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Welcome to Dylan's Website!

Welcome to my section about card tricks! You can learn new card tricks and techniques to become a better magician. Stay tuned for more updates!

Basic Magic Techniques

Double Lift

1. Make a break (see pinky break or flesh break) under two cards (or the number of cards you want to lift).
2. Square the cards up and keep them together.
3. Flip the cards over as one and then flip them back.

Riffle Force

1. Ask the spectator to tell you when to stop.
2. Hold the cards in your hand and riffle through them with your thumb from top to bottom.
3. When the spectator tells you to stop, make a break at that place in the deck.
4. Pull out all the cards from the break to the top of the deck without pulling out the top card. The spectator is forced to take the card that was on the top, although they do not know it.

• Trick Incorporation: You can memorize or look at the top card ahead of time. Then, use the riffle force to force the card on the spectator. You now know the card they chose, while it looked like a free choice.

Magician's Choice

1. This is a type of force. Break the deck into a few piles, or choose a few cards from the deck (maybe 5-10 cards).
2. Set up the deck so that the certain card is the top card of one of the piles (see Trick Incorporation section below).
3. Ask the spectator to choose one pile. If it contains the card, tell the spectator to look at the top card (the card that you put there earlier). If the card is not there, discard the pile.
4. Repeat Step 2 as many times as needed, eliminating piles without the card and using piles that do, until there is only one pile left. Tell the spectator to look at that card.

• Trick Incorporation: You can memorize or look at the top card ahead of time. The card they chose will now be the card that you memorized, without them knowing. No matter what pile they choose, the pile used will be the one you want them to choose.
• Variation: You may also have the spectator choose two piles, and discard the remaining one if necessary or choosing that pile if their card is in it.

Pinky Break

1. This is a type of break. Cut the deck.
2. When closing the cut, use fleshy part of your pinky to keep the two piles from closing completely.

• Trick Incorporation: The pinky break is used in many tricks. Make sure to practice it so you can perform it well.

Flesh Break

1. This is also a type of break. Cut the deck.
2. Use the fleshy part of your thumb to make a break similar to that of a pinky break when closing the cut./

Table Spread

1. This is a type of spread. Put the cards on the table.
2. Slant them slightly and apply pressure by pushing down on the deck.
3. Move your hand slowly to the side the spread the cards out.

Gambler's (Overhand) Shuffle

1. Hold the cards in one hand.
2. Pull some of the cards out of the deck and put them on the top of the pile or on the bottom of the pile in your other hand.

False Shuffle: You can use this shuffle to do both a real shuffle and a false shuffle.

Double Undercut

1. Hold the cards in your hand with your thumb on one short side of the cards (the side facing toward you) and your other fingers on the other shorts side.
2. Have the spectator pick a card.
3. Put the spectators card in a random place in the deck. Push it in about two-thirds of the way. Push the outer edge of the card down, and then push it all the way in.

Card Tricks: Basic

Basic "Pick a Card" Trick

1. Ask your spectator to pick a card. Secretly look at the bottom card and memorize it (you can do this beforehand if you want).
2. When they give you their card, cut the deck and place the card in the deck so that the bottom card that you memorized is now on top of their card.
3. Deal through the deck until you find your card. The next card is the spectators card. Reveal that you have found their card.

• Variation: You may fake shuffle the cards so it looks more convincing. Keep the two card together at all times.
• Variation: There is a very easy trick somewhat similar to this that you can do, and it will be very hard for the spectators to find out. You can put their card on the bottom and do a Gambler's (Overhand) Shuffle (see Gambler's Shuffle). While doing this, look at their card. Now, you will know their card and will be able to find it no matter where it is in the deck and how much anyone shuffles the cards.

Magic Card Flip Trick

1. Ask a spectator to pick a card. Turn your back while they are memorizing their card.
2. When your back is turned, secretly flip over the bottom card of the deck, and then flip the whole deck over, so that all of the cards in the deck are facing up except for the top one. This will make it look like the deck is normal.
3. Tell the spectator to put their card back in the deck. Make sure that they do not see that the rest of the cards are flipped over. They will have put their card in face down when the whole deck is face up.
4. After they return their card to the deck, flip over the top card and then flip over the whole deck so that all of the cards are facing the same way (except for their selection.)
5. Wave your hands over the deck and spread out the cards to reveal that the only card face up was their card.

Whispering Queen

1. Ask the spectator to choose a suit. Find the queen of that suit. Secretly memorize the top card while looking for the queen (when face up, this card will be on the bottom).
2. Set the queen aside and break the deck into three. Use the Magician's Choice (see Magician's Choice) to make your spectator choose the pile with the card you memorized.
3. Tell them to look at the top card and memorize it. Put the deck back with the top card you looked at. You can shuffle the deck or have them do it so it is more convincing.
4. Pass the queen through and pretend to listen to it. Slowly say the name of the card you looked at.

21-11 Card Trick

1. Choose any 21 cards from the deck. Ask someone to choose one card, memorize it and put it back. Shuffle the cards.
2. Deal the cards face up in three piles. Ask the spectator to look for their card. When you are done, ask what pile their card is in.
3. Put this card's deck between the other two. Repeat this two more times. The fourth time, the eleventh card will be their card.

• Variation: Put the pile with the spectator's card on the top or bottom of the other piles to make their card go to the top of bottom of the deck. Try experimenting with other numbers of cards other than 21 (the number must be a multiple of 3).

The 4 Traveling Queens

1. Ahead of this trick, pick out the four queens and four random cards and put them on top of each other with all the random card on top of all the queens.
2. Show the spectator the bottom of the pile (where the queens are) and tell them that the cards are the four queens.
3. Keep the 8 cards square and put them on top of the deck.
4. Tell the spectator that the queens are going to their castles. Say the name of a castle as you put each of the top 4 cards randomly in the deck.
5. Tap the top of the deck or wave your hand over it and reveal that all 4 queens have come back to the top of the deck from their castle for a ball, when really the queens have been there the whole time.

The Psychic Stop

Warning: This trick does not have a 100% success rate.

1. Secretly count out a number of cards (about 10) and hold a break under the last card (see pinky break or flesh break).
2. Have the spectator choose a card. Ask the spectator to tell you when to stop and riffle through the deck. No matter when they say stop, put the card in after the break. The spectator will think their card is lost in the deck.
3. Then, silently deal out about seven cards. In a surprised tone, tell the spectator to say stop when they want you to, indicating that you want them to say stop soon.
4. When you do this, most people will tell you to stop when you are around the tenth card. Is you get to the tenth card, flip over the next card. If they stopped too early, do a double lift (see Double Lift) and flip over as many cards as you need to. If they stopped too late, flip over some of the cards in the pile. However you do it, reveal that you have found their card.

• Warning: This may not work if the person is an experienced magician or someone else looking to mess you up, as they will likely wait until you deal out a lot of cards.

Card Spell Trick

1. Shuffle the cards and ask a spectator to choose one. Secretly look at the bottom card of the deck.
2. Break the deck into three piles and put the pile with the bottom card of the deck on the left.
3. Ask the spectator to put back their card on any of the three piles. If they put it on the far left pile, cut all three piles so the bottom card that you memorized is on top of their selection. If they do not put it on that pile, stack the piles up so this pile is on top of the one that they put their card on.
4. Put the deck back together and deal out the cards face up in piles.
5. When you find the card you memorized, start a new pile. The next card will be the chosen card. Memorize it. Deal out a few more cards in this pile, and then start a new pile.
6. Spell out the name of their card in this pile, putting down one card per letter in the name (e.g. Q-U-E-E-N O-F H-E-A-R-T-S). Once you are finished with this, make a new pile and deal out the rest of the cards.
7. Then, put the deck back together. Make sure that the pile you spelled out is a the top of the deck and their card is right under it.
8. Ask for the name of their card and spell it out. THe next card will be their card.

• Variation: You can also pretend you messed up the trick and ask for their card so you can do better next time. Then, do the final step of the trick.

Think of a Card Trick

1. Before performing this trick, find a card with the value 2 and put it fourth from the top (in the fourth position).
2. Ask the spectator to think of a number between 1 and 13.
3. Count out 13 cards and ask the spectator to memorize their number card (e.g. If their number is 1, memorize the first card, if their number is 2, memorize the second card and so on).
4. After you have shown them the 13 cards, turn your back to them and flip over the 2 card that is fourth from the top. Then, count out 7 cards and put them in the middle of the deck. Reverse count 3 cards (The top 3) and put them at the bottom.
5. Turn back to face the spectator. Ask them what the number they thought of was. Then, depending on what they say, do one of the following things.

• 1: Look for the flipped over card. The third card to the right is their card.
• 2: Look for the flipped over card. The second card to the right is their card.
• 3: Look for the flipped over card. The card to the right is their card.
• 4: The flipped over card is their card.
• 5: Look for the flipped over card. The card to the left is their card.
• 6: Look for the flipped over card. The second card to the right is their card.
• 7: Look for the flipped over card. The third card to the right is their card.
• 8: The bottom card is their card.
• 9: The second-to-bottom card is their card.
• 10: The third-to-bottom card is their card.
• 11: The top card is their card.
• 12: The second-to-top card is their card.
• 13: The third-to-top card is their card.

9-Card Self-Working Trick

1. Pick out 9 cards from the deck. Put them in three piles. Let a spectator choose one of the piles.
2. Have the spectator mix up the three cards that they have and look at the bottom card.
3. Put all nine cards back together in one pile so that the pile that contained their card is placed on top of the pile.
4. Pick another random card from the deck to be your tenth card.
5. Spell this card out by putting down one of the nine cards down for each letter in the name (e.g. A-C-E O-F S-P-A-D-E-S) and putting the pile on the table on top of the one in your hand every time you get to a new word in the name of the card. Their card will always be the fifth one in the pile.
6. Put the nine cards in three rows and three columns. Their card will be in the very middle of the setup.
7. Pick two cards (do not use the card in the middle, the chosen card) and ask the spectator to eliminate one. Keep doing this until there are only two cards left, a random card and the spectator's selection.
8. Ask the spectator to choose one of the cards. If they point to their selection, flip it over and say, "Wow, you chose your own card!" If they do not, eliminate that card and say, "Your card must be... the only remaining card!"

Card Slap Trick

1. Have a spectator choose a card.
2. Double undercut their card to the top of the deck, and then use the Gambler's (Overhand) Shuffle to control their card to the bottom.
3. Pick another random card from the deck to be your tenth card.
4. Discard the bottom card secretly and then show the bottom card is their card.
5. Repeat Step 4 a few more times, discarding every other card.
6. Once there is a small pile of cards on the table, say "Well, I'm pretty sure I got your card." Hold all of the cards in the pile by making a fist and putting them between your index and middle fingers. Slap all of the cards. The only card remaining should be the bottom card. Show the spectator the card and confirm that it is theirs.

Diversion

1. Set the 4 queens up on the top of the deck. Find the queens and place them in this order: spades, hearts, clubs, and diamonds (this is when all the cards are face up).
2. Do a series of false cut or shuffles to make it look like you are mixing the cards up (this step is optional, but it will help).
3. Tell the spectator that you are looking for the 4 queens. Ask them what tohe first queen they would think of is.
4. If the person say the queen of hearts (which will most likely be the case), do a double life (see Double Lift) and show them that they have found the queen of hearts. Put the top card down (this will be a different card from what you showed them). If they name a different suit, say, "Oh, that's funny. I would think of the queen of hearts," and do the double lift.
5. Then, lift up the top card and do a triple undercut (see Double Undercut). Explain that you are doing some "Magician Math" to move the cards around. Then repeat Step 4, but without asking about the queen of hearts. Show that they have found another card, and put the top card down.
6. Now, for the last two queens, fan out the cards and choose two random positions. Say that you think those cards are the queens. Hold the cards with your thumb on the bottom of the deck and the rest of your fingers on the top. Throw the cards to your other hand while still holding the top and bottom cards. Do this as fast as possible.
7. Take the two cards. Explain that these should be black, because the red ones are on the table. Say that since you are a magician, you have to change the cards. Wave your hand and show that the cards are red instead of black. Reveal that the cards on the table are black.

Card Steal Trick

1. Have the spectator choose a card.
2. Double under cut their card to the top of the deck.

21-11 and Psychic Stop Combo Trick

1. Count out 27 cards.
2. Do the 21-11 card trick (see pages 10-11). The 7th card will be their card.
3. Do the Psychic Stop trick (see pages 12-13).

3-Card Prediction Trick