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Magic at its core is a game. A game with the audience's mind and perception.

Magic tricks, performed by well rehearsed magicians, are games played on the mind that make a witness believe what the magician wants him or her to believe.

A talented magician will undoubtedly use many different kinds of mind games to maneuver an audience into a mind set that allows him to create illusions.

A good magician is an actor, an illusionist, a game player who diverts the audiences attention away from the real trick, that which is actually happening with impeccable timing and shrewdness.

The magician appears to be performing the impossible, right before your very eyes, but distraction is the really game he is playing with you. It is most important in his magic trick that he manipulate or influence the audience into believing what they think they see, by controlling their attention.

Misdirection and sleight of hand is the magician's finest skill. Even the mechanical or scientific props that are necessary for some of his visual tricks are only as good as the magician's performance and sleight of hand distractions that lead the audience to believe what they just witnessed.

Timing is also crucial to the Magician's successful execution of the magic trick. Many times the timing and deception is used to trick the audience into believing the trick is taking place in real time when in fact, the deception actually had taken place a bit earlier.

Equipment designed to aid the magicians performance is certainly available. Although, some of what you see on stage really is only window dressing, just for "looks", and has nothing to do with the trick you are seeing done.

Learning to play the visual mind games that magicians play is not all that difficult initially... perfecting such techniques to a higher level, however, does require hours and hours of practice. Practice techniques that are best done in front of a mirror in order to ensure a seamless execution of each move.

You can find video instructions on how exactly to perform magic tricks and play the magic games at various web sites.

You will be able to find hundreds of tricks that anyone (old or young, tall or short) can learn to do who has the will to practice enough in order to achieve a level of proficiency.

Once you get started practicing even the most simple of magic tricks, you'll soon get hooked and forever enjoy learning more and more about the craft.