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I'm trying to develop a 5-10minute routine using card tricks. I was wondering if any one could give me some pointers as to what kind of tricks i should put here.

as far as i can figure so far is i should have a "shocking" one as an opener to catch their attention and have an even more "shocking" one as closer, something to leave them wanting more.

But should these be quick tricks at the beginning and end or should the first one be a quick trick and the last one be a "story" trick.

also i know this all depends on the length of the tricks but, how many tricks should i have in a 5-10minute routine?

Totally depends on your style really......I would recommend a quick one to get the ball rolling, one that will shock them, but doesn't require you to go through a ton of patter.

I like to develep a theme for my routine.....for example, I have a gambling routine that does a two card monte routine - with gambling patter - I them move into an effect using poker chips, move into an effect I have that utilizes a locked deck type of idea (with patter describing how if I casino wishes to secure a deck from cheats, they should use locks), and then I move into my ACR routine with a gambling type of story about betting the card can move to the top, etc......but my theme is gambling.

I have a second routine I use, which I titled fate...it is about predicting cards in advance, and they match the specs choice later (you will remember an effect I pm'd you about three signed cards in a paperclip)....I also have a couple of efects in which the spec does the work, and in seemingly impossible situations, they select matching cards every time.....

I have a third routine that is about odds......I predict a card in a pile of two cards....I then turn the odds against failing up, and perform Killer-B (a mentalism type of effect with 8 Cards)......then move to Strange Travellers (an effect using 20 cards) and will finish with either Astral projection or ID, performing a feet with a full deck of 52 cards....

You will see that overall I like to develop a them to my effects, and then build from there.....I will even use the same effects, only changing patter or slight handling to make them suit a different routine........

This leaves me going into a completely unrelated effect as an Encore type of effect......and can go into anyone of my favourites.....twisting the aces, etc.

The way in which you build your routine can be as unique as the routine itself......in the past, I used to decide which effect I wanted to showcase in the middle of my routine, and then found effects that would flow in and out of that effect....to my closer and opener. For example, if I wanted to use Twisting the aces (with four aces) in the middle, I will lead into it with a four ace production type of effect, and them flow out of it with MacDonalds $100 four aces........

As far as a closer goes.....a shocker is once again key, and you are right, it should leave them wanting more, but also leave them in awe and give them something to leave an impression of you in their mind.....your mental calling card so to speak....

I find that you can make a routine as short as long as you want (without changing the effects or number of effects) by the amount of audience interaction you have, the number of flourishes, amount of patter you wish to use....so be very flexible in your routine. Build one that fits in the middle of your allotted time frame, so you can cater it to be slightly longer or shorter depending on the situation you need it in.....for example, if the restaurant you are working is busy and you need to hit more people, you can move through the routine slightly quicker......if the waiter/waitress require you to extend the routine for a specific table (because they are experiencing trouble with a delay in the tables meal) you have the ability to roll it out a little longer and fit the needed time slot....don't be overly rigid with the length........but that does depend on the setting you are in.....if you are in an allotted time slot in a magic show involving multiple performers, you must nail down a specific routine and time.....so feel out your situations.

This completely depends on the performing situation. Table, no table? How many spectators around the table? How are the angles? Are the spectators seated or can the come and go freely while you are performing at a table. Does the routine have to reset?

The answer also depends on your skill level, your personality and the type of card magic you do.

I for example would never do the photographic deck or any effect that demonstrates visually what can be done with a deck of cards. However, the photographic deck is extremely strong and fine magic, its just that I feel it would undermine the magic I am doing.

Finally if you have to perform you obviously have to select the effects from effect you already have tried and tested. Thus to answer your question I would need to know what effects are already on your repertoire.

If you want to build up a routine over longer time (not because you have to perform next week) its a different issue. In general Triumph (with Daryl's display) is a very good opener. Also since triumph preserves the order of the cards, its good as preparation for the next effects. Doing only card magic its difficult to do too many deck switches (one or two is practical, but not more). Arenson, has in the book "bound to please" (I think) a wonderful deck switch. You might do such a deck switch and finish maybe after one other effect, with J.C.’s Super Closer.

Another very good opener is Arensons shuffle board. I often use it. It has a very good story line (I follow the presentation as presented on Green Lite), it always captivate the spectators and it is as magical as OOTW.

After the opener you could do a simple packet trick (which justify that you put the rest of the cards back in the box)! This allows to add what is needed to do MacDonalds Aces - if you see what I mean. Johny Thompson has I nice version of MacDonalds Aces on the 4Vol Classics.

I have tried combinations of this in the past, so my suggestions are not just theoretical but in fact based on ideas that I have tried in practice.

The choice of effects obviously has to lead to entertaining, varied and strong effects. You might also have a number of strong effects that can stand on their own and you can add - in a modular fashion - to the rest of your program. One of my favourites (because its fast and completely impromptu) is a little known mental effect by Dai Vernon you might know (the one where a spectator have to call out a number between 5 and 10). Hope this helps.

Thank you for your bits of information.

The answer also depends on your skill level, your personality and the type of card magic you do.

when you say "type of card magic you do" are you referring to gimmicked vs impromptu, if so i do mainly impromptu tricks... or do you mean something else

I'm still fairly new to magic in general. I have about 15-20 tricks in my repertoire, most of which are impromptu or require minimal set up that can be done in front of the spectator.

i don't really know what skill level i am, but ill list some of my main tricks and let you decide.

Ambitious Card
Two Card Monte
Biddle Trick
A variation of The Hit Man
Jumping Gemini
Jazz Aces
Twisting the Aces
Delirium
Revolver

i would say I'm most likley still a beginner partily because of the tricks i do and partily because i still haven't learned a "Pass" or "the Classic Force"

You need to find tricks which flow into each other and most importantly ones that you're comfortable with.

For an opener I like to perform something that's as interactive as possible because it's a great ice breaker and puts both you and the spectators as ease. The kinds of tricks where you act as if you're going to teach them a trick, the do as I do types are my favourite openers.

Work through a few more tricks and finish on a bang. But one thing I always do is have one, even harder hitting trick held back as an encore trick if they ask for one. There's nothing worse than being asked for one more trick and not being able to better your last. You can safely use a very gimmicked trick here are a deck switch is dead easy.

I would open with a nice jazzy ace assmbley for some reason people like that so i would go with that. After that I would give it a charlier cut nothing fancy just a nice simple one. Go in to the biddle trick if you havent got time to set the aces up just go in to a one handed cut then the biddle and forget the Ace assmebley. Now if you hit these two on the head I would do something where you mess up such as dave forrest pip trip from the trickery dvd. And my friend all ways end on Triumph. get them to select the card from a nice fan.

Dont go over board with the flourishies this not a XCM demo so dont be doing an illogical cut when a simple one handed would do.

ace assmbley
One handed cut
Biddle
riffle shuffle
fan
pip trip
triumph

Nothing here is too hard there some excellent simple card magic there. Just try the rountine this is some of my working stuff when i do strolling or table hopping. And if they want an encoure have you considred sponge balls? who wants to sit through 100 card tricks any way.

As a closer with a story I like to perform "Man from New York" which a shuffled deck is then shuffled face up into face down and then 3 aces are cut to followed by a cut to a 3. You then deal out 3 cards with the third being the final ace and when you spread out the deck it is no longer mixed Face up face down.
I hope that makes sense.
The routine I have comes on Gerry Griffins complete card magic DVds under the expert extreme disc...what's weird is that this is a really easy routine.

Other than that I can highly recommend Nicholas Einhorns "spooked" which I almost always finish with due the the reactions I get.

How do you want the spectators to remember you?
Are you a gambler who has mastered some techniques of cheating, do you want to read their minds using a pack of cards, do you want to demonstrate how good you are with a deck of cards - like a juggler, do you want to share some card tricks you learnt. Why a deck of cards - is it a special deck, are the cards haunted. Do the symbols of the cards have meaning? Do these strange things always happen to you? What is it you're demonstrating and what does this deck of cards have to do with magic?

Figure this out and then build your routine around it.

I think is yet more advocacy for a routines and showmanship type forum.

I'm taking my card index and developing a trick database which has beginning and end states to help trick linking, be that stacking or using tablesd cards, etc.

One of my fave things to do is, in the middle, do two similar tricks with the same effect using different methods. This creates an ideal opportunity for the spek to create false memories.

I'm also at the routine bulding stage, so I'm thinking about image, style and continuity. I'm trying to make it an act, rather than just a routine, if you can see the difference?

I admire comedians, like Eddie Izzard, who can use elements of previous jokes in later jokes and quite often end up bringing everything together at the end. This might involve something like simple four ace production a few tricks after a four acre trick with a line like "these boys are still at it", type thing and then move on.

I'm on the constant lookout for overlapping tricks, rather than just sequences.

Anyway which you can overlap tricks is always good. I lead into the invisible palm with a 4 ace revelation for example.

I always try to have some logical link between any two tricks in a routine.

i am loving this thread. some good advice on here. i too open with a ace assembly effect where spectator shuffles deck before hand and then aces are flying out all over the place, then i would do jazz aces, triumph. and if they wanted more then maybe jc's super closer.
also i like to open with a packet effect such as bicycle built for five to lift any kind of negative moods