How to Do a Double Lift in Magic

The double lift is a sleight-of-hand trick that's useful for a number of tricks. The magician appears to show the top card in the deck, but in fact, he has picked up the top 2 cards. When returned to the deck, the top card can then be shown, and it will seem as though a card has magically changed into another.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Deck of cards

Doing the Double-Lift

1. Place the deck in your hand face down, and riffle through it several times as if you were absent-mindedly playing with the deck while you talk to your audience.

2. Feel with your thumb as you riffle the deck until you detect that you have the top 2 cards separated from the deck.

3. Pick up the 2 cards with your thumb and fingers. Bow them outward to hide the fact that you have 2 cards in your hand. Show the bottom card of the 2 to your audience.

4. Return both cards to the top of the deck and begin your trick.

Performing Tricks

5. Remove the top card from the deck and place it on the table. Wave your hands over the card, chant a fake incantation, then turn the card over to reveal that it is not the same card you showed your audience.

6. Insert the top card into the middle of the deck. Wave your hands, tap the deck and turn over the top card, which will be the card you showed to your audience. It will seem as if the card shown had magically traveled back to the top of the deck. This is called the Magic Elevator trick.

7. Use the double-lift with a blue deck and a card from a red deck to perform the Red Hot Momma or Chicago Opener trick. The double lift hides the red card until you want to reveal it.