Card magic is one of the most popular types of magic tricks. It is a performance art that uses playing cards to entertain and amaze an audience. One of the most popular card magic tricks is called "spelling out the card." In this trick, the magician asks a participant to select a card from a deck, and then the magician spells out the name of the card, one letter at a time, as if they are searching for it in the deck. When they get to the last letter, they turn over the card they are holding, and it is the selected card. In this article, we will teach you how to perform this amazing card magic trick.
Preparing for the Trick
Before you can perform the "spelling out the card" trick, you need to prepare the deck of cards. First, you need to remove the jokers from the deck, as they are not needed for this trick. Then, you need to arrange the cards in a specific order. The order should be as follows:
- King of Hearts
- Ace of Diamonds
- King of Clubs
- Ace of Spades
- Queen of Hearts
- Jack of Diamonds
- Queen of Clubs
- Jack of Spades
- Ten of Hearts
- Nine of Diamonds
- Ten of Clubs
- Nine of Spades
- Eight of Hearts
- Seven of Diamonds
- Eight of Clubs
- Seven of Spades
- Six of Hearts
- Five of Diamonds
- Six of Clubs
- Five of Spades
- Four of Hearts
- Three of Diamonds
- Four of Clubs
- Three of Spades
- Two of Hearts
- Ace of Hearts
- Two of Diamonds
- King of Spades
- Queen of Diamonds
- Jack of Clubs
- Ten of Spades
- Nine of Hearts
- Eight of Diamonds
- Seven of Clubs
- Six of Spades
- Five of Hearts
- Four of Diamonds
- Three of Clubs
- Two of Spades
Once you have arranged the deck in this specific order, you are ready to perform the trick. It is important to note that you must memorize the order of the cards, as this is crucial to the success of the trick.
Performing the Trick
To perform the "spelling out the card" trick, you will need a participant from the audience. Ask the participant to select a card from the deck, but do not look at the card they have chosen. Once they have selected a card, take the deck from them and hold it in your hand.
Next, begin to spell out the name of the card, one letter at a time. For example, if the participant selected the Ace of Spades, you would spell out "A-C-E" while looking through the deck. As you spell out each letter, count the cards that you are passing over. For example, when you spell out "A-C-E," you will pass over three cards before you get to the Ace of Spades.
Once you have spelled out the name of the card and counted the number of cards you passed over, hold the deck face down in your hand and fan out the cards. Count the number of cards that match the number of letters in the name of the selected card. In our example, since we spelled out "A-C-E," we would count three cards. Take the third card and turn it over. It should be the selected card.
Tips for Success
The "spelling out the card" trick is a difficult trick to master, but with practice, you can become an expert at it. Here are some tips to help you succeed:
- Practice the order of the cards until you can recite them from memory.
- Make sure the participant selects a card that is in the deck. If they select a card that is not in the deck, the trick will not work.
- Speak slowly and clearly when spelling out the name of the card. This will help you avoid mistakes.
- Practice counting the cards as you spell out the name of the card. This will help you find the selected card more quickly.
- Make sure to fan out the cards evenly so that the selected card is not obvious.
Conclusion
The "spelling out the card" trick is a classic card magic trick that never fails to amaze an audience. With practice and dedication, you can master this trick and impress your friends and family with your amazing card magic skills. Remember to practice the order of the cards and to speak slowly and clearly when spelling out the name of the card. Good luck!