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Why is it that most Magicians use card tricks in their act? Did they start out entertaining in Gambling Dens and Casinos? Or is it that the 'card sharps' had to learn magic card tricks in order to cheat at Poker?

Whatever the reason, Card Tricks are an essential part of any Magician's performance. Some require difficult sleight-of-hand techniques, most just need you to distract your audience while you 'do the deed', many can be done in full view. A few need gimmicked decks or pre-prepared decks in order to work.

The marked deck is a rarity these days; after all, who needs to remember 52 different secret markings, all small enough to go unnoticed by the audience? Far easier to 'force' your victim to pick a specific card (she thinks she had free choice, but we know better!) then 'control' the card to the top or bottom of the deck where it sits until you magically produce it.

A favourite technique of mine (called; the Glimpse) is to openly look at the card (this becomes the 'Key card') above the selected card as the victim replaces it in the pack; all I have to do then is find that card and I know that the one below it is the selected card. Simple. The victim, and the rest of the audience, were all concentrating on the return of the selected card to the deck and didn't notice me tilt the top half of the deck so that the underside of the card was visible. A few cuts then make it look as if the card is mixed up in the deck (a cut rarely splits the two cards that you want to keep together, but to be sure, Glimpse the bottom card after the last cut ' if it is your Key Card, cut once more) and I then deal the pack onto the table until I see the card I viewed earlier. A nice twist is to carry on past the selected card, dealing say, another 3 cards before stopping and announcing 'the next card I turn over will be the one you selected.' The victim gleefully disagrees ' you can take bets on it if you want ' and then you reach over to the selected card and turn that one over.

There are lots of card tricks you can learn easily that can be found at many dedicated magic websites. Many magic card tricks are offered free at these sites and are easy to learn. If you want to impress your friends in the bar or at the party, learn some magic card tricks and you will always be in demand!