by: Andy Canning

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 favorite 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!

About The Author
Andy Canning is an enthusiast - an amature magician - who has set up a website for magicians where you can learn free card tricks (and others) and learn all about Magic.

http://magic.4funandprofit.co.uk/cardtricks.htm

by: Andrew R. Canning

Few things impress people as much as seeing a well performed Magic Trick - especially when it is done without apparatus or preparation. Mentalism is one of the more impressive types of Magic Trick and the one I’m about to reveal is so easy to learn that you’ll be performing it tomorrow! Or even tonight!

There are two important rules for learning Magic Tricks -

1. Practice before you perform. Get it right. Work out your patter and learn it off by heart.

2. NEVER tell your audience how it was done!

To learn this Magic Trick you only need to remember a few things and develop a ‘patter’; a way to perform it.

You have an audience of at least six, preferably a dozen - though it could be performed for as many as you like - provided you can give them all paper and pencils. You tell them that you are going to project your thoughts into their minds.

They must write down the thought as soon as you tell them to - write down the first thing that comes into their head, without trying to think about it (transmitted thought is fragile and too much of their own brain activity will wipe it out).

“We’ll start,” you tell them, “with an easy one. Get ready to write it down … a single digit number; a number between 1 and 9 - NOW!”

You write on your piece of paper; the number 7.

“Now we’ll try a word. What I want you to write this time, is the name of … a vegetable - NOW!”

You write on your piece of paper; the word CARROT.

“Another word. This time I want you to write down the name of … an animal that lives in the jungle - NOW!”

You write on your piece of paper; the word LION. (Trust me; I know they don’t live in the jungle, but this works!)

“Let’s go back to numbers. This time it is a 2 digit number with two different digits (i.e. not 11 or 22). I want you to write down an odd number between … 10 and 50 - NOW!”

You write on your piece of paper; the number 37

“OK. One more number. Again a 2 digit number, an even number with 2 different digits. I want you to write down an even number between … 50 and 99 - NOW!”

You write on your piece of paper; the number 68.

When everyone has written their last number, you display your paper and get them to compare their answers. More than half the answers will match your ‘prediction’.

Well, not everyone is receptive to thought transference, and for those that are, it is an intermittent thing and they will not receive every thought accurately. Those that thought too much before writing it down may have scrambled the transmitted thought.

Do not repeat this trick for the same audience - when they find you are using exactly the same numbers and words each time, they will smell a rat!

In fact most people under the given conditions will come up with those numbers and words. Why? Dunno. Must be the way the human mind is wired.

Note. When doing the 2 digit numbers, always pause where I put in the 3 dots - as this helps to clear their minds of any number they were thinking of up to that point; they don’t know what you are going to say next, so it blanks the mind.

If you decide only to use the numbers, I would do the single digit last. When you’ve just written down ‘7′, being told to write a 2 digit number, you are going to avoid using 7 again. Moving the 7 to the last slot means there is 68 between it and 37.

To learn this Magic trick all you have to remember is 3 numbers and 2 words. Easy isn’t it? Your victims - sorry, audience - will be spell-bound with amazement.

There are many Magic Tricks you can learn that are just as easy as this to perform and just as impressive. My own preference is for Magic tricks that can be performed with borrowed objects so that the audience doesn’t suspect that you are using special gimmicks - even though, often, you are.

About The Author
Andy Canning is an amateur magician; an enthusiast. He has created a Website for fellow enthusiasts – amateur or professional – at http://www.magic.4funandprofit.co.uk where he offers free magic tricks for you to learn.

by: Bill Davis

We hope this article will be of benefit to those already skilled in beginners magic who wish to learm more advanced magic tricks. These advanced magic tricks are whats known as stage magic tricks. Stage magic tricks will amaze and mystify the audience when the magician performs these tricks.

Magicians perform these advanced magic tricks in gambling casinos on cruise ships also on television. One of the more popular and economical magic effects the dove pan will always leave your audience amazed. The magician causes a dove to appear as if by magic. Many amazing magical routines can be performed using this amazing magical prop.

Here is another great magical routine that can be performed using the magical dovepan. The magician displays an ordinary pan taps the bottom proving it solid with no false bottom. The magician starts cracking eggs into the pan adding milk then a few pinches of salt then sugar.

The magician covers the pan with the lid removes it then as if by magic a magical birthday cake appears. The audience tastes the cake which is quite delicious. There are many amazing routines that can be performed when performing stage magic using this amazing prop.

When purchasing stage magic effects for a magic show always look for a prop that can be used for several magical routines also one of good quality. While we are on the subject of great stage magic effects, lets not forget the vanishing cane magic trick.

The magician displays a large silver cane quick as lightning the cane transforms into 2 colored silks. One word of caution always beware of buying cheap low grade low quality magic tricks for stage magic.

The reason one must be cautious when purchasing stage magic is reputation. When you decide to become a professional magician you always want to leave a great impression on the audience. Also you want to impress the folks who hired you. Lets say you performed at a childs birthday party.

You purchased high quality stage magic tricks such as dovepan, zombie floating ball etc. You left a great impression on the audience members. Soon you start getting calls to do all types of shows. Because you had quality stage magic effects, you were able to put on a great magic show for the audience.

If you will follow these simple rules , soon you will be known as a professional magician.

Magicaly Yours
Bill Davis

About The Author
Bill Davis is a master magician and the webmaster for http://www.wizardsmagicchest.com, a site that teaches aspiring magicians the secrets of magic