How to Do the Jacks Rob a House Magic Trick

Do the Jacks Rob a House Magic Trick

• 1

  Set your cards up for the trick. This doesn't need to be done far in advance, because it may be difficult to keep the cards in place. When you have spectators, just set up the cards out of their field of vision (i.e., under the table, with your back turned). Go through the entire deck of cards and pull out all the Jacks.

• 2

  Make sure no one is looking, and pull out three additional cards. It does not matter at all what these three cards are.

• 3

  Carefully place the three cards behind one of the Jacks. Make sure the cards are uniform, and that when looking directly at the Jack from the front, you cannot notice the three cards behind it. Now line the Jacks up in a fan in your hand. The Jack with the three cards hidden behind it should be the last card in the fan. In the picture above, the three hidden cards should be behind the Jack of Diamonds.

• 4

  Place the remainder of the deck on the table (or whatever you're doing the trick on). Explain to the spectators that the deck of cards is actually a house. Then show them the four Jacks, making sure not to reveal the three hidden cards, and explain that the Jacks are four robbers who intend on robbing the house. Bring the cards together so that you are holding a small deck of seven cards in your hand, having never revealed that there were more than the four Jacks.

• 5

  Explain that one Jack is going in the back door, while simultaneously lifting 90% of the deck up and sliding the top card in your hand (one of the non-Jacks) into the deck, and placing the rest of the deck back on top. Then explain that one Jack is going through the side window, while lifting half of the large deck up, putting the next top card (also a non-Jack) into the deck, and replacing the remainder of the deck. Then explain that one Jack is going in the front door, while simultaneously lifting about 10% of the deck and sliding the last non-Jack card into the deck, then replacing the top of the deck.

• 6

  Make sure you hold the remaining four cards (all Jacks) tightly together in your hand. You do not want anyone to notice that there is more than one card in your hand. Now explain that the last Jack is going to stay out front and watch for the cops, while simultaneously placing the four Jacks on tops of the deck.

• 7

  Explain that while three Jacks are in the house robbing it, the fourth Jack sees the cops coming and bangs on the door. Bang on the deck of cards with your fist and say "Cops are coming! Get out!" Then say (as you flip the four Jacks over one by one) "So they all came running out." Enjoy your spectators' amusement.