Cross Cut Card Force

(A force is a way to force your audience member to take a specific card. You force them the card! But it will seem like a completely free choice)


The magician (that's you!) writes a prediction. The spectator cuts to a card. The magician's prediction matches the card!

Or you can force any card onto the spectator and then use your imagination to create your own incredible ending!


As you shuffle the deck, glimpse the bottom card. Set the deck down in front of the spectator. Write down the card you saw on the bottom as the prediction. Put it on the table far enough away from you so that no one will suspect that you switched predictions.

Tell the spectator to cut the deck in half. Have them set the top half next to the bottom half. Pick up the bottom half and place it on top of the top half, but rotated 90 degrees.

cross cut force learn magic tricks

Say that you are "marking the cut."

Now here is the hardest part. Look at them in the eye and wait for eye contact. You must get them to look away from the deck so they forget which pile is which. Point to the prediction to remind them that you predicted they cut to a card.

Time is on your side. You need to pause for a few moments, just long enough that they'll forget which pile was which.

To show them the card that they cut to (not really but they will think it is) pick up the top half (previously the bottom half) and turn it face up.

Take a step back. Point to that card. Say, "Okay, you selected the three of diamonds." Now turn to the spectator and have them pick up the prediction... and of course it matches!

Once you learn how to force a card on someone, there are all kinds of things you can do with the prediction. Place the prediction in a fortune cookie! Write it on a dollar bill in small print and give it to your friend in advance as change from some money you owed him. Put the name of the card on your friend's screensaver. The magicial possibilities really are endless when you can predict the future like this - even if it is you just using a simple way to force a card.

Although this magic trick will work on adults, this is a perfect kids magic trick.