How to prepare a deck in front of people?

[gnuvince]

Hello,

I am a newbie at card magic and currently reading "The Royal Road to Card Magic". In the "Poker Picnic" trick of the first chapter, a bit of preparation is required: putting the four aces on top of the deck. They discuss a way to bring the aces to the bottom, which are then shuffled to the top. I am having difficulties understanding how to subtly take the aces and put them at the bottom of the deck. Could anybody provide some tips on how I am supposed to accomplish this subterfuge in front of people and that it doesn't look like I'm actively putting cards on the bottom of the deck?

Thank you,

Vincent.

 

[Josh Burch]

Fan through the cards, find the aces and put them on top of the deck. Don't make a big deal of it just do it. Then shuffle the deck a couple of times retaining the 4 aces on top, execute one or two of the false cuts taught in the book and your set. You'll be surprised at how much they'll let you get away with if they think the cards were shuffled after you did the suspicious stuff.

As a side note if you go to the back of the book there are some ideas for routining, there is a whole gambling routine that you can do if you can prearrange the four aces on the top of the deck. This would be a solid opening routine if you wanted to set the deck up before hand.

 

[Jskwared]

Lennart Green also has several ways to covertly prepare a deck, so far as sorting it by color, suits, etc. I don't think I can really say anything about his methods due to exposure, but they're in Masterfile disc 2 I believe.
But yeah, just for the aces what goatears suggested would work.

 

[Jay Adra]

Though a little more advanced, if you can learn to effectively cull cards, you'll be able to set up so many tricks that require preparation without arising any suspicion.

 

[Austin Fields]

Here's a solid idea- instead of removing the cards you need, remove all the cards BETWEEN the ones you need and table them, then place your cards on top of that. It should look like you're just cutting the pack, the heat goes onto the tabled cards because you're removing them . If anyone can source this idea please do so, I learned it years ago but it's not mine.

 

[Josh Burch]

Beans25 that's really clever! I never would have thought to do that

 

[renome]

Beans25 idea is good, other than that you won't be disappointed if you decide to learn culling, somebody also mentioned Green's material, but I think he's a little too advanced if you're just a beginner.

Btw, welcome to the forums!

 

[Jacob L]

Talk to them, ask questions, respond, make conversation. Act like you really aren't doing anything but casually looking through the deck. Yes your eyes will look down at the deck, but if you don't make such a big deal about it, no one will know.

Practice the movements first (of setting up the cards) to get them pretty smooth. Then practice while talking, that way you won't freeze up during a real performance. If you practice under performance situations, you'll be set.

To learn how to cull, check out Roadrunner cull by Kostya Kimlat (there are two volumes) http://www.kostyamagic.com/products.php

Also, for a less intensive (though still informative) video, check out Cullology by Harapan Ong
http://www.vanishingincmagic.com/magic-downloads/card-magic-downloads/cullology/

 

[YRAMagicMan]

I just stack the deck right under their noses, much like what Jacob L recommended. Then I'll give the deck a quick false shuffle to retain the stack. No one ever says a thing. Some times I'll do the A Poker Puzzle from chapter 9 of RRTCM, which requires an "open stack", and use that as an opportunity to set up the deck for another trick with the Aces. (An "open stack" in this context is a stack that is revealed to the spectators. The stack for A Poker Puzzle is partly revealed as part of the trick, and because of this, no one questions anything.)

 

[Kasper Rasmussen]

''Be a master of culling cards.'' That was what Michael Vincent once told me. Then, you can work with any deck, and it isn't only so you can arrange the four aces on top of the deck. Once you become a master of it, (about two years work I think) you can make very visual triumph effects. Culling is one of the smartest moves in card magic in my opinion.

- Kasper

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

Culling is probably the 'best' method in this instance, as it can be done very quickly and more or less invisibly once you're good at it. However, while you're learning that admittedly knacky technique (and its variations such as the Lennart Green technique mentioned earlier) I recommend simply doing what several people have mentioned. Just spread through the deck and find the Aces, move them to the top of the deck, and do a false shuffle, all while talking to the spectators. Maybe ask them if they play any card games, if they know the suits and values, which is the most valuable, etc. Don't over do the shuffling/cutting, though. One is usually enough, more than that and you may draw attention to it simply by the fact that you're making such a point that the deck is random. I find that a single, in-the-hands riffle shuffle does the job quite well.

 

[Randy]

Yeah, I'd say learn to cull and learn it well. While it can be very knacky at first, if you have Kostya's two DVD's on it he gives a lot of good advice on how to practice it and how to get it down to a science better. The Cull is one of the most useful sleights out there and there is a an unlimited amount of things that you can do with it. (set up an entire deck in memdeck order, set up poker hands, etc etc.)

 

[visualartist]

Honestly you don't need all this culling and junk to get four aces to the top of the deck.
You know what you gotta do? just do it. In the middle of your performance after do some piece of magic either have the deck already prepared or as your making conversation set the four aces in front of them.
I do this all the time and no one says a darn thing. They just wanna see magic they don't care what I do to get to it.
And your audience won't care. Do a few false shuffles and cuts if you feel you have to.

 

[Demain]

You need Ed marlo's book revolutionary card magic, then learn every sleight in the book and you will be a master cardician.
prayer cull or cull palm replacement!