Card forces are methods by which a magician covertly compels a spectator to select a predetermined card while maintaining the illusion of a free and random choice. Card forces encompass a range of psychological and mechanical techniques, from sleight-of-hand maneuvers to verbal strategies like magician’s Choice, Equivoque (or Deckivoque as taught in Joshua Quinn’s brilliant mentalism book Paralies), all designed to ensure the “selected” card aligns with the magician’s intention. Card forces are foundational in card magic, enabling effects where the performer predicts, controls, discovers, and reveals a spectator’s chosen card.

Card force methods include classic techniques such as the Classic Force, where the magician, with masterful timing, subtly guides the spectator’s hand to the desired card during a natural selection; mechanical forces like the Cross Cut Force, which utilizes time misdirection and deck arrangement; and psychological forces, such as the Magician’s Choice, where language and framing guarantee the intended result regardless of the spectator’s “choice.” The effectiveness of forcing a card, or any thought, depend partly on the spectator’s ignorance of manipulation, though a master magician can fool even those who are familiar with forcing techniques. Card forces are fundamental to card magic and the appearance of choice and impossibility in card magic.