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Easy Magic Card Tricks for Beginners

Card tricks and magic go hand-in-hand. But nothing stings like a poorly-executed trick that fails to work or, worse yet, fails to impress. If you have just begun studying the art of illusion then sticking to basic tricks with simple processes or prop requirements can help. Once you have mastered a handful of beginner tricks, you can develop the skill with sleight of hand required for more advanced card work.
  1. Tear a Deck in Half

    • Like many tricks, this one utilizes a prepared prop to work. Make small cuts in the middle of each side of every playing card in a deck with scissors. Make sure to make the cuts shallow enough that no one can see them at a glance. Reassemble the deck. Tear the deck by gripping the cards with both hands and pinching firmly on either side of the prepared cuts in the deck and pulling in opposite directions.

    Quick Snatch

    • This trick begins with a bit of preparation by stacking the deck. Select two black cards of the same number, for example, the 2 of spades and the 2 of clubs. Then select two red cards of another number, for example, the 3 of diamonds and the 3 of hearts. Place a 2 on the top of the deck and a 3 on the bottom of the deck. Then place the remaining 2 and 3 on top of the deck. Tell an audience member to pick the two cards from the top of the deck and show them briefly to the audience. Have the audience member insert the two cards back into the deck. State that you will snatch the cards out from the deck at the same time. Hold the deck loosely and quickly snatch the top card with your thumb and bottom card with your index finger. Even though these cards are of different suits than the first two, you will appear to have grabbed the first two cards from the deck.

    Color Change

    • Take two cards of one color and glue them together so their backs face outward. Place the double-backed card on the top of the deck. Place a card of a different color face up on top of the deck. Lift both the top card and double-backed card and flip them over and back again. The card will appear to have the same color back as the rest of the deck. Tap the face of the card and, this time, flip over only the top card. The card's back will appear to have changed color.

    Card Levitation

    • This trick utilizes some basic sleight of hand and you can perform it with a normal pack of cards. Have an audience member select a card. Show the card to the audience and place it on the bottom of the deck. Shuffle the deck, keeping the bottom card in your hand the entire time and return it to the bottom of the deck. Cover the front of the deck with your hand as you separate the front half of the deck from the rear half so that the front is stepped up a few inches above the rear. Point your index finger over the top of the cards while your pinkie finger, hidden from view, presses against the chosen card at the bottom of the deck. Raise your hand, pushing up the chosen card into view. You will appear to have levitated the chosen card from the deck with your index finger.

Card Tricks

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