David Blaine has made this trick very popular. He shows the spectator a card, the King of Spades. He places it, face down, into the spectator’s hand, and asks the person to sandwich the card between both hands.

He then shows the next card, the Queen of Hearts and rubs it face down over the sandwiched card, but when he turns it over, the audience are amazed to see that the card is now the King of Spades. The sandwiched card is then revealed to be the Queen of Hearts. The cards miraculously switched places.

Step One

The setup is very simple as you just need to prepare 2 of the same cards. The cards used in my demonstration are the King of Spades and Queen of Hearts, abbreviated to KS and QH, respectively.

On the top of the deck, the top three cards should go: QH, KS, QH. It does not matter about the order of the rest of the deck as only the first three are used.

Step Two

Ask the spectator to extend their hand. At the same time perform a DOUBLE LIFT with the top two cards. The spectator will be looking at the KS, but you will actually be holding the KS and QH behind it.

Step Three

Ask the spectator to name the card being displayed by you. When named, turn double over again so that the cards are face down with the QH on top of the deck. Then just place the top card onto the spectator’s outstretched hand.

It will be assumed that you placed the KS onto the outstretched hand, when it was actually the QH.

Step Four

Ask the spectator then to place the other hand over the card to sandwich it between both hands. Then ask whether the sandwiched card is still remembered. The KS should be confirmed.

Step Five

DOUBLE LIFT the top two cards while the spectator is still sandwiching a card between both hands. The spectator will be looking at the QH, but you will have the KS Card with the QH over it. Ask the spectator to name the revealed card. The QH will be named.

Step Six

You place the double back on top of the deck again. Remove the top card. The spectator will think it is the QH when it is really the KS. Then rub the KS over the sandwiched hands. After doing this ask “Did you feel anything?”

Step Seven

The spectator may be confused, but when the card is revealed and shown to be the one thought to be in the sandwiched hand, this person will be frankly quite amazed. Then the spectator looks at the card which was sandwiched between both hands, and it once again is amazed, as this is the QH.