How to Do a Magic Card Trick- From a Pro Magician
As a pro magician I have been practicing and performing magic tricks and card tricks for over 20 years, it is my passion. Here you will learn exactly how to do a magic card trick.
- Read the trick
- Gather your props
- Learn the trick
- Practice it a few times
- Perform the trick
Below are some incredible card tricks that are easy to do. I will go into great detail and give you step by step instructions, plus performance tips, on how to do a magic card trick.
Do As I Do
EFFECT: Two decks are used, a red deck and a blue deck. You and your spectator each get a deck. You both shuffle and pick a card from your deck. You switch decks and take out the card you picked. The cards are the same.
SETUP: You need two different color decks. Here I will use one red and one blue.
HOW TO DO IT
Start with both decks on the table. Have your spectator pick up one deck and shuffle it, you pick up the other deck and shuffle it. If you would like to learn how to shuffle cards like an expert check out- How To Shuffle Cards – A Complete Guide. You need to get a key card.
KEY CARD: You need to know the bottom card of your deck. You will secretly peek it without your spectators knowing. The best way to do this is with an All Around Square Up.
ALL AROUND SQUARE UP: Hold the deck face down. Basically you will rotate the deck 180 degrees clockwise. You will do this very casually. As you rotate the cards you will look at the bottom card and remember it. It will appear as if you are just adjusting the cards in your hands. Nobody will suspect your actions. Place the cards down on the table in front of you on your left.
After your spectator shuffles have them place the deck down on the table in front of them in line with your deck. You will now switch decks. Slide your deck in front of them and have them slide their deck in front of you. Tell them to do exactly what you do.
Lift off 2/3 of the deck and place it to the right of the bottom 1/3. Lift off half of this new packet and place it next to it on the right. Your spectator does the same thing. Tell your spectator to look at the top card of the middle packet, remember it, and put it back on top. Do the same. Lift up and look at the card yet don’t remember it. This card does not matter.
You have a key card, you know the bottom card of their packet on the left. This sequence will place the key card above their selection. Tell your spectator to do exactly what you do. Lift the packet on the left and place it on top of the middle packet. Lift the packet on the right and place it on top. “Our cards are lost in the deck.”
Switch decks again. Tell your spectator to take out their card and you do the same. With the faces of the cards toward you run through and take out the card beneath your key card. That is their card. Put it face down on the table. They do the same. When you turn over your cards they match.
PERFORMANCE TIPS: After you do the All Around Square Up and peek the bottom card you should give the deck another shuffle or two. The best way to do this is a riffle shuffle on the table. Let the bottom card fall first when doing the shuffles so you keep your key card in place.
If you like this type of trick which involves your spectator, check out this Amazing 4 Ace Trick video, it will definitely fool you.
Cut Deeper Force
EFFECT: Your spectator picks a card and you know what it is before they pick it.
HOW TO DO IT
Have your spectator shuffle the cards. Take the cards back and turn the deck face up. Spread through the cards showing they are all different. Remember the card that is 2nd from the top, that will be your “force” card.
Square up the cards and turn the deck face down. Tell your spectator that you want this trick to be impossible so you will bury the top card and the bottom card. Take the top card and place it into the center of the deck. Then take the bottom card and place it into the center of the deck. Your force card is now 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 this again yet this time lift off a larger group of cards. There will be a group of face up cards on top of the deck.
Spread the face up cards until you get to the first face down card. Tell them to look at this card and remember it. This is the force card. Turn all the face up cards face down on top of their card so their card is buried in the deck. “Your card is lost in the deck.”
PERFORMANCE TIPS: When you spread the cards in the beginning to show they are all different be very casual about it. Once you learn this force you have a very powerful technique in your arsenal. Only use this force one time when performing for someone. There are many tricks you can do with this force. Here are a few:
Spectator Picks Their Card
EFFECT: Spectator picks a card and shuffles it into the deck. You narrow it down to 3 cards. Your spectator picks their card.
HOW TO DO IT
Do the cut deeper force (see above) and have your spectator shuffle the cards. Take the deck back, run through, and take out 3 cards- their card plus 2 others. Place the 3 cards face down on the table, don’t let them see the cards. Place their card in the middle.
EQUIVOQUE: You will cause your spectator to pick their card, no matter what. Here is how you do it:
- Have your spectator pick up one card with their right hand.
- Have your spectator pick up another card with their left hand.
- Have your spectator hand you one card.
1ST OUTCOME: If they pick up their card with their right hand take back the other two cards and place them in the deck. Finish by building it up and having them turn over the card.
2ND OUTCOME: If they pick up their card with their left hand have your spectator hand you one card. If they hand you their card build it up and turn it over showing their card. If they hand you the other card place it in the deck with the card on the table. Finish by building it up and having them turn over the card they are holding.
3RD OUTCOME: If they pick up both cards that are not their card take them back and place them into the deck. Finish by building it up and having them turn over the card on the table, their card.
PERFORMANCE TIPS: When doing Equivoque be casual about the procedure. Whatever the outcome act as if that is exactly what you planned. Do not repeat this for the same person. When I say “finish by building it up” here is what you can do. Tell your spectator- “You shuffled the cards, you picked any card, no way I could know what your card is. You even picked out which card you wanted. This would be impossible.”
Changing A Card In Their Hand
EFFECT: Spectator picks a card and shuffles it into the deck. You take back the deck, run through, and take out one card. You put it on top of their hand. It is the wrong card. You wave over the card. The spectator flips it over and it has changed into their card.
HOW TO DO IT
Do the cut deeper force (see above) and have your spectator shuffle the cards. Take the deck back, run through, and take out one card. Don’t let them see the card you take out. Have your spectator place their hand out. Here you will do a miscall.
Place the card face down on their hand as you say, “your card is the Seven of Diamonds.” They will say no. Pause for a second, as if you have an idea. Wave your hand slowly over the card and have them turn it over. It has apparently changed into their card.
PERFORMANCE TIPS: When asking a spectator to place out their hand I always say please. I don’t like to be commanded and neither do your spectators. “Please place your hand out.” Mime the actions with your hand so they know what to do. Place the card on top of their hand. You do not need your spectator to place their other hand on top.
Look into their eyes when you place the card on their hand. This will keep the focus away from the card so they don’t prematurely turn it over. A little acting here goes a long way. Your spectator will remember that the card changed in their hand.
Card Prediction
EFFECT: You write something down on a piece of paper before a card is picked. Your spectator picks a card and shuffles it into the deck. They read what you wrote down, it is their card.
HOW TO DO IT
Before your spectator picks a card, write your force card down on a piece of paper. Do the cut deeper force (see above) and have your spectator shuffle the cards. Have them pick up the piece of paper and read what you wrote.
PERFORMANCE TIPS: This is a very simple trick yet in the right circumstance can be effective. Definitely don’t repeat this trick for the same person.
Count Down
EFFECT: Your spectator shuffles the cards and cuts them into 5 piles on the table. They choose a pile and a number between one and ten. You show the cards one at a time and they remember the card that falls at their number. The deck is reassembled. You look through and cannot find their card. You ask for their number. They count down and their card is at their number.
HOW TO DO IT
Have your spectator shuffle the deck. You will need to get a key card, a peek at the bottom card of the deck. Many times your spectator will flash the bottom card as they shuffle and hand the deck back to you. If they do, great, proceed with the trick. If not do the All Around Square Up.
ALL AROUND SQUARE UP: Hold the deck face down. Basically you will rotate the deck 180 degrees clockwise. You will do this very casually. As you rotate the cards you will look at the bottom card and remember it. It will appear as if you are just adjusting the cards in your hands. Nobody will suspect your actions.
Place the cards down on the table in front of you on your left. Have your spectator lift off half the deck and make a new pile of cards on the table. Have them do the same with both packets. Have them take a few cards from each packet to make a new packet. You should have 5 packets of cards on the table. Keep track of the packet with your key card. It is the packet with the arrow in the picture.
There should be about 10 cards in each pile. Have your spectator think of a number between one and ten. Ask them to point to any pile. Tell them you will show cards one at a time counting through the cards. Have them remember the card that falls at their number. Pick up the pile they chose and show cards one at a time starting with the top card. Count out loud all the way through the pile. The cards do not change order.
Make sure they have a card. Place this pile on any pile other than the key card pile. Next place the key card pile on top. Then place all the other piles on top. Have your spectator cut the cards. A cut is when you lift off a group of cards and place them on the table. Then you place the rest of the cards on top.
Pick up the deck. You are going to cut your key card to the bottom. Hold the faces of the cards toward you so your spectators cannot see the cards. Spread through and find your key card. Break the deck with the key card on the bottom. Place this packet on the table and place the rest of the cards on top. Basically you are cutting the deck. Their card is now at the number they chose.
You need to sell the effect. “There is no way I could know your card. Don’t tell me your card, just tell me the number you picked.” They will say their number, let’s say it is 7. Wave over the deck. “Your card is now 7 from the top.” Have them count down, dealing cards one at a time face down into a pile on the table.
What if they choose the packet with your key card?
If they choose the packet with your keycard you will change tricks. Have them look at the top card and then cut the packet. This will put your key card on top of their card. Tell them to reassemble the deck putting all the packets together. End by doing one of the above tricks, either Spectator Picks Their Own Card or Changing A Card In Their Hand.
PERFORMANCE TIPS: It is very important when getting a peek at the bottom card that your spectator doesn’t know. Be casual and cool about this. The All Around Square Up is great. Follow it up with a table riffle shuffle keeping the bottom card in place.
If your spectator does pick up the pile with your key card act as if that is exactly what you meant to happen. They don’t know what you were going to do.
If your spectator says a number and it turns out there are less cards in the pile than the number they picked, tell them to pick a lower number. Try to have them even up the piles so they are all about the same. Then there will be about 10 cards in each pile.
