This post I am going to expose and explain the Hole by Mickael Chatelain penetration card trick secret, step-by-step with supporting pictures.
You are going to find out how the card could possibly go through the label sticker between two playing cards.
Welcome to another post from the Info Ruckus Magic Trick Secrets Revealed series.
As a cognoscente of magic tricks, I like to explore and share with those who are curious to learn more about the art of conjuring magic tricks.
Remember the magic trick secret, or the trick behind the magic is only one aspect.
The key thing is the psychology behind magic.
How magic tricks play with our perceptions and expectations; thus creating a sense of wonder and mystery.
If it is performed well, this close up magic trick by French magician Mickael Chatelain is visually convincing and magical.
In fact, I have included this trick reveal in my earlier blog post “Super Hole By Mickael Chatelain Secret Exposed And Explained“.
But I decided to segregate them, so as not to confuse with his other tricks, with the name “HOLE’.
The HOLE 2.0, Super HOLE, Crazy HOLE, and Crazy HOLE 2.0.
Furthermore, this is an updated and revised post with new pictures and illustrations for clearer understanding.
I make sure this is a helpful, reliable and people-first content, to quote Google guidelines.
Mickael Chatelain Hole Trick Secret
This is how to present the pocket trick the HOLE by Mickael Chatelain.
Effect:
The spectator examines a red card that has a 1-inch hole in its center.
You show a few sticker labels and invite the spectator to choose and sign one of them.
Take a card from the blue deck and place it underneath the red card with the hole on top of it.
Using the sticker label, you hinge the two cards together at one end.
Get your spectator to ensure both cards are securely hinged together by pulling on it.
Now invite your spectator to take a card from the deck, sign it, and place it between your two attached cards.
Show both sides that the spectator’s card is trapped between the two cards.
Then slowly and magically slip the spectator’s card through the sticker.
To end the act, show the two cards are still hinged together with the sticker label.
You may even let your spectator to examine the cards and the label.
Watch The HOLE by Mickael Chatelain demo video:
HOLE By Mickael Chatelain Trick Feedbacks
The response of this is solid through solid magic trick is mixed.
Some said the illusion is more than convincing, and one even called it an unsolvable mystery.
Then there is unimpressed customer who complained that the HOLE cannot be done close-up.
The demo video was an intentional deceptive, as it is shot in harsh lighting.
I think for this penetration trick secret is not with the sleight of hand skill.
Hole Trick Gimmick Card
I sighted the gimmick card from the interview of Mickael Chatelain with Dan Harlan video in Penguin Magic site.
There is an extra piece on the back of the card, when Chatelain pastes the round label sticker on it.
His left hand middle finger pushes the back of the card, to support the pasting of the sticker, thus exposing the gimmick, as seen below.
Let’s explore the trick card, and see how the penetration trick is done.
Craftily, it is called the HOLE, but the card abetting the trick is not the red card with a hole.
From the above demo video, the blue playing card (Queen of Diamonds) is the gimmick card.
Basically, the bottom hinged card is the one that makes the penetration effect possible.
Firstly, the Queen of Diamonds card itself, there is a semi-circle cut-out at the top edge.
But it is not very visible because there is a small strip of card camouflaged behind it.
This is the back-view of the the gimmick card.
Both are attached together with magnets.
Watch closely, you can see the cut-out card edge from the demo video clip.
Why do I think there is a small cut-out at the top edge of the playing card?
The way Mickael Chatelain pastes the round label sticker onto it.
You could see him gingerly adheres the sticker onto the card from his demo video and the interview with Dan Harlan.
Hole Card With Cut-Out
As I have just mentioned at top edge of the card, there is a concealed semi-circle cut-out.
The cut-out area is highlighted with black dotted line in the picture below.
It appears the round sticker is pasted onto the Queen of Diamonds card.
But the truth is, the sticker is actually pasted onto the attached extra short piece behind the Queen of Diamonds card.
As I have explained earlier, this extra short piece is attached onto the back of the card with magnets.
HOLE Penetration Trick Secret Explained
Let’s see how the Hole penetration trick works.
The bottom blue card is where the slide-in card goes through it.
It penetrates between the bottom card and the small magnetically attached piece, as shown below.
In other words, the card does not go through the label sticker, as it appears to be.
In fact, the card goes under the sticker label, as illustrated here.
Even from the video, you notice the card is clearly sliding under the sticker because of the shadow.
From this demo video, I keep seeing his hand holding tight onto that magnetized part of the gimmick card.
It could be to prevent the attached bottom short card piece from detaching from the card.
To further confirm my guess could be correct, I noticed he has difficulty slotting the card into that gimmick part at 1:06 in this video.
Well, this is Mickael Chatelain Hole Trick secret fully explained how the penetration effect is done.
Incidentally, the follow-up Hole 2.0 version, he also uses a gimmick card to do the penetration effect, as seen below.
