Card trick - Definition and Overview

Card magic is the art of creating illusions with a packet (or deck) of cards. Playing cards are most often used, but some effects exist which use business cards or hockey cards. Card magic is a common feature in magic performances, especially in parlor magic and street magic.

Card magic is one of the oldest and most widely practiced forms of magic. Playing cards are an inexpensive, versatile and easily manipulated prop and therefore popular with magicians. Although magicians have created and presented thousands of different card tricks, they are all built upon fewer than a hundred basic principles and techniques. It's the presentation or patter that makes the difference for an audience.

Notable practicioners of card magic

Main article: list of magicians

• Dai Vernon (real name: David Frederick Wingfield Verner)
• Ed Marlo
• Simon Lovell
• Michael Ammar
• S.W. Erdnase
• Charles Bertram
• David Blaine

See also

• List of magic tricks
• Sleight of hand
• Trick deck

External links

• Card Tricks at Card Trick Central (http://web.superb.net/cardtric/tricks.htm)
• Card-trick.com (http://www.card-trick.com/index.htm) - includes history, free tricks and links.
• Famous Internet Card Trick (http://www.webshots.com/sp/card_trick/)
• Practice Not Included (http://www.practicenotincluded.com/) - Includes card tricks and methods (password protected)