If you’ve ever seen a magician mucking about with cards, odds are good you’ve seen a Charlier cut in action before. It’s a one-handed cut that can become the starting point for a lot of other cardistry flourishes, but it also looks pretty slick on its own. It’s not overly complicated, either, making it a great entry point for newcomers. 

In case you’re wondering about the name, it comes from a magician in the 1800s who specialized in – you guessed it – card magic. In addition to this one-handed cut, Charlier is also credited with creating a card-marking system using pin pricks.