No. 3. A Spectator Does It

After showing several changes you assert that the feat is an easy one and that anyone can do it. You ask a spectator if he would like to try.

You say you will pick out an easy card to change and, running through the cards with their faces toward you, you pick out a low red card. say the three of hearts, with a high black card behind it, for instance, the ten of spades. You being them to the bottom of the pack, the three being the face card.

Call attention to this card, the three of hearts, holding the pack in the left hand, face outwards, thumb on one side and fingers on the other. Take off the two bottom cards, as one, with the right hand, show them to the audience, then replace them, still as one, of course, on the bottom of the pack, but well over the side, as in Fig. No. 1. They are held on the bottom by the pressure of the left thumb, the tips of the second and third fingers rest on the back of the ten of spades.

You ask the spectator to hold out his left hand, palm upward and, apparently you place the three of hearts down on it. To do this you turn your left hand over above his hand and, as you lower it to place the card down, you pull the three of hearts back under the pack with your left thumb, and, with the tips of the second and third fingers, push off the card above it, the ten of spades. (Fig. 2).

At once drop the pack on top of the card now on the spectator's hand. Make him grip the deck with his right hand and rub the face card with his left. Assure him in all seriousness, that if, at the same time he mentally commands the three of hearts to change, it will do so. Then let him turn the pack over and show the change that has taken place. Gently take possession of the pack before he has time to recover from the surprise.

By the "Take or Leave" method, or simply by artful suggestion, you can force the card to which the card is to be changed. This will enhance the effect of the trick.