When performing casually for friends and colleagues, you often can perform much more exciting and engaging methods. You know whom you’ll perform to, and you’ll likely know when and where. Casual performances allow for more casual routines. You can use your phone and random objects that are nearby.
If you like, you can lean into the casual setting and make a performance feel impromptu, made-up on the spot and unrehearsed. When in fact, it’s all a carefully choreographed dance routine.
The trick you’re about to read is based on one of the first magic tricks I ever learned.
I’ve taken the method and inflated it in such a way that lends itself to these casual performances. Every time you perform this trick, it will look and feel different. I think something about this fact makes it exciting to perform, and it also makes it more suited to those everyday performances.
Alarmed — Trick
You’re at work, and a colleague asks to see a trick.
So, you take out a deck of cards and shuffle them up.
Each of your colleagues will pick one card at random.
Let’s imagine there are three colleagues.
So, that’s three random cards selected.
It doesn’t matter if we all see the cards, so they can lay them face up.
In fact, we only need one card after all.
However, it’s up to them which card they choose.
All three of your colleagues must decide which one of the three they choose.
You mention that their choice of person, and their card, says a lot about the group.
This does nothing short of creating drama amongst your team.
They decide to go with Alex because she is the youngest of the bunch.
She chose the four of hearts — so the four of hearts it is!
You pause, intrigued by their decision.
You ask Alex if she noticed you placed your phone on the table before the trick.
She says she did but thought nothing of it.
“I actually made a prediction, you see,” you say.
They look around at each other, confused but somewhat engaged.
You continue, “but I didn’t want to forget about the prediction, so I set it as an alarm.”
Just like that, your phone alarm begins to blast out.
On the screen, visible to all, is the reminder attached to the alarm.
It reads, “Don’t forget to tell Alex that she chose the four of hearts.”
That’s it — that’s the trick.
The Method
This trick is not one for the working pros, but it’s perfect for casual settings, and you’ll be able to set it up and perform it right away. So, what’s the secret?
You’ll need to learn how to force three cards upon your spectators to do this trick. The easiest way to do this is a single cross-cut or riffle force. Deal out the top three cards at the point the spectator cut to or called stop at.
