AMBIHOLE 2.0 is an updated version of Chatelain’s original AMBIHOLE, which was released in 2019.
I actually wrote the first draft of this article back in January 2026, when this new close-up card effect was released.
Now I’d like to share my thoughts on how I believe this impressive illusion works.
This article is another installment in the Info Ruckus Magic Trick Secrets Revealed series.
Once again, Mickael Chatelain is using a specially designed wooden-looking magnetic plate with a hole.
It is similar to the gimmick used in his CRACK trick, which I previously explained.
So I presumed this time around the plate still has hidden magnets in it.
This article is my original analysis based solely on the publicly available performance video, and is not affiliated with the official release.
Any explanations are speculative and based on common magic techniques, rather than confirmed information about the performer’s actual methods.
I will explained how trick is probably done with supporting visuals and video snippets.
Furthermore, I am including the psychology behind the AMBIHOLE 2.0 by Mickael Chatelain.
AMBIHOLE 2.0 Close Up Magic Trick
Before we go any further, I believe the routine requires four specially prepared items:
- A pair of same cards to be used as the selected or forced card
- A specially designed magnetic wooden-looking plate with a hole
- First gimmick card consisting of a playing card attached to a half card flap
- Second gimmick card with a circular cut-out and has hidden magnets
AMBIHOLE 2.0 Magic Effects
AMBIHOLE 2.0 combines two classic card magic effects.
The first is the Ambitious Card (also known as the Elevator Card), in which a selected card is repeatedly placed into the center of the deck, yet impossibly rises back to the top.
The second effect causes the selected card to vanish before it magically reappears in the middle of the deck.
Watch the AMBIHOLE 2.0 demonstration video below:
MICKAEL CHATELAIN AMBIHOLE 2.0 Trick Secret Revealed
AMBIHOLE 2.0 Cards Preparation
Firstly, he inserts a King of Hearts card facing upward in the deck.
This card is left untouched throughout the routine, until the final reveal.
Then he places the other King of Hearts card probably higher up in the deck.
This is the card that the spectator is forced to choose.
Plus this is the duplicate card that Mickael makes it to appear and then disappear in the performance.
The illustration below shows the basic arrangement of the two gimmick cards and the duplicate card.
Gimmick Cards Arrangement
The second gimmick card with the circular cut-out hole, with the duplicate card positioned beneath it.
Below that, is the first gimmick card with the attached flap.
AMBIHOLE 2.0 Trick Tutorial
After watching the full demo a few times, I believe the supposedly freely selected card is actually a force card.
For readers unfamiliar with the term, a force is a technique magicians use to ensure a spectator appears to make a free choice, while secretly selecting a predetermined card.
If that’s the case here, the spectator’s apparent selection—the King of Hearts—was likely decided in advance.
If you’d like to learn more about card forcing techniques, I recommend the classic book 202 Methods of Forcing by Ted Annemann.
Duplicate King of Hearts Card
Why I think Mickael is using a duplicate King of Hearts?
Several details in the performance point in that direction.
First, at the beginning of the routine, he never clearly fans or spreads the entire deck for the camera.
As a result, there is no opportunity to verify that every card is unique.
Second, he deliberately places the selected King of Hearts face up on top of the deck.
This positioning appears intentional and could play an important role in the method.
Finally, the overall sequence of actions seems carefully choreographed.
The card placements, and handling all appear consistent with the possibility of a duplicate card being used, although this remains speculative.
First Gimmick Card
When I slowed the promotional video to 0.25× playback speed, I noticed the first gimmick card sitting on top of the deck right from the beginning.
The first glimpse occurs at 0:14, just after Mickael tosses the selected King of Hearts onto the table.
A faint horizontal line runs across the middle of the top card, as indicated in the picture below.
A second glimpse appears around 0:15, when he transfers the deck into his left hand, and you can see the attached flap waving up and down.
My guess is that, this is a gaff card made by attaching a partial playing card to another card, as show below.
It reminds me of the similar gimmick Mickael used in his ZIG-ZAG CARD effect which I have explained in details.
This first gimmick card is NOT used in the first appearing and disappearing card effect.
It is used for hiding the duplicate card at the finale.
Now, let’s explore the full routine.
After he inserts the spectator’s selected King of Hearts into the upper half of the deck, he makes a few controlled slip cuts.
This ensures that the selected card is positioned directly beneath the second gimmick card inside the deck.
This is how I think the second gimmick card, with magnets attached to the face of the card, looks.
When the gimmick card has the duplicate card underneath it, it looks like this.
Then he brings them to the top of the deck at 0:23.
You cannot see it clearly because his left thumb is hiding them.
By the way, below this set of cards is the first gimmick card with a flap.
Now the card sequence is like what I have shown you above in the Gimmick Card Arrangement.
Second Gimmick Card
As he quickly positions the hole plate over the lower end of the deck at 0:24, you can see this second gimmick card with the King of Hearts design inside the cut-out.
As the plate slides completely over the card at 0:28, its circular hole reveals the King of Hearts card.
Watch closely—you can see that his right-hand movement appears abrupt as he pushes the plate downward at 0:29.
When he lifts the plate at 0:31, the magnetic plate reveals a complete King of Hearts.
At 0:32 when he lift the plate up to show the duplicate King of Heart card, the second gimmick card is magnetically attached behind it.
That is why this time around, the magician does not display both sides of the plate to the spectator.
Around 0:34, he briefly tilts the deck upward, revealing another subtle detail.
First Gimmick Card On Top Of The Deck
As he brings the King of Hearts toward the deck in his left hand, I once again notice a faint horizontal white line running across the middle of the top card.
This is the same first gimmick card with a flap seen earlier in the performance.
At 0:34, he inserts the duplicate card directly into that gimmick card.
At 0:36, he picks up the plate that has the second gimmick card underneath.
Place them over the duplicate card that is inserted slightly into the second gimmick card on top of the deck.
Carefully, he drags the second gimmick hidden that is under the plate into the slot of the first gimmick card.
Thus covering the duplicate card with the back side of the second gimmick card, as seen below.
Finally, at approximately 0:41, as he slides the plate over the selected card to make it vanish, he once again angles the deck away from the camera.
It is to prevents exposing the three cards: first gimmick card slotted with the duplicate and also the second gimmick card with the circular hole on top of them.
His left thumb also appears to cover the horizontal seam of the gimmick, further reducing the chance of the audience noticing it.
At this stage, he is able to display both sides of the plate.
To conclude the effect, while continuing to shield the top of the deck from the audience’s view, he turns the deck around to reveal the genuine selected King of Hearts.
Well, this is what I think how the AMBIHOLE 2.0 trick is done.
The Psychology of AMBIHOLE 2.0 By Mickael Chatelain
One of the reasons AMBIHOLE 2.0 illusion is so deceptive is that it relies on more than clever props.
Like many strong close-up effects, it combines simple mechanics with well-established principles of human perception and attention.
Selective Attention and Misdirection
The audience naturally focuses on the wooden-looking plate with the hole because it appears to be the most important object in the routine.
This is an example of selective attention.
While spectators are watching the movement of the plate, they pay much less attention to the deck of cards and the magician’s other hand.
This is classic misdirection.
Rather than distracting the audience completely, the performer simply guides their attention toward what seems most relevant.
Expectation Bias
After the spectator examines the hole plate, they unconsciously assume it will play a passive role throughout the performance.
That initial inspection creates an expectation bias.
The belief that the prop has already been proven innocent.
Because the audience has mentally ruled out the plate as the secret, they rarely question it again later in the routine.
Change Blindness
The secret action occurs during the smooth sliding motion of the plate across the deck.
Since the audience’s attention is occupied by the movement itself, they are surprisingly poor at detecting subtle changes.
Psychologists call this change blindness—our tendency to overlook visual changes when our attention is directed elsewhere.
The Power of Object Permanence
Once the chosen card is apparently placed into the middle of the deck, spectators assume it remains there until proven otherwise.
This relies on object permanence, the natural belief that an object stays where it was last seen.
When the card suddenly appears somewhere unexpected, or disappears altogether—that deeply held assumption is shattered, making the effect feel even more impossible.
Confirmation Bias
The routine reinforces what the audience thinks they have already witnessed.
They witness the card go into the deck and accept that memory as absolute truth, never questioning what happens afterward.
This is a form of confirmation bias.
Spectators unconsciously interpret later events in a way that supports what they already believe happened.
Cognitive Load
In a short period, several things happen: you show the card, cut the deck, position the plate, and slide it across the cards.
Each action is simple on its own, but together they create cognitive load.
Because the audience is processing multiple pieces of information at once, they have fewer mental resources available to analyze the secret of the trick.
The Illusion of Fairness
Every phase of the routine appears open and fair.
The spectator examines the plate, freely selects a card, watches the deck being cut, and sees the plate moved in plain sight.
These seemingly transparent actions create an illusion of fairness.
When spectators believe everything is above board, they’re convinced no trickery took place.
Why Mickael Chatelain’s AMBIHOLE 2.0 Trick Is Convincing
In the end, AMBIHOLE 2.0 by Mickael Chatelain succeeds because it combines a clever physical method with natural human psychology.
The routine directs attention, reinforces assumptions, manages expectations, and limits careful analysis at exactly the right moments.
Whether intentional or not, these psychological principles explain why the illusion is so memorable.
Should You Buy AMBIHOLE 2.0?
Absolutely—if this style of visual magic appeals to you.
My analysis is based entirely on observation and established principles of magic.
The official release is the only way to learn the complete method and receive Mickael Chatelain’s original instruction.
I recommend purchasing the official release from trusted magic retailers such as Penguin Magic or Vanishing Inc.
Here are more of Mickael Chatelain’s magic creations:
- LINKHOLE By Mickael Chatelain Trick Secret
- BLINDED By Mickael Chatelain Trick Secret Explained
- ZIG ZAG 1 By Mickael Chatelain Trick Secret Explained
- IMPOSSIBLE By Mickael Chatelain Trick Explained
- TRISECTION By Mickael Chatelain Trick Secret
- EVASION By Mickael Chatelain Trick
- PRISON By Mickael Chatelain Trick Secret
- Nail Through Card Trick By Mickael Chatelain