Card Tricks for Beginners – How to Get Started Fast

I have been practicing and performing card tricks for over 25 years and can still remember being a complete beginner. I had no idea where to start. That is why I created this.

Here you will learn some important fundamentals with the deck and card tricks for beginners that will amaze your spectators.

Card Tricks for Beginners – Fundamentals

Here are some important moves to learn that you will use throughout your card tricks.

Dealer’s Grip

Hold the deck cradled loosely in your left hand.

• Thumb on the left side.
• 1st finger curled naturally around the front edge.
• 2nd, 3rd, and 4th fingers on the right side.

Spreading the Cards In Your Hands

This is the most common way to have a card picked.

Hold the deck in dealer’s grip. Push cards over with your left thumb into the crotch of your right thumb. Extend your right fingers beneath the spread for support. After a card is taken close the deck back into dealer’s grip.

Spreading the Cards on the Table – The Mat Spread

With your right hand grip the cards from above – thumb at the inner edge, 1st finger on the left edge, and 2nd, 3rd, and 4th fingers at the front edge.

Spread the cards from left to right. Loosen pressure with your right 1st finger as you spread the cards to get an even spread.

Spreading the Cards on the Table – The Flip Over

Press the left side of the spread down with your left thumb and dig your left 1st finger under the bottom card of the spread. Place your right hand palm up next to the top card of the spread ready to catch the cards.

Flip the spread over using only your left 1st finger. Catch the top card and scoop all the cards up. Turn the deck face down and place it into dealer’s grip.

This flourish is super easy to do and looks amazing. You can do the mat spread on a surface with a table cloth yet it is much easier to do on a magician’s close up pad.

CHECK OUT: Why I Recommend All Magicians Use a Close up Pad

The Thumb Fan Flourish

The thumb fan looks amazing and is a terrific way to have a card selected. It is also fun to do.

• Start with the deck in dealer’s grip.
• Grip the top of the deck from above with your right thumb on the left edge, 1st finger on the top edge, and 2nd & 3rd fingers on the right edge.
• Move the deck up in your hand and hold it at the inner edge between your left thumb, 1st, and 2nd fingers, in the thumb crotch of your left hand.
• In one motion make the fan with your right thumb.

Lighten the pressure of your right thumb as you make the fan. Keep practicing. Repetition.

Consider the condition of the deck. It is difficult to make a thumb fan with a sticky deck, use newer cards.

One-Handed Fan Close

You can close the fan with your other hand yet the one-handed fan close is much cooler.

In one quick motion snap the fan closed back into dealers grip by straightening your left 1st finger and curling your left 2nd finger. There is no wrist movement.

The Shrinking Deck

Once you learn the thumb fan here is a nice flourish you can do.

• Make a normal thumb fan, show both sides. Close up the deck.
• Move the cards a little lower in your hand and repeat.
• One last time move the cards a little lower in your hand and repeat.

Shuffling the Cards

When getting into card tricks I highly recommend learning some different shuffles.

CHECK OUT: How to Shuffle Cards Like a Pro – A Complete Guide

What is a Self Working Card Trick

A self-working card trick is when the procedure of the trick does all the secret moves.

Calling the Cards Card Trick

You name the cards before your spectator picks them.

HOW TO DO IT:

You will be using the one ahead principle in this trick. You must secretly know the 3rd card from the bottom of the deck.

Card Peek

One option is to look at and remember the card before the trick starts. The second option is to peek the card. The peek is done after the deck is shuffled.

Have your spectator shuffle the cards. Take the deck back and casually spread them face up, either in your hands or on the table, showing they are mixed.

Look at and remember the 3rd card from the bottom. It is the KD in this example.

Close up the spread and hold the deck face down. You may want to do a few center Hindu shuffles or riffle shuffles which don’t disturb the 3rd card from the bottom. You can learn those shuffles here.

Spread the cards face down on the table. Your spectator will slide two face down cards out of the spread and then you will slide out your peeked card.

Casually look at the card they slide out each time and smile as if you got it right. You are working one ahead. Don’t let your spectators see the card.

• Please slide out a card near the top toward me. I have a feeling it will be the king of diamonds (say your peeked card).
• Please slide out a card near the middle toward me. I have a feeling it will be the three of hearts (card just looked at).
• I’ll slide a card out near the bottom, I have a feeling it will be the seven of spades (card you just looked at).

The Reveal

• Use both hands.
• Slide the right card above the middle card.
• Slide the left card on top.
• Flip the packet over like the page of a book.
• Spread the top card to the left making a fan and say the cards.
• “The king of diamonds, three of hearts, and the seven of spades.”

Pro Tips

The one ahead principle is very deceptive here. Make sure you keep the routine moving.

When you are finding your key card in the spread be random about it.

Impossible Location Card Trick

Under impossible conditions you find your spectator’s card.

Deck Setup

Separate the deck into red and black cards before you start. Your spectators will not suspect anything. As a convincer you can do a center Hindu shuffle with the top half. To learn this shuffle see link in the trick above – Calling the Cards.

Card Selection

Spread the cards and have one taken from the top half. Tell your spectator to look at the card and place it back in. Keep spreading the cards and have them put it back in the lower half of the deck.

Close up the deck and place it on the table. You want to stress the impossibility, that card is lost. Pick up the cards and very quickly spread them toward you. Site their card, it will stand out.

Square up the deck, give it a shuffle to destroy the evidence of a setup, and place it down.

Revealing the Card – Mind Reading

• You randomly picked a card which was completely lost in the deck.
• There is no way I could know your card.
• I’m taking a guess.
• Concentrate on your card.
• I’m getting a red card…a heart…you’re thinking of the six of hearts.

Easy Aces Self Working Card Trick

Your spectator finds the 4 aces.

HOW TO DO IT:

Start with the 4 aces on top of the deck.

Place the deck on the table at position 1. Use the below instructions to have your spectator cut the deck into four piles. Point as you give instructions.

1. Please cut the deck in half – position 1 to 2
2. Please cut this packet in half – position 1 to 3
3. Please cut this packet in half – position 2 to 4

Pick up pile 1 and show your spectator what to do for the next sequence.

1. Take three cards off the top and place them on the bottom.
2. Deal one card on top of each of the other piles.
3. Place the packet back down.

Have your spectator repeat this procedure for piles 2, 3, and 4. This sets the aces on top. Walk them through the instructions each time.

THE REVEAL:

Build it up a little.

“You mixed the cards, and randomly dealt them, I never touched the deck.”

Turn over the top card of each pile showing the aces.

Pro Tip

Go slowly with your instructions and coach your spectator the whole way through. Always remember, if your spectator screws up, it is the magician’s fault, never the spectator’s fault.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: 7 Easy Card Tricks That Look Hard & Blow Minds

Prediction Card Trick

Your prediction matches your spectator’s card.

HOW TO DO IT:

Remember top card of the deck, it is your prediction. Take out a piece of paper and write down the card, don’t let your spectators see it. You will force this card using the cross cut force.

Cross Cut Force

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

You need a brief time delay. Draw attention to the piece of paper on the table.

“I wrote down a prediction before we started.”

Go back to the cards, lift up the top packet, and show the top card of the bottom half. It is your force card. Place your force card back on top and place the packet you are holding on top.

“You cut to a random card.”

THE REVEAL:

Have your spectator read what you wrote, your prediction matches.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: The 10 Best Card Forces for Magicians

Royal Flush Self Working Card Trick

You show off your card tracking skills and as a kicker produce a royal flush.

SETUP:

Place the ace of hearts, king of hearts, queen of hearts, jack of hearts, and ten of hearts on top of the deck. The order doesn’t matter, just know the 3rd card down. In this example it is the queen of hearts.

Place ten cards on top of your setup.

PERFORMANCE:

“In a game of poker you have to be able to keep track of cards. Let’s say I’m tracking the queen of hearts.”

Starting on your left deal 5 hands of poker, 5 cards each. Flip the 3rd card you deal to the 3rd hand face up, it will be the queen of hearts. Leave the queen face up.

Reassemble the deck placing two of the packets above the queen of hearts pile and two packets below.

Deal 5 hands of poker again. The face up queen of hearts will show up in the same spot.

“Tracking one card won’t win the game…”

Turn over the other cards in that hand showing a royal flush.

“…you have to track all five.”

Pro Tip

Dealing cards is dead time so deal quickly.

Spectator Finds Their Card

A selected card is found by the person who picked it.

HOW TO DO IT:

You will get a key card.

What is a Keycard?

A key card is when you secretly know the bottom card. It is important to peek the bottom card in a way that your spectators don’t see:

The Casual Peek

Hand the deck out to be shuffled. Many times your spectator will unknowingly flash the bottom card as they hand back the deck.

The All Around Square Up

Hold the deck from above with your right hand as you are squaring it up. Casually rotate the cards 180° clockwise, move the inner edge to the outer edge.

Tilt the bottom of the deck up just enough so you can see the bottom card. It will appear as if you are just adjusting the cards in your hands.

SETTING THE KEY CARD:

Spread the cards and have a card picked. Close up the deck and hold it in dealer’s grip in your left hand. Lift off small packets making a pile on the table.

Tell your spectator to put their card on top of one of the piles.

When the card is put on top place the rest of the deck on top setting your key card right above their card.

FINDING THE CARD:

Square up the cards on the table. Pick up the deck and make a fan or spread the cards. Show that their card is completely lost.

Turn the faces toward you. Run through the deck and find your key card. Take out your key and two cards below it. Spread the 3 cards in a row on the table, selected card in the middle.

Magician’s Choice – Equivoque

Your spectator’s only choice is to pick their card.

“Pick up a card with your right hand.”
If they pick up their card have them turn it over for the reveal.

If they do not pick up their card.
“Grab another card with your left hand.”
If they leave their card on the table turn it over for the reveal.

If they pick up their card:
“And hand me one.”
If they hand you their card turn it over for the reveal.
If they are left holding their card tell them to turn it over.

Pro Tips

Be casual about the procedure and keep it moving. Whatever the outcome act as if it was what you planned all along.

When giving your spectator instructions it is best to mirror their hands and mime the actions so it is easy for them to understand.

Count Down Card Trick

Spectator’s card appears at the number in the deck they are thinking of.

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Shuffle the deck and make 5 packets.
• Pick up one of the packets and hold it so you can deal.
• Think of a number between 1 and 10.
• Flip cards face up, into a pile, and count to yourself, as you deal – 1,2…
• Remember the card that falls at your number.
• So if you thought of 4 you would deal face up – one, two three, four, remember that 4th card, and deal the whole way through.
• So start dealing, one at a time (key card), I’m going to turn around. Remember the card that falls at your number.
• Deal all the way through.
• Turn the whole packet face down.
• Put it on top of one of the other piles and a pile on top of that, and reassemble the whole deck.

Getting Your Key Card

When your spectator starts dealing cards face up site the first card they turn over, that is your key card. After you see your key card, tell them you are turning around, and continue with your instructions.

POSITIONING YOUR KEY CARD:

Pick up the deck, hold the faces toward you, and run through. Cut the deck putting your key card on top and their card at their number. Place the deck face down on the table.

What was the number you thought of in the beginning, it’s ok to say it out loud.”

When they say their number, let’s say 7, wave over the deck.

“Your card is now 7 from the top.”

Deal cards face down and flip the card at their number face up.

Pro Tip

When getting your key card the trick hasn’t started yet. Your spectator does not know what you are going to do, they aren’t really watching. They will remember that you were turned around the whole time.

Conclusion

When you are a beginner at card tricks it is important to spend your time learning and practicing card moves that you will use. Here you will find practical card moves and tricks that are amazing and doable.

I have included a variety of types of card tricks, not just pick a card tricks. It is important to vary your card tricks when you perform.

Learning card magic is like learning a sport or an instrument, you need to practice. Take it slowly, work on one card move at a time. Master each technique before moving on to the next.

There is no substitute for putting in the time and effort. The more you practice, the better you will get.