The Upside Down Card Trick

Requiring two sleight of hand moves and a bit of polish, this is a very simple, very stunning card trick.

The Effect
The magician fans a deck of cards and allows the spectator to choose one at random. After memorising the card, the spectator returns it to the deck and the magician shuffles the cards. Turning over the top card, the magician explains that the spectator’s card is not there, nor - as he turns over the deck - on the bottom, but lost within. Cutting the deck only once, the magician then spreads the cards to show that one card has been reversed in the deck- the spectator’s card, upside down.

The Secret
Keeping track of and then manipulating the card allows the magician to reverse it right under the nose of the spectator.

Materials
A regular deck of playing cards.

Preparation
No advance preparation is required.

Performing the Trick

The Upside Down Card Trick is one of the more simple effects that have the spectator’s card reversed in the deck, but because the sleights required are minor and can be done simply and quickly, the effect is much greater in the end.

1. The magician fans or spreads the deck of cards and allows the spectator to make a free choice.
2. After the card is chosen and memorised, the magician allows it to be put back into the deck and then brings it to the top using a preferred method; here is one way to do it:

3. Cut the deck and ask the spectator to place the chosen card on top of the bottom half of the deck. As the top of the deck is replaced, catch a break between the halves with the meat of the palm or the tip of the little finger.
4. Then cut the cards, bringing the chosen card to the top.

5. The magician then explains that the magic is going to happen very quickly, so it is important that the spectator pays close attention - while he is saying this, the magician should perform the double lift sleight, picking up the top two cards as one. Turning this packet over, the magician says “your card is not on the top of the deck…”
6. The packet is placed on top of the deck - still face up - and the deck is turned over. The magician continues, “and it is not on the bottom…” as he says this, the magician takes the card now closest to the ground - the indifferent card that was part of the packet - and pulls it out, pointing to the bottom of the deck with it. As he replaces the card from where he got it, the magician turns it over, so it will be face down and covering the chosen card, now the only card face up in the deck.
7. Turning the deck back right side up, the magician says, “watch now…all I need to do is cut the cards and the magic is done…” the magician cuts the cards and then spreads or fans them, showing one card face up - the chosen card.

Magical Tip

Before turning the deck right side up, the magician could fan the cards face up - meaning the chosen card is the only one face down. Then he would turn the fan over, revealing the card more dramatically.