Original Author: Unknown
 

Effect: The magician separates a regular deck of cards into 4 packets and shuffles these together. He (or she) cuts the deck into a row of 3 packets. He extracts from the center packet a black card and a red card, which he will use as color magnets. He places the red magnet on top of one end packet and the black magnet on top of the other end packet. After snapping his fingers, he shows that all the red cards have followed the red magnet and all the black cards have followed the black magnet. He then removes the magnets from the packets and places one on top of the center packet and one on the bottom. Once again he snaps his fingers and shows that the packet is divided into blacks and reds.

Preparation: The deck has to be divided into reds and blacks.

Method:

To give the audience the impression of mixing the cards, deal the prepared deck into 4 face-down packets. This reverses the order of reds and blacks but keeps the color separation. You can ask a spectator to do this. Riffle shuffle any two packets together, as precisely as you can. Do the same with the other 2 packets. Finally, riffle shuffle the 2 already shuffled packets together.

Now, cut one third from the top of the packet and place it to your left , cut another third from the bottom and place it at your right, and put the remaining cards in the middle. You've just cut one color to your right and one to your left. Now spread the central packet facing you and say that you're going to extract 2 magnets. What you really do is make sure that the packet is well separated into black and red, correcting any stray cards Then extract any two cards, one red and one black. Note which color is on the bottom of this packet, say black for this example. This tells you that the red packet is to your left and the black packet to your right.

Editor's note: You won't have to figure out the colors' positions if you always start with the same color on top and cut the cards as described.

Now, let's review. You have 3 face down packets in a row. The reds are to your left and the blacks to your right. Place the black magnet face up on top of the right face-down packet and do the same with the red magnet on the left packet. Snap your fingers and fan or ribbon spread the packet, showing that the colors have separated. Now, take the black magnet and place it face down on the bottom of the face-down center packet and place the red magnet face down on top of the same packet. Snap your fingers and fan or ribbon spread the packet, showing that the colors have separated. Take a bow.

[Return to Intermediate Card Trick Index]