A Smoother, More Convincing Way To Perform “King Of Hearts”

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The “King of Hearts” card trick was the first effect produced by Dock Haley Gospel Magic. It is a Great trick and certainly one of the best witnessing tools ever created in the Gospel magic world. It requires no sleights at all and I’m not going to assign any to it either. But, there are a couple of little suggestions I’d like to make in the hope that your presentation of the trick may be even more convincing.

Let’s assume that you’ve loaded the King of Hearts into the flap between the two other cards. You then display the fan to your spectator and ask them what they see. You get them to agree that the King of Hearts is the center card. Then you lower the fan to the face-down position and invite the spectator to remove the center card – “but don’t look at it yet.”

First tip: With young children especially, be ready to put your other hand out and gently touch the back of the card in case you see them try to look at the card anyway. Young kids will automatically and quickly try to glimpse the face of the card. If they do it will diminish the climax of the effect with all of the other spectators. Be alert!

Let’s assume that the spectator has removed the center card, face-down, and is not looking at it. There you are, holding the other two cards, slightly spread in a small face-down fan, in your right hand. Here’s the best thing to do next…

Second tip: With your left hand reach over and take the fan from the right hand; left fingertips on top and left thumb underneath. Now the left hand turns the two cards face-up, end-for-end, as the left thumb simultaneously pushes the bottom card over a bit to the right. By the time the fan is face-up the two cards should be fanned as far as possible without revealing the flap attached to the gimmicked card. This method allows you to show more of the gimmicked card than by fanning the cards from the other end. Now, the left hand returns the fan to the face-down position and the right hand takes one of the cards while the left hand retains the other. Snap the two cards together a couple of times, square them again and slip them into your pocket. The illusion is that you have shown both sides of both cards.

All that remains is to ask your spectator, “What card was it that was in the center?” They say, “The King of Hearts,” and you say, “That’s right, the real King of Hearts. He’s the King of my heart; I hope He’s the King of yours.” Then invite the spectator to turn the card over.

by George Sprague

George has wonderful Downloadable Gospel Magic Effects featured in the Outlet Mall!