If you want to learn how to perform card tricks, there are many that you can try to amaze your friends and that don't require a lot of swiftness. Using simple math and memorization techniques, you can easily find out which card a volunteer has drawn with these tricks.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Perform the Four Bunches Trick
Step 1. Take a deck of 52 cards
This trick is simple and involves the use of mundane mathematical calculations.
- You don't need any sleight of hand to perform this trick.
- You will perform the trick by counting the cards arranged in four piles.
- Each card is assigned a numerical value that determines how many cards you have to count after making the four piles, until you reach the one chosen by the volunteer.
Step 2. Start by shuffling the deck
You can mix for a few seconds, then ask a viewer to cut if they want. Now count nine cards.
- Count nine cards and separate this pile from the rest of the deck. April to fan to show them to the spectators.
- Ask a volunteer to take one of the cards and memorize it. Don't ask him to show it.
Step 3. Collect the remaining eight cards and ask the spectator to put the ninth on top of the pile
Then arrange the nine cards at the bottom of the deck.
You should rearrange the eight cards while the volunteer memorizes the ninth or shows it to the rest of the audience. This way you can make sure that your chosen card ends up on top of the stack
Step 4. Tell the audience that you have cast a spell on the cards in the deck to communicate with them
It continues by saying that you will create four stacks of ten cards. The number of cards in each stack and the card that will end up on top of each of them will magically reveal to you the position of the card chosen by the spectator.
You can tell that the cards magically rearrange themselves in the deck and reveal to you the position of the card chosen by the volunteer
Step 5. Start counting down from ten as you arrange the cards from the deck into the first pile
As you do this, explain that you will be counting backwards from ten and that you will not add more cards to the stack if the number you say is the same as the one printed on the card.
- Explain that each card has a value identical to the number it is printed on. Go on to say that if you counted to 1 without ever uncovering a card matched to your number, you would place a card face down on top of the pile to close it.
- Also explain that all face cards are worth 10 and that aces are worth 1.
- A = 1, J = 10, Q = 10, K = 10.
Step 6. Count down from 10 as you place each card face up on the table
When you say a number equal to that of the card, stop and move on to the next pile, starting again to count from 10.
- If you count to 7 and at that moment you reveal a 7, you close the stack. Don't put a card face down on it. You will use 7 to help you calculate the number of cards you need to clear from the top of the deck to find the spectator's one.
- If you start a bunch by uncovering a 10 or a face, go straight to the next one. Do not cover it with a face down card.
- Similarly, even if the last face up card was an ace, the stack would be full. You shouldn't cover it with a face down card.
Step 7. Repeat the process until four stacks are formed
Not all piles will have a face down card over them.
You will use the piles without face down cards to calculate the number of cards to eliminate from the rest of the deck and thus find the card chosen by the volunteer
Step 8. Add up the values of the face up cards
Look at the cards on top of the piles and add their values.
- If you have three closed piles with a face up card, add the values of those three cards.
- For example, if the three pairs are ace (1), 4 and queen (10), adding up the values of the cards gives you 15.
Step 9. Find out the remaining cards in the deck
Count a number of cards equal to the calculated number, in our example 15.
As you go through this step, you can explain that the cards have spoken to you by magic and told you where the card chosen by the volunteer is
Step 10. Keep counting the correct number of cards until you reach the last one
It will be the one chosen by the volunteer. Discover it.
Ask the volunteer if it is the correct card
Method 2 of 3: Last Card Flipped Trick
Step 1. Start with the last card of the deck turned upside down
This trick requires a little preparation. It is easier to start the trick with the last card in the deck facing away from the others. If you turn the deck, you should always see the back of the cards.
- If you are skilled enough at sleight of hand, you can quickly rotate the last card after shuffling the deck.
- One way to try to flip the last card of the deck after shuffling it is to finish with a cut from the top. Take the last card of the cut and turn it over to the bottom of the deck. You will need to perform the movement quickly so that no one can see it. Orient your hands to hide the bottom of the deck from the audience.
Step 2. Fan the cards
Without showing the last card overturned, unfold the deck.
- Make sure the fan is more open in the center of the deck.
- Orient the cards slightly towards the audience, so that viewers can only see the top.
Step 3. Get help from a volunteer
Have him draw a card from the deck.
- If you want, you can run your thumb along the outer edge of the cards and ask the volunteer to say "Stop" when they want. When the spectator says "Stop" you can ask him to take the card under your thumb.
- This method gives you more control, because it prevents the spectator from choosing the overturned card.
Step 4. Turn the deck over while the spectator looks at the card
Ask him to memorize it and show it to the rest of the audience.
- As soon as the spectator takes the card, he reassembles the deck.
- While the audience is distracted by the card, turn the deck over so that the card that was the last is now the first.
- At this stage, turn the deck upside down without attracting attention. To do this without being seen, lower it slightly. You can also cover it with one hand, to hide it from the public.
Step 5. Ask the volunteer to return the card to the deck
The deck is upside down, but the public won't notice.
Make sure you don't open the deck at this stage, lest the audience see it upside down
Step 6. Hit the deck three times
Explain that you are doing this to take advantage of its magical properties. This will help create the illusion in preparation for the next stage. It says that you will magically flip the spectator card in the deck. Start shaking the deck and, as you do, flip it over again.
- This part is the most complex, because the audience will be focused on the deck. For this it can be useful to turn it while you shake it, to distract the spectators.
- All cards will now be facing right side, except the one chosen by the spectator and the last one.
Step 7. Fan the cards to reveal the chosen card face up
Be careful not to reveal the latest.
Remove the spectator's card from the deck and ask him to inspect it. You can even have it hold in your hand. While he is distracted, if you wish, return the last card of the deck in the right direction
Method 3 of 3: Perform the 16 Card Trick
Step 1. Count 16 random cards from a standard 52-card deck
This trick requires a good memory and is based on the layout of the cards at each stage.
- During the first stage of the trick you will have to arrange the cards in four rows of four face up cards.
- In the second you have to arrange the cards in four columns of four cards face up.
- In the third, arrange the cards into four groups of four hole cards.
Step 2. Place the cards on the table face up
Make four rows of four cards.
- Ask a volunteer to choose a card and memorize it.
- Explain that he doesn't have to tell you what card it is, but that he should think hard about it and visualize it.
Step 3. Ask the volunteer to tell you which row the card is in
When he has given you this information, quickly memorize the cards in the row.
- As you do the trick, keep talking to the volunteer. If you want to make your performance more interesting, you can bet with him that you will be able to read his mind and find the chosen card.
- Collect the cards. Take the row that contains the spectator card first. Be careful to keep the cards in the same order for each row.
- Keep the cards face down on top of each other. When you have collected all the cards, the four in the row chosen by the volunteer will be the last of the deck. Flip the stack over to bring the four cards to the top.
Step 4. Deal the cards again into four columns of four cards
By separating them into columns, you can easily find the spectator's card.
- Since you previously memorized the four cards in the spectator's chosen row and are now separating the cards into different columns, each of the cards in that row is in a different group of four.
- Also, since the volunteer's chosen card is one of the first four cards placed on the table, you will be able to identify it easily.
Step 5. Ask the volunteer to tell you which row the card is in
Even if you have arranged the cards in columns, still ask the volunteer to identify the row in which the chosen card is located; in this way you will be able to locate it, thanks to its vertical position. Don't reveal yet that you already know the answer.
- You can locate the spectator card because it will be the first card in the indicated row.
- In this phase you have arranged the cards in columns, so the first of each row will be those that made up the row indicated by the volunteer in the previous phase.
Step 6. Collect the cards as you did before, starting with the row where the spectator's card is
- Take the cards face up again, starting with the first of each row.
- This way, the spectator's card will be at the bottom of the deck.
- After you have collected all the cards, turn the deck over again. The cards should now be face down.
- Explain that you will separate the cards into four groups of four hole cards. Bet with the volunteer that you will be able to read his mind to find the card.
Step 7. Arrange the cards face down into four groups of four cards
Ask the volunteer to choose a group of cards.
- The spectator's chosen card is the first card you put on the table, so you know where it is.
- If the spectator chooses the group of cards where the correct one is, remove the other three.
- If the viewer chooses a different group, just take that out.
Step 8. Ask the viewer to choose another bunch
Only do this if he hasn't already chosen the right one.
- Repeat the process until there is only the stack that contains the correct card left.
- As soon as the spectator chooses the pile that contains the correct card, he eliminates the others.
Step 9. Ask the spectator to choose a single card
As you did for the piles, if the spectator chooses the correct card, remove the others. Otherwise, delete them one at a time until there are two left.
- If the first card chosen by the spectator is the correct one, you bet to be able to identify it before he can turn it over. Explain to the volunteer that thanks to your magical powers you are able to direct them to the right card. Then uncover it to reveal your skills.
- If you go so far as to have two cards, you can bet with the spectator that you are not only able to reveal which card he has chosen, but also to identify which one is left. Announce the card and uncover it to prove you've hit the mark.
Advice
- Practice your tricks in front of a mirror, or record and watch your movements to understand your level of skill and fluency.
- While these tricks are simple, keep practicing. The more you train, the more comfortable you will feel.
- Keep talking to the audience while performing the tricks. Speaking and explaining your magical powers will help distract viewers from what you do with your hands.
