How to Do a Hot Shot Cut Card Trick

The hot shot cut card trick depends on speed and the use of a special method of cutting cards. The spectator is so impressed with the way the cards are cut that he or she doesn't notice how easily the deck is manipulated to produce a particular card.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

The Trick

1. Fan a deck of playing cards and ask a spectator to choose any card from the deck without letting you see the face of the card.

2. Ask the spectator to memorize the card and then hand it to you.

3. Place the card on the bottom of the deck.

4. Perform a controlled shuffle that keeps the specator's card at the bottom of the deck.

5. Perform the hot shot shuffle and push the spectator's card from the deck.

The Hot Shot Shuffle

6. Place the deck in your hand so the bottom card is lying against your palm and the deck is being held in place with index and middle fingers on the long sides.

7. Apply pressure with the back of your thumb to a corner of the deck and your index finger as a pivot to peel away the top half of the deck.

8. Pivot the top of the deck around your index finger until the two halves form a "V" shape. The bottom of the deck is held between your middle and index fingers and the top of the deck between your index finger and thumb.

9. Push the bottom of the deck over the top, sandwiching your index fingers between the two halves with the spectator's card lying on top of your index finger.

10. Use your index finger to pivot the spectator's card out of the deck as you remove it from between the halves of the deck. As you close the deck, use your middle finger to push against the spectator's card.

11. Watch as the spectator's card flies into the air. Catch the card in your other hand and show it to the spectator.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice this trick until you perfect it before performing it for an audience.
• If necessary, use your little finger to help control the cards as you perform the cut.