Easy Does It #3: Beelzebet

A trick involving eight cards and a deal with the Devil!

In this third instalment of Easy Does It, you’ll learn a devilishly clever card trick perfect for beginners yet powerful enough to astonish any audience. Like all effects in this series, the method is refreshingly simple—allowing you to focus on what matters most: storytelling and showmanship. All you need are eight playing cards, a permanent marker and fifteen minutes to learn a miracle that your audiences will remember for years to come.

In the trick, a spectator follows a mysterious card-spelling ritual that leads them to select the Devil’s card (marked with "666"), only to escape damnation by finding the Ace of Clubs—both outcomes having been predicted in advance.

So, what exactly is the effect of “Beelzebet”? A spectator signs a prediction (but doesn’t read it) as the performer shares a story about a mysterious gambling game with a sinister stranger who turns out to be the Devil in disguise. Through an impeccably fair process of elimination, a spectator ends up holding a single card: the Four of Clubs, which matches the prediction exactly. The shock intensifies when this card alone has a red back marked with “666”—all others are blue. In a final twist, the spectator utilises the “Devil’s Deal” to find the Ace of Clubs, fulfilling the prediction’s promise of heavenly redemption and saving your spectator’s soul from eternal damnation!

Wow, it’s impressive how much drama can be packed into a card trick that uses only eight cards! Let’s dive into the details.