The Top Change With the pack in the left hand, the card to be changed is held face downward between the thumb and first finger of the right hand, the thumb lying loosely across the back of the cards and the finger being stationed at the bottom of the pack (which of course is also held face downwards). Just a moment previous to the change, the thumb of the left hand secretly pushes the top card of the pack over towards the right, thereby causing it to project over a trifle beyond the rest of the cards. The hands are then brought together for an instant only. The top card of the pack is quickly seized by the first and second fingers of the right hand (Fig. 11), which is immediately withdrawn leaving the card it formerly contained on the top of the pack (being retained there by the thumb). Fig 11 The act of bringing the two hands together is generally disguised by some appropriate gesture by the performer, who after successfully executing the sleight, usually rubs the card on the sleeve or requests some spectator to breathe upon it, then showing that the card has changed into another. This change, if carefully done, is practically impossible to detect. It is one of the most useful of sleights and for this reason ought to be practiced until the beginner is thoroughly proficient in it. 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.