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Sleight of Hand With Cards PDF
Sleight of Hand With Cards PDF
In this volume, we are not going to assume that everyone knows every move in magic. We want to
encourage pure novices to be able to do any of the tricks in this book. To do that, knowledge of all moves is not
necessary. All moves that will be used for every trick will be explained. If you are an expert and are already
familiar with a sleight, then you can skip the explanation.
Card sleights can be fun. Sure it’s a lot of work, but the gratification of doing something that looks like
pure magic makes it worth it. In this first section we will be doing sleights that are easy and can be done right of
way. Then later on we will teach some more difficult sleights that is challenging, but important to do some real
good card tricks. No matter what level of sleight of hand you are learning, practice is important to make it natu-
ral because at first the handling will not be normal. Once you get use to it, then you will make it look natural.
There are some basic things that you need to know when learning sleight of hand. These are the essen-
tials to card magic. First you need to know how to hold the deck of cards to be used in sleight of hand. In the
left hand the deck is almost always held in what is known as the mechanics grip. See figure 1. In the right hand
it almost always held as in figure 2.
Fig. 1
Fig. 4
Thumb Break
The thumb break is done in the right hand only. Its purpose is to
hold the break when the deck is taken from the left hand so the left hand can
be used for something else.
Hold the deck in the pinky break position in the left hand. The right
hand approaches the deck palm facing down. Change the grip from the left
hand to the right hand. Make sure the fleshy pad of the thumb holds the
break open as in figure 5. Make sure that the deck is squared from all angles
expect of course your view from the rear.
Fig. 5
The Double Lift
Once you’ve learned how to hold a break, it’s time to know what to do with it. One of the most useful
sleight utilizing the break is the double lift. What you do is lift two cards as one, but to the audience all you are
doing is taking just one card.
You will use the double and sometimes the triple lift all of the time in card magic. Just be careful with
the triple lift because it is more difficult to show the cards as one. In the double lift, you want to make it look like
one flat card as much as possible.
There is many ways of doing the double lift, but we are going to start off with the basic way first, then get
into more complex versions.
2nd method: This method uses the pinky pulled down. Take off the top card and display it. You can use
the motivation that you are showing the face of the card or just using it to point with it. While you are doing
this, pinky pulled down the next card and get a pinky break. Then put the card back on top.
3rd method: Sometimes it’s not always possible to spread the cards to get ready. The second card may
be secretly face up or it might be a different color or so on. So you must change the get ready to accommodate
those situations.
The deck is in the left hand in the mechanics grip. The right hand covers the deck as in figure 6. With the
right thumb in the rear, riffle two cards. It is possible to just lift the two cards from this position, but we suggest
not to take the chance. The best way is to riffle them one card at a time until you get to the number of cards you
want as in figure 7. After you have riffled down the two cards, get your pinky in the break and hold it as shown
in figure 3. A pause is in order for misdirection purposes.
Fig. 7
Fig. 6
Bill Tarr;s Thumb Count is similar, but he doesn’t hesitate to do the lift. Instead of thumb counting from
the back, Tarr does it from the left inner corner of the deck. The motivation is that the right hand approaches
the deck for the reason of turning the card over. It is natural when peeling off anything light like a playing card,
some hesitation occurs.
The right thumb comes in contact with the inner left corner of deck. Notice in figure 8 that the upper
part of the first joint of the right thumb rests on the corner as the top card is being raised slightly. The bottom
part of the thumb tip does not touch the deck as of yet. It pivots down towards the corner of the deck and comes
in contact with the second card as shown in figure 9. Lift up the thumb higher so the second card rises up with
it. Pinch the two cards together forming one card. Lift both cards up as one. There should be very little hesita-
tion in this. Just a slight one. Then continue on to the lift explained later on in this section
3rd method: This method uses the pinky pulled down. Take off the top card and display it. You can use
the motivation that you are showing the face of the card or just using it to point with it. While you are doing
this, pinky pulled down the next card and get a pinky break. Then put the card back on top.
4th method: In their book, Expert Card Technique, Braue and Hugard describe a get ready method for
their lift. We will explain the get ready here then the lift under that section. Once again hold the deck in the
mechanics grip. Make sure that the left thumb lies flat against the left side of the deck. Don’t hold the deck quite
as deep as you normally do.
Make sure the middle finger is situated in the middle of the pack. With the middle finger, press down on
the right side of the deck to your left so it spreads out. See figure 11. The base of the thumb acts like a stop to it
as the cards from the inner left corner pushes against it.
The right hand approaches the deck from above. The fingers are placed at the outer end. The thumb at
the rear. Lightly square up the deck. As you do, with the right thumb and second finger, press slightly in at the
ends of the top cards and bend it upwards causing an arch as in figure 12.
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 16
Fig. 17
Fig. 18 Fig. 19
By bending the card in this manner keeps the two cards together. If you kept it like figure 18, there might
be a chance that the card might have a crimp in it and buckle revealing the two cards. After the card is shown,
return the card(s) to the top of the deck.
That is the basic way of doing. Even though from time to time you might do it this way, there are more
advance ways of doing the lift. One way is to grip the lower right corner of the two cards between your right
forefinger and thumb. Then lift it up to display it making sure that the cards don’t slip away and revealing the
two cards.
Bill Tarr’s Corner
Double Lift is similar to the
riffle, but done at the corner
of the deck. The get ready is Fig. 20
minimal in the sense that it is
done at the same time so that’s
why it’s explained here. In this
move you don’t actually riffle
the deck as in figure 20.
The right thumb comes
in contact with the lower left
corner of the deck. It lifts up
a single corner and stops as in figure 21. Then the thumb moves in slightly
resting against the corner of the next card. In figure 22 you can see the thumb rock inwards towards the deck.
Notice how the thumb resting against it. Then it lifts straight up taken the second card with it. (See figure 23.)
Fig. 24
Fig. 25
Fig. 26
Fig. 30
Stroke the right thumb at the back of this left hand cor-
ner as if you were trying to peal the top card off. Move the hand
forward without a card as if you missed. See figure 31. Then
moved the thumb forward a few times as if you are trying to get
the top card.
Fig. 31
Your left pinky pushes the lower
right corner over to the left injoggin it a bit
causing a step as in figure 32. At the same
time with the right forefinger and thumb
pinch the upper left corner of the card giv-
ing the illusion that you sliding the top card
off. Pull this double card forward. (See
figure 33).
Fig. 32
Fig. 33
Lightly press your right middle finger against the outer end of this
double card to prevent it from slipping. When the cards move all the way up
the deck, hinge it over towards you and place it on top getting a pinky break.
This time don’t hesitate. Slide the thumb forward and repeat the move to the
turn the card back over face up.
Dai Vernon describes his double lift in his Ambitious Card routine in Stars of Magic. After you get a
pinky break on the two cards then you can do the move or you can do Vernon’s get ready move. Make sure that
the deck is slightly convex by putting a slight crimp into it. Hold the deck as in figure 34 making sure that the
deck is held between the left fingertips and thumb.