SIMPLE MAGIC TRICKS

FLEXIBLE CARDS

Did you know that you can tell the value of a card by how flexible it is?The more ink content the stiffer and the less ink content the more flexible. For example a picture card such as a king has lots of ink and is therefore stiff and a low value card such as a two has less ink and is less stiff.Did you know you can also tell the suit of the card by feeling the face of the card with your fingers?The magician takes the top card off a shuffled and cut deck and holds it facing you. He flexes the card to determine the stiffness and feels the front of the card. He then reveals the selected card is the 7 of spades. The next card is taken, he bends the card again between his thumb and forefinger and feels the front and reveals correctly that it is the king of hearts. Finally, you are asked to take a card of your choice from the deck and pass it back to the magician. He repeatsthe process and gets it right again!

The secret to this trick is simple. When you flex the card in your hand, if you bend it sufficiently you can see the the bottom corner ofthe face of the card as show in the picture.

EXTRACTION

The magician passes you two cards and asks you to return them to the deck he is holding anywhere you like. They can be together or apart. As you are about to place then he says, ‘I hope you remembered them?’. You take another quick look and place them in the deck. He then taps the deck on the table to make all the edges neat, telling you it disguises the location of your two cards. He then riffles the deck. Places his thumb and second finger on the top and
the bottom of the deck whilst holding the deck firmly in his other handand then snaps your two cards straight out of the deck!

The solution to this trick is deception. Notice from the pictures the first two cards you start with are not the two cards you finish with. Almost everyone will not notice this especially if you don’t give them long to remember them and secondly spend a few moments riffling the deck and tapping it on the table etc! Start with the final cards on the top and bottom of the deck and then hand the opposite cards to your volunteer to start the trick. Then just pull the top and bottom
cards off with the snap move. It happens fast and looks great. It is recommend to use the 7 of spades and 8 of clubs along with the 7 of clubs and 8 of spades.

MYSTIC ASH

The magician shows you a pack of cards and places it under a large handkerchief. With the cards now covered he asks you to make a cut in the deck. You keep hold of the cut through the handkerchief and the remaining cards are brought back out. You are then shown the top card which you cut to. The deck is put back together and you are handed a small piece of paper and a pen. You are asked to draw a picture of your card on the paper and fold it up as small as you can. This is then held over an empty ash tray and set on fire! The magician sprinkles the ashes on to his forearm and rubs them in with his hand. The card you selected is revealed in ash on the magicians arm! David Blaine has a variation of this trick, I have to say it’s been around a lot longer than he has but nether the less is a great trick!

The two secrets for this trick are as follows.The trick is known as a force, the volunteer is forced to select a card even though they think they have a choice. When the deck is put under the handkerchief turn the deck upside down, then after the cut turn it back again so the volunteer is forced to take the original top card. The forced card is drawn on your arm with wet soap prior to doing the trick. When theash is rubbed into your arm it will stick on the soap even when it’s dry..

CUTTING THE CORNER

The magician shuffles the deck and places it on the table, face down.Your are then asked to cut the cards and place the two piles side by Side. Pile 1 are the set that were on the table originally, and pile 2 are the cards moved off the top. Your are then asked to take the top card at the cut position which is the top card from pile 1. You are asked to remember this card, then you place it on top of pile 2. Then finally you are asked to place pile 1 on top of pile 2. The magician takes the
deck and riffles it, then cuts several times and instantly throws yourselected card out on to the table!

Before you perform this trick you need to modify your deck of cards.Take a pair of nail clippers and cut the corner off one card, not too much just increase the radius on the corner slightly. Then repeat on the opposite corner of the same card. Ensure this card is at the bottom of the deck and when you shuffle and make sure it stays at the bottom of the deck. When you perform the trick the selected card will be below this modified card (when the deck is face down). Youcan then throw out on to the table the selected card.