"Show me a trick!"

[MagikFingerz]

What's your go-to effect when you start messing around with a borrowed deck at a friend's place and someone asks the question in the title? Or when someone else does one of those automatic tricks and people are actually impressed, and you want to show them "real" magic?

Mine is a mind-reader effect, which is really just a force and a fancy way of finding the card, but it never ceases to amaze. A riffle force (name?) where you have a break at your force card, you riffle down the pack and tell them to say stop and lift up at the break. I then immediately put the top half back and give them the deck to shuffle. Then I spread out the entire deck on the table and tell them to mentally send me the image of their card (if it's a girl, I'll ask her to hold my hand to "improve the connection" ) and after some theatrics I pick up their card in stunned silence.

I know some other effects and plenty of utility moves, but none are as simple, clean and effective as this one.

[DelMagic]

I often go to Twisting the Aces.

Another I may use is The Clock Trick for a nice self-worker that can work with a bad deck.

[Afrank8]

Can't go wrong with a nice clean simple ambitious card routine in my opinion.

[MagikFingerz]

I often go to Twisting the Aces.

Another I may use is The Clock Trick for a nice self-worker that can work with a bad deck.

Had to go to youtube to check out those, they look nice.

Can't go wrong with a nice clean simple ambitious card routine in my opinion.

Can't disagree with that, but what I like about mine is that it's basically one move, done once, with minimal chance of messing up. And I'm not really a magician, mostly because I prefer flourishes (moves that are meant to be seen, not moves that are meant to be hidden) but also because I get really nervous and jittery when I try to do a "trick". I can easily mess up a double lift or an Elmsley count if there are people watching

[nECr0MaNCeD]

I have a few. One of my favorites is similar to yours. I use a force and have them slide the card into the middle of the deck. I then shuffle the deck a couple times and then spread the cards out face up. I have them point to the first card then grasp their wrist like I am taking their pulse. I slowly move their finger along the deck while telling them to visualize their card and that their pulse will quicken when I get to their card. For effect I start to slowly pass their card but return to it and make them touch their card. I forget where I learned this but it always gets a great response.

Also I love the 8 card biddle trick. Simple once you practice the sleights and also gets great responses.

[Afrank8]

There's a pretty simple zarrow shuffle triumph effect which is a nice simple impromptu trick I like to do. All you need is any card control to get it to the top (e.g overhand shuffle control, undercut etc.) and the zarrow shuffle and you're good to go.

[wildwildcat]

Justin Miller's Quantum, while perhaps a little overpriced on E, remains a very visual and impromptu sandwich effect.
Reset, by Paul Harris is another powerful one I have been doing more recently. It can be suited to table or walk around work.
ACR, as someone mentioned, is also a very good start.

[Kruser]

Hi Cardists!

Been away from my computer for the last few weeks, so I'm a bit late to this thread! I just wanted to share my 'show me a trick' trick with you all. As far as I know, it's original, although similar to many others ...

Ask the spectator to select a card and show it to the other spectators. Have the card returned to the deck and control it to the top. Double lift and say that you will use this random top card to locate the chosen card. Replace this doubled card briefly on the deck, then take only the top(chosen) card, naturally keeping it face down! Now comes the original part: Hold the deck in your left hand lengthwise by the ends. Take the chosen card and push it slowly through the deck near the middle (spectators will think you might be trying to place the random card next to the chosen one in the middle). Continue to push the card through the deck and pull it out the other side. Turn the card face up on the table, and listen to the gasps.

Sure, this is basically the same as the trick where the spectator 'sandwiches' the card between their palms, but I've found that the action of pushing the card through the deck is superb misdirection. I encourage spectators to watch the pushing action as closely as they can, and I do it very slowly and deliberately. Another way to heighten the effect is to miscall the card as you are pushing it through the deck ('I'll now push the 3 of clubs through the deck' - 3 of clubs being the card they were initially shown).

This has been my opening trick for about 20 years, and it always kills. By the way, I'm a high school teacher, so this effect has been thoroughly tested on the toughest possible spectators: teenagers!

Rock on, Cardists!
Kruser

[Chozo Tull]

Most of my stuff is from shuffled deck in use. A good sandwich trick variation (make the card appear between the sandwich which is in their hand - away from you under a mug), these days I've been enjoying peeking at the card, then doing the load, and turning the card "invisible", out from the pack, and then "look" at it and say the name of the card - then it appears.
Mindreading (so simple to us but when done right very effective), color changing stuff, simple transpo to the pocket (DLs and top palm ...).

If I'm in a bolder mood and can control the angles I do this : have a card selected, half pass all but one card, insert selection cleanly into the pack, then do a one handed top palm as a visible reversal of the top card - then show all the cards are face up except their selection. It's a great feeling to make them choose a card and not control it

Will try your pushing-out trick Kruser !