Sleight of hand is a good way to impress friends, but also to improve your hand skills and entertainer skills. To learn some basic tricks you simply need a deck of cards, some practice, and a healthy dose of style to impress your audience.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Find the Card a Spectator has chosen
Step 1. Shuffle the deck and memorize the card at the base
Shuffle the deck thoroughly - you can ask a spectator to do this, and you can also cut the deck, the important thing is to show the audience that the arrangement of the cards is completely random. The important thing is to memorize the card at the bottom of the deck - an easy way to do this would be to cut the deck last, and watch the card as you place it on the table.
Step 2. Ask one of your spectators to choose a card, memorize it, and place it at the base of the deck
As the spectator chooses the card, you turn around, or close your eyes. When the spectator has put the card back in place, it will be adjacent to the one you memorized earlier.
Step 3. Cut the deck and, if you feel like it, shuffle it again
By cutting the deck you will bring the spectator's card and the one you memorized more or less in the middle. If you think you are skilled enough, you can also shuffle the cards before cutting the deck, being careful to keep the last two cards at the base always in the same position.
Step 4. State that you will be able to recognize the spectator's chosen card
Make a little show - the more you are able to capture the interest of your audience, the more effective the sleight of hand will be!
Step 5. Look for the card you had stored
Arrange the cards in a fan pattern, face up, so that everyone can see them. When you have located your card, you will know that the one next to it is the one chosen by the spectator. Be careful to choose the right one; depending on the direction in which you arrange the cards, the one chosen by the spectator will be on the right or left of yours.
Step 6. Show the card
Making a little scene, show the card to the viewer. He will be surprised and amused!
Method 2 of 3: Find the Ace of Spades
Step 1. Place the ace of spades under the top two cards
Before starting this trick, prepare the deck by placing the ace of spades so that it is the third card from the top. If you decide to shuffle or cut the deck in front of your spectators, be sure not to separate the top three cards.
Step 2. Ask a spectator to cut the deck, and then reposition one of the halves on top of the other, flipping it over
To clarify, when the spectator cuts the deck, you need to take the bottom half, flip it over, and put it on top of the deck.
Step 3. Cut the deck again
This step is just for show - make sure you don't separate the three starting cards, which will now be just below the half-deck facing up. Take the part of the deck you cut and place it, upside down, on top.
Step 4. Declare that the next card you turn over will be the Ace of Spades
Your audience will likely think that you are about to flip the top card of the deck; let them think, proving that they are wrong will be even more fun.
Step 5. Slide all the cards arranged face up
The ace of spades will be two cards lower than the first card you find face down.
Step 6. Reveal the ace of spades
Surprise your audience, who will wonder how you did it! Do not repeat this game twice in a row without changing the position of the ace of spades, otherwise the spectators will understand the trick.
Method 3 of 3: Winning a Bet
Step 1. Shuffle the deck well and memorize the card at the base
As above, you can also ask a spectator to shuffle the deck, so as not to arouse suspicion. If you want, you can also cut the deck. At the end remember to memorize the card that is at the base.
Step 2. Ask a spectator to choose a card and memorize it
Then ask him to place the chosen card on top of the deck.
Step 3. Cut the deck
At this point the card you have memorized is on top of the one chosen by your spectator. You can also shuffle the deck again, but be careful not to separate the two cards.
Step 4. Begin to uncover the cards
Uncover the cards one by one and arrange them in a row on the table. When you discover the card you have memorized, you will know that the next one will be the one chosen by the spectator. Don't stop, continue as if nothing happened until you end up with only one card in hand.
Step 5. Bet a small amount that the next card you turn will be the one chosen by the spectator
The spectator will know that the card you are holding is not his, and will think that victory is assured.
Step 6. Turn over the spectator card you have already placed on the table and collect your winnings
To make it even more striking, pretend to flip the card in your hand before shifting your attention to the spectator's.
