Hat & Hare

Core skill · Intermediate

The Elmsley Count

Count four cards so that one stays hidden. A cornerstone of packet card magic.

Draft. Awaiting review by our resident magician.

  • TODO: Write the step-by-step mechanics in your own words (left out of this draft on purpose to keep it accurate)
  • TODO: Confirm which Card College volume and Elmsley reference to recommend

The Elmsley count lets you count a small packet of cards, usually four, so that it looks like every card is shown, while one of them stays secretly hidden. That makes it possible to show four cards as all face down when one is face up, or all the same when one is different.

Where you’ll use it

  • Packet tricks, where four cards change, turn over, or transform.
  • Reversals, where a single card mysteriously turns face up.
  • Twisting effects, where cards turn over one at a time.

Before you learn it

You should be comfortable with the end grip and with peeling cards one at a time from one hand to the other. The count lives or dies on rhythm: every card should be counted with exactly the same timing and motion.

The mechanics

TODO(owner): Step-by-step mechanics go here.

Where to learn more

Origin. Created by the British magician Alex Elmsley and now taught in nearly every intermediate card book.

  • Card College, Volume 2 by Roberto Giobbi
  • The Collected Works of Alex Elmsley by Stephen Minch