The Pierced Card Although the effect of this trick when reading the explanation appears to be simple, it is nevertheless one of the most mysterious of modern card tricks. In the first place, the performer is securely blindfolded. A spectator then selects any card from the pack. After taking possession of it, the spectator replaces the card and shuffles the deck as much as is desired. The pack is then returned to the conjurer, who carelessly throws it on the table and spreads out the cards with both hands. A spectator is then asked for the loan of a penknife, which is opened and handed to the performer. The performer grasps it dagger-like, and circling with it above the cards, suddenly drives the point of the knife into one of them. Requesting the spectator who selected the card to name it, the performer turns up the knife with the card still adhering to it and shows it to be the one selected. The secret of this trick, which simply dumbfounds the spectators, is as usual simplicity itself. The conjurer is the one who folds the handkerchief to be placed over the eyes, taking care that the folds are not too wide. As a result, when the conjurer is blindfolded, it is still possible to see underneath it by glancing in a downward direction. The idea of the performer being able to see under the blindfold never seems to strike the spectators, whose only care is usually to select a handkerchief of a texture sufficiently close to render it opaque when folded. This having been done, the conjurer asks for the cards (which are handed over by someone else) and allows a spectator to select any card they wish, requesting the spectator to show the card to the rest of the company to avoid all possibilities of a mistake being made. While the spectator is doing so, the conjurer gives a sharp bend to the cards still held. Handing them to the spectator, the performer asks the spectator to replace the card and shuffle the pack thoroughly. No matter how much the pack is shuffled, the performer upon receiving it can easily discover the chosen card since it is the only straight one in the pack. The performer glances under the blindfold, while asking someone to furnish a knife. After the performer has located the card, it is brought to the top by means of a pass. The pack is then thrown on the table and immediately spread out thoroughly using both hands (taking care to keep the chosen card in view). The finish of the trick then proceeds as already described &endash; the conjurer impaling one of the cards, which is found to be the selected card. By slightly modifying the process, the effect of the trick can be greatly increased by having three cards chosen, then piercing and displaying them successively. For this purpose a somewhat different method is adopted. After the cards have been selected and are returned to the pack (which the conjurer holds), the conjurer makes the pass at a suitable moment and brings the cards to the top. After palming them off by means of the Buatier Palm, the conjurer allows the pack to be shuffled. Upon its return, the conjurer secretly replaces the palmed cards and spreads them on the table, arranging it so the three cards are not situated suspiciously near one another (but taking excellent care to remember their exact location, and the order they were selected in). The trick in this form requires considerable audacity and address on the part of the performer, who will certainly be amply repaid for the trouble in mastering the trick by the great impression its performance creates. 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.