How to Do Variations on the 21 Card Trick

The 21 card trick is a card trick that has different variations, which can help mix up your show a little, especially if you are a magician. In addition, the 21 card trick and its variations are self working, which means there aren't any complicated sleights of hand that you will have to know. Keep reading to learn different variations of the 21 card trick.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Deck of playing cards

Perform the 21 Card Trick

1. Take 21 cards from the deck and set the other 31 cards to the side. Shuffle the cards and separate them face down into three piles of seven cards each. You can even have your spectator do this step if you like.

2. Ask your spectator to choose a pile. Pick up that pile and fan it so that only your spectator can see the cards. Have them concentrate on one of the cards and remember it. Square the pile, and put it between the other two piles.

3. Deal the 21 cards into three piles again. You must deal one card onto the first pile, one card onto the second pile, one card onto the third pile, deal one card onto the first pile again and so on until you have dealt all 21 cards.

4. Hold up one pile at a time, fan it and hold it up so that your spectator can see it. Ask them to indicate whether or not their card it in that pile. Once you know which pile holds their card, place that pile between the other two piles again.

5. Repeat Steps 3 and 4. Hold the deck face down and count out 10 cards. The next card on the deck will be the card they chose.

Alternate Ending 1

6. Perform the trick as in Section 1, but finish the trick in a different way. Once you have reached the second part of Step 5, and you know that the eleventh card from the top is their card, you are ready.

7. Choose three cards from the deck, make sure that one of them is your spectator's card and that you know which card it is. Keep them face down next to each other and place them in front of the spectator.

8. Ask your spectator to point to two cards. If neither of the cards they pointed to is their card, simply take them both away and turn over their card. If one of the cards they pointed to is their card, take the third card away and ask them to point to one of the remaining cards. If they point to their card, simply turn it over. If they don't point to their card, then take that card way, leaving their chosen card, which you will now turn over. The goal here is to make it look like they have chosen their own card without looking at it.

Alternate Ending 2

9. Choose a magic word that has 10 letters, or a magic phrase with a combination of 10 letters. It's a good idea to have this ready before the trick.

10. Tell your spectator that you need help from the magic word or phrase. Then count off the top 10 cards while saying the 10 letters.

11. Turn over the next card, which is their card. The trick is now complete.