Do a 2 Card Monte Card Trick

This is a simple trick: the performer gives the spectator a heart (say it is an ace of hearts) face down between the thumb and index finger. The performer then gives the spectator a diamond (the ace of diamonds) on top of the other card. The spectator thinks that he has a heart and a diamond. The performer grabs the heart from the bottom of the spectator's fingers and says, "I'm teaching you the move right now in slow motion." He then does it in fast motion and pretends to switch the cards by shoving the heart card in and out fast between the thumb and index finger. The performer then puts the card back on top and says, "What do you bet, hearts on top or on the bottom?" When they make a choice and turn the cards over, they'll see that they are a club and a spade! How's it done? Read on.

Steps

  1. Put a heart, spade, and a diamond at the top of the deck. Make sure that you have the spade between the two and place this on top. Place a club on the bottom of the deck. For example, on top of the deck you have an ace of hearts first, queen of spades second and ace of diamonds third. The bottom card of the deck is the queen of clubs. Now you are ready!
  2. Start by lifting off the top card (ace of hearts) and say, "Remember hearts."
  3. Give this card to the spectator between his thumb and index finger (so it looks like he or she is pinching the card) face down.
  4. Do a double lift and show the ace of diamonds and say, "Diamond." (To give you some time to get a double lift ready, ask the spectator what card he has and to look at it to make sure it is ok.)
  5. Place the diamond with the queen behind it on top of the deck and give the spectator the queen which he thinks is the diamond. Place this on top of the ace of hearts. Say, "I will teach you the move in slow motion."
  6. Put the queen on top take the heart from underneath, and turn it around to show the spectator and say, "See, I have the heart."
  7. Shove the heart between the spectator's fingers fast. What you are trying to do here is make the spectator believe that you are switching the heart and the diamond. After you shove it in and out your hand goes to the top of the deck, releases the heart, and grabs the other queen from the bottom of the deck.
  8. Put the queen on top of the other queen in spectators hand and that is it. The most difficult part of this trick is the last switch. To make it easier, you have to keep on talking. While you are switching from the deck say, "Now, do you bet the heart is on the top or bottom?" You have to be quick and keep the spectator's eyes off of the deck. The spectator will then make a prediction but they are totally wrong!



Tips

  • Practice the double lift, the better you are at it, and the more you are at ease with it the better it looks, and the more flabbergasted the audience is.

Warnings

  • Have some dodges ready, like if he asks to check throughout the deck afterwards for the aces. Either palm the cards, by secretly picking the cards up with your hands so they disappear or give him an explanation why they are there, like, "obviously they teleported young chap"

Things You'll Need

  • A deck of cards, and some magical know how.

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