Card and Magic Tricks/Card tricks

This chapter provides a brief overview of the use of card tricks when performing. Thousands of books have been written on the topic of card magic and some of the finer examples are listed below. Note: Before leaping into performing card tricks, remember the basic principle every magician lives by: never divulge the secrets to your tricks.

Introduction

Magicians have used playing cards to entertain audiences for centuries. Tricks using playing cards became quite popular during the 1800s with the rise in popularity of both poker playing as well as cards used in parlor games (bridge, etc.)

It would be difficult to name a "basic" use for card tricks, but the most commonly recognisable model would involve a scenario wherein the magician would ask the spectator to choose a card from a fanned deck of cards, look at the card (while noting it's value and suit) and replace the card in the deck. From that point, either the magicians shuffles the card into the deck (legitimately or otherwise) - - or possibly even asks the spectator to shuffle the deck, then the magician would find the card.

How to force a card onto a spectator

Note the top card of the deck(this is the one you will force). Ask the spectator to cut the cards and leave the top half down on a table. Bring the bottom half and leave it on top of the cards on the table so that it makes a cross(i.e. perpendicular to the other half). You will need about 5 seconds of misdirection after this so ask a question. The card you noted at the beginning and is the top card of the bottom half. Bring the attention back to the cards and lift off the top half. Tell the spectator to look at the card he cut to and point to the card on the table. This force is called the cut cross force and can be performed convincingly even though it does not require much skill to perform it.

Further reading

Royal Road To Card Magic