Biddle Trick Card Trick

by Elmer Biddle, Tony Kardyro, and Ed Marlo

Effect

The magician spreads the cards, allowing the spectator to take one and memorize it. The magician then places the spectator's card back in the middle of the deck and cuts the deck of a few times. The magician then splits the deck into two halves and estimates which half the spectator's card is in. The magician gives the spectator the half of the deck that he doesn't think has the spectator's card. He then estimates that the spectator's card is one of the top five cards of the other half. He counts the top five cards and turns them face up on top of the packet. He then shows the spectator the top five cards. He asks if the spectator saw her card. She says that she has. Then, the magician gives the spectator the rest of the deck as he takes the top five cards in his hand. He counts them again, face down and exclaims that he knows the spectator's card. He names the spectator's card and then invisibly palms it and makes a motion as if he threw it into the spectator's hand. He asks the spectator to spread the cards she is holding face up in her hand, and she finds a face down card. It is her card.

Method

1. Spread the cards, and have the spectator choose and memorize one.
2. Split the deck whereever the spectator pulled out her card, keeping the top packet spread out.
3. Extend the bottom packet towards the spectator, and ask her to place her card on top of it.
4. Place the top packet of cards on top of the spectator's card, but as you do, drop the bottom card of the top packet on top of the spectator's card, catch a pinky break above it, and then close the remainder of the spread. It should look like nothing out of the ordinary occurred. Dropping the bottom card of the top packet shouldn't be difficult because the top packet should be spread out before you place it on top of the spectator's card.
5. Perform a double undercut.
6. Split the deck into two halves, holding each half in a different hand.
7. Take the bottom half of the deck, and give it to the spectator, saying, "Your card is not in this half."
8. Tell the spectator that you think her card is one of the top five cards in the half you are holding.
9. Deal the top five cards of your packet face down into your other hand.
10. Turn the five cards face up as one, and place them on top of the packet you are holding.
11. Now, count the five face up cards into your free hand as you perform the Biddle move on the second card, loading it onto the bottom of the half of the deck you are holding. As you steal the second card (the spectator's card), memorize its suit and value.
12. Ask the spectator if she saw her card. When she says that she has, place the remaining half of the deck that you are holding on top of the half of the deck that the spectator is holding. This action should bury the spectator's card face up in the deck.
13. Take the four cards that you are holding, and turn them face down as one.
14. Now, deal the four cards into your free hand one at a time, performing the Biddle move on the second card. Count, "1, 2, 3, 4, and 5," out loud as you perform the move. The effect of this action is that you count the second card twice, making it look like you have five cards. Since you perform the counting face down, the spectator shouldn't suspect anything.
15. Now, announce the spectator's card (you memorized it earlier).
16. Pretend to palm the top card of the packet (in actuality, palm nothing).
17. Turn your palming hand face up to show that a card is invisibly palmed.
18. Make a throwing motion towards the deck in the spectator's hand.
19. Reveal that you are holding four cards now.
20. Ask the spectator to spread face up through the cards in her hand. She will find one face down card. It is her card!

Counted Out Card Trick

by John Kurlak

Effect

The spectator chooses and memorizes a card. The magician cuts the deck and shuffles. Then, the magician asks the spectator to name any number from 1 to 20. The magician deals that many cards onto the table. The last card dealt is the spectator's card.

Method

1. Allow the spectator to choose and memorize a card.
2. Split the deck and let the spectator replace his card.
3. Catch a pinky break below the spectator's card as you close the deck.
4. Perform a double undercut, bringing the spectator's card to the bottom of the deck.
5. Perform a bottom retention overhand shuffle.
6. Ask the spectator to name any number from 1 to 20.
7. Glide the bottom card and deal the specified number of cards onto the table from the bottom of the deck, counting aloud as you go.
8. When you get to the specified number, deal the glided card.
9. Ask the spectator to turn over the last card dealt. It should be his card.

Bar Trick Card Trick

Effect

The spectator chooses a card, memorizes it, and replaces it. Then, the magician shuffles and cuts the deck. Next, the magicians starts dealing cards face up onto the table. He stops after a while and says, "How much do you want to bet that the next card I turn over is your card?" Knowing that his card has already been dealt, the spectator willingly makes the bet. The magician then turns over the spectator's card, which is already on the table, instead of the next card on the pack. The magician wins the bet.

Method

1. Start by peeking the bottom card of the deck during a riffle shuffle. This will be your key card.
2. Then, have the spectator remove a card from the deck and memorize it.
3. Split the deck at the spot where the spectator removed his card.
4. Hold the top portion of the deck out to the spectator, asking him to replace his card on top.
5. Put the original bottom half of the deck on top of the spectator's card. Now, the card you peeked should be right above the spectator's card.
6. Now, cut the deck a few times and perform a single overhand shuffle. You risk separating your key card from the spectator's card with an overhand shuffle, but it is so unlikely that it is probably safe.
7. Next, start dealing cards from the top of the deck face up onto the table.
8. When you see the key card that you memorized from earlier, the next card you deal face up is the spectator's card. Remember the spectator's card when you see it.
9. Continue dealing about ten more cards face up onto the table, and then stop.
10. Bet the spectator that the next card you turn over will be his card.
11. After the spectator makes the bet, you are going to do something unexpected. Instead of turning the next card from the deck face up onto the table, you reach down to the table and turn the spectator's card, which has already been dealt, face down. You win the bet!

Blind Chance Card Trick

by Nick Trost/Ed Marlo/Bob Longe

Effect

The magician places a prediction card face down on the table, and gives the deck to the spectator. The spectator is asked to take the deck behind his back, remove any card, place it face up on the top, and cut the deck. The deck is then brought forward. The magician spread through the cards, and finds the spectator's face up card. He then has the spectator turn over his prediction card. They are mates!

Method

1. Start the trick by spreading the cards so that only you can see their faces.
2. Secretly reverse the fifth card from the bottom of the deck, memorizing its value. As you flip the fifth card, misdirect the audience by asking for a volunteer.
3. Continue spreading through the cards until you find the mate of the card you turned over. For example, if you turned over the Nine of Hearts, find the Nine of Diamonds.
4. When you find the mate, pull it out and place it face down on the table away from you. Announce that it is your prediction card. If you want, allow another spectator to place his finger on it.
5. Now square up the deck, and hand it to your volunteer.
6. Guide the volunteer so that he is beside you, facing the audience. No one should be able to see behind his back.
7. Instruct your voltuneer to hold the deck behind his back. Tell him to spread through the cards, pull one out, turn it face up, and place it on top of the deck.
8. Then, ask the spectator to cut the deck and bring it forward.
9. Now, take the deck and spread through it slowly and carefully.
10. When you see the card you turned over from before, stop spreading. The spectator's actual card will be face up five cards below it.
11. Pull out the "spectator's card" (actually the card you turned over from earlier), and set it on the table.
12. If you want, you can spread the bottom of the deck, being careful not to reveal the spectator's actual selection.
13. Now, have someone turn over the prediction card on the table. The cards should match.
14. As the audience is in awe, casually turn over the face up card remaining in the deck.

ImPULSEable Card Trick

by John Kurlak

Effect

The magician shuffles that deck and then has the spectator choose a card. The spectator remembers her card and places it back into the deck. The magician then shuffles the deck and spreads it out across the table face up. He then asks for the spectator to extend her hand and stick out her pointer. Next, he gently holds her by the wrist, getting her pulse. As he is reading her pulse, he begins guiding her hand over the face up cards on the table. After a pass or two over the cards, he singles out one card: the spectator's card!

Method

1. Begin by riffle shuffing the deck. As you perform the riffle shuffle, peek at the bottom card of the deck and memorize it.
2. Now spread the cards in your hand, and allow the spectator to take one and memorize it. Just after the spectator removes a card, split the deck into two halves at the location where the spectator removed her card.
3. When the spectator has memorized her selection, extend the original top half of the deck out, and ask the spectator to place her card on top.
4. Next, place the original bottom half of the deck on top of the spectator's card. In effect, this places the key card you memorized from earlier on top of the spectator's card.
5. Now, perform a few loose overhand shuffles. A quick overhand shuffle shouldn't separate the key card from the spectator's card.
6. After shuffling, ribbon spread the cards face up on the table from left to right. Make sure that every card's value is visible.
7. Now ask the spectator to point at the cards with her first finger.
8. Take her by the wrist, explaining that you will use her pulse to find her card.
9. After getting her pulse, slowly moves her hand along the cards. Make a few passes for effect.
10. Then, move her hand back towards the ten or so cards surrounding the key card.
11. Gently lower her hand until her pointer rests on the card to the right of the key card. It should be her card!