The Basics - Complete List of Sleights and Card Tricks

Below you'll find every sleight and magic trick included in The Basics.

The volumes are listed in order with each listing the sleights, followed by the tricks that can be performed with the moves learned.


Volume 1
Card Control

Dealer Grip Quickly learn how to handle the cards like a professional. You'll learn how to hold the cards for optimal performance. This lesson will give you confidence, knowing that you appear comfortable with a deck of cards in your hand.

Fanning Did you ever wonder how magicians manage to fan their cards out so perfectly with what seems like just a flip of the wrist? It's actually easy to do and it's going to make you look like a pro right away!

Getting a Break It's not what it sounds like. You're not taking a break yet, we're just getting started! What is it then? Well, we don't want to reveal that here but let's say that with this one bit of knowledge you'll be able to let someone else put their card in the middle of the deck and you'll know exactly where it is. It's like you have a sixth sense!

Quick Cut Control This is a to the point, pull no punches card control. Of all the ways to control a selected card in the deck, this is probably the easiest and most straightforward. Don't discredit it because it's easy to do. The Quick Cut Control is the card control Steve Fearson chose to use during most of his peformances for magicians. It's simplicity is exactly what makes it devestating.

False Shuffle 1 - The Slip Shuffle This false shuffle is the partner to the Quick Cut Control. This is an in the hands shuffle that looks 100% real.. they actually see the cards being mixed.. but you are never in danger of actually losing track of a card. You're going to feel like a riverboat gambler once you learn this one!

False Shuffle 2 - The Dovetail Shuffle Take a shuffle everyone does.. throw in a tiny bit of sleight of hand and what do you get? You get the most innocent false shuffle on the face of the planet. You will be able to do this the very first time you try it!

False Cut #1 - Straight Cut This is an open.. honest.. swindle! You seem to cut the cards so fairly. It looks like you cut the cards. It sounded like you cut the cards. But you didn't cut the cards!

False Cut #2 - Swing Cut Another great false cut that comes in handy when you're not near a table. Out on the street for instance. This one looks very casual. Deceptively casual. Both cuts in this volume keep the deck in it's original order. Not one single card is disturbed!

MAGIC TRICKS IN VOLUME ONE

Signed card in wallet A freely selected, signed card appears inside your wallet! The card really is a free selection and it is the same card that is found in your wallet at the end of the trick. The wallet is ordinary and is not gimmicked in any way. The deck can be borrowed. You do not need to know how to palm a card to perform this trick. All you need to know are the simple techniques you'll learn in this volume. This is a blockbuster of a trick. You won't believe how easy it is to perform!

The Magic Breath A card is selected and lost in the deck. You tell your spectator that magicians blow on the cards sometimes because they respond to magical breath. You have someone select a number and then blow on the deck to cause their card to travel to the selected number from the top. It doesn't seem to be working until you offer a breath mint to the spectator. That seems to do the trick. Now when you ask them to count through the cards to any number of their choice, their selected card is found at the exact position they stop!

The Card Shark A card is named and.. BAM! You cut right to it! This is as direct as it gets. As a magician, this is exactly the type of thing people expect you to be able to do. And now you can. This is a quickie that commands respect, and gets their attention.

Volume 2
Forcing Cards

Criss Cross Force Magicians call this force "The old standby". It's useful in most any situation where you're looking for that special someone.. to pick that special card. It's hard to call it a sleight because you barely even touch the cards.

Cut Deeper Force This force is so easy and soooo convincing you'll find yourself using it all the time. You'll fool yourself with it, it's that good! You'll be able to do this very popular force immediately after reading the description.

Riffle Force This move is bold and it takes balls to pull it off. It's not physically difficult to perform or understand. The mechanics of it are actually very simple. It just takes a strong will to pull it off without giggling. It's that bold.

Countdown Force You ask someone to name a number between 1 and 20. You let them count down to that number in the pack and remember the card at that number. You already know what the card is though because the card is your force card! This is super strong because it happens in their hands!

Classic Force The Classic Force is the purest of all the forces! This move is a little more advanced than the other moves but if you take the time to learn it, people will believe you are a true mystic. Because when you perform a Classic force correctly it seems like you really do have an unseen force working in your favor. You won't have to learn this move to do any of the tricks in this volume. It's been included as a bonus, or a goal to shoot for. Good luck!

MAGIC TRICKS IN VOLUME TWO

Simple Mind Reading You're getting something.. it's.. it's.... it's..... the name of their card! Magic doesn't get any more direct than this. Just when they're wondering what's going to happen.. you say it. And their jaws drop.

Ashes on Arm The identity of a selected card unknown to you is magically revealed in ashes rubbed on your arm! This is a classic of magic which was performed on television recently. It has stood the test of time and so will the impression you make on your audience when you perform this terific effect.

Sealed Envelope Prediction A sealed envelope contains a single piece of paper, on which is written the name of a freely selected card! Kreskin, watch out! You've got some competition. After this one they'll think you can talk to dead people.

The Royal Flush You fold a selected card up in a small packet and then you do the strangest thing.. you flush it down the toilet with an Aloha, which means both hello and goodbye. So what happens next? Let's just say that you do get the chance to say Aloha to the card again. And when you do it's in a very surprising, and funny place. And it's not in Hawaii.

Volume 3
The Double Lift

The Double Lift The double lift is probably the most important move in card magic. It is the most useful and can be the most devestating. It can produce effects that look like real magic. Cards magically change places or mutate into other cards. The double lift makes cards come alive. This is a move that is easy to learn but challenging to master. Don't worry, you will be able to use this move after just a few minutes of practice but it is something you will continue to study and refine for as long as you do card magic. The number of effects that can be performed with this one move is virtually endless. It is the axis on which most of card magic revolves.

The Block Pushoff Like a genetically altered version of the double lift. Or maybe a double lift on steroids. It's an enhanced version that is only appropriate in certain situations. You wouldn't use an Elephant gun to hunt Rabbits right? Well it's the same thing with this move. You will only need it in a certain situation, but when that situation comes up.. you'll be really glad you had it ready. And to make sure that situation comes up, we've included a really great trick that uses it!

The Spread Break This little tip is a gem. There is a philosophy in magic regarding conservation of motion. The basic idea is that you want as little extraneous motion during your sleights as possible. If you're not sure what that means, you will after you combine the Spread Break with your Double Lift.

MAGIC TRICKS IN VOLUME 3

Card Mutation You display a card and place it on someone's outstretched hand. As you set it on their palm, you announce the name of the card incorrectly. When the spectator points out your mistake you snap your fingers over the card and let them turn it over. They are shocked to find that the card has magically changed into the card that you named! Warning: This trick gets extremely strong reactions and should not be done by anyone with sensitive hearing because there is going to be a lot of screaming.

Ambitious Card A card is inserted into the center of the deck and with a snap of your fingers it magically rises to the top! You may recognize this trick as it is very popular with magicians. If you've ever wondered how they do it, now you can do it too.

Signed Cards Change Places Two cards are selected and signed. One by the spectator and one by you, the magician. The spectator's card is lost in the deck and your card is placed into your pocket. You tell the spectator to spread through the deck to find their card and they find one card face down in the spread. That card turns out not to be their card at all. In fact it is your signed card. If you stopped at this point it would be enough. But instead you let them reach into your otherwise empty pocket and remove the card inside, which of course turns out to be their signed card. The two signed cards have apparently changed places. This one is an absolute killer!

#1 Stunner Aces The black Aces prove they're still the biggest pimps in the deck by changing places with the red aces right on some girl's hand and she don't even know what's up. This is one they'll talk about for a long time after you've gone.

And remember.. As a bonus each volume contains a "Pro Tip" from Steve Fearson, a piece of advanced knowledge. Not necessarily anything difficult, just a tip you couldn't get any other way except from a professional with years of experience.

 

"This series will really make you feel like you have the power. And you will have the power. The power to fry the brains of other humans with just a deck of playing cards." - Steve Fearson -

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