How to Do Card Tricks
Learn the mechanics grip., Master the Biddle grip., Hold the deck in your hand., Move the bottom card toward yourself., Pull the second-from-bottom card out., Square the deck., Cover the deck with your right hand., Push the top card to the right...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Learn the mechanics grip.
This is the most basic grip you will need to know, and most tricks will require you to hold the deck in your hands using this grip.
It is essential for lifting and peeking, among other moves.
Grab the deck in your hand with your palm up.
Place your index finger and move it along the top edge, to the side opposite you.
Your middle, ring, and pinkie fingers should be on the side of the deck opposite you.
Your thumb holds the deck together on the side facing you.
The thumb itself will lie at an angle over the card deck, pointing toward your index finger. -
Step 2: Master the Biddle grip.
This grip can be used on a full deck, a smaller stack of cards, or on a single card.
You usually use it when transferring cards or revealing cards to the audience.
Hold the cards in your right hand using the mechanics grip.
Grab the top card in your right hand using your left hand.
The left thumb should be on the bottom side, or the short side facing you.
Your middle and ring fingers should be directly opposite of your thumb, on the top side of the card.
Your pinky finger can linger on the upper corner of the card, and your index finger is not needed. , Grab the deck in your hand using the mechanics grip.
When you grab the deck, the cards should be face up, allowing the audience to see.
Upon grabbing the deck, turn your entire hand over, causing the cards to be face down. , Carefully glide the bottom card down by a fraction.
Move the card toward you, not away.
Use your ring and pinky fingers to accomplish this.
Your index finger is too far away and your thumb needs to keep the deck steady.
The middle finger is also difficult to move without being caught by the audience. , Use your other hand to pull this card off the bottom of the deck and place it on the table.
If you turn the card face up so that the audience can see, this in itself can be a trick, since you can insist that the bottom card has changed.
Note that this technique can also be used as part of a larger trick since it allows you to keep track of the bottom card. , Use your pinky finger to straighten out the deck so that it looks as though the bottom card had never been altered.
This completes the technique. , All four fingers should cover the top edge of the deck and your thumb should be on the bottom of the deck, near the inside edge.
This is not a trick in itself, but the ability to palm a card is an essential element of many tricks and manipulations. , You will act as though you are grabbing the deck with your left hand.
The four fingers of your left hand will spread out across the back of the deck but the thumb should sneak in between your right hand and the cards.
With your thumb on the top card, glide or pivot the card around the middle finger on your right hand.
The outer corner will pivot outside the stack but will be hidden by your right hand. , Grab the deck of cards so that the left thumb releases its grip and causes the top card to rotate into the palm.
Position the left pinky finger so that it presses down on the outer right corner of the top card.
Lift the pack using your right hand, bringing it up the tips of your left thumb and fingers.
The left thumb will need to get out of the way, and as soon as it does, the top card will automatically slip into the palm of your right hand.
This completes the technique.
The card will be in your right palm and the deck will be supported by your left fingertips. , Typically, you would have an audience member select that card, and if you want to use this as a whole trick instead of merely a technique, having an audience member choose the card works best. , Split the deck into two halves and place the card you plan to control on the top of the bottom half.The card and the rest of the deck should be face down. , Hold the position of the selected card using the tip of your pinky finger.
Practice in front of a mirror so that you can determine whether or not your break is obvious.
The audience should not be able to tell that you have a finger placed on the card, nor should they be able to see the gap that results from slipping your pinky in between the deck.
This break is an essential part of the technique, though, since it will allow you to return to the selected card. , This is a simple way to reveal the selected card.
Cut the top part of the deck in half.
The top part consists of the entire portion above the selected card.
Cut the remaining top part off the deck.
You are cutting to the break, meaning that the new "top" card after the cut will be the selected card.
Reveal the selected card to complete the trick. , Transfer the break from your pinky to your thumb, and shuffle the cards to the break.
Transfer the deck of card from your right hand to the left.
Your thumb should be placed on the break and the rest of your fingers should be supporting the deck from the other side.
Use an over-hand shuffle to transfer the cards back into your right hand.
Keep the selected card (the card at the break) secured by your thumb, making sure that the cards above it are all shuffled first so that the selected card ends up on top after all the cards have been shuffled.
Reveal the selected card to complete the trick. , The bottom of the card should be roughly parallel and aligned to your pinky finger.
The thumb should be toward the bottom middle of the deck, and your remaining fingers should be supporting the back.
Flourishes play little role in the manipulation of cards, but they do serve a valuable purpose.
Well done flourishes can help misdirect the audience, and they can also keep the audience engaged and impressed before the trick itself even begins.
A fan flourish works well when you want to demonstrate to the audience that you are holding "a normal deck of cards."
Place your right thumb on the upper left corner of your deck, near the bottom of the deck.
Push this upper left corner to the right, gradually lifting your right thumb as you do so to bring fewer and fewer cards to the right as you move along.
Move the thumb in a slight arch so that the fan looks smooth.
Make sure that you have a firm grip on the bottom of the deck with your left hand, but make sure that there is room for the cards to glide around in between your fingers. , Bend the middle and index fingers of your left hand so that they are directly over the center of the top card beneath them. "Walk" the bottom cards up to the top using your ring fingers.
This takes a bit of practice to master.
You need to pull the bottom cards up by gripping onto the upper cards with your ring finger while simultaneously pushing down on the top cards with your index and middle fingers.
This move completes the technique. , The pinky finger should be on the top right corner and your thumb should be on the bottom left.
Your middle and ring fingers should be spread over the top of the deck.
Your index finger should be bent back and supporting the back of the deck.
Note that, as with other flourishes, dribbling the deck is not often used in card manipulation itself.
It is important in creating the right sort of ambiance, though, and it can help set your image as a master card magician. , Push the middle of the deck forward slightly with your index finger.
Pull the ends of the deck back using your thumb and pinky finger.
Meanwhile, move your left hand just below the deck in preparation of the dribbling cards.
Your two hands should not be held together.
Instead, they should be close enough to prevent the cards from flying everywhere but far enough so that the cards will have to travel in the air a bit before reaching your left hand. , Slowly move your thumb up along the side of the deck, riffling off or releasing one card at a time into your left hand.
Continue gliding your thumb up until all the cards have been released.
The stack in your left hand may not seem especially neat, but the cards should all be facing the same direction and in a pile.
Straighten the deck out when done.
This completes the technique. , Place the cards so that the stack is hidden by the length of your hand, and hold them in place using the inner top knuckles of your fingers and the base of your thumb joint.
Your thumb should be bent slightly inward in a gripping position so that the base of the thumb joint extends forward into the palm.
The thumb itself will not touch the cards at this point, however.
Only work with a small number of cards and not an entire deck.
A smaller number will be easier to hold and hide in your palm. , Push down on the edge of the top card to separate it from the rest of the stack.
Meanwhile, you should reposition your pinky finger so that it can come in between the top card and the rest of the stack while supporting the entire stack.
The tip of your ring finger will also need to grip the stack. , With your pinky finger separating the top card from the rest of the deck, ease your thumb to the innermost top corner of the card.
Pivot the card around this position to ease it above your hand.
The back of your hand should face your audience, so at this point, only this top card is visible. , You need to make it look like you snatched this card from nowhere, so move your hand forward as though you were grabbing hold of something in the air.
If you need a visual, think of the motion you might use to pick an apple from a tree.
You can continue grabbing cards from "thin air" until you exhaust your stack.
This will complete the trick. -
Step 3: Hold the deck in your hand.
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Step 4: Move the bottom card toward yourself.
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Step 5: Pull the second-from-bottom card out.
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Step 6: Square the deck.
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Step 7: Cover the deck with your right hand.
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Step 8: Push the top card to the right using your left thumb.
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Step 9: Lift the deck to the left fingertips while pushing the top card into your palm.
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Step 10: Select the card.
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Step 11: Cut the deck.
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Step 12: Do a finger break.
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Step 13: Do a double cut to bring the card back to the top.
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Step 14: Alternatively
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Step 15: shuffle to the break.
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Step 16: Hold the cards in your left hand.
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Step 17: Bevel and spread the cards with your right thumb.
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Step 18: Close the cards with your index and middle fingers.
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Step 19: Hold the cards with your right hand.
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Step 20: Bend the cards.
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Step 21: Riffle the cards off your thumb.
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Step 22: Hold a small number of cards in the palm of your hand.
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Step 23: Peel off the top card with your thumb.
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Step 24: Slide the top card up using your thumb.
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Step 25: Simultaneously lunge the hand forward in a grabbing motion.
Detailed Guide
This is the most basic grip you will need to know, and most tricks will require you to hold the deck in your hands using this grip.
It is essential for lifting and peeking, among other moves.
Grab the deck in your hand with your palm up.
Place your index finger and move it along the top edge, to the side opposite you.
Your middle, ring, and pinkie fingers should be on the side of the deck opposite you.
Your thumb holds the deck together on the side facing you.
The thumb itself will lie at an angle over the card deck, pointing toward your index finger.
This grip can be used on a full deck, a smaller stack of cards, or on a single card.
You usually use it when transferring cards or revealing cards to the audience.
Hold the cards in your right hand using the mechanics grip.
Grab the top card in your right hand using your left hand.
The left thumb should be on the bottom side, or the short side facing you.
Your middle and ring fingers should be directly opposite of your thumb, on the top side of the card.
Your pinky finger can linger on the upper corner of the card, and your index finger is not needed. , Grab the deck in your hand using the mechanics grip.
When you grab the deck, the cards should be face up, allowing the audience to see.
Upon grabbing the deck, turn your entire hand over, causing the cards to be face down. , Carefully glide the bottom card down by a fraction.
Move the card toward you, not away.
Use your ring and pinky fingers to accomplish this.
Your index finger is too far away and your thumb needs to keep the deck steady.
The middle finger is also difficult to move without being caught by the audience. , Use your other hand to pull this card off the bottom of the deck and place it on the table.
If you turn the card face up so that the audience can see, this in itself can be a trick, since you can insist that the bottom card has changed.
Note that this technique can also be used as part of a larger trick since it allows you to keep track of the bottom card. , Use your pinky finger to straighten out the deck so that it looks as though the bottom card had never been altered.
This completes the technique. , All four fingers should cover the top edge of the deck and your thumb should be on the bottom of the deck, near the inside edge.
This is not a trick in itself, but the ability to palm a card is an essential element of many tricks and manipulations. , You will act as though you are grabbing the deck with your left hand.
The four fingers of your left hand will spread out across the back of the deck but the thumb should sneak in between your right hand and the cards.
With your thumb on the top card, glide or pivot the card around the middle finger on your right hand.
The outer corner will pivot outside the stack but will be hidden by your right hand. , Grab the deck of cards so that the left thumb releases its grip and causes the top card to rotate into the palm.
Position the left pinky finger so that it presses down on the outer right corner of the top card.
Lift the pack using your right hand, bringing it up the tips of your left thumb and fingers.
The left thumb will need to get out of the way, and as soon as it does, the top card will automatically slip into the palm of your right hand.
This completes the technique.
The card will be in your right palm and the deck will be supported by your left fingertips. , Typically, you would have an audience member select that card, and if you want to use this as a whole trick instead of merely a technique, having an audience member choose the card works best. , Split the deck into two halves and place the card you plan to control on the top of the bottom half.The card and the rest of the deck should be face down. , Hold the position of the selected card using the tip of your pinky finger.
Practice in front of a mirror so that you can determine whether or not your break is obvious.
The audience should not be able to tell that you have a finger placed on the card, nor should they be able to see the gap that results from slipping your pinky in between the deck.
This break is an essential part of the technique, though, since it will allow you to return to the selected card. , This is a simple way to reveal the selected card.
Cut the top part of the deck in half.
The top part consists of the entire portion above the selected card.
Cut the remaining top part off the deck.
You are cutting to the break, meaning that the new "top" card after the cut will be the selected card.
Reveal the selected card to complete the trick. , Transfer the break from your pinky to your thumb, and shuffle the cards to the break.
Transfer the deck of card from your right hand to the left.
Your thumb should be placed on the break and the rest of your fingers should be supporting the deck from the other side.
Use an over-hand shuffle to transfer the cards back into your right hand.
Keep the selected card (the card at the break) secured by your thumb, making sure that the cards above it are all shuffled first so that the selected card ends up on top after all the cards have been shuffled.
Reveal the selected card to complete the trick. , The bottom of the card should be roughly parallel and aligned to your pinky finger.
The thumb should be toward the bottom middle of the deck, and your remaining fingers should be supporting the back.
Flourishes play little role in the manipulation of cards, but they do serve a valuable purpose.
Well done flourishes can help misdirect the audience, and they can also keep the audience engaged and impressed before the trick itself even begins.
A fan flourish works well when you want to demonstrate to the audience that you are holding "a normal deck of cards."
Place your right thumb on the upper left corner of your deck, near the bottom of the deck.
Push this upper left corner to the right, gradually lifting your right thumb as you do so to bring fewer and fewer cards to the right as you move along.
Move the thumb in a slight arch so that the fan looks smooth.
Make sure that you have a firm grip on the bottom of the deck with your left hand, but make sure that there is room for the cards to glide around in between your fingers. , Bend the middle and index fingers of your left hand so that they are directly over the center of the top card beneath them. "Walk" the bottom cards up to the top using your ring fingers.
This takes a bit of practice to master.
You need to pull the bottom cards up by gripping onto the upper cards with your ring finger while simultaneously pushing down on the top cards with your index and middle fingers.
This move completes the technique. , The pinky finger should be on the top right corner and your thumb should be on the bottom left.
Your middle and ring fingers should be spread over the top of the deck.
Your index finger should be bent back and supporting the back of the deck.
Note that, as with other flourishes, dribbling the deck is not often used in card manipulation itself.
It is important in creating the right sort of ambiance, though, and it can help set your image as a master card magician. , Push the middle of the deck forward slightly with your index finger.
Pull the ends of the deck back using your thumb and pinky finger.
Meanwhile, move your left hand just below the deck in preparation of the dribbling cards.
Your two hands should not be held together.
Instead, they should be close enough to prevent the cards from flying everywhere but far enough so that the cards will have to travel in the air a bit before reaching your left hand. , Slowly move your thumb up along the side of the deck, riffling off or releasing one card at a time into your left hand.
Continue gliding your thumb up until all the cards have been released.
The stack in your left hand may not seem especially neat, but the cards should all be facing the same direction and in a pile.
Straighten the deck out when done.
This completes the technique. , Place the cards so that the stack is hidden by the length of your hand, and hold them in place using the inner top knuckles of your fingers and the base of your thumb joint.
Your thumb should be bent slightly inward in a gripping position so that the base of the thumb joint extends forward into the palm.
The thumb itself will not touch the cards at this point, however.
Only work with a small number of cards and not an entire deck.
A smaller number will be easier to hold and hide in your palm. , Push down on the edge of the top card to separate it from the rest of the stack.
Meanwhile, you should reposition your pinky finger so that it can come in between the top card and the rest of the stack while supporting the entire stack.
The tip of your ring finger will also need to grip the stack. , With your pinky finger separating the top card from the rest of the deck, ease your thumb to the innermost top corner of the card.
Pivot the card around this position to ease it above your hand.
The back of your hand should face your audience, so at this point, only this top card is visible. , You need to make it look like you snatched this card from nowhere, so move your hand forward as though you were grabbing hold of something in the air.
If you need a visual, think of the motion you might use to pick an apple from a tree.
You can continue grabbing cards from "thin air" until you exhaust your stack.
This will complete the trick.
About the Author
Marilyn Perry
Marilyn Perry is an experienced writer with over 3 years of expertise in arts and creative design. Passionate about sharing practical knowledge, Marilyn creates easy-to-follow guides that help readers achieve their goals.
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