Easy Tricks
These are the tricks I’d hand to a friend who has never done a card trick in their life. None of them need sleight of hand. Most work with any borrowed deck, and the hardest part is usually remembering a card or keeping a straight face.
What makes them tick is almost always one of a few simple ideas: a card you peeked at on the bottom of the deck, a few cards secretly placed before you start, or a count that always ends in the same spot. The magic comes from the way you present it. A trick like The 3 Thieves or Kings Robbery is really a little story with cards as the actors, and the story does most of the fooling.
To practice, read a trick through once, then do it slowly at the table with the page open. Do it three or four times on your own before you show anyone. Say your lines out loud, too. It feels silly, but it’s how you find the bits where you stumble.
Good ones to start with are The Bottom Card, which teaches you the most useful secret in card magic, and Magic 21, a classic that works itself. Once these feel easy, the Self-Working Tricks and Impromptu Tricks are the natural next step.
- The 3 Thieves Easy — March 5, 2019
You tell a story of three thieves who break into a house and a detective who follows them. A spectator cuts the deck and finds a detective with each thief. - Slappers Easy — March 5, 2019
A spectator keeps a card in mind and the magician narrows the deck to just a few cards. Slapped from a fist one by one, the last card left is theirs. - Lucky Guess Easy — March 2, 2019
A spectator thinks of one card in three rows of seven, and only says which row it is in. After three deals you name the card they were thinking of. - Kings Robbery Easy — March 2, 2019
While telling a story of four King thieves splitting up to rob a store, the Kings are placed through the deck, then all four reappear together at the top. - Amazing Prediction Easy — March 2, 2019
Before any cards are selected the magician writes a prediction. After a series of free choices and deals, it matches the final result perfectly. - WOW 3x Easy — February 28, 2019
A chosen card is matched, found in a jacket pocket, and finally the entire deck is shown to be that card. Three surprises in one trick. - Find The Card The Easy Way Easy — January 15, 2019
Sixteen cards are dealt face up and a spectator mentally chooses one. Two questions about which column it is in let the magician find it. - Magic 21 Easy — December 15, 2018
A spectator picks a card from a pile of 21 and shuffles it in. After three rounds of dealing and pile-picking, their card is found, then revealed. - ESP Easy — December 7, 2018
A card is chosen from nine face down while your assistant is out. They return and tell which one was chosen, reading your thumb. - Telepathy Easy — December 1, 2018
A spectator’s card is returned at random, and then you count off a few cards and reveal the one they were thinking of. It looks like true telepathy. - Tricky Aces Easy — November 10, 2018
Four aces and four regular cards in two piles magically change places. An easy trick that teaches the basics of a card switch. - Easy Pick Easy — November 7, 2018
A friend keeps one card, the deck goes into its case, and the card is pushed back in. The magician turns away and finds the chosen card. - Switcheroo Easy — November 1, 2018
Two named cards are lost in the middle of the deck, yet they show up at the top and bottom. A fun and simple trick that relies on a quick setup. - Easy Eights Easy — October 7, 2018
Eight cards are laid out in the pattern of an eight. A spectator chooses one and the accomplice correctly names it with a bit of pointing. - Truth or Lie Easy — October 2, 2018
A spectator can lie or tell the truth about the number of their chosen card, and the card is found anyway by spelling out TRUTH and LIE. - Sneaky Aces Easy — October 1, 2018
A spectator cuts the deck into four piles, apparently at random, and each pile reveals an ace on top. Good for a quick and surprising finish. - Lucky 13 Easy — September 15, 2018
You shuffle a fresh deck to show it is mixed, then deal 13 piles. When turned over, every pile holds four matching cards, one of each suit. - Easy Card Find Easy — September 7, 2018
A spectator picks and memorizes a card. The magician goes behind his back with the deck, and moments later says what their card is. - Sim Sala Bim Easy — September 1, 2018
Three piles of seven cards are dealt out and a spectator chooses a card. After a few deals, spelling the magic words reveals the card, on the next card. - Amazing Prediction Easy — August 25, 2018
A spectator makes free choices of cards and counts, while the magician has already written a prediction. The final number matches it exactly. - King of the Hill Easy — August 15, 2018
The deck is split into four piles and a few cards are dealt around. Tapping each pile, you turn over the top cards and the four Kings have magically arrived. - The Motel Switch Easy — August 10, 2018
A motel is shown as a four of any suit, with the aces, kings, queens and jacks mixing in its four rooms. When the inspector arrives, each rank has been sorted. - Double Cross Easy — August 7, 2018
Thirteen cards in order are mixed by following a spectator's instructions to the letter. Strangely, the cards end up back in their original order. - Psychic Solution Easy — August 1, 2018
A spectator memorizes a card from one of three piles and puts it back, then you name its colour, suit and finally its number as if reading their mind. - Keith’s Trick Share Easy — July 15, 2018
A spectator picks a card from the piles while you are out of the room. When you return, you find it from a hidden signal given by your assistant. - Do It Yourself Discovery Easy — July 7, 2018
A spectator picks a card, returns it to their half of the deck, and then finds it themselves behind their back in a mysterious way. - Only Time Will Tell Easy — July 1, 2018
A spectator thinks of a suit and a time on a clock face of cards. After a random deal, they touch a card that matches both the suit and the time they imagined. - Kathy’s Prediction Easy — June 15, 2018
Cards are dealt into piles that add up to ten, and a volunteer selects three of them. You then predict the value of the top card on the final pile. - Impossible Card Location Easy — June 15, 2018
Three people memorize cards that are buried in piles, then you deal alternately face up and down, discarding piles until only the three chosen cards remain. - Deck Predictor Easy — June 7, 2018
After the deck is mixed, a spectator cuts it and looks at one card. The magician then uses mind-reading to tell them exactly what it was. - On Tap Easy — June 1, 2018
Nine cards are laid in a three-by-three grid and a spectator chooses one. Your assistant returns to the room and picks out the chosen card. - Predicta-pair Easy — May 11, 2018
Two freely chosen cards are named from nothing but a single number the spectator calls out. It is a self-working trick that uses simple arithmetic. - Cut To It Share Easy — May 7, 2018
A chosen card goes on top, the spectator cuts the deck, and an overhand shuffle follows. The magician then spreads the cards and finds it. - The Four 2’s Jive Easy — May 2, 2018
You and a spectator both hold half the deck behind your backs and swap cards. At the end, all four twos are found face up in the spread. - Mind Reader Easy — May 1, 2018
You secretly look at the top card, and a spectator makes a series of choices that appear free. They always end up choosing the very card you were looking at. - Amazing Reversed Court Card Easy — April 30, 2018
Four cards are lined up and one is turned end for end with the magician's back turned. He turns around and instantly spots the reversed card. - Haphazard Cards Easy — April 15, 2018
You turn over handfuls of cards until the deck looks hopelessly jumbled, face up and face down. One quick riffle shuffle and the cards are magically restored. - Hands off the Pack! Easy — April 15, 2018
A spectator selects a spot card, buries it by moving that many cards from the bottom to the top, and calls out cards as they deal. You then name their card. - The Lazy Magician Easy — April 10, 2018
While your back is turned, a spectator moves some cards around and you still find the card they saw. The method is a mathematical principle. - Count Down Easy — April 7, 2018
A spectator says stop when they think ten cards have dropped. They then remember a card, shuffle it into the deck, and the magician finds it. - Magicians Apprentice Easy — April 1, 2018
A young apprentice mimics your moves with the real deck while you use an imaginary one, and a spectator's card is found without you touching the cards. - Four Kingdoms Easy — March 15, 2018
A tale about a powerful wizard and four kingdoms is told with cards. After the spell, each ace, king, queen and jack is in its own kingdom again. - Four Islands Easy — March 15, 2018
A tale of four islands and a destructive hurricane mixes the court cards and aces, but they all return to their original islands in the end. - Four in a row Easy — March 15, 2018
The magician builds a small stack of cards with alternating sixes, adds it to the deck, and then three sixes appear from the top. - Chased Easy — March 7, 2018
The deck is arranged in a memorized order. When a spectator picks a card, a quick glance at the neighbor is all it takes to name theirs. - Reversa-Card Easy — March 2, 2018
A spectator’s chosen card is lost in a deck that is mixed behind their back. Yet the one card they reverse ends up next to it when you spread the deck. - A Magical Card Production Easy — March 1, 2018
A silk handkerchief is shown empty twice. On the second try, the magician pulls a whole deck of cards from behind it as an opening production. - Magic Riffle Easy — March 1, 2018
You riffle through the deck as a spectator says stop, then hold up the cut cards facing the audience without looking, and correctly name the stopped card. - 21 Find Your Card Easy — February 28, 2018
The spectator mentally selects one of 21 cards and only says which pile it is in. After three deals, the magician counts to the exact card. - Royal Hotel Easy — February 24, 2018
A five card becomes a hotel and the picture cards and aces become its guests. A short self-working story trick that ends with an unexpected arrangement. - 10 Cards Easy — February 18, 2018
A spectator memorizes a card at a secret position among ten shown. A short count and an alternating deal leave their card in their own hands. - Force Easy — February 15, 2018
A spectator seems to make free choices while rows of cards are removed one at a time. The last remaining card is the one the magician knew. - Flip Flop Cards Easy — February 15, 2018
The deck is split and one half is placed face to face with the other. At the command of the magician, the cards all turn to face the same way. - The Hotel Easy — February 10, 2018
A story about four girls at a hotel is acted out with the cards. A simple self-working trick with a funny ending that is great for beginners. - The Final 3 Easy — February 10, 2018
A spectator’s three cards are hidden in the deck. After repeated deals into two piles, only their three cards remain face down. - Back Flip Easy — February 7, 2018
A spectator's card is put back into the deck. The magician drops the deck on the table and their chosen card pops out face up. - 12345678910JQK Easy — February 6, 2018
A chosen card is buried in the deck and a list of numbers is written on paper. A series of eliminations magically reveals the spectator's card. - After Drinks Easy — February 5, 2018
A pair of cards are given to the audience and lost in the deck. The magician then tosses the deck aside and somehow picks out both cards. - Magic Flip Easy — February 1, 2018
A spectator picks a card and loses it in the deck. After a moment behind your back, their card is revealed as the only one that has flipped face up. - 9 Cards Easy — January 18, 2018
A spectator picks one of nine cards while one magician is away. When he returns, he names the card from the other magician's questions alone. - All The Aces Easy — January 15, 2018
Four piles are made and the spectator deals cards from one pile onto the others. Each pile's top card is then turned over and all are aces. - The Changing Ace Easy — January 13, 2018
You show three aces fanned out, then turn them over and have a spectator tap them. When they are turned back, the Ace of Diamonds has become the Ace of Hearts. - The Bottom Card Easy — January 10, 2018
You appear to guess the bottom card of the deck without looking at it, through a series of seemingly free choices by the audience. - 21 Finds Your Card Easy — January 8, 2018
Twenty-one cards are dealt into three columns and the spectator only names the column. After three rounds, the eleventh card is the one they chose. - Appearing Card Easy — January 7, 2018
A spectator's card is mixed into the deck and the magician deals three cards that are not theirs. The fourth one flips over to reveal it. - That’s Odd Easy — January 2, 2018
Ten cards are mixed and divided behind your back, but when the piles are shown each has the same number of face-up cards, all in one colour. - Magic Card Jump Easy — January 1, 2018
A spectator picks a card and shuffles it into the deck. You say it will be reversed, but when it is not, you pull the same card out of your pocket.
