Effect: You show your audience 5 playing cards that are spread in a line.  The audience member tries to place a paper clip on the goofy magician, but he keeps moving. 

Supplies: A special card that has 5 cards on it.  You also need a paper clip.

 

 

Performing the Trick (& The Secret): 

Tell the audience member to remember where the magic circus picture is. (The Ace of Hearts.)  

Then, turn the card over to show just the backs of the 5 cards.  Ask your volunteer to put the paper clip where he/she thinks it is.  They will stick the paper clip on the middle back card.

Then, when you turn the card back over, you’ll see that they placed the paper clip on one of the other cards.  How did they lose the ace?

Here’s how the secret works:

Both sides of the 5 cards are actually printed on the cards starting on different ends.  So, when they place the paper clip on the middle card which they think is the ace, on the other side of the card, it really is the XX, because that’s the card that you see the whole face of when it’s turned over. It’s really an optical illusion so it looks like the paper clip somehow moved to the XX.  It really stays in one place the whole time!  Shhhh, don’t tell your audience how the card works!

Take a bow!