New Trick: Homing Pigeons

[lokified]

(Well, it's new to me, at least)

First thing: remove the 5 and 6 of Hearts and the 5 & 6 of Diamonds
Set up your deck with the 6D on the bottom and top three cards as 5H, 6D, 5H. You're now ready to start. Alternatively, you could buy two identical decks and stack it 6D on bottom and 6H, 6D, 6H on top for an effect that better stands up to scrutiny.

Pick off the top two cards from the deck and hold them in your hands. Explain to your mark(s) that they are homing pigeons (maybe fluttering them about in a birdy way), and flash the cards' numbers and suits so the mark can see them. Try and be casual so the mark will just look at them, as opposed to trying to memorize them.

Hand the two "pigeons" to a volunteer face down, fan out the cards and tell the volunteer to put the "pigeons" into the deck wherever they like. They can even separate them because hey, homing pigeons can find their way back even when separated.

Square up the deck and pick it up in your right hand, with your thumb on the top card and your forefinger in the bottom in a pinch. Say you're going to make it even more difficult by spinning the pigeons three times, making a circular motion with your right arm (be sure not to expose the bottom card when you do this).

Now, squeeze hard with your thumb and forefinger and flick your wrist (you might want to run your thumb or forefinger across the cards as you do so).

Hold up the two remaining cards, and declare the pigeons have made it home! Of course, these are the 6D and the 5H to stacked before, but the cards look so similar, most people will believe that these are the cards they saw. If your quarry is more canny, use the alternate method I mentioned, with 4 6s

If you want to win a free drink, wait until the pigeons have been place in the deck, and you've squared it and picked it up with one hand, then bet the person that without manipulating the deck in any way, no cuts, no shuffles, no sleight of hand, you can make the pigeons come home.