What you need: Two similar card decks and one card
with the same pattern but in another color. Let's say, you
have two red decks of cards and one card with the same pattern
on the back, but in blue. I will call this card the blue card.
Preparation: Take out of the two card decks two
similar cards (let's say the eight of spades). You put both
decks on the table, face down. Now you take the first deck,
put one eight of spades on top. On top of the other deck you
put the blue card. It looks like you have two different decks:
a blue one and a red one! You take the other eight of spades
and hide it somewhere. It's a lot of fun, when you can hide it
in your friends pocket or anywhere like this. Another thing
you need to have is a towel. When you have done the
preparation you are ready to perform:
Performing: You ask for a volunteer. When he steps
forward, you take the red deck with the eight on top and move
it under the towel. As soon as your hand is covered by the
towel, you turn the deck face up (the audience shouldn't
notice that). Now you ask the spectator to cut the deck which
is laying on your hand. He will lift the towel and a part of
the deck. You move your hand down and turn the deck again,
while it's still under the towel (it takes a little bit of
practice to do this fast and without the audience noticing
anything). Now you show the part of your deck and ask the
volunteer to take the card which is laying on top. Then you
put the rest of the deck under the towel, turn them face up
again, ask the spectator to put his cards back on top of
yours. Before you remove the towel, you turn the deck again
(it's facing down again). Now you ask your volunteer to show
the card which he has chosen to the audience. As soon as he
has done this, you tell him/her to put it back somewhere in
the deck. You can even offer him to shuffle the deck. When he
is ready you say a couple of magic words and tell the audience
that you have transmitted the card to another place and where
they will find the card. When the audience is looking at the
place (let's say in your friends pocket) you have to take
advantage of the moment and switch the blue card from the top
of the second deck on the top of the deck which you just have
used. The audience will be quite surprised, when they find the
right card at a total different place. To prove your magic
knowledge you can show the second deck of cards and let the
audience look for the eight of spades. They will not find
anything!
Watch out: this is not an easy trick and it needs to
be performed really well. There are a couple of spots where
the audience could catch up, when the trick is not prepared or
practiced enough. Please feel free to change the trick. You
can also just perform the part with the towel. It's a really
nice trick to force a volunteer to choose a certain card,
which you know in advance!
