The Name of Your Card Is

Imagine a magician. Form the image in your mind. Are they holding a deck of cards? Very likely, sure. If not, hand them one. Now, something is happening with the cards? What is it? Shuffling perhaps. Some fancy fans and cuts. Yes, maybe. But once the magician engages you, what happens? Chances are, you’re hearing the words “Pick a card.”

That’s the cliche, and it exists for a reason. We pretty much all do it. The unfortunate thing is, the “pick a card” line is just a beginning. It’s a musician picking up a guitar, or sitting down at the piano. That’s just an inevitable start. Where it goes from there is where the art comes into play.

Why? Why Pick a Card Anyway?

Fairness. Randomnes.. That’s why. Cards are amazing for magic because they’re small, easy to handle, and offer tons of possibilities. More than that, each out in unique. I could make a can of Coke turn into a can of Pepsi. I could make the sugar packet you’ve chosen vanish and appear in my pocket. With playing cards though, those effects are just so much neater and cleaner. You already know each one is different, so when it does something it should’t.. you know magic happened.

After The Magician Asks You To Pick a Card

This is where the art comes in. The brilliance of so many magicians from the past. What happens with that chosen card? There are so many possibilities. The card can disappear and appear somewhere else, or the magician can simply read your mind and know what the card is. It can get lost in the deck and still find its way to a certain location, or it can change colour, become a different card, or get ripped up and put back together. Favourite Pieces of Magic

All magicians have their favourite go-to piece of card magic, and I want to share here one of mine. It’s simple, clean, and to the point. “The name of your card is…” yet it still ends in a way you just don’t see coming. I hope you enjoy!