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Trick Decks or Gimmicked Decks are special decks of cards that have been altered in unique ways to help you perform impossible card magic miracles. Each deck offers various possibilities to suit different card tricks or your own personal style. These are not your standard decks of playing cards.
As it’s important for these special playing cards to look like an ordinary deck of cards, we’re going to take a look at the most common trick decks used by magicians that are made with Bicycle Playing Cards. Aside from lasting longer, thanks to the way they are made, they are often thought of as the best playing cards for magicians. Which is why they are so popular. We hope one day, USPCC will let the Richard Turner Gold Seal decks be used for some of these tricks decks - but I wouldn't hold your breath on that...
The Svengali Deck is one of the most common trick decks used by magicians. These gaffed decks of cards can be found in any magic store and are sold in nearly every beginner magic kit...and for good reason. This is the one of the most versatile trick decks you can buy.
The Svengali Deck can be used to force cards, have a selected card appear anywhere in the deck or have your spectator magically find their card on their own. You can do “card-to-impossible location” or “card stab” routines, or even turn the entire deck into a selected card without any sleight of hand.
Many seasoned professionals tend to forget about how powerful the Svengali Deck can be. But, this trick deck can help you perform truly amazing card magic miracles, especially if it’s brought into play with a clever deck switch.
The Invisible Deck (or Ultra Mental Deck) allows you to perform one of the most powerful tricks in magic. With this deck of cards, you can show a freely selected playing card to be the only one that is face down in a face-up pack. This is the ULTIMATE prediction.
There are a variety of presentations possible with The Invisible Deck that can be used for close-up magic, parlor magic or even stage magic. It’s strong enough to close your show and can even get you out of sticky situations when you lose track of a selected card. It’s no surprise that The Invisible Deck is a standard part of any magician’s arsenal from beginner magicians to working pros.
The Brainwave Deck is a mind-blowing alternative to the Invisible Deck with a surprise ending that will floor your audiences. Not only is the freely-selected or thought-of card found to be face down in the deck of cards, it is also the ONLY card with an odd-colored back. Just like the Invisible Deck, the Brainwave Deck allows you to perform this amazing magic trick without any forcing or sleight of hand needed.
The Mirage Deck combines the short card principle with the rough and smooth principle to create a one-of-a-kind hybrid between the Svengali Deck and Invisible Deck.
Essentially, you can perform all of the same amazing effects that can be done with a Svengali Deck?—but with one key difference. With the Mirage Deck, you’re able to spread through the cards and show them like a normal deck of cards in the beginning. This takes the Svengali Deck to new heights and allows you to perform wildly amazing card tricks.
Sometimes referred to as the “Wizard Deck”, the “Stripper Deck” has an insane amount of card magic potential. It can be used for everything from mind-reading and predictions to performing the classic rising card trick.
With the Stripper Deck, a freely selected card is placed back into the deck of cards. Then, without holding any breaks, you can cleanly cut directly to the spectator’s card before you even know its identity. This powerful concept has a variety of potential. Yet, like the Svengali Deck, it is unfortunately often forgotten about by many professional magicians. So much so, magicians Ryan Plunkett and Michael Feldman teamed up to write a book encouraging magicians to rediscover the power of this secret weapon.
A marked deck of cards gives you the versatile tool needed to perform card magic miracles. Used correctly, you may actually convince your audiences that you have true magical powers. Most marked playing cards use clever marking systems that are easy to read for you but are also well hidden from your audiences.
This information allows you to know the suit and value of any playing card and read minds, make predictions, track cards and so much more. You can also get out of tricky situations where you miss your card force and adjust card tricks on the fly. Once you start using a marked deck, don’t be surprised if you find it difficult to return to using an ordinary deck of cards.
Trick decks are an incredibly powerful tool for magicians of all skill levels. Even the most adept sleight of hand artists in the world have been known to use a special deck of cards from time to time.
However, contrary to popular belief, these gimmicked decks of cards are NOT totally self-working. You’ll need to practice and rehearse each detail just like when you learn any other card trick. It’s important to look at trick decks as a complement to your sleight of hand, not a replacement. Combining a little sleight of hand with a trick deck at just the right moment can allow you to create truly beautiful magic moments in your show.
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