#1 in Julian's
"NO SWEAT, MORE FUN"
mini card-course

Now before I tell you what this sneaky card sleight is, let me tell you why I am telling you about it. If you have read anything at Julian's Magician School before, you'll know that I write a lot about those dreaded nerves that ruin so many tricks. How nerves can even stop you ever performing a trick in front of anything except a mirror. And that nerves come from a lack of confidence ... and this lack of confidence is only fixed by getting up your performing time in front of people ... but how do you get that when you are too scared because your nerves have taken over. It's a vicious cycle.

As you know I promote entertaining tricks over difficult tricks. I have been toying with a trick for about a year now called the Frog Prince. It is a fantastic and hugely entertaining trick, just perfect for Magician School, except for one thing: it is very hard to do. So I started thinking what about if I stripped it down to the bare bones of the classic Frog Prince fairytale? The premise of that is a handsome prince has been turned into a frog by a witch and only a kiss from a princess will restore him to his former self. That is very easy to do using playing cards except for one move, in the fact the only move in my version of the trick. You essentially need to be able to do a smooth double lift or a flawless top change. Both of these are achievable with practise but it gets us back to the vicious cycle I was talking about. Hmmm? I need a way to force a card that is so easy to do, that your actions can remain natural looking to the audience as not to rouse any suspicion, all under the proviso that minimum card handling skills are required. That's a big ask.

So I started going through my old notes from old magic books. When I say old, I mean not two years old, but about 100 years old. These books - many of which were available free online at THE LEARNED PIG (which only last month shut down) - are full of terrific ideas. It quickly makes you realise that much of what comes onto the market today is simple reinventing the wheel. Anyway, I was searching for ways to change one card into another with the minimum of fuss. I found a note and pen drawing I had made but there was no name or reference from which book it was from. I don't know what this is called or which long-dead magician I should thank, but thank you anyway. I have searched quite extensively and found no reference to it so I have called it the Sneaky Card Sleight.

The sneaky card sleight is a beginner card force and a playing card switch that requires no technical handling skills. It works because it is very, well, sneaky. As you will find out, it has limited places where you could use it, and it doesn't negate the need to learn good utility sleights, but it goes perfectly with the Frog Prince Trick which requires you to give away a card with every performance. This sneaky card sleight requires you to alter one playing card too, but you re-use it forever. So you'll need to dedicate one pack of playing cards to the frog prince magic effect. If you have an old pack of playing cards then use it, or treat yourself to a new deck and use your current deck of cards for this sneaky card sleight. It is worth every cent you spend.

I mentioned earlier the concept of keeping your actions looking natural. If you haven't already got a copy of the book Strong Magic then you should. Your magic will improve by reading this book.

If you haven't already visited my NO SWEAT, ALL FUN Mini Card Course #1 then have a look and you will find 3 easy card sleights and 3 fun tricks that go with them. As always, card handling skills are kept to a minmum.

Find more card forces like this sneaky card sleight at Julian's Magician School