How To Transform One Card Into Another

  • August 24, 2008
  • 14,638 Views
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In this trick, the spectator chooses a card and returns it to the deck. The magician then transforms the bottom card of the deck into the chosen card.

You Will Need

  • A fresh deck of cards
  • Lots of practice
How To Transform One Card Into Another: Choose a card

Step 1: Choose a card

Have a spectator choose a card, memorize it, and return it to the deck.

How To Transform One Card Into Another: Mark the return point

Step 2: Mark the return point

Mark where they returned the card by using your pinky to create a slight space over it.

How To Transform One Card Into Another: Bring it to the top

Step 3: Bring it to the top

Do a quick shuffle, secretly bringing their card to the top.

How To Transform One Card Into Another: Bring the card to the bottom

Step 4: Bring the card to the bottom

As you chatter, begin to overhand side-shuffle the deck. Bring their card to the bottom by sliding it off alone in the first cut.

How To Transform One Card Into Another: Move the second card

Step 5: Move the second card

Shuffle again, pulling off the top card, and placing it at the bottom of the deck. The chosen card is now the second card from the bottom.

Make sure you don’t let anyone see the deck’s bottom card as you shuffle.

How To Transform One Card Into Another: Show the card to the audience

Step 6: Show the card to the audience

Turn over the deck and show the spectator the bottom card. Ask them if it is theirs. They will say no.

This is a good time to distract your audience a little. Start rubbing the deck and ask them if they’re sure.

How To Transform One Card Into Another: Set up the sleight

Step 7: Set up the sleight

Now here’s the tricky part: While your audience is distracted, secretly slide the bottom card forward about an inch with the heel of your hand. In the next motion, slide the second-to-bottom card, the spectator’s chosen card, back with the heel of your hand. Make sure nobody sees it!

How To Transform One Card Into Another: Finish

Step 8: Finish

Now swiftly push down with the heel of your hand on the second-to-bottom card — it will pop up and over the bottom card. Move your hands and voila – the spectator’s card has magically appeared on top of the deck.

The late magician Dai Vernon became known as “the man who fooled Houdini” after he performed a card trick seven times without Houdini figuring it out.

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