How to do a ribbon spread turnover

A ribbon spread turnover flips a whole spread of cards over in one wave, like a row of falling dominoes. First spread the deck evenly on a soft, high-friction surface such as a close-up mat. Then lift the card at one end, let it fall over onto its neighbours and guide the wave along the line with a fingertip. Turn the card at the other end and the whole spread flips back again. The secret to a clean wave is an even spread, so practise that first.

What is a ribbon spread turnover?

It is a classic flourish that follows the ribbon spread, where the deck is laid out across the table in a long, overlapping line. In the turnover, the cards flip over one after another until every card in the spread has changed from backs to faces, or faces to backs. Wikipedia’s cardistry article describes it this way: you lift one end of the spread, place your pointer finger on top and “trace across the whole deck to see each individual card turnover.”

Jean Hugard describes the same flourish in his Modern Magic Manual, in the lesson on spreading the cards. On a table with a cloth on it, he says, “a pretty effect is obtained by lifting the first card and turning it over.” He adds a fair warning: “The effect is very striking, but considerable practice is necessary.”

What do you need before you start?

• A good surface. Wikipedia describes spreading the deck onto a high-friction card mat, and Hugard’s version needs a table with a cloth. wikiHow’s spreading guide says: “A soft surface like a carpet or card table is the best. Avoid performing the spread on hard surfaces.”
• A deck in good condition. wikiHow advises: “Use a deck that’s fairly new. Don’t use plastic cards or cheap cards.”
• An even ribbon spread. Hugard’s turnover works when “the spread has been made evenly.” If you can’t spread yet, start with our guide on how to do a table spread.

How do you spread the cards for a turnover?

Wikipedia’s description starts with the deck held in Biddle grip, with a bevel towards you. You then use your index finger to spread the deck onto the mat. wikiHow gives the same two keys: “Bevel the deck a little bit,” then “apply some pressure, and slowly spread the cards,” letting your index finger spread the cards “so they don’t clump up.” The steadier your sweep, the more even the line.

How do you do the turnover?

1. Go to one end. Start at either end of the spread.
2. Lift the end card. Lift the card at the end and turn it over, as Hugard says, “lifting the first card and turning it over.”
3. Let it fall onto its neighbours. As that card goes past upright, it pushes the next card over, which pushes the next, and so on.
4. Guide the wave. Following Wikipedia’s description, rest your pointer finger on top of the turning cards and trace along the spread at the same speed as the wave. Your finger keeps the edge of the wave moving and under control.
5. Let it finish. Keep tracing to the last card. When it lands, the whole spread should lie face up in the same neat line.

Start slowly. A gentle, steady trace is easier to control than a fast one, and you can build speed once the wave travels the full length every time.

How do you turn the spread back over?

Hugard explains that if the spread was made evenly, turning the card at the other end of the line makes all the cards turn over again. In other words, go to the far end of the face-up spread, lift that end card and send the wave back the way it came.

He also suggests a neat way to use this. With the cards spread face down, say, “You see there is no preparation on this side,” then turn them over and add “or on this,” before turning them again and gathering them up. It shows both sides of the deck in a few seconds.

What goes wrong, and how do you fix it?

• The wave stops partway. Look at the spot where it stopped. A gap or a clump in the spread usually breaks the chain, so go back and practise the spread itself.
• The cards slide instead of flipping. Move to a softer surface. A slick table lets the cards skid, while a mat or cloth holds them in place.
• The wave runs away from you. Slow your tracing finger down and keep it in light contact with the turning cards.
• The cards won’t turn smoothly. A sticky, bent or worn deck fights you. Try a fresh one.

Where can you take it next?

Hugard notes that the same spread “can be done on the forearm, and also the turn over.” That is a harder version, best left until the table turnover is reliable.

Magicians have built many ideas on the turnover. Conjuring Archive, an online index of magic literature, lists 68 entries in its table spreads category. They include Jerry Andrus’s ribbon spreads with turnover (1956), a ribbon spread turnover with a coin credited to Ben Harris (1980) and Harry Lorayne’s “The Spread/Gather Reverse” (2000). Based on our research, the earliest entry we’ve found in that index is a table spread and turnover flourish in the German magazine Die Zauberwelt, October 1904.

Once you have it, use the spread to show the deck before a trick, as in our guide on how to fan a deck of cards, and keep it sharp with how to practise magic.

What helps you take it further?

• Professional Close-Up Mat (Green, 16×23) by Ronjo Magic. Its description says the thick rubber backing grips the table and the hand-washable surface is “perfect for silent moves and super-smooth card spreads.” It measures about 40.5 cm × 58.5 cm.
• The Art of Magic by T. Nelson Downs (1909). A free, complete 364-page PDF that opens with flourishes and fancy sleights with cards, including the card fan, springing the cards and throwing cards.

Find a deck that spreads well in our playing cards collection, and more ideas in card tricks.

Frequently asked questions