Secret: You remember another card in the deck and place it near the spectator’s card. Later, when you want to find the spectator’s card, you simply look for your memorized card. Once you’ve identified the card, you can reveal it, or perform a magical effect such as the rising card. Magicians refer to the use of a card to track another as a “key card.” Materials: A deck of cards. Preparation: Before you perform the trick, look at and remember the bottom card of the deck. In this case, the bottom card is the nine of spades.
Card Magic Trick - Selecting a Card
Ask a spectator to select a card. In this case, the spectator has chosen the ace of spades. As you turn away so you don’t see the card, the spectator can show the card to others. At this point, you do not know the spectator’s card is the ace of spades. The card that is important to you is the nine of spades that’s still on the bottom of the deck.
Card Magic Trick - Have the Card Returned
Cut the deck and have the spectator return his card, the ace of spades, to the top part of the deck. Complete the cut and place the bottom card, the nine of spades, on top of the spectator’s card. This image shows an exposed view as if you were looking up from underneath the cards. As you can see, the nine of spades will soon go on top of the ace of spades. At this point, you still do not know the spectator’s card is the ace of spades.
Card Magic Trick - Setup the Deck
Complete the cut. The nine of spades is now on top of the spectator’s selected card, the ace of spades. At this point, you can have the spectator cut the deck several times, which won’t change the order. The key card remains next to the spectator’s selected card.
Card Magic Trick - Find the Card
Simply lift up the cards with the faces towards you and look for your memorized card, the nine of spades. When you find the nine of spades, the card underneath it will be the spectator’s card, in this case, the ace of spades. Note that if you find your card, the nine of spades on the bottom of the deck, the spectator’s card is now on top of the deck. The cutting separated the cards, which will occur occasionally, but because of the cards’ locations, you still can determine the spectator’s card.
Card Magic Trick - Bring the Card to the Top
Cut the spectator’s card to the top of the deck. If the spectator’s card is already on top of the deck as a result of the cutting, which will sometimes occur, you don’t need to do anything. Ask the spectator to name his card. Turn over the top card to reveal his card on top. Instead of simply revealing the card, you can perform The Rising Card.
