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False cutting cards is a trick that you can use to make it look like you shuffled or cut a deck of cards without actually changing the order of the cards. This technique is useful if you're performing card tricks and is something that all amateur magicians should learn. With time and practice, you can learn how to do a simple false cut, a false triple cut, or a false cut on a table and trick people into thinking that you shuffled the deck.
Steps
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Strip off the bottom half of the deck. Hold the deck in your dominant hand. Use your index finger and thumb to cut the cards in half. Slide one-half of the deck under the other half of the deck and put it in your other hand. You should have half of the deck in each hand. [1] X Research source
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Square the two halves of the deck and tap them together. Put the two halves of the deck perpendicular to one another and tap the edges of the decks together. This move is intended to throw off anyone watching you shuffle the deck.Advertisement
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Rotate the bottom half of the deck over the top half of the cards. While still holding the bottom half of the cards, spin your hand in a circle so the bottom half of the deck does a full 180-degree motion around the top half of the deck. This will look like you made a circle around half of the deck with the other half of the deck. [2] X Research source
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Slap the bottom half of the deck onto a table. Now throw the bottom of the deck onto the table. Even though it's always been the bottom side of the deck, an untrained eye will become confused and think that you threw down the top half of the deck first because of what you did in the last step.
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Put the top half of the deck over the bottom half of the cards. Now you'll complete the illusion by slapping the top half of the cards over the bottom half of the cards. The cards are now in the exact same order, but people will think that you cut them.
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Hold the deck in one hand. The position that you need to hold your deck is called the Biddle grip. This is when you hold the cards with one hand, with your thumb on the edge of the deck facing you, and your ring and middle fingers on the opposite side of the deck. Your index finger will be used manipulate the cards, and your hand should be positioned like a claw, with your index finger resting on the top card of the deck.
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Cut 1/3 of the top of the deck with your index finger. Apply pressure on the edge of the cards with your index finger and lift so that 1/3 of the deck gets cut. Slightly move this portion of the deck to the side to separate the portions of cards from the main deck. This action is also known as a swing cut. [3] X Research source
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Put 1/3 of the deck into your other hand. After you cut the deck with your index finger, slide the cards across so that they end up in your other hand. The cards should be facing down, and the palm on your other hand should be facing up. You should now have one deck of cards with 2/3 of the cards in it and one deck of cards with 1/3 of the cards in it. [4] X Research source
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Split the main deck in two. Using another swing cut, split the larger portion of cards into two equal and separate decks using your index finger. Keep them in your one hand, but use your index and middle fingers to keep them separated. [5] X Research source
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Transfer the smaller deck to the bottom of your main deck. With the 2/3 deck still split in half, transfer the smaller deck to your other hand and hold this deck with your ring finger and thumb. While doing this, make sure that all the decks are still detached from one another. Do not mix the cards completely or you'll lose track of your deck. You should now have 3 separate portions of your deck separated by your fingers. [6] X Research source
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Pull out the middle portion of the deck with your other hand. Now, with your other hand, pull out the middle portion of the deck. Continue to keep the bottom and top portion of the main deck separated with your fingers.
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Swivel the top half of the deck onto the top of the middle portion. In order to give the illusion that you're cutting the deck, you'll have to use a swivel move. To swivel the top portion of cards, use your index finger to push on the corner edge of the main deck so that it rotates at a 90 degree angle. As it's sliding, put it over the cards in your other hand. If done correctly, this should happen in one smooth motion. [7] X Research source
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Place the last portion of the deck on top of your cards. Now, it will appear that you cut the deck several times and shuffled the cards, but the cards will actually still all be in order that you began with.
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Grab onto the cards using a Biddle grip. Using your dominant hand, grip onto the deck of cards. Your thumb, middle, and ring finger should be holding the deck by its edges.
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Use your other hand to cut out a middle portion of the deck. Slide out a portion of the cards from the middle of the deck with your other hand. Once you've separated the middle portion, lay those cards flat on the table while still keeping the other two halves separated by your fingers and thumb. [8] X Research source
- Try to hide the break as much as possible, so people don't know you're doing a false cut.
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Put the top portion of cards on top the cards on the table. With the cards still separated by your thumb and index fingers, peel off the top portion of cards and lay them on top of the cards you put on the table. All of the cards on the table will still be in order, but if done fast enough, will look like you've already cut the deck. [9] X Research source
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Put the rest of the cards onto the table while keeping them separated. Use your thumb to keep the deck separated as you lay the last portion of cards onto the deck on the table. Keeping them separated will allow you to do the last move and finish your false cut. [10] X Research source
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Take the cards from below the break and slap them on top of the deck. Now take your free hand and pull the bottom portion of the deck out from the cards on the table and put them on the top of your other pile of cards. The cards will now be in the original order, but it will look like you split them multiple times. [11] X Research source
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionHow do I execute a false cut without being caught?David Martinez is a Magician based in San Jose, CA. David has over 20 years of experience and has performed throughout Northern California at weddings, private parties, team-building events, and more. He has notably performed for some of the biggest companies in the world, including Apple, Google, Facebook, and Uber. David previously served as President of the Silicon Valley Chapter of the International Brotherhood of Magicians and has received awards for Close-Up, Walk-Around, and Stage performances. In 2023, he co-authored Amaze and Delight: Secrets to Creating Magic in Business, aimed at helping individuals and organizations nurture healthy and happy business cultures.Focus on creating a moment of distraction while maintaining casual and relaxed body language. Begin by engaging with your audience, making eye contact to establish a connection and draw attention away from your hands. If you sense someone focusing intently on your hands, pause your actions and ask them a question, encouraging them to look away and engage with you. With their attention momentarily diverted, execute the false cut with a casual and nonchalant motion. Avoid making any abrupt or exaggerated movements that might arouse suspicion. Instead, seamlessly integrate the false cut into your natural gestures, ensuring it appears as a routine part of handling the deck. By capitalizing on moments of distraction and maintaining a calm demeanor, you can perform the false cut smoothly and convincingly, leaving your audience none the wiser to your sleight of hand.
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Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about magic tricks, check out our in-depth interview with David Martinez .
References
- ↑ http://rebelmagic.com/card-tricks/false-cut/
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--X4_44oB54&feature=youtu.be&t=35s
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqYC4xw2G_I&feature=youtu.be&t=1m56s
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvA1ue7cV8M&feature=youtu.be&t=1m20s
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvA1ue7cV8M&feature=youtu.be&t=1m23s
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZexjwH_lSQs&feature=youtu.be&t=1m32s
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqYC4xw2G_I&feature=youtu.be&t=2m40s
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBW6jIvkrlw&feature=youtu.be&t=1m2s
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBW6jIvkrlw&feature=youtu.be&t=1m39s
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