Pinky Count Tutorial

[@ObscuredByTime]

I've been using the pinky count for a few years now, and I can say this is honestly a perfect tutorial for it. The only thing I'd add is that this is one sleight where you REALLY should NOT get discouraged, because when you first start with it it feels hopeless, but it never is hopeless -- for anyone, lol. It's only a matter of building the muscles, which doesn't take very long. It feels hopeless at the start because your muscle is thinking "wtf are you trying to do to me here?" After a while your muscle says, "Oh! Okay, I get it now" And you'll be like, "wow, I can do this!" That's going to happen for you even if you firmly believe it won't, too -- it just all of a sudden kicks in and then you've got it for life. And it's practically angle proof. There's just no reason apart from laziness not to master this one, honestly.

[@Mentalcheez]

I can't get my pinky to curl like he does in the video :( Also, when I try to apply pressure with my pinky, the ring finger always kicks in simultaneously - thereby preventing even a single card to pop up. Are there exercises I can do to be able to manipulate my pinky exclusively?

[@ObscuredByTime]

Niaz Ahamed Move your ring and middle finger further up towards the outer edge of the deck so that there is more separation between it and the pinky. And although it is true that all of the tension should be between the thumb and pinky for the actual count, more is needed in order to keep the deck stable while the thumb and pinky do their work. Make this "stabilization" (almost a grip) of the deck the job of primarily your ring finger, and secondly your middle finger. In other words, give that interfering finger something else to do -- it's IS actually needed to hold the deck in place, you know. The only finger that plays absolutely no part in the pinky count is the index finger, which literally "rests" in it's natural mechanics grip position. So: 1. Thumb, middle, and ring finger hold the deck in mechanics "pose" while index and pinky simply relax. 2. Pinky takes positition for the count independently (stare at your fingers as you practice this and do it VERY slowly at first, controlling ONLY your pinky). 3. Pull down with pinky using only thumb as leverage. Meanwhile, ring and middle fingers stabilize the deck (which will feel like tension, but it is not). I hope that helps!

[@ObscuredByTime]

Niaz Ahamed Oh, by the way, there is no question that independence of the pinky is the single hardest thing about this sleight, because the muscle that controls it must be trained. Do NOT be discouraged. Just stare at that pinky and go slow and I can actually promise you (unless you have a medical issue that actually prevents it) that is WILL happen for you. Trust me on this!

[@ObscuredByTime]

Niaz Ahamed Oh, one other thing. Let me quote myself here: "Move your ring and middle finger further up towards the outer edge of the deck so that there is more separation between it and the pinky." Just to let you know, the more accustomed you become to doing the pinky count, the more those fingers will naturally slide back down to their natural position closer to the pinky. This will just happen over time automatically.

[@Mentalcheez]

+Dan Williams I just noticed today that I didn't reply to your messages! Thank you for the detailed tips! It did help me a lot and I eventually managed to get the pinky count down. I didn't spend sufficient time practicing to perfect it, but even to this day, I can do a decent double lift with the pinky count. I appreciate it! Have a happy new year :)

[@ObscuredByTime]

I've already made a long comment, but a few hours have gone by and it crossed my mind that this is the best tutorial on any sleight I've seen in a very long time. Zack, you are a talented instructor, honestly. I've seen worse instruction from the most professional magicians. Your dedication to being absolutely thorough in your explanation here earns a serious A++ from me. Bravo.

[@casualwizardry1715]

This is gold! Very best tutorial on this move I`ve ever seen!

[@donshelton9103]

I believe this is the best tutorial I have ever seen on card control...hope you continue making them.

[@warriorpoet8119]

Perfect explanation! This is worth Gold! Thank you and this is the best explanation ever.

[@redhotchilimagician]

Thanks for posting this man, it was so helpful and really detailed. This is the most useful sleight ever. And now my pinky hurts really bad but I know it is going to pay of

[@mismag822]

Great Tutorial Zack!

[@kevincaijiayi]

Great and detailed!!! Highly appreciate this tutorial!!!

[@BlackBeardPariah]

FINALLY!!!! Someone who handles the cards in the correct hand haha lol. For so long I have felt like I'm one of the few who hold a deck in their right hand and not the left.

[@MagicZack24]

Thanks for all the nice comments guys and I'm glad to be of help :D

[@MrKeith75]

Nice job explaining bro. I learned a lot. Off to practice now. Thanks!!!

[@yotyu5a1]

I use it all the time.A excellent move and great tutorial!

[@MagicZack24]

I think pretty much everyone, myself included, has or had this problem. If you practice the move enough, eventually you'll build up the pinky strength. I wasn't able to do this move after weeks of practicing, and then out of nowhere, I just did it.

[@tyler1234321]

Thank you, great in depth tutorial!

[@magicphil7651]

why the hell din't I see this video earlier. Great job man.

[@MagicZack24]

@hwan6 The problem could be that the bottom edge of the deck is digging into your pinky. If you can, try to reposition the deck so that the bottom edge is lined up with the lines on your pinky, rather than in between them. Also, the move won't hurt after a while because you'll build up more strength.

[@MagicZack24]

@hammermaner You're right-handed if you hold the deck in your left hand.

[@KingdomUploader]

Very exact instructable! hopefully you can help me not to begin learning bad habits. my tendency in holding the deck is to bend my forefinger and use that first section of finger to press up on the bottom of the deck; to me if feels like i have more control. would you please try that and let me know if it's something i need to unlearn please? thanks man

[@iEditStuf]

Brilliant tutorial helped a lot but 1 thing I find really needs to be emphasised is to curl your pinky a little, if its dead straight up the side of the deck it won't work or will be incredibly difficult, I know this is partly just mechanics grip but still think it needs mentioning

[@MagicZack24]

@monkeyman822 These are the Bee Stingers. I definitely recommend these, as well as the Dragon Backs and any deck with a smooth finish, like the Aladdins. Make sure you get the smooth finish Aladdins though, not the air-cushion.

[@MagicZack24]

@Henners2908 Flexible as in it's really easy to bend. Don't use a stiff deck. And use the flesh of your pinky, not the nail.

[@gunperry]

Very nice tutorial, thank you for posting this, but the strange thing is that I just learned this move a week ago ahahah, very detailed and useful explanation though.

[@MagicZack24]

@TheMasterKieran98 It would be too long for a really basic sleight, but the pinky count is an advanced move that really needs a detailed tutorial.

[@ThatPianoGuyTom]

Hello , great tutorial ! The only 'problem' i have is that i find it way easier in dealers grip , should i just do it in dealers grip or keep going for mechanics grip ?

[@MagicZack24]

@MastahMich That's how I did it when I first started, because it was so much easier and more comfortable. After enough practice I got where I could just do it in normal mechanic's grip. Either way works fine though. I know Andy Field keeps his index finger on the side when pinky counting.

[@MagicZack24]

@monkeyman822 The Aladdin smooth finish decks would be the best. You can get a brick of them (12 Decks) on eBay $38, which includes shipping. If you don't want that many, it's $9.50 for two decks. I'll PM you the links to both of the auctions.

[@alfreddimond5881]

great tutorial. thanks

[@MagicZack24]

@MaliksMagic If your break is too small, it could be because you're applying too much pressure with your ring finger, or not enough pressure with your pinky. But if that's not the case, using your ring finger to make the break bigger is a perfectly fine solution.

[@1989hemantrajput]

a great tutorial man...

[@rikard92]

anyone have problem with this method because the strength of the pinky is too weak? I want advice from such people that have same problem as me. Please!

[@OdeMagic]

Thank you for a very good tutorial! :)

[@oranjjjggg]

You really don’t need much pinky strength at all to do this. It’s almost entirely coordination and practice. And you can make the count even more subtle than in this video with a bit of practice

[@hwan6]

thank you for the vid! i'm just starting out on some basic card magic and this has taught me a lot :D but just one question though, when learning to pinky count, my pinky is hurting a lot :o it's like the cards are digging into my skin, especially in between the lines of the pinky. Am i holding the cards too tightly? Or is my positioning not right?

[@MaliksMagic]

very well explained.. :D but i was practicing it while ur talking lol... but i got something to ask,, when u count the number u want,, the break is actually so tiny so its hard to filp it or just to keep it.. i use the ring finger to make the break bigger n then catch it with the pinkie again.. so what do u think??

[@cpaniaguam]

Now this IS a tutorial.

[@LTMagicTM]

Wow very detailed tutorial. Upload it on thecardtrickteacher if you want to share it as much as possible. I'm not sure you'll be vid of the day because it's too long for Jay but still... I'll practice this move;)

[@MsTrickyTricks]

Even though this video is 22 minutes and above.. It dose'nt matter coz' even though he only teaches the Pinky Count, we have learned so much about it.. (Thumbs Up, if you agree!) --->Mstrickytricks

[@TheMasterKieran98]

@MagicZack24 Ok thanks :D Really like the quality of your vids as well BTW :D

[@MagicZack24]

@kittydakat1 Same. I love smooth finish decks and anything with Aristocrat stock.

[@MagicZack24]

@yotyu5a1 Yeah my pinky hurt like crazy when I first started learning the move. It goes away when you get more comfortable with the move though.

[@MagicZack24]

@MPHannafin Yep my pinky hurt like crazy when I first learned the move. It gets a lot better though :)

[@JavierTJL99]

My deck is a bicycle deck, why can't I make the card pop up like when I use my thumb? Help! My pinkie seems like its not strong enough

[@Nullphiinfinity]

@MagicZack24 ok so if I'm right handed I should use my left hand to pinky count

[@ericshoff6326]

The pinky count doesn't really work with old decks, right? The cards stick together and get counted in twos despite how much I practice. It happens maybe one out of ten times and is worse during humid weather

[@MaliksMagic]

THANKS MAN.. i really wanted to learn this move.. but.. its 22minz.. will check later.. hope it helped.. THANKS AGAIN :D

[@MagicZack24]

@MrSystemSuicide I'm left-handed with cards. Generally speaking though, I'm ambidextrous.

[@Macca502]

hey im not sure what hand i am, ie left handed or right handed, what is it when i hold the deck in my left hand?

[@andreaseriksson9746]

I have a problem with maintaining the break once I manage to get it! I count two cards pretty easily now, but when I try to relax the hand I either lift up a few cards below the break by mistake or I tend to drop the break again when relaxing. Any idea what I’m doing wrong?

[@MaliksMagic]

@kittydakat1 well.. with 1 break/stop around 20th card i can go to 40 sometimes.. but with out breaks/stops its easy to 20 i think... i'll do a video :D.. and i started learning this move way be4 this video posted.. but i learned more in this video :D

[@quanpham8931]

After practicing my pinky count on a deck, the whole deck is kinda bend down a lil bit so when i turn the deck face up, i find it is really hard to do the pinky count so are there any tips for this? do i need apply less pressure or sthing?

[@Noobhoun]

Wtf is wrong with my bicycle cards -.- I can do with your method pinky break to 1 card, and when I try to get second one.. It ALWAYS grabs 3 extra.. ALWAYS. Really annoying -.-

[@MaliksMagic]

@Gnarlycardz u should learn it man.. it really hurts the pinkie xD but its GR8 move

[@taro1441]

Is it more difficult with smaller hands? I'll learn it either way, but I'm having difficulty getting my pinky round the deck.

[@MagicZack24]

It definitely does make things more difficult if you can't get your pinky around the deck. My hands aren't very big either but I have enough pinky reach. I would suggest trying bridge size cards, they're narrower and should make things easier for you.

[@taro1441]

Ok thx! :)

[@Nullphiinfinity]

are you left handed or right handed? or does your camera switch left or right or anything?

[@DanielVegaHN]

Mismag822 brought me here!!

[@helenzlazzli]

Why does this feel so Jason England to me? Anyways nicely done

[@747747mark]

my ring finger cant relax :(

[@adz108]

Im having problems with this move i realise hiw old this is but any advice would be awsome When i apy pressure for the count my ring finger naturally wants to apply the same pressure i cant push my pinky down and keep my ring finger straight So im fighting my ring finger but im struggling to apply pressure to the thumb pinky and keep the ring finger loose any advice

[@MagicZack24]

Without a deck of cards in your hand, are you able to firmly press your thumb and pinky together while keeping your other fingers relaxed? Trying that out might help you when you then try with cards since the idea is to have your thumb and pinky working separately from your other fingers. And remember that if you're able to, you can keep your ring finger completely off the cards to make things easier.

[@adz108]

MagicZack24 i can sort of doit with my ring finger out the way and use the middle finger to stop the spring back but its not the same as for ur question..no i actually cant do that i dunno why ..muscle memory i suppose

[@MagicZack24]

Hmm, I would just keep practicing until you get it. For me the pinky count was one of those things that I couldn't do at all after weeks of practicing and then I just did it out of nowhere one day and it was easy after that.

[@adz108]

MagicZack24 thanks buddy

[@jeppe4873]

thanks :D

[@edohalo]

first succes at 8.31 I do a triple count thanks

[@jenscoldmagic]

1 guy bought the dvd

[@Samb0123]

Practise Practise Practise until my Pinkie Bleeds :P

[@TheMasterKieran98]

A really good and detailed video but 22mins, is far too long for one slight of hand move, for most people. Anyway, thanks :D

[@MagicZack24]

@mismag822 Thanks Jay!

[@yotyu5a1]

@MaliksMagic My pinky feel painful because of the move xdd

[@ilovefudge1541]

Can you make a tutorial on how to make your own card tricks because I really want to make an original one.

[@magicfreak19965514]

@magiczack24 Nice job but you can blame people for not watching the whole video

[@MPHannafin]

oww my pinky hurts!!!!!!!

[@MagicZack24]

@helenzlazzli The only difference is that my tutorial is a lot better and it's free :) Ironic considering he's the big-shot card mechanic and I'm just a kid with a camera.

[@USMC_Tess_Tickles3]

Spelled practice wrong. lol

[@superzee247]

nice and long

[@MaliksMagic]

i learned this move in a week.. n i can perfectly count up to 30 cards :D thanks. check me counting at my videos :D