MANY of the best card tricks are dependent upon having the company select one or more certain or particular cards, which after being replaced in the deck and shuffled, are reproduced in various ways at some stage of the proceeding. Compelling the company to select such particular cards, without in the least suspecting the choice is influenced in any manner, is called "Forcing." It is probably used to a greater extent than any other expedient, excepting the shift.
The usual method of "Forcing" is to bring the particular card to the middle of the deer; by means of a shift, and hold its location by inserting the little finger at that point. Now the performer, advancing the hands toward the spectator opens the deck slightly fanwise, pushing the cards with the left thumb one under the other into the right palm, the right fingers aiding the operation; apparently to enable the spectator to take any card he may wish. As he shows an indication of selecting one, the passing movement, which by this time has reached the located card, is stopped and the located card exposed a trifle more than the others. An unsuspicious person will naturally select the one easiest to seize. In any case, he can get no other, as the fingers and thumbs of the performer’s hands hold the balance of the cards firmly. Should the spectator’s fingers touch other than the particular card the performer carelessly draws back and closes the deck as though he thought a card were seized, then, with an excuse, opens the deck again. But a little practice at forcing enables a clever performer to almost place the particular card in the spectator’s hand without the least show of design. The action should be easy, but rather rapid, and if the first spectator approached shows a disposition to be over discriminating he should be passed immediately and the next one may display greater alacrity. But should the first individual get the wrong card, there is no harm done. The performer passes on to a more obliging spectator and forces the particular card, and completes the trick in contemplation. Then the first card drawn is returned to the deck and used in some trick that does not require a prior knowledge. If two or three cards are noted and located together the force becomes simpler, as a greater liberty may be allowed in the selection and, of course, the order of the several cards enables the performer to determine the particular card as it is selected.