How to Do a Cool Card Trick

Last Updated: October 2, 2020

A good magician can make us feel like magic really exists. And while most of us know that card tricks are mostly sleight of hand or just the use of a trick deck, we still get wowed time and time again. Everyone needs a good card trick up their sleeve for when the party hits a lull, but how about five? Try out any of these to practice your hand at magic.

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

Doing the Moving Card Trick

1
Before you start, wet the card on top of the deck. The easiest thing to do is to lick it. But make sure you lick the side that has the number and suit, not the back side. Once dampened, align it with the card below it, and place the two cards (which will look like one) on top of the deck.
- This trick does require a second of set-up. Make sure you're alone for this part (you also likely don't want someone to see you licking a card).
2
With a friend watching, take a deck of ordinary playing cards. Rifle through the deck until you get to the last 2 cards of the deck – the cards you preset. They should still be stuck together.
- Take this moment to show your audience that this isn't a trick deck – it's a normal deck of playing cards with all 52 cards in random order, etc.
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3
Hold up the two cards together, making it look like one card. Show the card to your audience, telling them that this is their card. They should memorize it and keep thinking about it throughout the duration of the trick.
- You yourself should not look at the card(s). The back of the cards should face you at all times.
4
Put the two cards back on the top of the deck. Say that you will take the card and put it in the middle of the deck and make it appear on top. What? Crazy talk. Does your audience want to take any bets? Make it a grand gesture and try to get your crowd smiling.
- In fact, they could take the top card and make it appear on top – but you'd just have to be sure they didn't look at the top card in the process.
5
Take only the very top card and put it in the middle of the deck. Not the two together, but the card that's stuck on top (it shouldn't be difficult to pry up). This was your dummy card that your audience doesn't know about.
- What's left underneath the dummy card? The card your audience thought was on the very top, but actually wasn't.
6
Snap your fingers and have the spectator take the top card of the deck. Have them say the magic word, do a dance, or count to five to get the card to "magically appear" at the top of the deck.
- This is the funnest part, so take your time. Start asking them random questions, sitting back and stewing in the suspense. You know it's there, but they don't. Let them fester for a second in the suspense – all in good fun, of course.
7
Have the spectator turn over the card and find it is their card. How'd you do it? You'll never tell. Maybe you really do just have magic powers?
- If they ask you to do it again, say you're spent. You can only do so much magic in one day. Either that or you'll need a second to sneak away and line up two cards again.

Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

Doing the Pickpocket Trick

1
Fan out your cards face down to a spectator and ask him/her to point to one. Take it out yourself and hold it facing the audience. At no point in this trick do you see what this card is.
- If you don't have a surface in front of you, have them simply take the deck and pick a card. This way then verify themselves that it's not a trick deck, too.
2
Pinch the bottom right corner with your index and middle finger. As you're holding it up, lightly pinch the bottom corner, bending it just slightly. The back of the card is still facing you.
- Don't make the pinch obvious to the unassuming eye. It should be something only you can see because you're looking for it.
- This works best with a set of cards that has been used before. A brand new fresh pack may make a bend a little too obvious.
3
Put the card back in the deck or ask a spectator to. Getting someone else to do the work will make your trick seem more viable. Once the card is back in, shuffle the deck or have them shuffle it themselves.
- If someone else is shuffling your cards, have them hand them back to you when they're finished. Any direction is fine.
4
When the cards are all back in your hands, discreetly look for a card that is slightly bent. Scan the cards or fan them out, telling your audience you need to get a read on the cards. Ham it up, making the trick truly entertaining. You have a couple options from here:
- Find a way to get that card to the top of the deck. You can then put the cards back in the package making sure the top card is between the box and the closing flap so you can pull it out.
- Start throwing out the cards that aren't theirs. Pick them up acting like you're going to say, "This is your card!" but then at the last minute you change your mind and say no. This can be done half a dozen times before you actually approach their card.
- Make it so the card is on the bottom. Than you can pretend to be frustrated as you go through the deck, not seeing their card. At the very end, there it is, waiting to amaze your friends.
5
Show the spectator his or her card. Whichever method you choose, make a show of it. Grin smugly, knowing that you just fooled them with simple magic. And remember not to reveal your trickery!
- The traditional pickpocket method is to place the packet in your pocket or in a spectator's pocket and amaze people by pulling out the specified card on top of the deck when the packet is reopened.

Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

Doing the Turnover Trick

1
Have your friend select a card from the deck. He should then take the card and look at it, memorizing what it is. Tell him he should keep an eye on his card at all times. When it's in his hands, when it's in your hands – his eyes should always be on it.
2
Ask him to show it to someone else watching. While he does this, turn the deck over and flip over the top card so that it appears as if the deck hasn't been tampered with.
- So, say you're holding the deck with the backs facing you. You then turn it over so the faces are facing you, flip over the top card so it's the back again, and get away with it looking like the backs are still facing you.
3
Hold the deck out and ask him to slide the card anywhere back into the deck. Tell him to think very carefully about where to place the card. He doesn't want to mess it up, does he?
4
Put the deck behind your back, turn back over the top card and flip the deck around. Alternatively, if you're pretty good, you can clasp the deck in your hands (so your friend can't see what side of the deck is showing), take up the top card, and ask him if that's his card. Then you say, "Just kidding!" and return it to the deck facing the right direction.
- You know what this means, right? When the card is returned facing the right direction, all of a sudden the only card in the deck that's not facing the right direction is your friend's chosen card.
5
Tap the deck with your middle finger and finger through the deck while looking at the back of the cards. Scan through until you find his card (flipped over) and he'll be amazed.
- Make a show of it. You could tap the deck, say a magic word, have your friend blow on the deck, whatever. Do something that allows the magic to occur. Once the process has been completed, slowly fan through the deck, letting the suspense build and build until your awesomeness comes to light.

Method 4

Method 4 of 5:

Doing the Fake Shuffle Trick

1
Take a quick peek at the top card and the card below that one before you start the trick. This is very important for you to remember these (and their order) before you begin. Lets say it's an Ace of Clubs and a 3 of Diamonds for the sake of example.
2
Get a volunteer to draw the top card. Tell her to memorize it and then put it back on top. Does she remember what it is? Is there anyway it was a different card? Act like this is a big deal to begin distracting her.
3
False shuffle your cards. This means you "shuffle" the cards, but make sure your Ace of Clubs and 3 of Diamonds stay on top. So she doesn't notice your poor shuffling job, maybe ask, "How's your day?" or "Is this your first time being part of a magic trick?" or something along those lines.
- The number one thing to concern yourself with when performing a card trick is to remain as confident as possible. Smile, be funny, and engage. Distraction (and entertainment) is everything.
4
Take half your deck and put the top half on the bottom. In other words, cut the deck. Now the two cards are together and just somewhere randomly in the deck. If you'd like, have your friend do it to increase your credibility and limit the likelihood of you tampering with the deck.
5
Flip over the deck and tell your friend that you are going to find the card just by feeling the tops of them. Keep feeling or massaging cards until you get to the 3 of diamonds. Massage the Ace, getting ready to make the big reveal.
- Again, turn it into a production. Draw out the amount of time you feel the cards, making it a little ridiculous and funny. Get excited over certain cards that aren't right, and then brush it off as a false alarm. They're there for a show, not just for a card flip.
6
With your hand on her card, say something like, "This card is your card!" Alternatively, you could do it on the 3 of Diamonds, too, saying, "This next card will be yours!" And then take the Ace and show her it. When you ask her if this is indeed her card, of course she'll say yes.
- Sometimes it's funny to pass the person's card. You could go through all the cards, flipping them over, exclaiming that you foiled the trick. Then, all of a sudden, you have a vision. You then pull out their card from the discard pile, goading them along this entire time.

Method 5

Method 5 of 5:

Doing the Mirrored Trick

1
Get your deck of cards and take out 8-15 cards that are not mirrored. For example, the Ace of Hearts can be right-side up or upside down because it's just one heart. Other cards that are NOT mirrored are the 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, and 3.
- Be sure to stay away from diamond cards since they are all mirrored.
- This is a very simple card trick that anyone can do (there is no sleight of hand whatsoever) and it has a good wow factor. The best thing about this card trick is that you can do it over and over again and no one will know what you are doing. However it does require this tiny bit of set-up.
2
Make sure your 8-15 cards are all upright. If they're not, the trick will never work. This piece of "magic" is simply about orientation of the cards. If it's messed up, there's no trick.
3
With a friend now playing along, shuffle up the cards. Do not use a shuffling method that will cause any card to turn upside down. Because of this, it's best if you shuffle the cards, not them.
- If you are doing the rift and bridge shuffle, be very careful that you don't forget which side is up and which is down
4
Ask your friend to pick any card from the deck. When they do, ask them to look at their card and memorize it. While they look at their card, casually turn the deck around so that all the cards you are holding go from right-side up to now upside-down. (This is why choosing those select cards was so important.)
- Since a majority of people return cards in the same position that they took them, your victim will unknowingly be putting the card into the deck right-side up while all the other cards are upside down.
5
Shuffle up the cards one more time and then expose their card. Again, do not use a shuffling method that will cause any card to turn. Find the card that isn't facing the same direction as the others and that's their card.
- Watch your victim putting the card back in because 1/10 times they will turn the card. Just turn the card back in a joking way by saying something along the lines of "This isn't my card! Oh! No, it is. Never-mind!"
- Don't just expose their card – do it slowly, milking the trick for all its worth. Mess with your friend a little, hesitating sometimes, acting like the wrong card is the right card, and trying to make them laugh. Then you can get to the actual magic.

Community Q&A

Question

How do I do card tricks?

Community Answer

There are many different ones you can do. You might love doing choose a card, any card, which you just have to remember the card that's above the card they chose. That way, you just find the card right next to it.