The Force When we talk about forcing, we are talking about compelling a person, without their knowledge, to draw particular cards out of the pack that we wish them to select. There is a certain and indefinable something about the force, in influencing the spectator's choice in an unnoticeable manner. This part of the sleight is practically impossible to explain, but will be readily understood and learned by the beginner after they have made a few experiments on the subject. After requesting the spectators to shuffle the pack thoroughly, the performer receives it back and quickly notices the bottom card. In the act of advancing toward the spectator, the performer makes the double-handed pass, bringing the bottom card to the middle of the pack. The performer immediately spreads the cards out in fan shape, and requests the spectator to select a card. Just as the spectator is about to take a card, the performer, who has in the meantime gradually passed the upper half of the cards from one hand into the other, arrives at the former bottom card which the performer has carefully kept track of. Exposing this card a trifle more than the others causes the spectator's choice, in nine times out of ten, to fall upon this particular card. The beginner is cautioned not to commit the usual mistake of exposing or offering the desired card at too early a stage of the force. At the moment that the spectator's fingers are about to close on a card, the desired card must be there and not sooner. In case the performer fails to force a particular card, the customary expedient is to request a person to retain the drawn card. The conjurer then goes to a more obliging person (ladies are the easiest to force cards on) and after forcing the desired card does the trick originally intended. After this is done, the performer then requests the first spectator to replace their card in the pack, which is then shuffled. The conjurer then performs with this card one of the many existing tricks with a chosen card. After a performer has thoroughly mastered the art of forcing, it is possible to try forcing a card while the pack is held by one hand only. The desired card in this case is the top card. In the act of advancing toward the spectator, the performer makes the Charlier Pass, thereby bringing the card from the top to the middle of the pack but allowing the two packets to form a step. The upper packet is then spread a little by the left thumb, but none of the cards are exposed nearly as much as the desired card, which is the top card of the lower heap. Upon requesting a spectator to kindly select a card, the latter's choice will most always fall upon the card that is exposed the most. Dependent upon this fact is a still bolder form of forcing, the cards in this case being placed on a tray held by the performer. In arranging the cards, the performer simply takes care to expose the card or cards intended to be forced more than any of the others. Home | Card Tricks | Card Trick Skills | The Pass | The Force | Changes False Shuffling | The Glimpse | Card Palm | Card Sleights Copyright © 2003-2006 HowToDoCardTricks.com. All rights reserved worldwide.   You can quickly get a copy of every trick on this web site in a downloadable PDF book. That's over 40 classic card tricks to amaze and astound your friends, all stored on your computer to refer to at any time! Just click the link below to get your own copy today for just $5.