The World's Best Easy Card Trick

An illustration of hands doing a card trick

Illustration: The Spruce / Miguel Co

Project Overview
  • Total Time: 2 mins
  • Skill Level: Beginner

There are a lot of easy card tricks that you can learn, but this is one of the best and one of the easiest! It is a basic "find a card" magic trick that anyone can learn. There's no preparation required and you can use any deck of cards. It's an effect that is perfect for beginner and never fails to impress.

A spectator selects a card, and you find it. At its simplest, the spectator's card can be discovered on the top of the deck. Or you can use any "reveal" that you wish, from simply showing the spectator's selected card to the "rising card" effect.

Watch Now: Learn the World's Best Easy Card Trick

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • 1 standard deck of cards

Instructions

  1. Complete the Setup

    The setup for this trick is incredibly simple and holds the secret to pulling off this magic trick.

    Have a spectator shuffle the cards, and then hold the deck so it is facing the spectators and its back is towards you. Pull the second, third, and fourth cards out from the back of the deck so they are fanned out for the spectators to see above the deck.

    Allow the top card to remain in place in the back of the deck. This extra card is the secret! The spectators don't know it's there, so don't move your fingers or turn the deck.

    Step one of performing the trick
    Wayne Kawamoto
  2. Select a Card

    From the front of the deck, the spectators will see the face of one full card and a fan of the three cards you pulled from the deck on top. Now it's time for the magic to begin.

    • Display the cards. Remember, you are secretly holding an extra card behind the others that are fanned at the back of the deck.
    • Ask a spectator to select a card. Do this by saying "one, two, or three" while pointing to the individual fanned cards. More specifically:
    • The apparent first fanned card (which is really the second card in the deck) is designated "one." The apparent second fanned card (which is the third card) is designated "two." The apparent third fanned card (which is the fourth card) is designated "three."
    • Ask the spectator to remember their card based on the number. You then gather the cards on top of the deck, keeping the secret first card on top.
    Step two of performing the trick
    Wayne Kawamoto
  3. The Move

    Depending on the number that the spectator selected, you will take that many cards from the top of the deck, individually, and shove them into the middle of the deck.

    While counting, you will never show the card you're moving. Remember to do this with the deck facing down and not in the position it was in when the spectator selected a card.

    Here's the breakdown according to the number selected by the spectator:

    • If the spectator selected "one": You count "one" and, without showing it, take the top card and shove it into the middle of the deck, seemingly losing it. Move to the next step and "find" their card.
    • If the spectator selected "two": You count "one" and move the top card into the middle of the deck. Count "two" and move the next card into the middle of the deck. Move to the next step and "find" their card.
    • If the spectator selected "three": You count "one" and move the top card into the middle of the deck. Count "two" and move the next card into the middle of the deck. Count "three" and move the next card into the middle of the deck. Move to the next step and "find" their card.

    What the spectator doesn't know is that their selected card is now on the top of the deck.

    Step three of performing the trick
    Wayne Kawamoto
  4. Find the Card

    At this point, with the spectator's card on top of the deck, you can utter a magic word or wave your hand and show that their card has mysteriously risen to the top of the deck. Whatever reveal you choose, be dramatic!

    The final step of the trick
    Wayne Kawamoto