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Effect: The ideal illusion is to make it look like nothing happened at all. Alternatively, it may look like a squaring motion.
Method: There are many ways to get a card palmed. This is the most basic one, from the top of the deck. Have the deck in left hand dealer's grip and right hand biddle grip. Push the top card to the right using the left thumb, thus jogging it. The jog is hidden under the right hand. The left fingers push the top card up against the palm of the right hand. The palmed card is held by its right top corner by the right pinkie flesh and the left bottom corner by the thumb base flesh. Basically the card is held in position by the natural curl of the fingers and the friction between the card and the hand. The card should be parallel to the fingers, so that no corner can be seen when the right hand is looked at from its back or sides. The right hand can now let go of the deck. Always keep the right hand at a low level, to help hiding the palmed card. Also, keep the hand relaxed. This includes the fingers and thumb.
Comments: Another way to help hiding the palmed card is to place your right hand at your stomach, as if the hand was resting. In the classic palming method, the left thumb moves suspiciously to jog the top card, so it should be covered by the right hand.
VARIATIONS
Bottom Palm: The deck is held in left hand dealer's grip. The right hand grabs the deck by the right side of its ends using only the thumb and the index finger. As you patter, gesticulate with the hands, so they get apart from each other. The deck is held in the right hand. As the hands approach again, the left fingertips touch the bottom card of the deck, and still in the approaching motion, the left fingertips draw the bottom card to the right, under the right hand. When the bottom card touches the right pinkie, the bottom card is pivotted around it, so it gets parallel to the right fingers. The left fingertips continues to push the card upwards, until it is pressed against the palm of the right hand. The right hand moves right to free the left top corner of the bottom card. At the same time, the deck is taken in left hand dealer's grip again.
Deep Palm: Have a card in classic palm position on the right hand. Use the middle finger to glide the card down towards your wrist. Then hold the card by curling the base of the thumb towards the pinkie. The card will bend inwards. It is hidden by the palm of the hand and the arm. It is easier to hide the card if you are wearing long loose sleeves. The fingers can be spread apart to show the hand to be empty. If the hand is turned palm up, so that the audience still only see the back of the hand, the card can also be easily sleeved.
Display Subtlety: Have the deck in left hand mechanic's grip and a card in classic palm in the right hand. Take the top card of the deck in the following manner: the ball of the right thumb touches the bottom right corner of the top card. The fingers touch the back of the card. The card is dragged back and to the right. The right fingers take hold of the left side of the deck, so that the card is held with the fingers at one side and the thumb at the other. The card is turned over, by turning the hand palm up. The subtlety created is that your hand is holding only one card.
Gambler's Palm: Have a card in classic palm position on the right hand. Turn the hand palm up, so that the audience can see the back of the hand. Use the right middle finger to glide the card down towardsyour wrist. While doing this, stretch the pinkie finger. The right side of the card should slide across the base of the thumb. Then, curl the pinkie and clip the top corners of the card between the base of the pinkie and the thumb. The card should bend outwards, leaving a tunnel between the card and the palm of the hand. This is basically the same as the deep palm, but the card is bent the opposite way. Alternatively, this palm can also be achieved by having the card at the fingertips. Hold it with the fingers at the face and the thumb at the back of the card. The middle finger moves behind the card, to the point where the thumb is. The thumb stretches away, clearing the palm of the hand. The fingers curl towards the palm of the hand and bend the card lenghtwise at the same time. The card is then clipped between the base of the pinkie and thumb as before. This move can be used to transfer a card from left hand gambler's palm or backpalm into right hand gambler's palm or from right to left. This move can also be used backwards to produce the card on the fingertips.
One Handed Palm: The deck is held in a sort of right hand biddle grip. All the fingers are at the top end, except for the pinkie, which rests at the back of the top card, at its right top corner. The right thumb is at the left side of the bottom end. This is called one handed palm grip. The pinkie drags the top card by pushing it down against the deck, and moving slightly forward. The top card should pivot around the third fingerjust enough to make the top card a little angled anticlockwise. The corner of the top card rests right beside the thumb, touching it. The top card should be parallel to the right hand. As soon as this position is achieved, the pinkie presses the top right corner down, thus bending the top card off the deck. The left bottom corner of the top card should touch the base of the right thumb. The pinkie then pushes back to bend the top card into a palming position. With practice, the right hand should look still when the card is palmed.
Wave Palm: Have a card in classic palm in your right hand. Turn your body to the left. Curl your second, third and pinkie fingers, so that the right hand points to whatever the left hand is holding. The palmed card is curled by the fingers until its two ends meet. The card is then clipped by the thumb, in a thumb palm position, so that it is hidden behind the right palm. The fingers then stretch and open wide apart. This gives the illusion that the right hand is empty. The right hand makes a waving motion so that the stretching of the fingers makes sense. Do not stretch the fingers too much.