Advice For The Multiple-Out Method

Sometimes, magic has no method—or, to put it more accurately, no single method. Some of the most deceptive magic relies on multiple methods, adaptable to different scenarios.

This is the essence of multiple outs, a brilliant principle you’ve likely encountered before—perhaps in a trick that left you thoroughly fooled.

At their core, multiple outs involve various ways to conclude a trick, depending on what unfolds beforehand. The fooling element relies on your spectator being left unaware of the other possible conclusions they didn't get to see.

Imagine a performer with fifty-two pockets, each containing a different playing card. As long as they know which card is in which pocket, they can seemingly produce any thought-of card on demand.

A more practical and popular example is the Invisible Deck, which might be the most widely used (and overused) gimmicked deck in magic.

With it, the performer can reveal any named card as the only reversed card in the deck. No matter which card is named, a minor change in the method ensures the desired outcome.

Multiple outs can be either structured, like the Invisible Deck, or wildly varied. The Invisible Deck example contains every "out" within the deck itself, requiring only a minor adjustment during the reveal.

However, in other cases, each out can be located in entirely distinct places or be very different from each one. This might even mean adjusting the trick’s flow wholly based on audience choices.

Using multiple outs introduces an element of risk. The performer must be fully present, reacting in real time and steering the trick based on the audience’s decisions.

Sometimes, this changes the trick in small ways, like modifying a reveal, while other times, it can transform the entire performance—such as allowing the audience to choose which object the trick involves.

Executing multiple outs successfully demands a delicate balance. You must emphasize the audience's freedom of choice while subtly guiding them toward an outcome that matches your prepared outs.

This approach can enhance your presence and boost your confidence as a performer. Yet, much like timing forces, the unpredictability of multiple outs can intimidate many magicians.

A helpful strategy for effectively framing multiple outs is to make each out distinctly different in both placement and presentation.

Instead of hiding four different outcomes of a card trick in four pockets, for example, place one in a pocket, one in the card box, one in your wallet, and another as the lock screen on your phone.

This ensures that even if they were to check the other pockets, let's say, they wouldn't suspect the use of additional outs.

You can further improve this by combining methods.

For example, you could include a narrowing force. This would further dispel the potential use of multiple outs as, to the spectator's mind, you would need far more than four planned outcomes.

Framing isn't just about physical placement; timing plays a crucial role, too. Build momentum gradually toward the reveal. Avoid rushing to the pocket or prop too soon after the choice is made.

A slow, deliberate buildup conveys the impression that the outcome was not predetermined.

One of the most exciting aspects of multiple outs is that it offers the audience a rare moment of actual free choice.

From a method perspective, their decision dictates the trick’s direction. From a performance perspective, however, this opens up opportunities for deeper engagement.

Many magic tricks follow a rigid script where the performer drives the entire experience, leaving spectators as passive observers. While that approach can be effective, giving the audience more control can make the performance feel fresh and dynamic.

There’s a unique charm in starting a trick by telling your audience that what follows will be different every time—dictated entirely by their choices. This makes the performance feel more personal and authentic, even when that isn’t entirely true.

We can call these moments "Fake Multiple Outs." Here, you explicitly highlight the importance of the audience's decisions, giving them the illusion of influencing the routine when, in reality, they don’t. We've written about something similar called a dumb force in the past.

This presentational prompt, rooted in the principle of multiple outs, can increase audience participation and help performers become more comfortable with real multiple outs methods.

Try incorporating this into one of your routines.

At a key moment, offer the illusion of choice. For example, in a card trick, tell the spectator that each card represents a different trick, and depending on which one they select, the routine will change.

Although only one trick actually follows, framing it this way makes the performance feel more spontaneous and memorable.

Once you've experimented with this presentation, you can gradually introduce real multiple-outs into your repertoire.

Start with a simple approach: force a card on the spectator, but create a moment of apparent error by handing them two cards squared as one. Let them notice the mistake and playfully ask them to choose one and think of it.

As long as you force the corresponding position in the deck and have both cards memorized, you are technically giving them a free choice while still controlling the outcome.

Ensure the two cards differ in color—one red and one black. With this setup, you only need to determine the color by openly asking or taking a genuine guess.

From there, you'll reveal one of your two outs: perhaps a duplicate of the red card is in your pocket, while the black card’s duplicate is inside the card box.

This minor adjustment can elevate your routine significantly. The audience perceives the error as genuine, making you appear more human and relatable.

At the same time, the reveal becomes far more deceptive, as they believe they merely thought of a card—utterly unaware of how subtly you controlled their choices.