Elmsley Count is a versatile move which is surprisingly deceptive when being applied to any card trick.

It is the kind of move which is easy to learn but difficult to master because performers need to have a strong grasp of its various execution finesses before it can become truly deceptive. Beginners who do not understand this move well enough often expose the secret overtly during performance because of unnatural finger movement and hand posture.

Therefore, I would like to take on this subject in today’s post: How to master Elmsley Count. If you would like to learn the subtleties of this technique, do continue reading.

Before we delve into the topic, let me demonstrates my style of Elmsley Count via the video below.

If you feel my trick is illusional, then allow me to offer you some great advice on this amazing sleight of hand. The following guidelines are not meant for learning how to do Elmsley Count; they are for enhancing the overall execution of the trick. If you never learn this move before, I suggest to do some research on the basic mechanics of the move beforehand. Note that I am left-handed, therefore, you will have to readjust your orientation if you are a righty.

The tips for a good Elmsley Count performance are the following:

Your hands have to be relaxed…VERY RELAX

This advice cannot be overstated, simply because many do not hold the cards in a calm posture, making their fingers look suspicious. Spectator’s eyes sometimes may not be able to see how you execute the secret card exchange, but they can tell that something fishy is going on, which is a giveaway to the move. When fingers are relaxed, they give the impression that nothing is amiss. You might feel that if the hands are too relax, the chances of messing up increased because you have lesser control over the cards. It does take a lot of practice, but if you bear this in mind during practice, then you will see progress rapidly.

The rhythm of the takes has to be smooth

When I count the cards using my taking hand (my right hand), I try to keep the pace and rhythm for all takes to be the same, especially during the secret transfer (referring to the secret card transferred during second count). The key is to make all four takes look similar, and the best way to simulate this is to observe several times of your own way of counting four cards without doing Elmsley count. This will give you a better idea on how your hands reacted when you do the counting without pressure. Do make sure that there is no pause throughout the counts but keep the pace relatively slow. Fast counting usually inclines the spectators to watch your hands more carefully, which is something to be avoided. The taking hand needs to be constantly moving to misdirect the spectator from looking at the other idle hand (left hand) where the secret exchange taking place. You should note that during the count, my idle hand remains static all the time, which further hides the secret transfer during second count. When the idle hand movement is kept to a minimum, spectator perceives it as nothing fishy has happened.

Finger positions when holding the cards (referring to the taking hand)

In the video above you can see that I keep my taking hand relaxed throughout the card taking process. I keep the cards in position only by using my index finger, middle finger and the base of my palm. My ring finger and pinky barely touch the card. This position makes the secret transfer during the second count much easier and less finger movement because the taking hand’s fingers are not obstructing the idle hand’s fingers. Below is a sample posture of my taking hand during the count.

Elmsley Count – position for the taking hand fingers

Practice the secret transfer until no flashes at all

One of the reasons that spectators discover your Elmsley count’s secret during performance is because after the secret transfer, the hidden card flashed out from below the packet in the idle hand. To create the best illusion, you need to practice placing the secret card accurately under your idle hand’s packet while misdirecting the maneuver with big movement by the taking hand. The whole process has to be smooth and precise without any noticeable pause. This feat will come naturally to you once you practice it over and over again for several weeks.

Well folks, there you have it. I hope this guide would give you a better insight into this magnificent move and motivate you to become a better card magic illusionist. If you have any question, do drop me a comment at below and I will try to reply you soon. Thanks for reading and happy practicing!