to draw the bottom card off the deck and lay it face down.

Once he does this concentrate and say it is the queen of hearts. Once again check your results. and say I am right.

At this point your guest is very sceptical and you ask them what cards did I ask you to pick out of the deck. At this point grab the three cards and through a little slight of hand rearrange them so they are in order that you asked them for.

As he says each of the cards simply drop them in from of him or her.

Say you were able to hypnotize them or something to make them draw those cards. For added effect as they draw tell them the card. Have them draw three or four times from the middle of the deck and tell them each time they drew the same card. In they end it will look like they had.

The Changing Ace

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 centre. 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!

Chased

Effect: To guess someone's card by memorizing order of deck.

Preparation 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!)

Count Down

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.

Cut To It

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.

5. Turn the deck horizontally and shuffle the deck using the Overhand Shuffle. A fast Overhand Shuffle usually will not separate the two cards. Don't riffle shuffle - this could separate the remembered card from the chosen card.

6. Spread out the deck, right to left, face up, on the table. Your card will be just to the right of the spectator's card.

7. Take hold of the spectator's hand at the wrist. (Be sure to tell them you're going to do this!) Have them point their index finger. Move their hand over the spread out deck. When you see your remembered card, move their hand to the card at the right of it and DROP their hand. All other cards should scatter leaving their finger on the chosen card.

You can also reveal the card in other ways too.

Easy Pick

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.

Do It Yourself Discovery

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.

After Drinks

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 colour, 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!

Find The Card The Easy Way

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.

(1) You set up 3 rows of 7 cards each, face up.

(2)You have someone come up and think of a card (not telling you what it is)

(3)You say the row's names: A, B, and C. He or she tells you which row.

(4)-----VERY VERY IMPORTANT PART----

Gather up the cards, but be sure to put the row they said INTO THE MIDDLE of the 3 piles. Lay the cards out again, like this. Deal three cards in a column, then the another three cards in a column next to the first. Deal the rest the same way, until you again have 3 rows of 7 cards each. Ask again which row. Gather the cards and repeat for the third time. (Remember to put their row in the MIDDLE of the pile.) The 3rd time, you know what card it is because when you ask them which row, it's the 4TH card in that row.

Here's another way to end it.

Say you will find their card. Shuffle, then flip cards into a face up pile, until you go past theirs. Say: "The next card I flip will be yours." They'll be thinking: "he/she doesn't know it went by already..." You amaze them by flipping over their card in the discard pile!

Count out 21 cards and lay them face down on a flat surface. Ask a person to take one card and memorize it, then place it back on the table without showing you (of course.) Mix the cards and then deal them, face up, into seven rows of three cards each. Ask the person to look for his/her card, and to tell you which COLUMN their card is in. Whichever column it is, gather up the cards, making sure that column goes in between the other two. Deal the cards, again 7 rows of 3, and ask again which COLUMN. Repeat this one more time. Be careful: DON'T MIX THE CARDS BY ACCIDENT. After doing that, turn the cards face down, so the backs are towards you, and count off ten cards. THE ELEVENTH CARD IS THE PERSON'S. (Hint: In these three times the person's card should appear twice in the same column and once in a different one.)

Card Trick:

Deal out three piles of seven cards each. (Deal them just like dealing hands for a card game.) Have the spectator choose a pile. Hold the pile up, so the cards face the spectator. Have him/her choose a card, without telling you or pointing it out. Place the packet you hold in between the other two packets. Deal out the cards into three piles again. Hold up each pile separately, asking the spectator if his/her card is in the pile. When they say yes, place the pile with the chosen card in between the other two piles again. Repeat this step two more times (for a total of 4 times.) After the last time, hold the twenty-one cards up, and recite the magic words: "Sim Sala Bim." Next, deal the cards, one by one, spelling out Sim Sala Bim, one card for each letter. The next card (after you spell out all three words) will be the spectator's card! They will like this trick!

ESP

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.

Easy Eights

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.

A Fool's Bet

Effect: The magician cuts the deck into three piles, takes the top two cards from the middle pile and puts them onto the other two piles and shows the third card to the spectator and tells them this is your card. The magician than puts the piles together and allows the spectator to shuffle as many times as they want in any way they want. The magician is then able to find the card.

Procedure: Show the spectator a deck of cards, and fan them out, saying "I want you to see that this deck is not arranged in any way" Take note of the third card from the top. Cut the deck into three piles, making sure to keep the cards that were on the top in the middle pile. Take the top card and put it on the right pile, then take the next card and put it on the right pile, and show them the third card. (the one you took note of) Tell them that's their card. Allow them to shuffle as much as they want. Deal the cards in a circle until you see their card, but don't stop. Keep dealing until the card is almost buried, them ask them how much they want to bet that the next card you flip over will be theirs. Because they've already seen their card go by, they will bet a lot. Flip their card (which is almost buried in the pile) over. Collect your money.

Four Kingdoms

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 face-down 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 face-down 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.

1. Go through the deck pulling out all four Aces, Kings, Queens, and Jacks.

2. Start by saying: "Once upon a time there were four Kings." Place the Kings in a face-up row, a few inches apart.

3. Then say: "And each King had a daughter." Place one Queen on each King, but make sure you can still see the top of the King.

4. "And each daughter wanted to marry a Prince." Place one Jack on each Queen.

5. "But the kings did not want their daughters to wed the Princes. So they brought in their lawyers." Place one Ace on each Jack.

6. Take each pile, keeping the Ace's on top, and put them on top of each other. Make sure you keep them in order.

7. Turn the cards face-down and cut them. You may cut them for five minutes or thirty seconds.

8. Then say: "And in the end..."

9. Take the first card and set it down, face-down. Put the second, third, and fourth next to it. Repeat the process, putting the second row on the first. Repeat for the third and fourth rows.

10. Finish by saying: "...They all went their own, separate ways."

11. Fan out each pile, showing all the Aces, Kings, Queens, and Jacks together.

Card Trick: Take out all the face cards and all the Aces, forget the other cards. Place all the Kings in a row and say they are having a party. Next say that they are all nice Kings and they invited their wives (the Queens) to the party. Put the Queens on top of the Kings. (Make sure they are the same suit.) Then say the Queens are very proud of their sons and they invite them to the party. Place the Jacks on top of the Queens. Say: "after the party all the people went to bed, and they were afraid of someone breaking in to their bedrooms, so they put locks on their doors." Put the Aces on top of the Jacks. Say that they all got mixed up in the middle of the night. Put all the stacks of cards together, one on top of the other. Turn them face-down and single cut them three times (only three.) Then lay them out in four rows, taking from the top of the pile.  "But, come morning, all were back where they belonged." Turn the piles over to show the cards unmixed.

The Four 2's Jive

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.

Four in a Row

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.

Haphazard Cards

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!

The Hotel

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!

Effect: A motel with four rooms, (use a Four of any suit.) Four Aces, four Kings, four Queens, four Jacks, come and mix in the same four rooms. When the inspector comes to check, all the Aces are in one room, the Kings in another, as are the Jacks and the Queens. Amazing, huh?

1. Take out the four Aces, four Queens, four Jacks, and four Kings. You also need any Four to act as the motel, and any other one card to be the inspector. Lay the Four face up on the table.

2.) Start your story; something along the lines of: "There are four Kings who come to a motel and ask for one room. They are separated." Lay the Kings out, face up, one at each corner of the Four. Continue the story, doing the same for the Queens, Jacks, and Aces.

3.) Pick up the four piles, one on top of the other. Cut these as much as you like.

4.) Deal the cards, one to each corner of the Four, then repeat until all the cards have been dealt.

5.) As the inspector (lay the extra card onto the Four) checks that all the same people (Jacks, Queens, Kings, and Aces) are separated, they really are!

Four Islands

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.

Kathy's Prediction

Shuffle a deck of cards. Place the top card face up on the table and look at its number (Jacks, Queens, and Kings all equal 10.) Put enough cards on top of the card to make the total 10. For example if a 4 is showing, then you would put 6 more cards on top of it. Put the cards on so that all are face up. Keep making piles like this, until the deck is used up. If there are remaining cards that do not exactly equal 10, hold onto them.

Ask someone in the audience to choose three piles, each with three or more cards in it, and flip them face down. Pick up the rest of the piles. Count 19 cards from those in your hand, and place them to the side, as they are unnecessary for the rest of the trick.

Ask the volunteer to flip the top card of any of the three piles over, so that it is face up. From the cards in your hand, take the number of cards that corresponds to the number of the card flipped over. For example if a 5 is flipped over, count five cards from your hand and place them aside. Repeat this for one of the other piles.

Now count out how many cards are in your hand, and tell the audience that this is the number of the top card of the final pile. Have the volunteer flip that card over. The number always matches.

(Editor's note: to make this trick seem less "mathematical," don't just count the final cards and say that is the number. Instead, have your volunteer put the cards from your hand onto the last pile. While they do this, you can quickly count the cards in your hand. Now make a production of how you announce the final number.)

Keith's Trick

Preparation: 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.

Kings Robbery

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.

Trick Courtesy of: CurryKaTa

The magician places 3 Jacks in a deck, which he tells the audience are robbers. He places a Jack on top of the deck, one in the middle, and one at the bottom. The magician then places a King, which he says represents a cop, on the bottom of the deck. Magician asks a spectator to cut the deck. The magician explains that the deck of cards is a bank. When the deck has been cut, the magician takes it, and looks through it to show that the three Jacks (robbers,) are together with the King (cop.) The cop caught the 3 robbers that tried to rob the bank.

This trick requires preparation before performing it. Before performing, the magician secretly places a jack on the bottom of the deck. He does not let anyone see this.

Effect: A story is told about 3 thieves (Jacks,) who break into a house (deck,) and are followed by a detective (King.) After cutting the deck, a spectator looks in and sees that the thieves are all being guarded by detectives.

Preparation:

At the bottom of the deck, put a King, a Jack and another King, so that the Jack is in-between the two Kings.

1) Have 3 Jacks ready, and 1 King. Start telling the story. "There were three thieves who wanted to break into this house. One entered the house from the front door (Place a Jack on top of the deck.) One thief entered through the back door (put a Jack on the bottom), and one broke in through a window (put last Jack anywhere in the centre.)

2) Then say: "A police detective (show them the King) saw this and entered the front of the house, calling for back-up (put the King on top of the deck.)

3) At this time, you will have a King, then a Jack on top, and a King, Jack, King, Jack order on the bottom. Now say "There was a scuffle between the thieves and the cops." Cut the deck several times, making sure not to mess up the order of the cards.

4) Now, somewhere in the deck, there is an order of Jack, King, Jack, King, Jack, King. Each cop has arrested a thief.

5) Search through the deck and show the spectator that the police caught the thieves in the act.

Tip: Remember that the one Jack you put in the centre of the deck will not be used at the end, it is just a decoy.

The Lazy Magician

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.

Liar, Liar

Effect: You go through a deck and tell the person to tell you when to stop. You take the first card of the pile and ask them if it is their card. It is not. Then, you do it 3 more times, all NOT being their card. Then you pick up one that you put down and it is magically their card.

Card Trick: Go through a deck, making sure not to face the deck. You will not see their card throughout the whole trick. When they say stop, you put that on top and hide it behind one more. You say, is this your card? They say no, and the "fake" card you put on the bottom (practice doing this without being noticed) of the deck while the hidden card (their card) you put down. Then you do that 3 more times until you have 4 cards in a diamond shape. Remembering the first card you put down, pick it up and say "You liar, this is your card." Simple but fun. Practice makes perfect in this trick especially.

Lucky 13

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!

Magical Cut

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.

Mirror Image

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.

Mind Reader

This card trick is very easy but it fools allot 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 colour: 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!

Mystery Ten

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.

Nice and Easy

Shuffle deck. Let someone choose any card, memorise it and place on TOP of deck. Behind your back, flip THAT first card over and bring out the whole deck. Hold deck upright, so they see bottom card - don't let them see theirs. With the bottom of the deck showing, ask if that's their card, to which they say no. At the same time you can see what THEIR card is, because you've flipped it over and it's now facing you! Put deck behind your back (be careful they don't see.) Flip their card over again and put it anywhere in deck. Bring out the deck, shuffle it or get them to shuffle, and now you can find their card!

Number's Game

Effect: Through math, you can find out two cards that a person has chosen.

Preparation: Make sure all Tens, Jacks , Queens, and Kings have been removed from the deck. (Aces serve as one.)

Trick:

Have the person you are showing the trick shuffle the cards. Take a group of cards and hold them in your hand, spread out in a fan shape. Ask him/her to pick a card from among them. Tell the person to remember it and to put it back in the deck.

Ask them to double the value of the card they picked, then to add 5. Now have them multiply that number by 5. Tell them not to forget this number.

Instruct them to look at another card in the deck, and to add its value to the total that they had computed before. They are to tell you the final total of everything.

In your head, subtract 25 from the total. The two digits you get are the same as the two cards they chose. Example: they choose a Five, then a Three.

5(doubled) = 10 plus 5 = 15. Multiply times 5 = 75.
Three added to total = 78. You subtract 25 = 53.
They picked a Five and a Three!

Editor's note: try this a few times to get the feel...

Obedient Colours

Effect: Two columns are created, a black one and a red one. Cards are drawn one at a time from the bottom of the deck and an audience member chooses whether to put it face down on the red or black column. The column colours are then switched and more cards are placed by the audience. At the conclusion of the trick, all the cards are flipped over and all the colours in each pile are together.

Step 1: Place two random cards, one black, one red, face up next to each other.

Step 2:Have the bottom of the deck facing you and draw the first red card, ask the spectator if they want it to go on the "Black" or "Red" pile. Place it face down on the pile they choose.

Step 3: If the bottom card is black, just tell the spectator you don't like that one, and place it on the top of the pile.

Step 4: Continue this practice with as many red cards as you wish. I usually stop when I run into a big section of black cards.

Step 5: Take out another red and another black card and place the black card face up on the "Red" pile and the red card on the "Black" pile. The "Red" pile is now the "Black" pile and vice versa.

Step 6: Take a few cards off the bottom of the deck making sure they are all black and ask the spectator which column to put it on. Remember to now move the red cards to the top of the pile in your hand.

Step 7: When you feel you have enough cards on the table (I usually strive for a total of around 12 - 15) take the very top face-up black card and flip it face down to the bottom of its pile. This puts it with all the other black cards.

Step 8: Square up the piles making sure not to mess up the order, and flip the cards over in order showing the audience that they are all in colour order. If you so choose you can have the spectator flip over the second pile. When flipping over the piles, just leave the face up cards face up, they will match the colours.

O'Henry Trick

Preparation:

Before the trick make up a packet containing 20 black cards and one red (we'll say the Queen of Hearts.) Put the red card 10th from the top. Place this packet on top of the rest of the pack.

Presentation:

In performing the trick say to the audience you will remove a random number of cards from the top of the pack, but remove the top 21 cards placed there earlier and disregard the rest of the pack (you no longer require them).

Give the packet of 21 cards to the spectator and turn your back. Tell the spectator to remove between one and ten cards from the top of the packet, count the number to themselves and put these cards into their pocket.

You tell the spectator you will predict which card they will choose and write it on a piece of paper. Write down the Queen of Hearts (or whatever the red card was), fold the paper and give it to a member of the audience to hold.

Turn back to face the spectator. Deal out from right to left ten cards from the remainder of the packet. Ask the spectator how many cards they have in their pocket and remind them that they had a free choice of between one and ten. Count from left to right the number they tell you. The next card to the right is theirs (it's the Queen.) Open the piece of paper and show your prediction to be correct.

To top off the trick ask them to return the cards from their pocket and tell them that not only did they pick the card on the slip of paper, but they chose the only red card in the pack. Show that all the other cards were black.

On Tap

Effect: You lay nine cards onto the table, in a three by three pattern. You ask an accomplice to leave the room, then have a spectator choose one of the cards. When your accomplice returns you will have him identify the exact card chosen by the spectators!

Preparation: Get an accomplice, and tell them the trick.

1. Ask your accomplice to leave the room or area.

2. Turn nine cards face down, three by three.

3. Have the spectator's) pick a card.

4. Once they have chosen a card, have someone tell your accomplice to return.

5. Now you make a series of taps on the cards, anywhere from five to twenty. (You can always change the amount to fool your spectators.) The signal you give your accomplice is where you tap the first card. This tells him/her which is the chosen card. If you tap the first card in the middle, that signifies the middle card in the three by three setup; if you tap the first card in the upper right corner, it signifies the card in the upper right of the setup, and so on.

6. Now all that is left is for your accomplice to amaze the spectators by choosing the exact card.

Editor's note: since you are the magician, you might want to perform this as a test of your "mental powers." You say that you will cause someone else to find the correct card.

Opnick's Dozen

You will need twelve cards, with no more than three of the same value.

Arrange them into three piles of four each (make sure there are no doubles in each pile.) Each pile needs to be put into numerical order, from lowest to highest, so when face down the lowest card is on top.

Show a spectator the three face down piles, then move the piles around, so there is no way for you to remember what card is where. Get spectator to pick a pile. Fan that pile for spectator to see, and ask them to remember one card from that pile. Ask them to also remember a number from 1-4, depending on the position of the card in its pile -- 1 being the top-most card, 4 being the bottom card. Put the piles on top of each other, with the selected pile on the very top.

Deal the cards, from left to right, into three piles (1234, 1234, 1234.) When done, put the pile on the left side on top of the middle pile, and put those on top of the pile on the right.

Do the above action (deal the cards, then stack them,) three times total. You can do it fast, and say you are mixing the cards up. When you are finished for the third time, ask the spectator for the 1-4 position of their selected card. Deal that number from the bottom of the pile. The last card you deal is the selected card.

Alternate Version: after you stack them for the third time, reverse the order of the cards. Ask spectator for the 1-4 value of the selected card. Deal that number off the TOP of the pile. The last card you deal is their selected card.

Present the card in any fashion.

Opposite Decks

1. Before doing this magic trick you need to separate the cards into red and black. The black cards should all be together and the red cards should be together, making them like two small decks.

2. Separate the decks and lay them face down.

3. Ask a spectator to take one card randomly out of each "deck", making sure he/she doesn't look at the deck.

4. Ask the spectator the memorize the cards, then put each one back in the opposite deck from which they took it.

5. Have the spectator shuffle each deck separately.

6. Take the decks up and tell them you will now find their cards.

7. Simply look through the red deck up and find the only black card in it. Same for the black deck.

Order Please

Trick: A spectator cuts the deck 13 times. You deal the cards into 13 piles (as if you were playing a card game.) You turn the piles over, one by one. The cards in each pile are of the same value.

Preparation:

Be sure you are using a full deck of cards. Before the trick, with no one else there, put all the same cards of the same suit in numerical order. You should have Diamonds in Ace through King order, Clubs in Ace through King, etc. Put the four suits together, just as they are.

Performance:

Tell everyone how mysterious the number 13 is. Have a spectator cut the deck 13 times. Deal the cards into 13 piles, then turn the piles over.

Pick For Me

Shuffle a deck of cards, getting a look at the bottom card. Don't be obvious. Spread the cards out all over the table, face down. Keep your eye on where the bottom card ends up. Then, you ask the spectator to find for you whatever card the bottom one was. Tell them not to pick it UP, but just to point at the card they think it is. For instance, if the bottom card was a Queen of Hearts, you would say: "Pick for me the Queen of Hearts." (Of course, you don't TELL them you know it was the bottom card!)

The spectator will point to a card, and you pick that one up, not letting the audience see what card it really is. Then, depending on the card you really picked up, tell the spectator to now choose that one. If it was a 9 of Clubs, you would tell them to pick the 9 of clubs. They choose another card, and you pick it up.

Now you say that YOU will choose a card, and say the name of whatever card you just picked up. Pick up the original bottom card (Queen of Hearts, in our example.) Show the audience the cards you are holding, and they will be amazed. Don't tell them how to do it, a magician never reveals her secrets.

Editor's Note: if the spectator accidentally picks your bottom card, it doesn't ruin the trick, it makes it better! If they pick it on the first try, just have them turn the card over. They seem to have found it, all by themselves! If they pick it as their second card, just show both cards, and announce that they found them both. Very impressive!

Pick-Up 52

Pick-up 52:

1) Ask member of audience if (s)he wants to play Pick-up 52. If (s)he says yes, throw a pack of cards on the ground, being sure to make a big mess. Say: "Pick-up 52."

Editor's note: Card Trick Central accepts no responsibility if you actually try this!)

Alternate Version: (this is actually a trick)

To prepare:

1) Before you do the trick, place the Eight of Hearts on top of the deck and the Seven of Diamonds on the bottom.

2) Now place the Eight of Diamonds on TOP of the Eight of Hearts, and the Seven of Hearts UNDERNEATH the Seven of Diamonds, so that there are two sets of red Sevens and Eights.

To perform:

3) Take the top and bottom cards from the deck (Eight of Diamonds and Seven of Hearts,) and show them quickly enough that the audience remembers red Seven and Eight, but not so quickly that they suspect what you're going to do and memorize the exact cards.

4) Mix the cards into the middle of the deck, in different places.

5) Announce that you will now bring the cards back to the outside of the deck.

6) Lick your left thumb and index finger. (Or, if you have a cold drink nearby, take a sip just before this part. You are trying to get your fingers slightly moistened.) Holding the deck in your left fingers, thumb on top, fingers on bottom. Hold it at one end, very close to the edge, so the length of the deck sticks out in front. Press your thumb and index finger against the deck enough to make the top and bottom cards "stick" to those fingers.

7) With right hand, slap down on the top of the deck to knock out all of the cards EXCEPT the top and bottom ones, which you hold with your left hand. Practice this until you can do it well (i.e., hold on to ONLY the correct cards.)

8) Leave. (Let somebody else clean up the mess.)

Deck Predictor

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.

Psychic Solution

Effect: You tell a person to pick the top card of the pile and to memorize it, then to put the card back into the pile. Taking the deck, you act like you are trying to get "psychic" messages from it. While they concentrate on their card, you name it.

1. Take an ordinary deck, and ask the spectator to shuffle it.

2. Spread the cards like a fan, face up, telling the spectators that the deck is in no particular order. While doing this, look at and remember the top card.

3. Have the spectator cut the deck into three piles. Be sure you keep an eye on the card that was on top of the deck. Arrange the piles so the first cut pile (the top of the deck) is in-between the other piles.

4. Ask them to look at the card on top of the middle pile, and to memorize it. Then they are to put it inside one of the piles. (You already know what this card is.)

5. Put the deck back together and shuffle the cards.

6. Have the spectator concentrate on the colour of the card they picked, you tell them the colour. Have them concentrate on the suit, you tell them the suit. Then the number, you tell them the number.

The trick is done; you should have them stunned at your psychic abilities.

Re-appearing Aces

Effect: You show the audience four Aces, which you put on top of the deck. Then you pick up the four Aces and give a spectator the four cards underneath. When you show the audience your cards they will not be the four Aces; the four Aces will be in the spectator's hand.

Card Trick:

1) Before you start your trick, gather the four Aces. Behind the first Ace put four other cards.

2) Show the audience your four Aces, spread out in your hand, like a fan. (Remember to hide the four cards behind the first Ace.)

3) Place all eight cards on top of the deck.

4) Take the first four non-Ace cards, but do not show them to anybody.

5) Give the spectator the next four cards (which are the Aces.) Ask him not to look at them, just yet.

6) While the audience thinks you have the four Aces, turn your cards over revealing that they are four other cards. Tell the spectator to turn over their cards, revealing that they have the Aces.

The trick itself is very simple, but believe me it gets the audience's brains tingling.

Editor's note: You need to put the cards onto the deck before you give some to the spectator. So that this isn't too suspicious, you can pretend that you "just remembered" that you wanted to give them to the audience member.

Reverse The Card

Start by putting one card face up on the bottom of a face down deck. Spread the cards like a fan, and have a card chosen and memorized by a spectator. Make sure they don't see the face up card at the bottom.

While they are looking at their card, turn the entire deck over. This will show a face down card on top of a face up deck, which will look as if the cards are all face down. Square up the deck and have the spectator put their card, face down, anywhere in the middle of the deck. Be careful not to move the top card and expose the face up cards underneath. Put the cards behind your back and turn the top card back over. Bring the deck out again. Show the spectator that their card has magically turned face up in the centre of a face down deck.

If you practice, you can find other ways of turning the card over, besides putting the deck behind your back. One way is to start the trick standing up. After the card has been put back into the deck, drop your left hand (with the deck in it) to the side of your body. With your thumb, push the top upside-down card to the right as if you were going to deal it. Brush the deck downward against your leg. The top card will hit your leg and flip over. Practice this until you can do it quickly. You will need to do some mis-direction to take attention away from this move. (Have someone spill a drink, sneeze, etc.) Or you may prefer to do the behind the back move. Either way the trick is very confusing to the spectator.

Magic Riffle

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.

Seb's Bottom Trick

Effect: Very easy, basic card trick.

Card Trick:

Keep the cards in a single pile. Be sure to find some way to gain knowledge of the bottom card (shuffling, dropping a card, etc.) Hold the deck in your left hand, in a normal dealing position. Put your right hand on the deck so that your right fingers are on top, thumb on bottom, as if you were going to pull the whole deck back out of your left hand.

Your right fingers begin to slide cards back, one by one, and you tell the spectator to say 'stop' at any time. When they say 'stop', use your right hand to pull off the cards that were moved. At the same time, your left thumb presses on the bottom card. As you slide the top cards away from the deck, the bottom card will come with them. (This works best if you pull the bottom card out, little by little while you go through the top cards.) Hold your right hand up so the spectator can see the bottom card of the group, but you can't.

Now announce the card that was on the bottom. To make it more mystical say something about how you can tell it isn't a black card by the expression on their face, or that you can tell it's a Heart by the way their fingers wiggle. Or come up with something better. (That shouldn't be too hard.)

Editor's note: finding out the bottom card isn't hard, especially if you are performing more than one card trick. Handling the cards, both during and between the tricks, gives you lots of chances to see the bottom card without making it obvious.

The Self-Arranging Deck

First, separate all the cards by suit. Line up each suit in this order: Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K.

Next stack the packets on top of each other. Starting with the top card, deal off 21 cards, making sure that when you lay them down they stay in the same EXACT order. (Normally when you deal, you pile the cards one by one onto each other. This reverses their order. You cannot do that this time.) Put the 21 cards on the bottom of the pile that's left over.

Now have somebody cut the deck at any spot, 9 times. Make sure all of them are complete cuts or the trick won't work. After they have finished, deal the cards into thirteen piles. Start at one side, left or right, and deal thirteen cards across. Deal the next thirteen onto those. Repeat this two more times, until all 52 cards have been dealt.

After you are done have someone turn over all thirteen piles. Each pile will have the same card denomination in it.

Seven Detectives

Effect: This is a story of seven detectives chasing a murderer (the selected card).

Procedure:

1) Take any four of the same face cards out of the deck, (Kings make good detectives.)

2) Shuffle the deck and memorize the bottom card.

3) Spread the cards like a fan, and ask the spectator to take one.

4) Tell the spectator to look at the card, remember it, then place it on the top of the deck.

5) Ask the spectator to cut the deck.

6) Explain that the card they selected is a murderer and the four face cards you took out are detectives to find him.

7) Look through the deck, the selected card will be the next card after the bottom card you peeked at.

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, original bottom card, face card, selected card, face card, card after selection, 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 on edge and hit the four cards against a table. The three alternate cards should 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; 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.

The Sisters Trick

Start by putting one red Queen on top of a regular poker deck, and the other red Queen at the bottom, both face down.

Next, give the two black Queens to a spectator. Start dealing cards off the top of the deck, laying them in a face down pile on the table, until the spectator tells you to stop.

Have the spectator put the first black Queen, face up, onto the pile (opposite to all the cards you have been laying down.) Drop the remainder of the deck in your hand face down onto the black Queen. (So the only card facing up is the black Queen.)

Next, repeat the process above, having the spectator put in the other black Queen, face up, and drop the remainder of the deck on top of the black Queen, again face down. Have the spectator cut the deck, and complete the cut.

Now announce that without any help from you the spectator was able to find the black Queens' sisters. Simply go to the black Queens, take them out, and the cards immediately above each will, of course, be the red Queens.

You have shown the spectator the Sisters Trick.

Editor's note: it is easy to put the red Queens in place, while you find the black Queens. This can be done right in front of the spectator, as long as you don't tell them what you are doing. Just do it - don't make a big deal of it.

Spelling Bee

Effect: The magician shuffles the deck and takes the top thirteen cards. Holding the cards face down, he proceeds to spell the first card name, Ace. "A-C-E," and for each letter, he puts one card under the packet of thirteen cards. He then flips over the next card (the fourth,) and it is an Ace. He repeats this process for each card number, Ace through King. At the end, he has all thirteen cards face up on the table, in sequential order.

Preparation: Remove and arrange 13 cards in the following setup, top card down: Three, Eight, Seven, Ace, Queen, Six, Four, Two, Jack, King, Ten, Nine, and Five. Put these on top of the deck.

Presentation:

The trick almost works itself. To start, pretend to shuffle the cards, leaving the top thirteen untouched. Remove the top thirteen cards as a group and arrange them like a fan, so that your audience can see their faces. Square up the cards, and hold them face down.

When you spell out each card, do it as follows: let's say you're spelling the word ACE. Spell A, remove the top card and place it on the bottom. Then spell C, and remove the top card and place that on the bottom. Next spell E, remove this top card and place it on the bottom. Flip the new top card and show that it's an Ace, and place it on the table.

Continue in this manner until all the cards are face up on the table. (eh: You spell the cards in order: Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K) Your audience may realize that the cards must have been set up beforehand, but this only adds to the mystery - and you can treat it as a puzzle for them to try to figure out.

Editor's note: to add to the mystery, don't use cards all of the same suit. A mixed group of suits makes it seem less like a "stacked" deck.

Switching Fours

Effect: A magician show three red cards and a red 4, and tree black cards and a black 4. The magician then takes the three red cards and sticks the red four on the bottom of the red cards. He does the same for the black cards. He then takes the black cards and sticks them on the bottom. He turns over the pack and says watch carefully the fours will switch places. He deals out the top 4 cards in one pile and the rest of the cards in another pile. He turns over the cards and the fours switched places.

Card Trick:

Get three of any red cards and any red 4. Get three of any black cards and any black 4. Stick the red cards together in one pile and the black cards in a separate pile. Take the red four and stick it on the bottom of the red cards. Take the black four and stick it on the bottom of the black pile. When you Turn the deck face down take the top three cards and lay them face down then take the very bottom card and stick it with the red cards ( this will be the black four) then deal out the rest of the cards. The fours will have secretly changed places.

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