Instructions
- Step 1: Set up the trick Set up the trick before your audience arrives. Fan out the red-backed deck of cards face up in front of you.Then find the blue-backed card that matches the red-backed card at the end of the deck… Put it face up on top of the matching red card. Now flip the deck over and you’re ready to go.
- Step 2: Spread the cards In front of your audience, spread out the cards on the top, but keep the bottom few cards clumped together.
- Step 3: Ask someone to choose a card Ask someone to choose a card and memorize it.
- TIP: Make sure they don’t pick either of the bottom two cards!
- Step 4: Do the Hindu shuffle Gather up the spread cards and begin the Hindu shuffle. But only use cards from the top two-thirds of the deck, so the blue-backed card stays on the bottom.
- Step 5: Re-insert card When the spectator orders you to stop, have them place their card on the ‘top half’ of the deck. Then put the un-shuffled ‘bottom half’ of the deck on top of that.
- TIP: You now have a deck of cards with the blue-backed card somewhere in the middle, directly on top of their chosen card.
- Step 6: Spread the cards Tell the spectator that their card will ‘reveal’ itself as you spread the cards on the table. When you see the blue-backed card say, “Ah, a sign…”
- Step 7: Split the cards Pick up the cards and divide them into 2 stacks, one with the blue-backed card on top. Place this stack on top of the other stack.The matching red-backed card is now at the bottom of the deck. The card the spectator chose is still directly below the blue-backed card.
- TIP: Don’t let your audience see the face of the card on the bottom of the deck.
- Step 8: Do a double lift Do a double lift of the blue card; pick up the top two cards, but pretend you are just picking up the top one. Tah-dah! It will appear to your audience as if the blue card was the card the spectator picked.
- Step 9: Turn the cards over Now it’s time to double their pleasure. Turn the top two cards back over on the deck and say, “Let’s do it again.” Pick up the blue-backed card… Put it face down to one side… And start the Hindu shuffle again.
- Step 10: Show bottom card Invite the spectator to stop you at any time and pick another card. When they do, show them the bottom card of the pile in your right hand — this will be the matching red-backed card. Tell them to memorize it.
- Step 11: Rejoin the two piles Put the two piles back together. To assure the spectator that you’re not up to any funny stuff, let them shuffle the cards and spread them this time.
- Step 12: Feign failure Scan the spread cards for a sign. Feign disappointment — there’s no blue-backed card this time! Look at the spectator as if they’ve ruined your trick.
- Step 13: Flip the card Pretend you’re about to give up when you realize, of course, there is one blue-backed card you could check. Flip over the card lying to the side — it will match the card the spectator picked!
- FACT: Nineteenth-century magician Robert-Houdin, known as ‘the father of modern magic,’ once said, “A conjurer is mainly an actor who is pretending to be a magician.”
You Will Need
- One deck of red-backed cards
- One card from a deck of blue-backed cards
- Skill with the Hindu Shuffle technique
- Skill with the Double Lift technique
