How to Do a Card Trick

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Grab a deck of 52 cards.

   For this trick, you need a standard deck of 52 playing cards.
   
   This trick is simple and involves basic math.
   
   You don’t need any sleight of hand to perform this trick.
   
   You will perform this trick by counting out cards into four stacks.
   
   Each card is assigned a number value that will determine how many cards you count to after you make four stacks and until you reach your spectator’s card.
2. 2

   Step 2: Begin by shuffling the deck.

   You can shuffle the deck a couple of times and then ask your spectator to cut it if you want.
   
   Then count out nine cards.
   
   Count off nine cards and separate this pile from your deck.
   
   Fan out your nine cards for the spectator.
   
   Ask the spectator to take one of the nine cards and memorize it.
   
   Don’t have your spectator show you the card. , Then place your pile of nine cards on the bottom of your deck.
   
   You want to re-stack your eight cards while the spectator is memorizing or showing the ninth card to the rest of the audience.
   
   You do this so that you can ensure your spectator’s card goes on top of this pile. , You will now explain that you will create four stacks of ten cards each.
   
   The number of cards in each stack and the card that ends up on top will magically reveal to you the location of your spectator’s card.
   
   You can make up a story of how the cards have magically reshuffled in the deck, and will reveal the spectator’s card location to you. , As you do this, explain that you will count down from ten and if the number you say matches the card you turn over, you will stop adding cards to that stack.
   
   Explain that each card is of an equal value to the number on it.
   
   Then say that if you count all the way to one without a match, you will lay a card face down on top of the pile to cap it.
   
   Also explain that all face cards are worth 10 and any Aces are worth
   1.
   
   A=1, J=10, Q=10, K=10 , If you are counting down and the number you’re on matches the number on the card, stop counting and move onto the next stack, starting at ten.
   
   If you begin counting down and you get to the number seven and the card you lay down is also a 7, then that stack is done.
   
   Don’t place a face-down card on top of the pile when you get a match.
   
   You will use the 7 to help you tally up the number of cards you have to count before finding your spectator’s at the end.
   
   If you begin a stack with a face card or a 10, then move onto the next stack.
   
   Don’t place a face-down card on top.
   
   Likewise, if you get all the way down to one and the last card is an Ace, then that also counts as a match.
   
   Don’t place a face-down card on top. , Not all stacks will have a face-down card on top.
   
   You will use the stacks without face down cards to tally up the number of cards you count from your remaining deck until you find your spectator’s card. , You will now look at the stacks of cards which do not have a face-down card on top and add up the total value.
   
   If you have three stacks which found a match, you would add up the total value from the top card on each stack.
   
   For example, If your three matches were an Ace (1), 4, and Queen (10) you would add up the value to get a total of
   15. , Count out the number of cards equal to your total, 15, from your three face-up cards.
   
   As you do this, you can explain that the cards have magically spoken to you, and told you where to find your spectator’s card. , This will be your spectator’s card.
   
   Flip the card over.
   
   Ask your spectator if this is the correct card.
3. 3

   Step 3: Gather up the remaining eight cards into a pile and have the spectator place the ninth on top.

4. 4

   Step 4: Explain to your audience that you have enchanted the cards in this deck to speak to you.

5. 5

   Step 5: Begin counting down from ten as you place the cards into a stack face up.

6. 6

   Step 6: Count down from 10 as you place each card face up on the table.

7. 7

   Step 7: Repeat this process until you have four stacks.

8. 8

   Step 8: Add up the value of face-up cards.

9. 9

   Step 9: Flip through the remaining cards in your deck.

10. 10

    Step 10: Keep counting out the proper number of cards until you reach the last one.

Detailed Guide

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