What are the essentials for getting in to tabled card magic? What are the “must read” books and the “must learn” moves?

Lost count of how many books I've written JUST FOR YOU!

I know of an author that has wrote some great memory books too that may be able to help you remember how many.

Hmmm if only that author posted on the Café... which ones are the best for a beginner for table work? I’d consider myself pretty good at in the hands card magic, but other than a few false shuffles and the beginnings of a second deal I know nothing about table work.

Must read book--Close Up Card Magic by Harry Lorayne.

I second that!

And The Magic Book - plus about twenty others!

Go into riffle shuffle trilogy and revolutionary card series by Ed Marlo, complète works of Dingle, riffle shuffle series by Fulves, Martin Nash trilogy, Tom Gagnon last two books, and you will have a lot to explore and work on.

Honestly...Harry's entire Best Ever series. I have a ton of DVDs. Nothing comes remotely close. It is outstanding. I know you said books, but I think this beats books.

I want to underscore what I just wrote.

This is riviting.

So much, almost all, is droning, boring crap.

Done.

I Just want to underscore how valuble the above mentioned dvd set is. It's the NYC school of card magic.. and it is a tour de force.

I blush! I also wonder how many "wannabee card experts" will pay attention.

I am watching it now.

Harry...Thank You!

Forte, England, Ortiz and Ladayne’s material are awesome...

I guess a lot depends upon what you mean by tabled work.

If you mean gambling sleights, then Jason England has a 3 volume video series called Foundations which would fit the bill. Which can then be supplemented with the usual classic texts, and the works of Ortiz.

If you are just starting out in card magic full stop, then Lorayne's Magic Book which has already been mentioned is really good, but covers more than just cards.

Classic starting texts also include The Royal Road to Card Magic and the Encyclopedia of Card Tricks. If you have more money and want something more modern, then the Card College series is the way to go. There are DVD sets of the first 2 vols of Card College, the whole of the RRTCM, and even the EOCT.

If you prefer DVDs, then I think Gerry Griffin's Complete Card Magic set is great for beginners, as is Big Blind Media's Essential Card Magic Collection.

I’m putting the “best ever” series on my list, as well as some of the books. Thank you all. And terriblethewizard, I’m glad people still recommend Royal road. It was the book that started me out as a magician

As you get into table card magic, spend some time learning how to do a solid, effortless table riffle shuffle - if you haven't already of course. Many magicians do in the hands riffle shuffles at the table, or struggle to smoothly execute the table riffle and this really limits what they can do.

If you are a beginner, go for the Mark Wilson book, and for cards, Card collège is unsurpassed. If you really master everything (or a version of what is found in card collège in other books) in Card Collège, you will be an expert.

I'd start with Royal Road, then Expert Card Technique. From there, either Expert at the Card Table or pick up something from Lorayne. whichever you do first, do the other one second. From there you'll have a good grounding to go in pretty much any direction. Darwin Ortiz has a lot of really great table work, so do lots of others.