10 Magic Tricks for Beginners

Have you ever seen someone perform a magic trick and you couldn't help but want to know how it was done? If you are just getting started into magic, these are the best 10 tricks for beginners in my opinion. You will amaze your friends and learn simple sleight of hand with these tricks. Some require small purchases, while others use everyday items.

#1) Dealing a Royal Flush: For this trick, you only need a deck of cards. There is a setup you have to do before the trick. You need to place the A, K, Q, J, and 10 of spades (or whatever suit you'd like) at the top of the deck. The trick: Deal 5 sets of 5 cards out. It is better to show a couple of the cards and explain what the values of them are just in case you have audience members who don't really know poker. After dealing the 5 sets of 5 cards, you will then have the cards for the royal flush at the bottom of each pile. Now, pick up the cards (keep them in order). The cards for the royal flush are placed at the 5^th, 10, 15, 20, and 25 positions in the deck. Once you deal them again, the cards for the royal flush will be in the same hand and you can show everyone that you did get the royal flush.

#2) Cutting to the four Aces - This is one of the easiest tricks to do. You ask the spectator to shuffle the cards and cut into 4 piles. Magically the aces appear on top of each of the piles. For the trick: First, place the aces on top of the deck. Then ask the spectator to cut into 4 piles (remember which pile has the aces). Tell the spectator to take one of the non-ace piles and take 3 cards from the top and move them to the bottom. Then, with the same pile, take another 3 cards and place one card on each of the remaining 3 piles. They will do the same thing with the other non-ace pile, and again with the last non-ace pile. Now, 3 cards are on top of the pile with the aces. Tell the spectator to do the same thing with the last pile (really, they are now placing the aces at the top of each pile). Now, have them turnover the top card of each pile, and they will be amazed. This trick is totally self working. Let them know before they turn the cards over, that you were nowhere near the deck and there was no way possible for you to manipulate it.

#3) Bite Out Quarter - this is a great trick you can purchase at any magic store. You have seen David Blaine and other magicians do it on TV I'm sure. You take a quarter or half dollar, place it in your mouth, and bit it. You have bitten out an entire section of the coin with your teeth. Then, you slowly blow at the coin, and the missing piece appears to be back in place. This is a great trick for anyone of any age. You can purchase the gimmick at any local magic shop or even online for about $15-25. Ask for "bite out coin."

#4) ABRACADABRA - you will take 21 cards and deal them into 3 columns with 7 cards per column. When you deal, deal 3 cards across the 1^st row, then the 2^nd, and so on until you have 7 cards in each column. You want to deal the cards on top of each other but you should be able to see which card is behind. You should be able to see all 21 cards at a glance. Ask your spectator to pick any of the cards and tell you which column it is in. Pick up one of the OTHER columns, then the one he chose, and then the last one. The column he chose should be in the middle. Now, deal the cards out exactly the same way as before, and tell your spectator to tell you which row the card is in again. Repeat the same process. Now, you have dealt the cards out 3 times. We now know where his card is. Pick up the cards, hold them face down (like you are going to deal them out) and ask your spectator to say the magic word. Spell out ABRACADABRA, and deal the cards out one by one. When you reach the last A, it will be his chosen card! This is an amazing self-working trick that requires very little practice and will amaze every time!

#5) String Magic Trick - Effect: magician rolls thread into a ball with fingers. The thread then goes into his mouth and he swallows it. He then has a pain in hi stomach, and pulls the thread out from his stomach. You will need 2 pieces of the same colored thread, and New Skin from your local pharmacy or drug store. First, paint a 1-2 inch square on your stomach with the New Skin. Once it dries, make a small pocket wit hit where you can place one piece of the thread in (be sure to leave a small piece of thread sticking out so you can grab it). Then, if the pocket doesn't look realistic, cover it with some skin-colored makeup. Now you are ready to do the trick. Bring out a piece of thread, roll it into a ball, and pretend to place in your mouth (you really keep between your thumb and index finger). Pretend to swallow the string (do not put it in your mouth - it is not safe). Now, pretend like you are in pain, lift up your shirt, and pull the string out of the pocket you made with the New Skin. Do this slowly and act as if it is painful as you are pulling it out. You can discard the other piece of string at this time since the focus is on your stomach. This trick is all about the presentation. Put on a good show and really act like it is painful as you pull out the string.

#6) Mind Reading Trick - Effect: magician writes something down on a notepad and doesn't allow spectators to see him. He then says that he can read minds. He asks spectator to think of a number between 1-100. The note pad is then shown with the same number the spectator though of. How to do the trick: This takes a little bit of preparation. You will make a gimmick. Tape a tiny piece of broken pencil lead to your thumb using extremely clear tape so that your audience cannot see it. The sticky side of the tape should be out so that you can take the lead to it. When you explain that you are making your prediction, do not actually write anything on the pad. Just pretend. Now, when you hide the front of the pad from the spectator, and your spectator says their number, simply use your thumb to write what they are saying. This trick relies totally on your performance. You really must act like you are concentrating and you are a mind-reader and the audience will believe it!

#7) Floating Ring Trick - make some extremely thick saltwater (VERY VERY THICK). Take a piece of thread and soak it in the saltwater for about an hour. Then, take the string out and let it dry. Ask someone to borrow a ring, tie it to the end of the thread and hold it like a pendulum. Now, light the string down by the other end. It will burn. The salt crystals will hold up a light ring. This is truly visible. It will look like the ring is floating!

#8) Ice Ice where did the water go - Effect: magician pours water in a cup, says the magic words, turns it upside down and ice pops out instead of the water. You need a glass you cannot see through, a sponge that fits inside your glass, and some ice cubes. Prepare: place the sponge in the cup at the bottom. Drop some ice cubes inside the cup on top of the sponge. The trick: Pour a small amount of water in the cup, say the magic words, turn the cup over, and out comes the ice cubes!

#9) Penny Prediction - Effect: a hat with 10 similar coins is passed around. Ask your spectators to examine the coins to confirm they are different (they have different dates. Ask one spectator to pick one, sign it, and pass it around to the rest of the audience to examine. Once finished, place back in the hat and the magician concentrates deeply. He is able to put his hand in the hat and grab the signed coin! There is no preparation needed for this trick. As the coin is passed around through the spectators to examine, it gets warmer. Once it is placed back in the hat, you can feel which one is warmer and you are able to pick out the signed coin!

#10) Static Cigarette - Effect: Place a cigarette on the table and explain that you have static electricity. Rub your arm to give the effect that you are creating static. Place your hand over the cigarette, and the it starts moving and follows your hand like a magnet. For the trick, you place the cigarette on the table. Rub your arm to create static, and blow a little bit in front of the cigarette to get it to roll away from you. Everyone will be concentrating on the cigarette and won't notice you blowing. If you want it to come toward you, cup your hand in front of the cigarette and it will come toward you. This is also a highly visible effect!

Bonus:

Spoon Bend: This is a classic trick that everyone should know how to do. You pick up any spoon, press down on it with your hands, and it magically appears that you are able to bend the spoon. As everyone looks amazed that you were able to bend the spoon, you raise the spoon up and it is just as you picked it up; unbent!

How to do it: You will need a spoon. Even though it looks like you were able to bend the spoon, you really didn't bend it. This trick is based on an illusion. The secret to the trick is all in the way you hold the spoon. Use both of your hands, pick up the spoon and press the down of the spoon (face up) down on the table. The top of the handle should not peek out over your thumbs. While you are pressing down on the spoon, slide the handle through your hands until it reaches the base of your hand, closest to the table. This gives the illusion of the spoon being bent. Once you are done, pick up the spoon and show that it is unbent.