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Overview
Tricks are arranged in order of difficulty, with the simplest at the beginning of the book. Clearly written, easy-to-follow instructions and over 60 helpful diagrams take aspiring magicians through each step — from preparing and manipulating the cards to developing a line of patter (a necessary ingredient for any successful performance).
Newcomers to the art of performing card tricks need no special skills — just a willingness to practice — to accomplish such astonishing stunts as finding a card under seemingly impossible conditions, causing a card to rise mysteriously from the deck, reading the spectator's mind, and 27 other mind-boggling maneuvers.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780486152806 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Dover Publications |
| Publication date: | 07/24/2012 |
| Series: | Dover Magic Books |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 48 |
| File size: | 3 MB |
| Age Range: | 9 - 12 Years |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
Easy-to-Do Card Tricks for Children
By Karl Fulves, Joseph K. Schmidt
Dover Publications, Inc.
Copyright © 1989 Karl FulvesAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-486-15280-6
CHAPTER 1
Hands Off
The magician takes it easy in this trick. The spectator chooses a card, returns it to the deck and mixes the cards. Without ever touching the pack, the magician reveals the chosen card.
Method: Ask the spectator to remove eight cards from the top of the deck. Tell him to mix the eight cards and choose one.
After the spectator notes the chosen card, he replaces it on top of the deck. Then he places the remainder of the eight-card packet on the deck. At this point the chosen card is eighth from the top of the deck.
Have him cut off about a third of the deck. The exact number of cards is not important as long as the packet contains more than ten cards.
The spectator holds the cut-off packet in his hand. With his other hand he places the top card of the packet under the packet. Then he places the next card on the table.
He places the next card under the packet. Then he places the next card on top of the card that is on the table. He continues this way, dealing under-down-under-down, until all of the cards have been dealt down onto the heap on the table.
Ask him to spread the packet face up on the table. When you look at the faces of the cards, note the card that lies fourth from the face. It is shown by the arrow in the example of Figure 1. This is the chosen card.
Do not reveal it yet. Close your eyes, pretend to receive mystic vibrations from the deck, then reveal the color, suit and value of the chosen card. In the example of Figure 1 you would say, "Your card is red, a heart. Yes, I can see it clearly, the eight of hearts."
CHAPTER 2Infallible
Prediction tricks hint that the magician can see the future. To demonstrate this, the spectator mixes face-up and face-down cards together. Then he divides the cards into two heaps. Each heap contains some face-up cards and some face-down cards.
Taking one heap behind his back, the magician makes an adjustment so that the number of face-up cards in his heap correctly predicts the number of face-up cards in the spectator's heap.
Method: Remove any 20 cards from the deck. Place ten cards face down on the table. Turn the other ten cards face up. Mix the groups together. Make sure face-up cards and face-down cards are well mixed.
Hand the 20-card packet to the spectator. Ask him to mix the cards further. Make sure the spectator does not turn any cards over when he mixes them.
Have him deal ten cards off the top into a heap on the table. Turn your back while he does this. Take the remaining ten cards from him.
Place your ten-card packet under the table or behind the back. Say that you will try to predict the number of face-up cards the spectator has in his packet. With your cards out of sight, turn the packet over. Then bring it into view and place it on the table.
Have the spectator count the number of face-up cards in his packet. He might find six face-up cards. Then have him count the number of face-up cards in your packet. There will also be six face-up cards. You can point out as a bonus that the number of face-down cards also matches.
CHAPTER 3This Is It!
People are always impressed when you find a card under seemingly impossible conditions. In this routine you produce a card merely thought of by a spectator.
Any 16 cards are used. They are dealt face down into four heaps of four cards each. The cards are dealt one at a time from left to right. The spectator chooses any heap, turns it so he can see the faces and thinks of any one of the four cards.
The magician squares up two of the other heaps and places one on top of the other. Then the heap containing the thought-of card is placed face down on top. The remaining heap is placed on top of all, Figure 2.
Holding the 16-card packet face down, the magician deals the cards into four heaps as follows. The first card is dealt to the upper left, the second card below it, the third card below that and the fourth card below that. The fifth card is dealt on top of the first, the sixth card on top of the second and so on. The dealing sequence is shown by the numbers in Figure 3. All cards are dealt face down.
When all 16 cards have been dealt, turn each heap face up. Be careful not to disturb the order of the cards in each packet when you do so. Spread each packet so the faces of all cards are visible. Ask the spectator which heap contains his card.
When he points to a heap, take note of the second card from the right. In the example shown in Figure 4, that card is the [??] 5. This is the chosen card. Scoop up the packet, keeping the cards in order. Place the packet face down in the left hand.
Say, "This trick has a name. It's called, 'This is it!' I'll show you why."
Spell, "T-H-I-S," dealing one card for each letter from top to bottom of the packet. Then deal the next card face down onto the table.
Spell, "I-S," dealing one card for each letter from the top to the bottom of the packet. Then deal the next card face down onto the table.
Spell, "I-T," dealing one card for each letter from the top to the bottom of the packet. Deal the next card onto the table.
You will have one card left in your hand. Name the chosen card, that is, the card you noted in Figure 4. In this example you would say, "This is it, the five of hearts!" Turn over the card in hand to show you found the thought-of card.
CHAPTER 4Fingerprints
Playing the part of a detective, the magician asks a spectator to choose a card and bury it in the deck. Using the spectator's fingerprints, the magician quickly finds the chosen card.
Method: Tell the spectator that you will use the [??] 2 for this trick. Spread the deck face up on the table and remove the [??] 2. As you do, note the bottom card of the pack. In Figure 5 the bottom card is the [??] 3. This will be your key card.
Turn the deck face down and place it before the spectator. Ask him to press his thumb against the face of the [??] 2 so you will have his thumbprint on file.
After he has done this, ask him to lift off about a third of the deck and place it in his left hand, Figure 6. Then ask him to lift off another third of the deck and place it on top of the cards in his hand.
While you turn your back or look away, ask him to look at the top card of the packet in his hand. Tell him to press his thumb against the face of this card to leave a thumbprint. Then have him place the chosen card face down on top of the packet in his hand.
To bury his card, have him pick up the lower third of the deck (the portion on the table) and place it on top of the cards in his hand.
Take the deck from him and spread it face up from left to right on the table. Silently note the card to the right of the key card. In Figure 7 this is the [??] 10. The [??] 10 is the chosen card. Remember this card.
Spread cards about the table. Glance at the face of the two of hearts from time to time, as if comparing the spectator's thumbprint with prints you have spotted on other cards. Then pretend to notice the [??] 10 for the first time. Compare it to the [??] 2. Say, "The prints match. You must have chosen the ten of spades."
CHAPTER 5The Gambler
Gambling tricks always hold the audience's attention. After the spectator cuts the deck, the magician deals out two poker hands. The magician shows he got the winning hand; he dealt himself the four kings.
Method: Beforehand, place any four of a kind on top of the deck. We will use kings in this example. When ready to perform, place the deck on the table. Ask the spectator to cut off about half the pack. As he does, say, "I saw a show on television where a fellow dealt the winning hand. Let's see if I remember how he did it."
Have the spectator deal the cut-off portion into five heaps. He does this by dealing a card at a time from left to right. He continues dealing until he runs out of cards. Pick up the first packet by grasping it at the sides. Draw the top and bottom card off together as shown in Figure 8. Place the pair of cards together on the table. Put the remainder of the packet on top of the deck.
Pick up the next packet. Draw off the top and bottom card together as before. Place this pair on top of the first pair. Put the remainder of the packet on top of the deck.
Perform the same actions with each of the other two packets. When you finish, you will have a packet of ten cards on the table.
Deal out two poker hands by dealing a card to the spectator, one to yourself, one to the spectator, one to yourself, and so on until all ten cards have been dealt.
Turn up the spectator's hand. Say, "This is the way it looked on T.V. You got the start of a pretty good hand. The dealer gave himself a hand that was even better."
Turn up your hand to show the four kings.
CHAPTER 6Nerve
A shuffled deck is placed on the table. The magician reads the spectator's mind before he chooses a card. Then the spectator chooses a card. Immediately the magician names the card. Throughout the trick it appears as if the magician never touched the deck.
Method: This trick requires more nerve than anything else. It should be performed before one spectator. If any others are present they will catch on to the secret.
Have a spectator shuffle the deck and place it on the table. He can use his own cards.
Stand facing him. Place the first finger of each hand on the spectator's forehead, Figure 9. The fingers should be about an inch apart. Remark that you want to take a reading of the spectator's thought waves.
Say that you are picking up too much static. Take your hands away. Say it would be better if the spectator closed his eyes. When he does so, pretend to place your first fingers back on his forehead. Actually, you place the first and second fingers of the right hand there, Figure 10. To the spectator the situation will feel the same as in Figure 9.
Quickly and quietly spot the top card of the deck as shown in Figure 10. Then bring the hands to the sides and have the spectator open his eyes.
Ask him to note the top card of the deck. Tell him to remember the card, place it on top of the deck and give the deck a cut to bury the card. Touch your fingertips to his forehead and announce the name of the chosen card.
CHAPTER 7Bermuda Triangle
In this trick the magician evokes the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle to find a chosen card. The Bermuda Triangle is an area of the Atlantic Ocean where mysterious forces are said to exist.
Method: Have the spectator shuffle and cut the deck. Spread the deck on the table to show the audience that the cards are well mixed. As you do, remember the card third from the top. In Figure 11 this card is the [??] 5.
Scoop up the deck and place it face down on the table. Ask the spectator to cut it into three piles. Keep track of which pile is the top portion of the deck. Arrange the three piles in the shape of a triangle, Figure 12, A being the top portion of the deck.
Say, "This trick uses the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle. That's why the cards are placed in the shape of a triangle. We need to adjust the cards a little." Place a card from B onto C. Place a card from A onto B. Study the cards as if they are not quite right. Place two cards from C onto B. Then place one card from A onto C.
Say, "I can feel the power of the triangle." Point to A and have the spectator look at the top card. Ask him to concentrate on the card.
Place one hand on B and the other hand on C. Close your eyes. Say, "The three corners of the mental triangle are the color, suit and value of your card." The chosen card is the one you noted in Figure 11. Since it is the [??] 5 in this example, you would say, "I see red, heart, five. You must have chosen the five of hearts."
CHAPTER 8Antigravity
The magician causes a card to rise mysteriously from the deck. There are no gimmicks. Any deck may be used.
Method: Have a card chosen and placed on top of the deck. Hold the deck in the hand so the thumb is at one long edge and the fingers at the other. The correct grip is shown in Figure 13.
Extend the first finger of the right hand. Place it on the top edge of the deck. Slide the finger back and forth along the top edge of the cards. Say that this generates heat. Bring the first finger to rest at about the center of the top edge.
Secretly extend the little finger so it touches the back of the top card. The situation is shown in Figure 14. The audience cannot see the extended little finger because it is hidden by the deck.
Say, "When I rub the cards, it produces heat, and we all know that heat rises." Slowly move the right hand up about an inch. Because the little finger is in contact with the top card of the deck, the top card will slide upward as shown in Figure 14. From the audience's view, the top card seems to rise mysteriously from the deck.
When the card has risen about an inch, curl the little finger in toward the palm. Keep the top card in place with the left thumb and fingers. Use the extended first finger to push the top card flush with the deck again.
The trick can also be done as follows. Hold the deck as in Figure 13. Then drape a handkerchief over the deck, but be sure to leave a portion of the top card exposed as shown by the arrow in Figure 15.
Place the extended forefinger on top of the deck. Then extend the little finger so it touches the top card at the position shown by the arrow in Figure 15. Proceed from here with the handling as described above. The presence of the handkerchief seems to isolate the deck from the hand, making the trick that much more puzzling.
CHAPTER 9The Magic Spell
Using the [??] A through [??] 7, the magician spells out the cards in order. The spectator will find it difficult or impossible to duplicate the feat.
Method: Arrange the [??] A through [??] 7 as shown in Figure 16, with the [??] 2 on top of the packet, the [??] 3 next, and so on to the [??] 7 at the bottom.
Hold the packet face down in the left hand. Say to the audience, "Once I took a spelling test. This is how it turned out."
Spell "A-C-E" out loud. As you do, transfer a card from the top of the packet to the bottom for each letter. When you finish, say "Ace" and turn up the top card of the packet. It will be the ace. Place the ace face up on the table.
Spell "T-W-O" out loud, dealing one card at a time, one for each letter, from the top of the packet, to the bottom. When you finish, say "Two" and turn up the next card to reveal the two. Place the two on the table.
In the same way spell each of the remaining cards ("THREE," "FOUR," "FIVE,"SIX"). In each case deal a card from top to bottom for each letter you spell, turn up the next card and reveal the card you just spelled.
After spelling the ace through six, you will have one card remaining in the hand. Say, "And that leaves the seven." Turn up the last card to show the seven.
Say to the spectators, "Would you care to try it?" If they do not know the setup, the spectators will find it difficult to duplicate the feat.
CHAPTER 10Love Match
This is an unusual trick in which two picture cards change the way they look at one another. The [??] Q and [??] J are fastened together with paper clips, Figure 17. Another card is placed against them, Figure 18. The magician explains that the queen and jack had a lovers' quarrel and were not seeing eye to eye. As shown in Figure 18, the queen faces one way, the jack the opposite way.
The cards are covered a moment. When they are next shown, the jack and queen have patched things up. Now they are gazing into each other's eyes, Figure 19.
Method: Remove the [??] Q and the [??] J from the deck. Fasten them together with paper clips as shown in Figure 17. Place another card face down on top of them in the position shown in Figure 18. In this example, the third card is the [??] 7. The jack and queen should be facing away from one another. If not, turn them around end for end and place the facedown card against them.
Turn the three cards around side for side so they face the audience. The magician's view is shown in Figure 20. Point out that the jack and queen had a lovers' quarrel and were not seeing eye to eye.
Place the three cards behind the back or under the table. When they are concealed from the spectator's view, turn them around end for end, Figure 21. Then slide the third card (the [??] 7 in our example) downward to the position shown in Figure 22.
Hold up the three cards so the audience can see them. Point out that the jack and queen have made up. Now they face one another.
In some decks the [??] Q and [??] J have a different design and will not face properly to perform the trick. In this case you can usually find other picture cards in the deck that will work just as well.
CHAPTER 11Twenty-Twenty
Novelty tricks are a good change of pace. In this amusing routine the spectator cuts off a packet of cards and deals the packet into three heaps. He places the top card of each heap in his pocket. Using the X-ray vision of the [??] J, the magician reveals the value of each hidden card. Any borrowed deck may be used for this trick.
Method: When the borrowed deck is handed to you, hold the cards so you can see the faces. As you spread the cards looking for the [??] J, remember the values of the three cards at the bottom (or face) of the deck. In Figure 23 these cards are a 2, 9 and 5. Just remember them as 295.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Easy-to-Do Card Tricks for Children by Karl Fulves, Joseph K. Schmidt. Copyright © 1989 Karl Fulves. Excerpted by permission of Dover Publications, Inc..
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Hands OffInfallible
This Is It!
Fingerprints
The Gambler
Nerve
Bermuda Triangle
Antigravity
The Magic Spell
Love Match
Twenty-Twenty
Mind Over Matter
The Message Deck
Gambler's Dream
A Fortune
Lucky Seven
Dr. Q
The Joker Thinks
Crazy Colors
Astral Mind
Flyaway
The Secret
Surprise Reverse
Magnetic Fingers
Easy Aces
Atomic Aces
Levitation
Triple Mystery
Fast Find
Hidden Diamonds