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Get a Glimpse
Techniques for secretly finding the
identity of playing cards

Stuart Chalmers
18 April 2012

Stuart Chalmers Get a Glimpse

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Why Get a Glimpse

“The Glimpse is an underrated and underused technique in modern
card magic and that, after the force, is one of the best ways to
control a selection”
Juan Tamariz

The Glimpse is a generic term in card magic to secretly find the identity of a card
from a location in the deck. The glimpse is a powerful technique and has
applications in both card magic and mentalism. In card magic it can be used to gain
knowledge of a card so that the deck can then be safely shuffled by a spectator. It
can also be used as an insurance policy, in case later manipulations by the magician
go wrong they can later retrieve the card through a cull. In mentalism the glimpse
is such a quick technique it can give the audience the strong impression that the
mentalist has done no manipulation of the cards and is therefore genuinely reading
minds.
This set of notes is subdivided into sections depending on where the magician /
mentalist wants to glimpse the card: Top of Deck, Bottom of Deck and Middle of
Deck. At the end there are three of my favorite tricks which use a glimpse.

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Glimpse From the Top

Bubble Peek

This technique comes from the

gamblers table. The left thumb,
which rests against the left side of
the deck, pushes firmly to the
right, while the left middle finger
prevents the right side of teh card
from moving causing the card to
buckle

Sidejog Peek

This technique can be used to sight the

top and bottom card of the deck. The top
car is side jogged to right by a quarter of
an inch and then conduct an all round
square up.

Riffle Glimpse

Riffle up the back of the deck with the

right thumb, lifting the top card high
enough to sight the left index of the card

Stuart Chalmers Get a Glimpse


Glimpse from the Bottom
Card Cheats Bottom Peek
Left first finger pulls back on
front of bottom card, causing
bottom card to wrap around
bottom of deck. Move hand not
deck
All Round Square Up Glimpse
Use both hands to rotate deck
with the intention of squaring
the deck. As the deck spins angle
it up slightly to glimpse bottom
card
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Overhand Shuffle Glimpse
In the act of overhand shuffle get
sight of bottom card. Can then be
manipulated to top, bottom or
middle of deck as required.
Hindu Shuffle Key Card Glimpse
Whilst doing hindu shuffle get
spectator to say stop. Then square
cards in right hand by tapping
perpendicular to left hand cards.
This allows you to sight bottom
card and use it as a key card.
Get a Glimpse

The Middle - Get a Peek
The Peek is a key technique for getting a glimpse of a card, that a
spectator chooses from the middle of the deck.
Step 1 - Outline Process
Explain that if spectator named
a card they would choose a
common card such as Ace of
Spades or Queen of hearts. Hold
deck at bottom left corner and
how riffle from top right showing
any car can be picked.
Step 3 - Pinkie Break
Once spectator has seen card,
insert left pinkie into gap. Use
right hand to riffle outer edge of
deck to signify end of selection.
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Step 2 - Turn Away and riffle
Explain that you will turn away
so you can see card. Re-grip
cards so left pinkie at bottom
right of deck. Riffle and stop
when spectator asks
Step 4 - Get Glimpse
Basic technique is to take hold of
left edge of deck with right thumb
and first finger and use to lever
deck over much like turning a page
in a book. This will give a slight
separation of the deck at the break
(see photo). Square deck.
Get a Glimpse
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More From the Middle

One handed glimpse from the Peek

Rather than use two hands to turn

deck after spectator takes riffle
peek, the left pinkie can be used to
jog top half of deck to right as left
hand turns over. Spectator can be
asked to imagine card as magician
draws a box in the air with
forefingers. Sight card at end of
drawing imaginary box. This is my
favorite approach for mentalism.

Thumb Flesh Glimpse

A pinkie break is held below selection.

Use right hand to readjust deck and
transfer break to flesh on base of left
thumb. Turn left hand so thum is to top
and outstretch arm to point out
something. This allows sight of index of
selection

Dribble Key Card Glimpse

Dribble cards from right hand into left,

until spectator calls stop. Use right
forefinger to point to top card in left
hand packets, which will allow you to
sight bottom card of right hand packet.
This card will then be a key card for
selected card.

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Even More From the Middle

Bubble Peek - from middle

This is best used to get a key card

above a chosen card. Spread card
between hands faces towards
spectator. Ask spectator to say stop,
split deck at chosen card and take
bottom packet in left hand and bring
behind right hand cards, use left
thumb to buckle top card - allowing
sight of index.

Jim Swains The Ghost Peek

Variation of Card Cheats Bottom peak

but taken from middle of deck. Card can
be returned to a spread, so allows a more
free selection process than Peek. Works
best if peek taken if spectator on right
and magician turns to right to get deck
shuffled by another spectator.

Juan Tamariz TPC Peek

Peek developed by Juan Tamariz.

Selection needs to be side jogged to right
either through using Tamariz
Perpendicular Control (TPC) or a side-
jog. Left fingers bed down right side of
card allowing index to be sighted when
arms out stretched.

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McCree Mental Choice

This trick is heavily based on a lecture by Shaun Mcree, where

spectator freely choices a card. They then select any three cards and
the mentalist is able to use these three random selections to divine the
original chosen card. Cards are spread faces towards spectator and
they call stop on any card. The magician then takes a Bubble Peek from
middle of deck to get the key card. Deck is reassembled. The mentalist
asks the spectator to choose any three cards, but to be helpful he
demonstrates the process - see above photo. This allows the mentalist to
sight the selection which is the card to the left of the key card. The rest
of the effect is acting as the magicians uses the three cards to
determine the selection.

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Kuffs Drawing Duplication

This effect is from a lecture by Patrik Kuffs, and is my favorite

mental magic effect for table hopping. The effect uses a double blank
pack of playing cards. The magician draws a box and writes the
spectators name on one of the cards. The spectator is then asked to
secretly draw a picture in the box (see main photo). The magician then
spreads the deck so the spectator can return their drawing face down.
The magician then get the spectators drawing secretly to the bottom of
the deck either by a double undercut or my preference is to cull the
card to the bottom. The magician starts his drawing with the box and
writing his name below the box. The magician then raises the deck to
show his name to the spectator, which allows him to glimpse the
spectators drawing. The magician then removes his drawing to keep it
secret and places the rest of the deck on the table. The completed
drawing is set to one site. The magician then performs Partick Kuffs
Oops Pass, where he tries to pick up the deck from the table, but only
manages half, say ‘oops’ then pick up rest of deck and place this packet
on top neatly centering the spectators drawing in the deck. The deck
can be turned and spread to find spectators drawing. The magician can
then show how close the two drawing are. A tip is to add extra detail to
your drawing.
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Peekaboo Double Date

This effect is based on the Peekaboo principle from Dan and Dave
Buck. The effect was further developed by myself to allow a spectator
to magically determine two previously chosen cards. This effect
involves three spectators and probably works best for larger groups.
Spectator 1 chooses a card using the Peek (see steps 1-3 on page 5). The
selection is then secretly transferred to the bottom of the deck whilst
addressing Spectator 2, either using the Pass or a simple cut. Spectator
2 then chooses a card in the same way using the Peek, but also
completing step 4 to get a step in the cards. The cards are then reverse
fanned, which gives the impression of a blank deck other than the two
selections. This weird fan is then shown to spectator 3, who can then
stare at the fan and get a strong impression of only two cards.

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Bibliography
Giobbi, Roberto. “Card College” Volumes 1-5, Hermetic Press

Tamariz, Juan. “Mnemonica”, Hermetic Press

McCree, Shaun - Lecture Notes

Ortiz, Darwin “The Annotated Erdnase” - Mike Caveney Magic Works

Patrick Kuffs - Blackpool Lecture

Swain, Jim “Ghost Peek” http://www.vanishingincmagic.com/magic-downloads/

card-magic-downloads/ghost-peek/

Buck, Dan & Dave “Peekaboo” Genii November 2011

Stuart Chalmers Get a Glimpse