The 10 Best Card Forces for Magicians

If you perform card magic you need to learn how to force a card. There are so many unbelievable card tricks that rely on a card being forced.

Here you will learn the 10 best card forces. Some are easy and some are advanced card forces.

What is a Card Force?

A card force is a technique used to control which card is selected while making your spectator believe they picked a card at random.

How to Force a Card

The three best card forces are the classic force, the dribble force, and the riffle force. When forcing a card be casual and nonchalant about it, don’t make a big deal about the card selection. Go slowly.

Classic Card Force

The cards are spread and your spectator takes one. It is the force card. This is the mother of all card forces, the absolute best one.

Start with your force card on top. Injog shuffle setting your force card about 20 down in the deck. Get a pinky break above your force card as you square up. Keep the deck squared up tightly so there are no openings at the front.

Open your left pinky kicking the top packet over a tiny bit. Let go of your break. You should see a small step, that is your force card. Spread the cards lightly, slowly, and casually as you move slightly toward your spectator.

“Please grab a card.”

Keep your eye on your force card, it is all about timing. As their hand gets close spread the force card conveniently right in front of them, a tiny bit more showing than the others. Continue spreading the rest of the deck.

Pro Tips

• Don’t cut the deck immediately before doing the classic force.
• Don’t hold a break above your force card.
• Don’t push the card out.
• Don’t go fast.
• Don’t be pushy.

The classic force is not 100%. Don’t use the classic force in a high pressure situation where you are dependent on forcing a card.

The classic force is advanced card technique that takes practice and guts. If you want to learn, in detail, everything you need to know to perform the classic force at an expert level, check out this $10 video download – Master the Classic Force.

Dribble Card Force

The cards are dropped (dribbled) one at a time and your spectator says stop. They stop on your force card.

DRIBBLING THE CARDS

Hold the deck from above with your right thumb at the inner edge, your 1st finger curled on top, and your 2nd, 3rd, and 4th fingers at the outer edge.

Press down with the very tip of your 1st finger, bowing the deck downward slightly, to create tension.

Drop the cards off your thumb and fingers one at a time. Catch them on your palm up left hand. As you dribble the cards open your right hand lightening your grip. It should look like the cards are flowing.

DRIBBLE FORCE

Start with your force card on top. Slip cut it to the center with your left thumb and get a pinky break below the force card. Place the top half on top.

Maintain your break and dribble some cards in the top packet as a convincer.

Pick up the break with your right thumb and hold the deck in dribble position. Dribble the cards onto your other hand or onto the table.

“I’m going to drop cards, when you want please say stop.”

Have your spectator say “stop” as you dribble the cards. Time it so you only dribble cards below the break. Release the rest of the cards below the break when they say stop.

The secret to this move is to watch their lips.

Pro Tips

• Keep the break as small as possible.
• Tilt the break away from their eyes.
• Practice until you can do it smoothly.
• Dribbling is easier with a softer more worked in deck.

Riffle Card Force

Run your left thumb along the top corner of the deck until your spectator says stop. Lift up the top packet where you stopped. It is your force card.

Start with your force card on top. Injog shuffle setting your force card about half way down. Get a pinky break above your force card as you square up. Keep the deck squared up tightly so there are no openings at the front.

“I’m going to run my thumb down the deck, when you want please say stop.”

Tilt your hand so the upper left corner is toward your spectator. Maintain your pinky break. Run your left thumb down the corner and have your spectator say “stop.”

Tilt the deck down so it is parallel with the floor so the break cannot be seen. Move your right hand into position to pick up the top packet from above, thumb at the inner edge, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th at the outer edge, 1st curled on top.

Drop the break with your left thumb and lift up at the pinky break in the back with your right thumb. You have cut to your force card.

Hindu Shuffle Card Force

Hindu shuffle the deck until your spectator says stop. They get the force card.

Start with your force card on the bottom. Do the Hindu shuffle and tell your spectator to say stop. When they say stop tap the packet in your right hand on the back of the cards in your left hand, as if squaring up the cards.

Lift up the right packet and show the bottom card, your “force card.” Place the packet on top of the cards in your left hand.

To learn the Hindu shuffle check out: How to Shuffle Cards Like a Pro – A Complete Guide.

Cut Deeper Card Force

Your spectator lifts off a small group of cards and flips them face up on the deck. They repeat the process, cutting a littler deeper this time. You spread to the first face down card. It is your force card.

Start with your force card on top. Have your spectator lift off a small group of cards, about 10 or so, flip them face up, and place them back onto the deck. Tell them to do it again, yet this time lift off a bigger group of cards.

Spread the face up cards until you get to the first face down card, which is your force card. Have them look at this card and remember it. Turn all the face up cards face down on top of their card so their card is buried in the deck.

Be very clear with your instructions here. It is best to mime the action so they see what they should do. You really have to stress “lift about 10 cards please,” or they will lift half the deck.

Glide Card Force

Cards are taken off the bottom of the deck one at a time until your spectator says stop.

Start with the card on the bottom of the deck. Hold the deck from above with your right hand. Peel cards one at a time off the bottom of the deck with your left 2nd finger.

As you peel the first card push back the bottom card and take the 2nd from bottom card. Keep taking the 2nd from bottom card until they say stop. Then take the bottom card.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Magic Tricks With Cards – What Really Works

Cull Card Force

A card is touched, squared with the deck, and shown. It is your force card.

Start with your force card 5th from the top of the deck. Spread the top 4 cards and hold them as a unit with your right thumb on top, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd fingers below.

Push over the 5th card with your left thumb. Move the 4 cards as a unit back to completely cover the top card. Clamp down on the left edge of the 4th card with your left thumb to hold it in place.

Slide your force card beneath the spread with the pads of your right 1st, 2nd, and 3rd fingers about an inch.

Move all five cards in your right hand to the right as a unit. When you feel your force card clear the deck and become loose underneath, continue spreading cards with your left thumb.

Tell your spectator to touch one. Break the deck with the card touched on the bottom of the right packet. Square the right packet against the top of the left packet. Show the bottom card, your force card.

Cross Cut Force

Your spectator cuts the deck. You mark the spot with the other half. When you lift and show the card they cut to, it is your force card.

Place the deck on the table. Have your spectator lift off about half and place the packet down on the table. Pick up the remaining half and place it on top of the packet at an angle.

“Lift off about half the cards, place them down, I’ll mark the spot you cut to.”

You need a brief time delay. Draw their attention away from the cards. Explain something quickly. Come back to the cards, lift up the top packet, and show the top card of the bottom half. It is your force card.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Learn the 21 Card Trick in Under Five Minutes

Cut Packets Card Force

Cut off small packets of cards until your spectator says stop. They stop on your force card.

Start with your force card on top. Injog shuffle setting your force card about half way down. Get a pinky break above your force card as you square up. Keep the deck squared up tightly so there are no openings at the front.

You will slowly cut 4 piles above your break to the table.

“I’ll cut some cards…”

After you place down the 2nd pile say:

“…when you’re ready please say stop.”

Cut off your 3rd and 4th piles and place them down. Your force card is at the top of the deck in your hand. If they say stop here, extend your left hand so they get the force card.

If they don’t say stop lift off a 5th pile and place it down. They will probably say stop by now and they get the top card of the packet on the table, your force card.

If they don’t say stop, place the rest of the deck side jogged on the tabled packet. Act as if they waited too long. Lift up the cards, get a new break, and repeat.

Pro Tip

If they stop after the 4th pile, you can ask if you should go one more. If they say no they get the top card in your hand. If they say yes they get the top card of the packet on the table.

Count Card Force

Your spectator gives a number between 1 and 10. You tell them to count down to their number and remember the card. It is your force card.

Start with your force card on top of the deck. Have your spectator name a number between 1 and 10. Explain that they should count to their number and look at the card.

Show them what to do by counting that number of cards. Don’t look at the lst card, just put the counted cards back on top. Doing this sets your force card in position.

Hand your spectator the deck. They will count to their number, your force card.

Conclusion

Practice and master these card forces until your technique is smooth and flawless. Vary the card forces you use with different tricks. .