Key Card Principles

147 entries in Cards / Principles / Key Card / Key Card Principles
Creators Title Comments & References Year Source Page AA Categories
Shuffling Deck with Key Card
1876
Modern Magic
65
Shuffling with Key Card "very small risk of the two cards being parted"
 		1889
Tricks with Cards
41
Third Method - with the aid of a wide card wide card as key card
 		1889
Tricks with Cards
69
James J. Moren With the Mind's Eye No. 8, dressed-up key card location, blindfolded
 		1919/1920
Thirty Card Mysteries
35
Charles T. Jordan Placement via Key Card deck dealt into piles, key which was next to selection is at same position as selection in different piles
 		1921
The Four Full Hands (Issue Four Full Hands of Down to the Minute Magical Effects)
25
Mental Telepathy deck dealt into six piles, any card chosen and lost by assembling the deck
 		1928
Card Tricks You Will Do
10
Eric F. Impey Tone Control four piles, two key cards on top, selection lost and found apparently via spectator's voice during him reading off all cards
 		1931
Try This One
6
T. Page Wright Location Aces at top and bottom of both halves, spectator shuffles, selects card, shuffles again, four Aces as keys
 		1933
Page Wright's Notebook
13
T. Page Wright One Way Location interlocking chain principle with one-way deck and key card
 		1933
Page Wright's Notebook
13
Reversed Cards as Indicator No. 3 of "Substitutes for the Pass", secretly reversed card as key card, oops control
 		1935
Card Manipulations (Issue 4)
93
Tricks with Assistant as the Medium two methods, medium divines cards or finds selections, culling key cards together
 		1935
Mental Magic with Cards
21
Just a Teaser No. 45, quick shuffle in key card location
 		1935
Card Tricks that are Easy to Learn, Easy to Do
41
Franklin M. Chapman Quick Trick reversed card as key card that can be cut to directly, natural break
 		1936
Six Bits
4
New Card Discovery two key cards, spectator overhand shuffles briefly
 		1937
Encyclopedia of Card Tricks
32
Jean Hugard Oops Control Variation reversed key card that is accidentally discovered
 		1937
Encyclopedia of Card Tricks
49
Sleeve Addition key cards are added behind the back from sleeve
 		1937
Encyclopedia of Card Tricks
92
U. F. Grant A Count Down Discovery one-way backs
 		1937
Encyclopedia of Card Tricks
153
Tom Sellers The One-Way Key
1937
Encyclopedia of Card Tricks
165
Joe Berg Berg's Miracle Spread card chosen and lost cleanly from shuffled deck, later removed from face-up spread, performer locates card in another deck
 		1937
Here's New Magic
4
Bob Haskell Contact spectator deals row of cards, remembers last card, and deals same number of cards on all cards and collects them, performer locates selection, two keys
 		1937
Six Bits More
2
U. F. Grant Reversed Key Card The "Whoops!" Control
VariationsAlso published here 1938
Greater Magic
81
Double-Backed Key Card
1938
Greater Magic
83
The Bottom Card Location featuring several key card placements and strategies:
Joker Discard to Locate Key
Face-Dwon Ribbon-Spread Key Placement
Face-Up Ribbon Spread Key Placement
Deal-Down Key Placement
Distant Key Card
Cardcase Load of Key Card
 		1938
Greater Magic
90
The Top and Bottom Location having two key cards
 		1938
Greater Magic
96
The New Pack Location key card tricks using new pack order
 		1938
Greater Magic
99
George G. Kaplan The "Impossible" Location using Natural Card
Related toVariations 1938
Greater Magic
269
Theodore Annemann Nail Nick Key Control
1939
The Jinx (Issue Winter Extra 1938/39)
368
The Twenty-Sixth Location remote key
 		1940
Expert Card Technique
398
Herb Runge A Thought Ahead Tantalizer
Related to 1940
The Jinx (Issue 102)
618
A Reversed Card as a Key Card
1941
The Stripper Deck
7
Jean Hugard, Frederick Braue The Stripper Key
1941
The Stripper Deck
23
Tony Kardyro Locating the Key Card thick key card
  • First Method
  • Second Method
 		1941
The Routine Supreme
6
Theodore Annemann Locatrix selection is located behind back
 		1943
Full Deck of Impromptu Card Tricks
5
Edward Marlo The Spectator Cuts daubed key card
 		1945
Tricks with Daub
5
Edward Marlo Daub Co-incidence daubed instead of glimpsed key card
 		1945
Tricks with Daub
7
Edward Marlo In Lieu of Pencil daub on borrowed deck as alternative to pencil dotted key card
 		1945
Tricks with Daub
9
George McAthy My Best Trick clever
 		1945
My Best
99
James G. Thompson Jr. Out of These Hands
1945
My Best
115
Bob Hummer Thot-Ography spectator remembers card and its position from top ten cards, Klondike shuffle, marked key card with needle scratch, see Collected Secrets for more references
Also published here 1945
Thotography
1
James Auer Three Linked Discoveries location of three thought of cards
 		1947
Ireland's Yearbooks (Issue Yearbook 1947)
22
J. B. Bobo A New Key Card single rough-smooth pair
 		1947
Watch This One!
31
Charles T. Jordan A New Card Discovery key above and below selection and riffle shuffle, added in 1947 reprint (instead of "Just a Square of Paper")
 		1947
The Four Full Hands (Issue Four Full Hands of Down to the Minute Magical Effects)
38
Remote Key
1948
The Royal Road to Card Magic
73
George G. Kaplan Natural Card using numerical value on card to count to selection that fits by chance, see also page 101
Related to 1948
The Fine Art of Magic
49
U. F. Grant Oops False Shuffle reversed card to key the bottom of deck after only-cuts-overhand-shuffle
 		Jan. 1949
Grant's Inner Circle Magazine (Vol. 1 No. 4)
10
Eddie Joseph The Principle Defined getting a selection to any position, with key card
 		1949
Premonition and The Blind Magician Does a Trick
11
Harry Lorayne Lorayne's Mind Reading Card Trick No. 91
 		1950
Scarne on Card Tricks
170
Bert Feinson Behind My Back No. 131, impossible location using two key cards
 		1950
Scarne on Card Tricks
252
John Scarne, Henry Christ Wild Bill Hickock's Hand No. 153, poker hands are dealt, and spectator chooses one hand, and one card. After being lost in the deck, the magician finds the selected card by spelling procedure, and then re-deals the spectator's original hand.
 		1950
Scarne on Card Tricks
298
Eddie Joseph The Forerunner slop shuffle triumph to set a key card a certain position for later
 		1951
More Dumbfounders with Cards
4
Chan Canasta A Miracle Discovery three piles are made and under impossible conditions selection is found, using three key cards
Related toVariations 1953
A Miracle Discovery
1
Edward Marlo Roughed Pair Key Card
Dec. 1959
Ibidem (Issue 19)
46
Mark J. Grenier Face down Discovery deck dealt in four piles, card found in face down pile
 		May 1961
The New Phoenix (Issue 357)
256
Harry Lorayne This is Mind-Reading? two key cards, spectator shuffles, out of hands selection
Related to 1962
Close-up Card Magic
86
Victor "Astor" Jamnitzky Die Lange Karte als "Lesezeichen" key card in deck with whole deck corner-shorted
 		1967 (ca.)
The Astor-Deck
7
Basic Move 2 pretense to glimpse selection next to key card
 		June 1968
The Pallbearers Review Vol. 1-4 (Vol. 3 No. 8)
183
Alan Keith Prelude "Circus Card Trick" to set up key cards
Inspired by 1969
Expert Card Mysteries
136
Gene Nielsen The Wish Upon a Tarot only using Major Arcana
 		1972
Magick (Issue 46)
227
Arthur Finley Natural Key Card within No. 16, a card that falls at its numerical position
Related toAlso published here 1972
Jacob Daley's Notebooks
9
Dr. Jacob Daley Daley's Ace Placement No. 302, Aces inserted in fan but next to key cards apparently
 		1972
Jacob Daley's Notebooks
78
Dr. Jacob Daley Snap Crimp No. 549, "as key or locator", all Aces or red cards also
 		1972
Jacob Daley's Notebooks
154
Frank Garcia Reversed Card Idea Oops-Control
 		1973
Super Subtle Card Miracles
108
Gerald Kosky Yore Finder two key cards and optional fishing, credit correction on page 65
Related to May 1973
Kabbala — Volume 2 (Vol. 2 No. 5)
39
Gene Finnell Flip Cut - 2 center section cut out and reversed, key glimpsed, then a faro brings previous center card next to key
 		1973
Gene Finnell's Card Magic
34
Grund Griff Nr. 2 pretense to glimpse selection next to key card
 		Oct. 1973
Intermagic (Vol. 1 No. 2)
26
Sam Schwartz Thot Echo two card location, straight set-up, see also p. 758 for comment by Marvin Johnson
VariationsAlso published here Mar. 1974
The Pallbearers Review Vol. 9-10 (Vol. 9 No. 5)
715
Jeff Busby 2nd Thot spectator remembers card and its position from top ten cards, Klondike shuffle
Inspired byRelated to June 1974
The Pallbearers Review Vol. 9-10 (Vol. 9 No. 8)
746
U. F. Grant B) using reversed one-way back card as key card
 		1975
New and Novel Knowledge
36
Roger Smith The IF Cover Up Control #1 key card placed in break in originally lower half of IF peek, faro brings it next to selection
Inspired byRelated to 1975
The Faro Sorcery Trilogy — Number 1
2
Nick Trost Weighing the Cards
Variations 1976
Subtle Card Magic — Part Two
19
Cy Endfield, Fred Robinson A Cy Endfield Location two key cards on two halves, spectator shuffles them together
Variations Jan. 1977
Pabular (Vol. 3 No. 5)
351
Harry Lorayne Key Cards about key cards, with seven applications and placements
 		1977
The Magic Book
152
Sam Schwartz Thought Echo two card location, straight set-up
Also published here 1977
The Magic Book
131
Hannes Höller Klassische Prinzipien und Griffe mit Strippern Die Leitkarte (using the Stripper Cards as key cards)
 		1978
Einfach Wunderbar — Wunderbar Einfach
32
Simon Aronson It Pays to Advertise comments on the advertising cards, uses for example: key, crib sheet, as forcing gaff, ...
Also published here 1978
The Card Ideas of Simon Aronson
120
Karl Fulves Future Key two cards found
 		1979
The Shamrock Code / The Parallel Principle
36
Karl Fulves St. Regis Sleight II half stack used to key position of selection made from incomplete riffle shuffled deck
 		1979
Riffle Shuffle Control
2
Jerry K. Hartman Dup-licates
Also published here 1979
The Chronicles (Issue 19)
1250
Graphite Match Box Daub daub on key card
Related to 1980
Bob Hummer's Collected Secrets
12
Bob Hummer Thotograhy spectator remembers card and its position from top ten cards, Klondike shuffle, marked key card with needle scratch
VariationsAlso published here 1980
Bob Hummer's Collected Secrets
25
Albert Verity As a Method of Card Control sticky coin attached to card as key card
Also published here 1980
Ken Brooke's Magic — The Unique Years
185
"Magic" Christian Stelzel The Key-Card
1982
Stripper / Konische Karten
2
Bottom Card Locator simple key card location
 		1982
Simple yet Effective Tricks with Cards
21
Top and Bottom Card Locator two keys and the spectator can shuffle briefly
 		1982
Simple yet Effective Tricks with Cards
22
Edward Marlo Crimp Control seven methods to control selection with crimped deck, also key card handlings
 		1984
Marlo's Magazine — Volume 5
223
To Reverse a Card for a Marker KM Move type reversal to reverse bottom card during overhand shuffle, face-up key card (1937)
 		1985
The Fred Braue Notebooks (Issue 2)
17
The Floating Key "This is a control which without question is the best of all methods of controlling a chosen card.", key card which is both narrow and short and punched
 		1985
The Fred Braue Notebooks (Issue 3)
21
Edward Marlo Marked Control marked deck, key card
 		1988
Marlo's Magazine — Volume 6
168
Christoph Borer Thought Rise thought of card ends up on top of the deck
Also published here 1988
Seminarheft
4
Roy Walton Mental Four four cards thought of from four packets of four cards each, found after some dealing
VariationsAlso published here
  • Genii, 1954, Vol .19 No. 3
 1988
The Complete Walton — Volume 2
26
Edward Marlo Setting Key Card at 26 spectator shuffles deck
 		Feb. 1991
The Olram File (Issue 3)
9
T. Page Wright The Back-of-the-Deck Detection card located by looking at backs, finger print presentation, selection behind back, reversed key card
 		1991
Page Wright's Manuscript
173
Shuffling with Short Card svengali principle
Also published here
  • "Koschitz's Manual" (1894)
 1991
Cheat Sheet (Issue 8)
75
Gary Kurtz Two Heads Are Better Than One a friend locates a card, stooged with some simple instructions
Also published here 1992
Prinzipien in der Praxis
21
Roy Walton Doppelganger spectator counts to any position and remembers next card, card found and position divined
Inspired byVariations Apr. 1992
Profile (Issue 7)
5
Sid Fleischman The Vagrant Key marked deck for setting key card next to selection which is not read
 		1993
The Charlatan's Handbook
87
Vicente Canuto La presentación en la magia on presenting a trick, using key card and different ways of revealing card as an example
  • Localización de una carta elegida
    • 1.- Esconder el secreto
    • 2.- Hacer interesante el experimento
  • A) Las huellas dactilares
  • B) Usted no sabe mentir
  • C) Apuesta
  • D) Otros
 		1993
Cartomagia Fundamental
37
Simon Aronson It Pays to Advertise comments on the advertising cards, uses for example: key, crib sheet, as forcing gaff, ...
Also published here 1994
Bound to Please
108
Karl Norman Follow-Up Routine Spectator selects a card, shuffles it back into the deck, selection ends up on top
 		1995
40 Years at the Forks
29
Control in a Hand-to-Hand-Spread "Location, Identification and Control with a Key Cards"
 		1995
Card College — Volume 1
142
Tabled Ribbon Spread Control with a key card
 		1995
Card College — Volume 1
143
Sam Schwartz Thot Echo two card location, straight set-up
Related toVariationsAlso published here 1995
Card College — Volume 1
149
Sveroni Der letzte Kartentrick spectator remembers a card at his thought of number and cuts the deck, performer tries to cut the deck that the card is back at the same position, card is then found in performer's pocket
 		1995
Typisch Sveroni
28
Group Shuffle deck shuffled in groups, yet key cards at position ten, twenty, thirty and forty retained
 		1995
Self-Working Close-up Card Magic
23
Karl Fulves, Bob King The Memory Expert No. 16, number thought of, card at this position remembered, cut, performer memorizes deck, new position of selection named and card at original position as well
 		1995
Self-Working Close-up Card Magic
27
Simon Aronson Floating Key Principle
1995
Simply Simon
159
Gary Kurtz Tow Heads Are Better Than One a friend locates a card, stooged with some simple instructions
Also published here 1995
Lecture Notes 1995
22
Karl Fulves Random Stop glimpsing selection next to key card during riffle shuffle
 		1996
Blocking Off
22
Peter Duffie Sivakey Center Double Lift used to obtain key card
 		1996
With Cards
13
Peter Duffie 3 and 1 Location four keys on top, spectator starts by dealing four hands
 		1997
N.D.E. — A Near Deck Experience
10
Albert Verity Eine Karten-Kontrollmethode sticky coin attached to card as key card
Also published here 1997
Intermagic (Vol. 21 No. 1)
34
Dick Koornwinder The Koornwinder Card Control key card with glue dots, reprinted from 1972, how to cut to it and how to control a selection with it
Also published here 1998
The Koornwinder Kar & The Koornwinder Card Control
10
Jeff Busby As a Substitute for a Top or Bottom Key using edge-marked card instead of a standard key
Related to 1998
The Secret of the Palmettos
65
Ellis Stanyon A Subtle Deal to Find the Chosen Card No. 34, excuse to spread through deck and glimpse card next to key
 		1999
Ellis Stanyon's Best Card Tricks
50
Ellis Stanyon The "Key" Card Forcing and Self-shifting Pack No. 20, having a piece of metal around one end of a card (similar to paper clip) as key card
  • The "Waterfall" Shuffle (with the key card)
  • Dispensing with the "Key"
  • "Bridging"
  • To Force any Two Cards (performer cuts apparently randomly)
Related to 1999
Ellis Stanyon's Best Card Tricks
203
Ellis Stanyon Description of the Pack No. 1
 		1999
Ellis Stanyon's Best Card Tricks
213
Ellis Stanyon Two Chosen Cards Found Together No. 17, using the long card as key
 		1999
Ellis Stanyon's Best Card Tricks
221
Karl Fulves Supplementary Note table spread force with pencil dotted card, using it a key otherwise
Inspired by 1999
Ellis Stanyon's Best Card Tricks
271
Al Baker Out On Location Card chosen and lost freely. Magician asks for value of card, then card is successfully located. Multiple key card type of trick.
 		1999
Cunning Card Miracles
11
Jerry Mentzer Two Keys
  • As a Locator
  • As a Force (one of two)
 		2000
Card File Two
53
Nick Trost, Mike Rogers Heavyweight No. 5, performer cuts off same number of cards as spectator
Inspired by 2001
New Self-Working Card Tricks
7
Karl Fulves Jack Finds Your Card No. 27, deck cut into two piles, spectator shuffles two together and remembers top card which is put in other pile, performer looks through shuffled pile, two key cards
 		2001
New Self-Working Card Tricks
42
Chan Canasta Effect three piles are made and under impossible conditions selection is found, from Fred Taylor's notes
Related to 2001
Chan Canasta — A Remarkable Man — Volume Two
24
Jack Avis, Lewis Jones Impossible spectator shuffles after replacement, selection between two key cards
 		2002
Ahead of the Pack
85
Steve Beam Piling On multiple key cards
 		2004
Semi-Automatic Card Tricks — Volume 5
99
William Goldman Winged Key stripper card as key card
 		2005
My Week with a Stripper
11
Christoph Borer Thought Rise thought of card ends up on top of the deck
Also published here 2006
Compilation
89
Jack Avis A Dotty Location location with four distributed marked key cards
 		2006
Rara Avis
48
Sam Schwartz, Roberto Giobbi Thot Echo two card location, straight set-up
Also published here 2006
Card College Light
21
Roberto Giobbi The Fingerprint challenge location with fingertip theme, sunken key
 		2006
Card College Light
76
Jerry K. Hartman Replicut four cards randomly cut to, spectator chooses one and buries it in deck, magician cuts other three back into deck and then cuts to selection, uses marked key card
 		2007
Card Dupery
148
Two simultaneous Key Cards
2007
Card Dupery
267
Jerry K. Hartman Keynoted two cards selected and lost in fair manner with magician’s back turned, magician divines both cards or knows when to stop as cards are dealt
Variations 2007
Card Dupery
359
Arthur Finley Natural Key Card a card that falls at its numerical position
Also published here 2007
Arthur Finley, aka Henry Gavin: The Artistry of His Work
29
Spectator Shuffles with Keys on Top & Bottom piles have key cards on top and bottom each, spectator shuffles them together
 		2009
High Spots
33
Ben Train The Trinity Concept control concept for three cards with partial set-up, multiple presentations
Related to 2012
Anteater Consortium
28
Shane Cobalt A Trick for Chuck a Jack at top and bottom of two halves, riffle shuffle retains a Jack at top and bottom
Inspired by
  • Charles Jordan
 2012
A Trick for Chuck
2
Alexander de Cova Zur Leitkarte using double-backer as key card
Related toAlso published here Feb. 2014
New Avantgarde Magic (Issue 15)
488
Alexander de Cova Key Card using double-backer as key card
Related to Mar. 2014
Scrapbook (Issue 7)
54
Alexander de Cova Tipp zur Leitkarte using double-backer as key card
Related toAlso published here 2015
Burners — Vol. 1
211
Ricky Smith Some Applications on using the punch as key card and for various poker deals, punch as pure marking system
 		2017
Threeve
63
Xiaobo Zhou 浮动关键牌 (Floating Key) Discussion on floating keys and a principle to locate cards, called the X-27 principle
Related to 2018
Enthusiasm
10
Xiaobo Zhou 降落伞/JLS 找牌系统 (Parachute Card Location) JLS: Jazz Location System. Describes a system used to locate cards and perform The Trick That Cannot Be Explained
  • 1. Dead Cut to the Selection
  • 2. Name the Position of the Selection
  • 3. Impromptu 1-20 ACAAN
 		2018
Enthusiasm
43
Yves Carbonnier Contrôle de Quatre Cartes au Mélange Français key card placement of four cards, overhand shuffle
 		2019
Grand Livre de Cartomagie
96
Ryan Schlutz Cut-Shuffle-Cut sequence to keep a key card next to a selection during in-the-hands riffle shuffle and cut sequence
 		2020
False Anchors
112
Ryan Schlutz Other Ways to User the GAP Principle
  • Borrowed Deck Handling - Key Card
  • Borrowed Deck Handling - Multiple Key Cards
  • Borrowed Deck Handling - Multiple Key - Mental Selection
 		2020
False Anchors
122
Scott Baird Peeked Key Triumph Control face-up/face-down incomplete faro condition
 		Nov. 2023
The Hermit (Vol. 2 No. 11)
1082