With a flick of his wrist, a cascade of cards fans smoothly through the air before snapping back into a perfect deck. Senior Matthew Yuan’s movements are fluid yet deliberate, each precise motion the result of countless hours of practice. Beyond tricks and flourishes, cardistry has become his way of bringing wonder to others — from his friends to the residents he performs for at local family shelters.
Yuan discovered cardistry his sophomore year, when YouTube’s algorithm unexpectedly pushed card trick tutorials onto his feed. What initially drew him in was the simple creativity of cards, an accessible art form that did not require any equipment beyond a deck and a willingness to try.
“You have infinite possibilities with this really simple thing,” Yuan said. “There’s magic in that.”
As Yuan continued exploring the craft, he began to realize how unique cardistry was compared to other forms of magic. In contrast to the hidden tricks in magic, cardistry uses constantly flashy visuals. Spins, cuts, fans and flourishes transform an ordinary deck of cards into a vibrant artistic expression. Yuan learned most of his cardistry tricks through online tutorial channels such as Lotus in Hand and School of Cardistry, often spending hours a day fidgeting with cards and experimenting with new techniques.
“He would do cool magic tricks with cards in class,” senior and classmate Aravindkrishna Arivudainambi said. “Most teachers thought his tricks were really cool, and he’s really handy with his cards.”
Early on, Yuan struggled with the frustration of not being able to master moves quickly, especially with advanced flourishes such as the Pandora, a shuffle that requires splitting the deck into multiple sections and rotating them in sync. Driven to improve and replicate the skills he admired online, Yuan took breaks, returned later and repeated the process until the motion clicked.
“Cards helped me to be more stubborn about not giving up,” Yuan said. “You just step away and do a small session the next day. It’ll probably work out.”
Yuan’s hobby expanded beyond personal enjoyment when he began performing at senior centers. His first visit was during a talent show-style event in his sophomore year, encouraged by his parents, who believed performing would help him practice his routines. He eventually shifted to performing at homeless center Family Supportive Housing, teaching residents basic card moves and performing for small groups. Over time, those visits — which he made every few weeks — became one of the most meaningful parts of his cardistry, giving him opportunities to share laughter and lighthearted jokes with kids and families.
“I like making people laugh or smile, so I make bad jokes all the time,” Yuan said. “But in magic, a lot of the routines are based on bad jokes, at least in the patter. It’s just fun.”
Outside of performing, Yuan also developed a casual but growing interest in the design of various card decks. Gradually, Yuan went from picking up free decks at math competitions, where companies like Jane Street and Citadel handed out custom cards, to purchasing cards while traveling. Now, he has accumulated over 50 decks. His favorite is a “Wicked”-themed deck by card company Theory11, which he rarely uses to avoid damaging the metallic, highly intricate artwork.
Cardistry has influenced Yuan’s personal growth as well. Performing for different audiences has strengthened his confidence and persistence, and taught him that improvement comes from repetition rather than instant success. The art has become a steadfast part of his routine and identity. To Yuan, cardistry isn’t just a skill he practices, but a reminder of what creativity can offer.
“I don’t think people should believe that magic is real,” Yuan said. “But I think people should believe that they can make their own magic.”
