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Perfect Dealer by ReidFerry

Created by: ReidFerry

Perfect Dealer is a close-up card trick where a spectator selects a card, shuffles the deck, and then attempts to deal their card into the magician's hand. Despite the deck being genuinely shuffled, the magician ensures the spectator's card is perfectly dealt, creating a moment of astonishment. This trick is ideal for magicians who enjoy interactive, hands-on routines with strong audience participation.

Key features

  • Uses advanced sleight of hand techniques like the straddle pass and tenkai palm.

  • Requires a table for optimal performance.

  • Interactive and engaging for spectators.

  • Can be performed with a borrowed deck.

Pros

  • Highly interactive and engaging.

  • No gimmicks or setup required.

  • Strong visual impact.

  • Versatile for various performance settings.

Cons

  • Requires proficiency in advanced sleight of hand.

  • Not ideal for performances without a table.

  • May take practice to perfect the timing and presentation.

Effect

The Perfect Dealer is a card trick where a spectator selects a card, shuffles the deck, and then attempts to "find" their own card by dealing it into the magician's hand. Despite the deck being genuinely shuffled, the spectator somehow manages to deal their exact card—seemingly by pure luck or intuition. The magician then reveals that the spectator has performed the impossible: they’ve perfectly dealt their own card from a shuffled deck.

Full Details

The Perfect Dealer combines sleight of hand, psychological misdirection, and a clever switch to create the illusion of a spectator magically locating their own card. Here’s how it plays out:

  • A spectator selects a card, which is returned to the deck and controlled to the bottom using a method like the straddle pass or a convincing control.
  • The magician palms the selected card (using a Tenkai palm) and hands the deck to the spectator to shuffle.
  • The spectator is asked to deal a card from the shuffled deck into the magician’s hand.
  • Initially, it appears the spectator failed—the dealt card isn’t theirs. But through a subtle switch (like the Madison switch), the magician secretly replaces the dealt card with the spectator’s actual selection.
  • The reveal: the spectator has, impossibly, dealt their own card from a shuffled deck.

    • The trick relies on smooth handling, timing, and a well-executed switch to maintain the illusion of fairness.

    Who Should Consider the Trick

    • Intermediate to advanced magicians comfortable with controls, palming, and switches.
    • Performers who enjoy interactive routines where the spectator appears to do the magic.
    • Those looking for a shuffled-deck miracle that plays as fair and impossible.

    Difficulty

    The Perfect Dealer is moderate to advanced in difficulty due to its reliance on sleight-heavy techniques:

    • Straddle pass or convincing control (to position the selected card).
    • Tenkai palm (to steal the card cleanly).
    • Madison switch or similar (to execute the final reveal).
    • Timing and misdirection (to sell the spectator’s "failure" before the switch).

    ReidFerry notes that while the mechanics are challenging, the effect is worth the practice: "It’s one of those tricks where the spectator genuinely feels like they did something impossible."

    What Magicians Say

    • ReidFerry (creator/performer): "I used to do this a lot—it’s a fun way to make the spectator feel like the magician. The switch is the hardest part, but when it clicks, it’s a killer trick."
    • Viewers of the live stream praised the routine’s fairness and interactive nature, with one noting: "The moment the spectator ‘finds’ their own card is pure magic—no gimmicks, just sleight of hand."

    The Perfect Dealer is ideal for magicians who want a worker’s routine that combines technical skill with strong audience participation. Its strength lies in making the spectator the star of the trick while leaving them utterly baffled.

    What people are saying about Perfect Dealer

    ReidFerry says...

    Perfect Dealer is a fun, interactive trick where the spectator genuinely shuffles the deck and still perfectly deals their card into your hand. It's all about the timing and the switch.

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