How to Do a Secret Shuffle Card Trick

One of the easiest card tricks is the secret shuffle. To do it successfully, however, the magician must put on an adequate performance of patter and mime. The trick is best performed only once, and quickly or the audience will learn its secret.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Deck of playing cards

1. Fan a deck of cards face down. Invite an audience member to choose two cards and memorize them without allowing you to see them.

2. Place the deck behind your back and pretend to shuffle them. Instead, turn the bottom card over and then turn the entire deck over.

3. Square the deck carefully and bring it from behind your back so the bottom card is on top. It will seem as though the entire deck is face-down instead of only the top card.

4. Instruct the audience member to place the two cards into the middle of the deck.

5. Place the deck behind your back and pretend to shuffle them. Again, turn the bottom card over and then turn the entire deck over.

6. Square the deck carefully and bring it from behind your back so the bottom card is on top. It will again seem as through the entire deck is face-down.

7. Fan the deck or place it on a table and spread the cards. The audience member's card will be the only ones turned face-up.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure there isn't an audience member behind your back to see how the trick is done.
• Take care to let the audience see only the top card after pretending to shuffle. They must not see that the rest of the cards are face up.
• Practice this trick until you know which way the cards are oriented while at your back. You must turn the correct cards over, and after turning the deck over, show it to the audience so the backs of the card shows.