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...using just an ordinary deck with no gaffs or gimmicks? I'm more interested in less well known effects, as opposed to classics like Triumph, ACR, et al.

At present, I am perfecting my handling of Japanese Aces, which I have almost got down. It's not really a devastating trick, but it's been a favourite of mine for some time now; I guess it's almost like a mini Oil and Water effect, which I am very fond of. I think it takes some degree of skill to perform it well and fluidly. I'm almost there!

There are some great gaffed card tricks/packet tricks out there (seems like I own most of them!), but there's nothing like showing a few tricks with an unprepared deck and pure sleight of hand. Spectators can, if they so wish, examine the cards to their heart's content. Can't beat it.

By they way, if anyone can suggest other Oil and Water effects for me to try - remember, no gaffs! - I would be grateful. Many thanks.

Mine is The Card Transformer. It's simple but blows people's minds.

My favourite is Oz Pearlman's Mambo #5. Great routine full of great, fun sleights.

For me it always has to be Twisting the Aces, as it's a classic of card magic and an effect which I feel is absolutely pure in the reaction it gets.

The actual method and the performance don't require huge amounts of skill, but I do believe that this is an effect that people starting out in card magic should check on, as it teaches some very important skills:

1. Flow
2. Matching sleights with patter
3. Pacing sleights
4. Performing while concentrating
5. The importance of tying sleights and moves together to accomplish a result
6. Remembering a complex routine

A really enjoy the Gemini Twins trick, and I get some of my best reactions with it. Much like Twisting the Aces it is a very powerful trick and as Seige said above for Twisting, it doesn't need much skill to perform.

Mine would also be twisting the aces Pure magic.

Invisible Palm With a Royal Flush at the end

It has to be my ambitious card routine. I love the flow of it, and how you can add bits in, or take bits out as required for the performance. Its great when down the pub, casually chatting to someone as if the routine has finished, then it appears in his pint/wallet/under the mat/ in her bag etc.

Magic in its purest form

Sybil the Trick by Chris Kenner - A 3 phase routine where a prediction consisting of 4 cards is made and placed onto the table, then a card is selected. The card is returned and a number between 10-20 is called out. A simple sybil cut is executed and one packet is stripped out. The number of cards are counted and it is the same number as the number called out earlier. The top card is their selected card. And the 4 prediction cards are added together to form the number called out by the spectator.

This has got to be my favourite trick ever. The spectators are just in awe after this trick and they just scream! (Not the best when one of my best friends has an extremely squeaky voice )

Collectors by Dan and Dave Buck - 2 cards are selected and replaced into the deck. Two aces then appear out of nowhere. Then all four aces appear and forms two packets with a card trapped face down in between each packet. The two cards are the selections.

I'm still working on this effect by it's looking good . A very fun trick to do with some fancy moves .

Steve

I have to admit to loving the Biddle trick. I wouldn't say that it's my favorite but it's up there

It's so simple and the sleight is over and done with well in advance of the end. Sometimes the simple ones are just so hard to beat and is maybe why they survive the test of time.

For me it has to be the biddle trick too. If every approached to do a quick trick I pretty much always do this.
It has everything I wish in a trick; audience participation, a vanish and a reappearence upside down in the pack the spec is holding.
Gets great reactions everytime and is easy so onje can really concentrate on presentation

Bicycle808 wrote:I'm more interested in less well known effects, as opposed to classics like Triumph, ACR, et al.

Some people have been writing about stuff like the Biddle Trick and ACR. Just note that he wants less known effects .

The Classic Eleven Card Trick (Paul Harris version, Art of Astonishment Volume One). It's a good few minutes of strong, solid and entertaining magic. Beautiful.

Some people have been writing about stuff like the Biddle Trick and ACR. Just note that he wants less known effects

You're right of course - although the title of the thread asks a slightly more open question, which is why a number of us have been off-track with our replies

Hello Everyone,

I love lots of card tricks but you asked for my favorite so I'll have to bend the "rules" a bit for my favorite thing isn't exactly a card trick in the traditional sense, it's more of a cardsharping thing. It's Double Duking. That being said, it's only a matter of presentation that divides magic and cardsharping. Of course, that can be said of most magic, for art is found in presentation.

I love this "trick" because of the art involved. Having the best hand isn't the important thing, it's simply having the best winning hand that counts. And that involves acting, imagination, and in-the-moment artistic expression of doing it when it counts. And, of course, the core principles behind all of these cardsharping concepts applies to magic.

And that is why something that is not exactly a trick is at it's core, the root of what tricks as art are all about.

Love,

Amanda Angeli