How to Do the 4 Kings Card Trick

Co-authored by Kyle Hall

Last Updated: April 29, 2023

VIDEO

The Four Kings trick is a good beginner's card trick and one that children can easily master. There are many variations, and nearly all of them involve keeping the four kings together while leading your audience to believe that they were separated. Here are a couple of variations you can try that are sure to impress your friends!

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Setting up the Trick

Download Article

The three extra cards can be any cards from the deck.
Keep the three extra cards hidden behind the fourth king.

Advertisement
Tell your audience that they will enter the bank through the roof.
The three top cards are your spares, but your audience will believe they are the kings that they were shown previously.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Mixing the Cards

Download Article

Without showing anyone the face of the card, say that this “king” is going to be on the first floor. Put it in the deck, somewhere near the bottom.
Take the next spare card off the top of the deck and place it somewhere in the middle of the deck.
Don't put any of the cards too close to the top of the deck, because the real kings are on top.
4
Flip up the king on the top of the deck. Tell your audience that this king will stay on top of the bank to be the lookout.
- Your audience will think this is the fourth king when it’s actually the first king. The other three kings are directly under it in the deck.
He knocks on the roof. Tap or knock on the deck four times.
6
Take the four cards off the top of the deck and show them to the audience. They should all be kings.
- Your audience thinks you mixed all of the kings into the deck, even though you were actually just mixing in the three spare cards, so they’ll be amazed when you show them all 4 kings together at the top of the deck!
Invite someone from the audience to search the remaining deck for the spare kings that they will assume you inserted.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Trying an Alternate Method

Download Article

Put the kings and random cards on the top of the deck. They should be in this order, from top to bottom: first king, random, random, second king, third king, fourth king.
Then, send it to the bottom of the deck.
Do this without showing the audience the face of the cards. Since you showed them the first one, they're more likely to take your word for it that the next two are kings as well.
The audience will believe this is the fourth and last king. In reality, you still have three kings at the top of the deck, and one at the bottom.
This will put the first king back with the other three kings.
The four kings should all be next to each other in the middle of the deck.

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Video

Read Video Transcript

Tips

If you have trouble keeping the spare cards hidden in a traditional fan, try a vertical arrangement.

Thanks
Helpful 4 Not Helpful 0
For best results, keep the audience distracted by carrying on a tale or story, known to magicians as "patter", which runs throughout the duration of the trick. The ruse will then be less noticeable to the audience. Practice to develop your skill at talking and playing the cards all at once.

Thanks
Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0
Practice this trick before you perform it, so that you work out any difficulties before you go in front of an audience.

Thanks
Helpful 3 Not Helpful 1

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Name

Please provide your name and last initial

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Warnings

Don't do the same trick twice.

Thanks
Helpful 38 Not Helpful 4
Answer any doubts from the audience with complete phrases. Don't gush and smirk when explaining that your trick only requires faith from all that it was good.

Thanks
Helpful 9 Not Helpful 1
Don't tell anybody the secret of the trick or show off the hidden cards.

Thanks
Helpful 26 Not Helpful 10