Card games are the basis of magic tricks, but they are not the simplest to master. To make a wide variety of card games, there are some grips, movements and techniques that can be learned. Read on to learn some of these fundamentals.
Steps
Method 1 of 7: Part One: Basic Grips
Step 1. Learn the mechanic's grip
It is the easiest handle to learn and in many games you will need to be able to hold cards using this technique. It is essential for example for lifting and peeking, as well as for other moves.
- Hold the deck of cards in your hand with your palm up.
- Put your index finger on the deck and move it along the top edge, on the side opposite you.
- The middle, ring and little fingers must be on the side of the deck opposite you.
- The thumb holds the deck together on the side facing you. The same thumb will be in the corner of the deck and point towards your index finger.
Step 2. Learn the "biddle" grip
This type of grip can be performed on a whole deck, a small deck of cards, or a single card. It is used to transfer cards or reveal them to the public.
- Hold the cards in your right hand using the mechanic's grip.
- Grab the top card in your right hand using your left.
- Your left thumb should be on the bottom or short side of the deck that is in front of you.
- The middle and ring fingers must be opposite the thumb, on the top side of the card.
- The little finger can stop on the top corner of the card and the index finger is not used.
Method 2 of 7: Part Two: Dealing with sliding
Step 1. Keep the deck of cards in hand
Grab it using the mechanic's grip.
- When you grab the deck, the cards must be face up for the audience to see.
- As you grab the deck, turn your hand all the way around so that the cards go face down.
Step 2. Move the bottom card of the deck towards yourself
Carefully slide the card a little to the bottom of the deck. Move it towards you, not too much.
Use your ring finger and little finger to do this. The index finger is too far away and the thumb is used to keep the deck stable. It is difficult to move even the middle finger without being seen by the audience
Step 3. Roll the second card from the bottom
Use your other hand to draw the second card from the bottom and place it on the table.
- If you turn the card up so that the audience can see it, this is already a trick in itself, because you can tell that the bottom card has changed.
- Note that this technique can be used in more complex tricks because it allows you to keep track of the last card in the deck.
Step 4. Draw the deck
Use your little finger to fix it so it looks like the last card hasn't been altered.
This movement completes the technique
Method 3 of 7: Part Three: Hide a card in the palm
Step 1. Cover the deck with your right hand
All four fingers should cover the top edge of the deck, and the thumb should be on the bottom of the deck, near the inside edge.
This is not a trick in itself, but the ability to hide a card in the palm is an essential element in many tricks and manipulations
Step 2. Push the top paper to the right using your left thumb
You will act as if you are using your left hand to hold the deck. The four fingers of the left hand will be open on the back of the deck but the thumb will slip between the right hand and the cards.
- With your thumb on the top card, turn or slide the card around your middle finger in your right hand.
- The outer corner will rotate out of the deck but will be hidden by the right hand.
Step 3. Lift the deck onto the fingertips of the left hand while pushing the top card into the palm
Grab the deck so that the left thumb releases the grip and allows the card to rotate in the palm.
- Position your left little finger so that it can press on the outer right corner of the top paper.
- Lift the deck using your right hand, bringing up the fingers of your left thumb and other fingers.
- The left thumb will have to step aside and, as soon as this is done, the top card will automatically slide into the palm of the right hand.
- This completes the technique. The card will be in the right palm and the deck will be held by the tips of the left hand.
Method 4 of 7: Part Four: Check a Card
Step 1. Select the card
Usually, one person in the audience selects the card. If you want this technique to be a real trick, it is much more effective to have someone in the audience choose the card.
Step 2. Cut the deck
Break it into two parts and put the card you want to check on top of the bottom half.
The card and the rest of the deck must be face down
Step 3. Make a space with your fingers
Hold the selected paper position using the tip of your little finger.
- Practice in front of a mirror to see if the space can be visible to the public. The audience must not be able to tell you that you have a finger between the cards, and must not be able to see the space your little finger creates in the deck.
- This space is essential for the technique because it allows you to return to the selected card.
Step 4. Cut the deck twice to bring the card back to the top
This is a simple way of revealing the selected card.
- Cut the top of the deck in half. The top represents the entire portion above the selected card.
- Cut off the top of the remaining deck. You are cutting from the space created, so the new top card after cutting will be the one you selected.
- Reveal the selected card to complete the trick.
Step 5. Alternatively, melee from space
Transfer the space from the little finger to the thumb and shuffle.
- Transfer the deck from the right hand to the left. The thumb must be on the created gap and the rest of the fingers must support the deck on the other side.
- Shuffle from hand to hand to transfer the cards back to the right hand. Keep the selected card (the card in the space) pinned to your thumb, making sure that the cards above are all shuffled first, so that the selected card ends up on top after all the cards have been shuffled.
- Reveal the selected card to complete the trick.
Method 5 of 7: Part Five: Gesture of the Double Fan
Step 1. Keep the cards in your left hand
The bottom of the card must be perfectly parallel and aligned with the little finger. The thumb should stretch towards the middle of the bottom of the deck and the other fingers should support the back.
- Theatrical gestures don't play a big role in card manipulation, but they serve a valid cause. Gestures done right can help disorient the audience, as well as engage and impress them even before the trick begins.
- A theatrical gesture works well if you want to show that you can manipulate a "normal deck of cards".
Step 2. Team up and open the cards with your right thumb
Put your right thumb on the top left corner, near the bottom of the deck. Push the upper left corner to the right, gradually sliding your right thumb and bringing fewer and fewer cards to the right.
- Move your thumb in a light arc so that the fan looks soft.
- Make sure you have a firm grip on the bottom of the deck with your left hand, but also make sure there is room for the cards to slide through your fingers.
Step 3. Close the index and middle index cards
Lower your index and middle fingers on your left hand so that they are directly in the center of the top card below them. Swipe the bottom cards up using your ring finger.
- It takes some practice. You have to draw the bottom cards by holding the top cards with your ring finger while simultaneously pushing down the top cards with your index and middle fingers.
- This move completes the technique.
Method 6 of 7: Part Six: Gesture of the Cascading Cards
Step 1. Keep the cards in your right hand
The little finger should be on the top right corner and the thumb on the bottom left corner.
- The middle and ring fingers must open on top of the bunch.
- The index finger must be folded back and support the back of the deck.
- Note that, as with other gestures, cascading the deck is not often used as a gesture itself. It is, however, important to create the right environment and to make yourself appear as a master of manipulation.
Step 2. Fold the cards
Push the midpoint of the deck slightly forward with your index finger. Pull the ends of the deck back using your thumb and little finger.
Meanwhile, move your left hand under the deck to prepare the waterfall. The two hands don't have to hold together. Indeed, they must be close enough to prevent the cards from flying away and far enough away for the cards to travel through the air before reaching the left hand
Step 3. Slide the cards onto your thumb
Slowly move your thumb along the side of the deck, sliding or releasing one card at a time into your left hand. Continue sliding your thumb until the cards are released.
- The deck in the left hand will not be particularly neat, but the cards must still all be stacked in the same direction.
- Arrange the deck when you are done.
- This gesture completes the technique.
Method 7 of 7: Part Seven: A Simple Example Trick - Pulling a Card from Nothing
Step 1. Take a small number of cards in the palm of your hand
Place the cards so that the deck is hidden by the length of the hand and hold them still using the inner knuckles of the fingers and the base of the thumb together.
- The thumb should be bent slightly inward into a grip position so that the base of the joined thumb extends forward into the palm. However, the thumb itself should not touch the cards at this point.
- Work with a small number of cards and not a whole deck. A smaller number will be easier to hold and hide in the palm.
Step 2. Pull out the top paper with your thumb
Press on the edge of the top card to separate it from the rest of the deck.
In the meantime, reposition the little finger so that it can be between the top card and the rest of the deck while supporting the entire deck. The tip of the ring finger will also have to grip the bunch
Step 3. Slide the top paper using your thumb
With your little finger separating the top card from the rest of the deck, move your thumb to the top inner corner. Rotate the paper around this position to loosen it on your hand.
The back of your hand must face the audience so that, at this point, only the top card is visible
Step 4. At the same time, extend your hand forward in a gripping motion
You have to do this as if you were grabbing the card out of nowhere, then move your hand forward as if you were catching something in the air.
- If you need a picture, think about the movement you need to make to get an apple from the tree.
- You can continue grabbing cards from "nothing" until the end of the deck. This will mark the end of the trick.
Advice
- Do a lot, a lot of practice. The key to any trick is practice. The movements will not be natural at first, but the more you practice your hands, the more harmonious the movements will appear to the audience.
- Use distraction. By distracting the audience with words and gestures, you prevent someone from noticing something or remembering the actions you have taken.
- When you do a card magic show, show two or three tricks. Make sure those few tricks engage the audience or make them participate.
- Never repeat a trick, no matter how many times they ask you to do it.
- For tricks where someone has to choose a card, make sure the card is shown to everyone. This way, if the chooser forgets the card, there will be others who will remember it.
