How to Perform the "Here Then There" Card Trick

The magician shows the spectator a card, the Four of Clubs. He places it, face down, into her hand, and she sandwiches the card between both of her hands. He then shows her the next card, the Five of Hearts. He rubs the face down Five of Hearts over her sandwiched hands, but when he turns it over, they are shocked to discover it is now the Four of Clubs. The shock reaches its climax when she looks inside her sandwiched hands to discover the Five of Hearts. The cards miraculously switched places.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Two Decks of Playing Cards
• Ability to "Double Lift"

1. The setup for this card trick is crucial. For the purposes of these instructions, the cards used will be the Four of Clubs and Five of Hearts, abbreviated to 4C and 5H, respectively.
   
   The second deck of cards serves to provide a duplicate 4C. On the top of the deck, the top three cards should go: 4C, 5H, 4C. The rest of the deck does not matter. Only the top three will be used.
2. Ask the spectator to extend her hand. After she does so, DOUBLE LIFT (term for when a magician lifts two cards but presents it as one) the top two cards. She will be looking at the 5H, but you will actually be holding the 5H and 4C behind it.
3. Ask her to name the card she is looking at. When she does so, place both cards back on top of the deck and, while face down, place the top card onto her outstretched hand.
   
   She will think you placed the 5H onto her hand, when the 4C was actually placed.
4. Ask her to take her other hand and sandwich the face down card. Ask if she remembers what card she has. She will name the 5H. Tell her to press down as hard as she can so nobody can get into her hands.
5. While she sandwiches the card, DOUBLE LIFT the next two. She will be looking at the 4C, but you will have the 4C with the 5H that she thinks is in her hands.
   
   Ask her to name the card she sees. She will name 4C.
6. Tell her to watch. You place both cards back on top of the deck and, while face down, remove the top one. She will think it is the 4C when it is really the 5H.
   
   As she watches her hand, rub the 5H over her sandwiched hands. After a bit ask her "Did you feel that?"
7. She will respond in a confused manner, but upon turning the card over and revealing it to be the one she thought was in her hand, she will freak.
   
   Have her look at the card in her hands and she will discover it is the 4C. To an average spectator, it will appear that the cards have somehow switched places.

Tips & Warnings

• Because this trick involves a deck that cannot be shuffled beforehand, this should be done during a performance, not to start it off. Once the spectator has reached a comfort level with the performer, she will not question cheating as much.
• If you cannot "Double Lift", do not attempt this trick. It will only expose how it is done. The technique takes a little while to get down, but for any aspiring magician, it is a must.