The Sleight of Foot Card Trick

Milton of England is responsible for this effect and Max Holden first introduced it. This trick is the pinnacle of card magic. Any deck of cards can be used.

The Effect

Even though the magician never touches the cards, he finds a specific card in the pack.

The magician instructs someone to shuffle a deck of cards and then divide it into several heaps on the table. A spectator is asked to take a card from the center of any heap, make a note of it, and replace it on top of any heap. The heaps are then stacked one on top of the other, and the pack is cut several times, squared, and placed on the floor.

The magician now kicks the pack with his foot, and the cards separate. He points to the card just below where the pack breaks most prominently, and this card is discovered to be the chosen card.

The Secret

All that is needed is a pinch of salt in the pocket.

After dividing the pack into three or four piles on the table, the performer turns his back and instructs a spectator to remove any card from any pile and replace it on any other pile. Meanwhile, the performer inserts his first finger into his vest pocket and rubs a few grains of salt onto the tip of his finger.

He asks the spectator, turning around and pointing to piles, on which pile he replaced the card. When a spectator indicates a pile, the performer places a finger on that pile, leaving a few grains of salt on top of the selected card but going unnoticed by the audience.

The spectator is now asked to stack another pile on top of the one containing the chosen card, and so on until the entire pack is assembled. The pack can now be cut and placed on the floor.

Strike the side of the pack with the side of your shoe. At the point where the salt is, the cards will separate.

This pause is your cue. Withdraw the card directly beneath it, and you’ll have the chosen card.