The 21-card magic trick, step by step

To perform the 21-card trick, deal the cards into three piles and ask your spectator to tell you which pile contains their card. Gather the piles with the one they indicate in the middle, and repeat until you’ve dealt three times in total. The chosen card will be in position 11.

How to do it

1. Take 21 cards from the pack.
2. Deal them face up into three piles of seven, one card at a time.
3. Ask your spectator to choose a card in their mind and tell you which pile it’s in.
4. Gather the piles, placing the chosen pile between the other two.
5. Repeat the deal and the question twice more.
6. Count to the eleventh card: that’s the one.

Why it works

Each time you place the chosen pile in the middle, the card moves closer to the centre of the pack. After three repetitions, it always ends up in position 11. There’s no magic, just maths, as with memorising a pack of cards.

A presentation tip

Don’t count aloud: keep it subtle, add a dramatic pause and reveal the card with a flourish. It’s a perfect trick for a games night at home.