Card magics revealed
Colour separation card magic trick
Here is another secret of card magics revealed for you. This quick, straightforward effect creates a strong impression on the minds of the spectators. For this reason you can include it in your programme, immediately after some more lengthy card trick.
EFFECT. From a shuffled pack a spectator hands the performer any four red cards and any four black cards. These cards are shuffled together by both the performer and the spectator. The performer places the packet behind his back and by the sense of touch alone, separates the red cards from the black.
METHOD. Ask someone to hand you any four red cards which you receive face up in your left hand in the dealing position. Now ask for four black cards and as these are being taken from the pack, take the red packet into your right hand, the right inner corner of the cards between the first and second fingers. By pressing down with the thumb, a slight downward bend is put into the corner of the cards.
Extend the left hand to receive the black cards then place them on top of the red cards in the right hand. Turn the packet face down so that the bend in the corner of the red cards is at the inner end, and give the packet a shuffle. Hand the packet to the spectator for shuffling, ensuring that it is taken so that, when shuffled, the bent corners will still be at the inner end where they will not be noticed.
After shuffling, take back the packet and hold it face down behind your back. Take each card separately and feel for a bent corner. If a straight card you bring it forward, face down, saying “That’s not a colour”, and place it to your right. If it has a bent comer you straighten it, then bring it forward, saying “That’s a colour”, and place it to your left.
Finally you will have a packet of four face down cards to your right and four to your left. Turn the packets over and spread them to show that you have separated the reds from the black. A trial will convince you that the trick is much more effective in performance than it appears in print. The fact that only a few cards are used prevents the repetition becoming boring. To the spectators it appears quite impossible for the performer to separate the cards by touch alone, but of course, this is the true explanation.
