MetaFilter posts tagged with cardtricks

Pick a card. Any card.

Mitheral — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 08:07:19 -0800

The Berglas Effect aka The Holy Grail of Card Magic or Any Card at Any Number (ACAAN) and named after its inventor David Berglas is a very simple magic card trick that Berglas claims only two people know.

David or Marc Paul, his apprentice, display a regular shuffled deck of cards to the audience and three participants. Sometimes the deck is borrowed from the audience.
The deck is then handed to the first participant for safe keeping.
The second participant and third participant are asked to think of a playing card and a number between one and fifty-two respectively.
The second participant is asked for their card and the third participant is asked for their number.
The first participant is then asked to deal out the third participant's number of cards.

The final card is revealed to be that picked by the second participant. Berglas hasn't touched the deck since he handed it over for safe keeping and claims that the deck is random and the participants are not working for him.

Pepsi Blue Custom Playing Cards

el io — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 17:55:55 -0800

Most cards in North America are made by United States Playing Card Company (USPC) which owns Bicycle, Bee, Tally-Ho (favored by Penn and Teller), Hoyle, and KEM(notably 100% plastic). USPC helped the WWII war effort with its production of playing cards with hidden maps. USPC also produces custom commercial cards (eg: Pepsi Blue) USPC cards are a favorite for magic/gimmicked decks. Magic companies have been among the most prolific in offering new card designs. They include: K a r n i v a l, E l l u s i o n i s t, T h e o r y 1 1, M a g i c M a k e r s. (warnings: some sites may contain spoilers) (previously)

How many ways can you shuffle?

phunniemee — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 12:00:19 -0800

How many ways can you shuffle? Here are some to get you started (along with how to manipulate them): the Overhand Shuffle, the Riffle Shuffle, the Hindu Shuffle, the Faro Shuffle, the Pile Shuffle, and the Mongean Shuffle. If you can't master one of those, I suggest the Wash Shuffle, a shuffling machine, or the ever-popular 52-Card Pickup. More shuffling. Bonus shuffles: -shuffle.swf -The Melbourne Shuffle -The Truffle Shuffle -Fred and Ginger shuffle

Advancing the Art of Magic

ColdChef — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 21:25:07 -0800

Theory 11 is your source for the latest and greatest magic tricks, instructional magic videos, and playing cards. Also: their member discussion area, which is oddly subtitled: For all general discussion related to magic and cardistry. No discussions of Danny Garcia's nunchuck skills, legos, pogs, or ninja related activities.

The Man Who Fooled Houdini

Bookhouse — Fri, 22 May 2009 19:43:52 -0800

Dai Vernon chased down card cheats and swindlers to make him a better magician. It paid off. One of the best magicians of the twentieth century, Dai first made his name in 1919 when he became The Man Who Fooled Houdini. Watch his version of the classic routines the cups and balls and the linking rings. Vernon also mentored many magicians throughout his life, including Ricky Jay. Vernon died at the age of 98 after years as the Magician in Residence at Hollywood's Magic Castle.

The coolest man alive.

Bookhouse — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 00:52:36 -0800

Ricky Jay wants to play cards. Place your bets. He can do all sorts of crazy shit with cards. To learn more about this magician, historian of the con, member of David Mamet's troupe, author and dice collector, be sure to read this wonderful New Yorker article. (previously)