Hey,

I was wondering what do you guys and girls do with the special cards that end up in your deck after a routine you do and then continue strolling or table hopping? For example I have a new routine where at the end of the trick I'm left with one blank card somewhere in the middle of the deck. And the question for me is how and when do I get rid of it so I can use the deck as regular deck again. During the trick I have changed this blank card into the chosen card so it would be quite anti climax for me to take it out then and there, but if I take it out at the next table before I start, I feel that would seem odd also. Any ideas?

Alex

Just keep it in the deck, no biggie. "Oh they forgot to print one".

You could also mark the card on the edge in the corner so you can cut it to the top or bottom then palm it off or leave it in the box when you take the cards back out.

Good ideas both! Thanks!

If you make it a "short card" you could use it in the deck for other tricks.
then easily control it out of the deck at any time, or leave it in the deck where you like.

If you just look through the deck as you are talking and take it out how tough is that? It isn't a big deal don't make it a big deal.

Well, Danny taking a card out with no explanation would look a bit suspicious, wouldn't it? How about taking out but miscalling it as a Joker as you pocket it?

Another idea would be to use that card as part of an ambitious card sequence:

1) Look through deck with faces toward yourself and cut the Blank card to the top
2) Have a card selected
3) Use Marlo's TILT to apparently place card in the middle and come to the top
4) Apparently, place top card in pocket (Really Blank Card) then show it back on top
5) Proceed with Ambitous card routine.

Get it to the top as you are saying goodbye and take it out on the way to the next table. Suspicious? Hardly.

Thank you for your thoughts guys! It could very well be that I am over thinking it, as Danny suggests, but usually better that way, I think. And also, now I got all these great ideas from you that I can play with!

Alex

I would agree with Zach or Magic Mike. Probably more toward magic mike az tje removal is justified

What exactly is "justified" and why bother when you are fiddling with the deck between tables? The things magicians worry about amuse me.

Danny let's not chide people for asking a question. He didn't say it was a big deal.

Personally, I think people do notice a magician fiddling with a deck between tables.

It is running when nobody is chasing you.

I mean Mike do you really think people are watching you as you move from one table to another? I am not chiding anyone when I claim that people in a restaurant have far more things to do than watch the magician move from table to table. 99% of them won't even notice. SO much is happening with wait staff that it is a blur at best.

It is not chiding people to simply try to get new people to understand reality.

That is my experience. I found out long ago that if I look through a deck of cards idly someone will say "Ah, setting up for the next trick eh?". This happened enough times for me to realize some people were paying attention to that sort of thing. I'm pretty sure that if one person says something, ten people saw the same thing and didn't say anything.

There is nothing wrong with putting a little thought into small details. Just keep it in proportion.

Harry Lorayne used to set the deck in front of them while talking to them AT the table.

Setting up in front of people is A solution. Harry Lorayne was the best at that. It fit his character to fuss with the cards and he also had various rationales that he said while doing it.

I haven't gotten his new book where he says he goes into detail on setting up in front of people but I'm very interested.

I think what Danny is describing is a great lesson for magicians to learn and is really really important.
When the heat is off, it's really off!!

Unless you're the rare person who has spectators following them into the bathroom to find out what's really going on in there, I think you should seize the opportunity to tidy up between tricks and between tables.

I definitely agree with Danny and Ambitious, it is being way overthought here in my experience table hopping. Some people don't even realize you are a magician going from table to table, much less that you removed a card between them.

One could also leave or put Jokers in the deck. Remove the special card along with the Jokers as you start your next trick.

If it's that much of an issue, don't do the trick.