The Biddle Card Trick Method

Sometimes we have real gold in our hands without even realising it.

This is the case with certain routines we learn early on in magic—only to later forget them or dismiss them as outdated.

The most famous example of this is undoubtedly the key card principle: a method still used today by some of the most influential creators in innovative ways to produce stronger, more modern effects.

However, there’s another effect—one that has inspired far fewer variations—yet it contains everything we could ever want from a piece of magic: spectator participation, visual moments, a vanish, and a visual reappearance.

One single routine combines all of these elements: the Biddle Trick.

We'll take a closer look at why this effect is perhaps even stronger than you remember—and then we’ll explore an original handling that will allow you to take this beginner’s routine and turn it into a genuine miracle.

The Biddle Trick

In the original version, a card is selected and lost in the deck. The performer announces that they’ll need a few attempts to find it, and removes a few cards—usually four or five. When the spectator confirms that their card is among those attempts, it vanishes, only to reappear face-up in the middle of the deck.

The effect itself is packed with magic, and for that reason alone, it’s far more modern than it might seem. That said, it also contains some weaker elements—or at least aspects that can be improved. Chief among them: performers rarely bother to justify why several “attempts” are needed instead of finding the card on the first try.

Another weak—or outdated—element lies in the very move that gave birth to the original trick: the Biddle count. The act of transferring cards one by one from hand to hand, holding the packet by the short edges, creates a sense of excessive control and stiffness. There are now smoother, freer ways to achieve the same result while modernising the handling.

Lastly, the visual and framing possibilities of the effect are often overlooked. The idea of a card vanishing lends itself to endless presentations—so why not be creative?

In the version below, the flame of a lighter becomes the trigger for the magic to unfold.

Performance

A spectator selects a card, and the deck is shuffled. The performer explains that since only the spectator has seen the card, they’re the only one capable of finding it. Since it’s their first time stepping into the magician’s shoes, they’ll be allowed a few attempts.

Without the performer touching the deck, the spectator cuts the deck to four cards—one of which might be theirs. After openly seeing the faces of the four cards, these are then isolated and held face down by the spectator. The performer takes a lighter from their pocket and, from a short distance, passes the flame beneath the cards. As this happens, the spectator confirms they saw their selection is among those four—incredible.

When the cards are turned over, the chosen card is gone—replaced by a completely blank card. On its face is a burn mark, an impossible trace of the fire that erased it.

Next, the spectator takes the deck in their own hands.

The performer lights the flame again and passes it close to the deck. When the spectator spreads the cards, they discover their selection facing the opposite direction in the middle—its back now scarred by a large, visible burn.

Preparation

This version offers several advantages.

As you’ll see from the method, it’s highly interactive and provides natural justifications for elements that are often left unmotivated.

You’ll need: a deck of cards; a lighter; a blank-faced card with the same back design as the deck. Red-backed decks work best, as the black scorch marks will stand out clearly.

Start by burning small marks on the face of the blank card. Hold it face-down (blank side toward the ground) and parallel to the floor. With your other hand, light the lighter and briefly move the flame near the surface. Don’t keep it there for more than an instant—otherwise it’ll burn through or mark the back.

The best approach is to bring the flame close and then pull it away several times, allowing small black marks to appear on the surface.

Always be careful when working with open flames, even something as small as a lighter. No trick is worth an injury.

Once you’re satisfied with the burns, let the card cool and place it under a heavy book for a few hours to flatten it (heat can warp the card slightly).

Now take a card that you want to force on the spectator and repeat the process, but this time burn marks on its back design instead.

Place both cards on the bottom of the deck—the force card on the very bottom and the blank card just above it. Put the deck back in its box—you’re ready to go.

Technically, both cards can be reused as often as you like. It’s up to you whether to give them away as souvenirs and use new ones next time. It takes less than 30 seconds to prepare two cards like this, so you could easily make enough in under five minutes to give away over twenty performances in under five minutes.