Without a doubt... one of my all-time favorites. This is one of those tricks that will have your audience 'begging you' to tell them the secret. It plays out something like this...
You ask 'Bob' to select a card.. any card. This card is returned to the deck and you proceed to flip through the deck trying to find his card. After a half-minute of looking, you announce that you have found it and flip a card onto the table. Judging by Bobs stare, you can tell that this is NOT his card. He confirms it, and you announce that you will have to resort to some 'real magic' to rescue you and your reputation.
You pick up an empty card case, show it to the audience and let Bob look inside. You put the entire deck of cards in the box, show the deck closed, show your hands empty, and drop the deck in your shirt or jacket pocket.
In one instant... you put your fingertips back in you pocket and IMMEDIATELY pull a card from your pocket. You then remove the box to show that it is STILL FULLY SEALED. Allow Bob to open the box and search for his card.. He won't find it, because it's the card you took from your pocket......
Secret:
Glance at the bottom card of the deck as you spread it to allow Bob to select a card. Lay the deck on the table and ask Bob to put his chosen card on top. Do a simple cut of the deck to put the bottom card directly above the chosen card. Cut the deck another time or two, turn it over (face up) and proceed to look through the deck.
When you find the bottom card, separate the deck, putting the bottom half on top and the top half on bottom. ( the bottom half being that part of the deck you just looked through..) This brings the original card you glimpsed BACK to the very bottom, and puts the chosen card BACK on the very top.
Either show the bottom card -or- remove the bottom card and wave it around as you announce that you have 'found' Bobs card.
Ask Bob if this was his chosen card, and, of course, he will say "no".
Pick up the empty card case, give it to Bob to examine, and make your comments that you are going to have to use some 'real magic'.
Slowly put the cards, face down, into the case.
Here's the 'real magic'...
As you insert the flap into the box, slightly squeeze the sides of the box. This will make the top card or two bow out and away from the rest of the pack. VERY CASUALLY insert the flap BETWEEN the top card and the rest of the deck. This works best if the flap is a rounded flap...
Holding the deck between your thumb and forefinger, with your thumb over the 'thumb slot' so Bob can't see the edge of the exposed card, show the box to Bob all around. With the thumb slot facing you, take the box in your other hand and tap on the top of the box while making a comment about the deck being 'completely sealed.. top and bottom'.
Ask Bob to inspect your pocket to make sure there's nothing planted in your pocked. Now, with two fingers, slowly drop the box in your pocket with the thumb slot side next to your body..
With your thumb, put a little upward pressure on the exposed part of the top card... that small part that you can see when looking at the thumb slot. You can inch the card upward just enough to grasp it with both thumb and forefinger and...
Take your fingers out of your pocket, show both hands empty, and announce that the magic is about to happen....
With the edge of the chosen card already pushed up just above the flap, you are ready to slowly put your fingers back in your pocket and ... WHAM... in a flash... pull the card out of the box and put it face down on the table.
This one move, on it's own, will amaze Bob, since Bob visually examined the pack, your pocket, and your hands.
Now.. as described in the description, take the deck out of your pocket and SHOW BOB that the flap is STILL inside the box. Slowly open the box and give Bob the deck, asking him to find his chosen card.
He can't ..
The magic is complete, and your reputation is fully restored !
(Note: when putting the deck in your pocket, you may want to try putting it in with the thumb slot outward, allowing you to use your forefinger to work the card up, instead of your thumb.. Also - you can put the deck in ANYTHING hidden. You can use a bag, or solid color glass, or a hat. You don't have to use your pocket......Experiment !)
You ask 'Bob' to select a card.. any card. This card is returned to the deck and you proceed to flip through the deck trying to find his card. After a half-minute of looking, you announce that you have found it and flip a card onto the table. Judging by Bobs stare, you can tell that this is NOT his card. He confirms it, and you announce that you will have to resort to some 'real magic' to rescue you and your reputation.
You pick up an empty card case, show it to the audience and let Bob look inside. You put the entire deck of cards in the box, show the deck closed, show your hands empty, and drop the deck in your shirt or jacket pocket.
In one instant... you put your fingertips back in you pocket and IMMEDIATELY pull a card from your pocket. You then remove the box to show that it is STILL FULLY SEALED. Allow Bob to open the box and search for his card.. He won't find it, because it's the card you took from your pocket......
Secret:
Glance at the bottom card of the deck as you spread it to allow Bob to select a card. Lay the deck on the table and ask Bob to put his chosen card on top. Do a simple cut of the deck to put the bottom card directly above the chosen card. Cut the deck another time or two, turn it over (face up) and proceed to look through the deck.
When you find the bottom card, separate the deck, putting the bottom half on top and the top half on bottom. ( the bottom half being that part of the deck you just looked through..) This brings the original card you glimpsed BACK to the very bottom, and puts the chosen card BACK on the very top.
Either show the bottom card -or- remove the bottom card and wave it around as you announce that you have 'found' Bobs card.
Ask Bob if this was his chosen card, and, of course, he will say "no".
Pick up the empty card case, give it to Bob to examine, and make your comments that you are going to have to use some 'real magic'.
Slowly put the cards, face down, into the case.
Here's the 'real magic'...
As you insert the flap into the box, slightly squeeze the sides of the box. This will make the top card or two bow out and away from the rest of the pack. VERY CASUALLY insert the flap BETWEEN the top card and the rest of the deck. This works best if the flap is a rounded flap...
Holding the deck between your thumb and forefinger, with your thumb over the 'thumb slot' so Bob can't see the edge of the exposed card, show the box to Bob all around. With the thumb slot facing you, take the box in your other hand and tap on the top of the box while making a comment about the deck being 'completely sealed.. top and bottom'.
Ask Bob to inspect your pocket to make sure there's nothing planted in your pocked. Now, with two fingers, slowly drop the box in your pocket with the thumb slot side next to your body..
With your thumb, put a little upward pressure on the exposed part of the top card... that small part that you can see when looking at the thumb slot. You can inch the card upward just enough to grasp it with both thumb and forefinger and...
Take your fingers out of your pocket, show both hands empty, and announce that the magic is about to happen....
With the edge of the chosen card already pushed up just above the flap, you are ready to slowly put your fingers back in your pocket and ... WHAM... in a flash... pull the card out of the box and put it face down on the table.
This one move, on it's own, will amaze Bob, since Bob visually examined the pack, your pocket, and your hands.
Now.. as described in the description, take the deck out of your pocket and SHOW BOB that the flap is STILL inside the box. Slowly open the box and give Bob the deck, asking him to find his chosen card.
He can't ..
The magic is complete, and your reputation is fully restored !
(Note: when putting the deck in your pocket, you may want to try putting it in with the thumb slot outward, allowing you to use your forefinger to work the card up, instead of your thumb.. Also - you can put the deck in ANYTHING hidden. You can use a bag, or solid color glass, or a hat. You don't have to use your pocket......Experiment !)
The Card in the Box
(With special Thanks to Mark Wilson)
(With special Thanks to Mark Wilson)
~~ X- Rated Book ~~
You're going to need two props... an outdated paperback book, and a dried-out felt tip pen. if you don't have an empty one.. you can dry one out by leaving the top off and laying it on the dash board of your car or in a window sill for a couple of days.
Ask your chosen assistant to place the book behind their back and open the book somewhere around the middle. Ask them to fold the first half of the pages under the bottom cover so they will be forced to write on the right-hand page..
Now, ask them to take the marker and make a large "X" on their chosen page.
Once done, have the book closed and layed on a table out of your reach, and ask them to give you the pen... Tell your assistant about your great mental powers and your ability to remotely 'view' events of your choosing..
Personally, I have a small silver carrying case with a notebook inside that I keep on a small table near me. I open the case and take out a notebook. I also secretly dish the dried-out pen, thanks to the cover provided by the lid of the case, and pick up another one exactly like it from inside.. only this one actually writes.
Do this quickly... don't fumble around inside the case ( or drawer, or whatever) and give anyone reason to wonder what you're doing in there !
After sufficient build-up, I write a word on my pad and hand the pad to my assistant. I ask them to open the book and find the page on which they marked their X.
I tell them that I want them to look at the point at which the two lines intersect in the middle of the page and read aloud the word. Of course.. it will match the word I wrote on the pad, since I put the X in the book long before the beginning of the trick....
....................
You can also do this effect with a pack of cards. Have them place the cards behind their back, mark the face of the card, and return it to the deck. Instead of predicting a word, you will predict the card on which they put the X ( or, I should say, on which YOU put the X !!)
Another variation is.. before-hand, put an X through both the face and back of the same card. Have your assistant shuffle the deck, put it behind their back, and put an X on the face of any one card. Shuffle the deck. Put the deck behind their back again, and put an X on the back of any chosen card.
Have them shuffle the cards and lay the deck on your table. Have them look through the deck and find the card with the X on the back. They will be perplexed to discover that the same card is also the only card in the deck with an X on the face as well !
You're going to need two props... an outdated paperback book, and a dried-out felt tip pen. if you don't have an empty one.. you can dry one out by leaving the top off and laying it on the dash board of your car or in a window sill for a couple of days.
Ask your chosen assistant to place the book behind their back and open the book somewhere around the middle. Ask them to fold the first half of the pages under the bottom cover so they will be forced to write on the right-hand page..
Now, ask them to take the marker and make a large "X" on their chosen page.
Once done, have the book closed and layed on a table out of your reach, and ask them to give you the pen... Tell your assistant about your great mental powers and your ability to remotely 'view' events of your choosing..
Personally, I have a small silver carrying case with a notebook inside that I keep on a small table near me. I open the case and take out a notebook. I also secretly dish the dried-out pen, thanks to the cover provided by the lid of the case, and pick up another one exactly like it from inside.. only this one actually writes.
Do this quickly... don't fumble around inside the case ( or drawer, or whatever) and give anyone reason to wonder what you're doing in there !
After sufficient build-up, I write a word on my pad and hand the pad to my assistant. I ask them to open the book and find the page on which they marked their X.
I tell them that I want them to look at the point at which the two lines intersect in the middle of the page and read aloud the word. Of course.. it will match the word I wrote on the pad, since I put the X in the book long before the beginning of the trick....
....................
You can also do this effect with a pack of cards. Have them place the cards behind their back, mark the face of the card, and return it to the deck. Instead of predicting a word, you will predict the card on which they put the X ( or, I should say, on which YOU put the X !!)
Another variation is.. before-hand, put an X through both the face and back of the same card. Have your assistant shuffle the deck, put it behind their back, and put an X on the face of any one card. Shuffle the deck. Put the deck behind their back again, and put an X on the back of any chosen card.
Have them shuffle the cards and lay the deck on your table. Have them look through the deck and find the card with the X on the back. They will be perplexed to discover that the same card is also the only card in the deck with an X on the face as well !
~~ Brother To Brother ~~
(Credit: Rick Carruth )
Have a spec pick a card at random. Have a second spec pick a card at random. Ask them to memorize their cards. Casually cut the deck and ask the specs to place their cards on top of the bottom portion.
Catch a pinkie break, cut the cards and bring the two cards to the top. Perform a false cut or two, not disturbing the top two cards. I now perform about two overhand shuffles.. again not disturbing the top two cards.
I perform one last overhand shuffle, allowing all the cards, including the top two, to interlock. At this point your target cards are either first and third or second and fourth. Since you are dealing, you will know where they are..
Give the deck to one of the specs and ask them to begin dealing the cards into two piles, alternating one card on one pile, one card on the other pile.
Ask them to stop whenever they choose..
Since cards one and three are the bottom two cards in one pile, and cards two and four are the bottom two cards in the other pile.. you know which pile contains your target cards.
Now.. ask the other spec to "pick a stack". If they choose your target stack, good.. Ask them to put the other stack back on the deck. If they choose the other stack, say " good choice ", and ask them to gather that stack and put it back on the deck (magicians choice) . Either way.. you are left with only your target stack on the table.
Ask one of the specs to please deal the stacks into two stack, just as they did earlier, until all the cards are dealt. At this point, since your two target cards were the bottom two on the stack, they will now be the top card on each stack. This may sound complicated, but it is completely self-working.
Ask spec one to touch a stack, and ask spec two to touch a stack. Remind them of the processes you have gone through, including the shuffling and dividing into two stacks. Then the elimination of one stack.
Now, ask them to name their cards aloud. After they do.. have them turn the top two cards over to reveal the two chosen cards. Fifty percent of the time, they will have overturned their own card. This will add to the mystery.
The fifty percent of the time they pick the other specs card, smile and remind them of the name of the trick .." Brother To Brother ", and compliment them on helping their 'brother' find their chosen card. This will make it appear as if finding the other specs card was intended..
