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Have you ever noticed that if you give someone a deck of cardsand ask them to do a card trick, the first thing they will do isspread out the cards and say 'Pick a card, any card.'? Why isthat? Is this the only magic that can be done with a pack ofcards? Think about it. Think about all the card tricks youknow and what is involved in those tricks. One thing that iscommon is that you always have someone pick a card, any card. This truly is the basis of all card tricks.

Now, don't me wrong, there are other card tricks that do notinvolve having someone pick a card. For example, you have thefamous 2 Card Monty, or any card trick that involves producingaces in some magical way. But when you get right down to doingcard tricks, you can pretty much count on asking someone to picka card.

It is what is done with that selected card is what makes thecard trick unique from other pick a card tricks. There are somany ways to reveal the chosen card, some very simple, some soout of this world, it leaves the spectator talking about it fordays. This is where you can make it or break it. If you aredoing a card trick and have the spectator select a card, youbetter be prepared to reveal their selection in the most amazingway you can think of as people now a days are so adapted to thistrick that they will some how think you marked the card as youpull it from the deck and think big deal. You need to step itup a notch, something that is totally not expected.

Some of the most common ways are to produce the card from asealed envelope, or have the card magically appear on your armby rubbing ashes on it. These are all great effect and leavethe spectator a little baffled. This is what you want. Otherways to reveal the selected card is to have is placed somewhereon or in the spectator's belongings, even way more powerful.

So the next time you are handed a deck of cards and asked to doa card trick, be prepared to step up and ask them to pick acard, any card, and reveal that card in a way that will blowpeople's minds away!