How to Do the Three Card Prediction for Magicians

The three card prediction magic trick is a trick in which you predict which card your spectator will cut to in a deck of cards. In this trick, you will be using a card forcing technique where you will be forcing your spectator to choose the card you want them to choose without them knowing.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Deck of playing cards

1. Shuffle a regular pack of playing cards. Then, holding the cards up where only you can see them, peek at the top card. For example, let's say that it is a "4." Look through the deck and find the other three "4" cards and lay them face down on the table. Tell your spectator that you are predicting the card they are going to choose. Don't let them see what cards you pulled out.

2. Turn the deck so that it is face down and set it on the table. Instruct your spectator to pick up the top third portion of the deck, turn it over and place it on top of the deck. Next, tell your spectator to cut the deck a little deeper than they did the first time, and then turn that portion over and again place it on top of the rest of the deck.

3. Pick up the deck and fan out the cards until you get to the first face down card. This card will be the other "4" and of course will match the other three cards that you removed from the deck at the beginning of the trick.

4. Tell your spectator that you knew they were going to choose that card, which is why you took the other "4" cards out of the deck. With a flourish, turn over the other "4" cards, showing them how right you were.

Tips & Warnings

• The top card will be something different each time. Practice the trick a few times by yourself before performing it to someone else, making sure that you are peeking at that top card in such a way that they won't notice what you are doing.