This sort of thing has probably been detailed in many tomes of card magic that I have not read (yet)... but, can I just stress the importance of up-jogging cards as you search through a deck to select the cards you'll use for your trick - ESPECIALLY when those cards require special handling.

I had a very, very close call as I was finding the four aces to use for Macdonald's Aces - I was (stupidly) placing them on the table one by one as I searched through the deck to find the four of them. The specatator reached out for a card to 'have a look at it'...

the story has a happy ending with her taking the ace of spades to look at, and loving the Bicycle designs (hey... so do I) - and my spectators were amazed by the trick... but all along I was breathing a MASSIVE sigh of relief. I just wasn't prepared for it... and it could have gone horribly, horribly wrong!

I've learnt that lesson let me tell you!

UP-JOG!

Of course, in the case of that particular trick, you have to be careful how you hold the spread as you upjog, or your audience will still get an education at your expense!

...which is probably why I decided to just lay the things unguarded on the table...
ugh.

I have much to learn

You might also try upjogging and removing the REAL aces first (as in the classic handling) and ringing in the "special" cards as indifferents; an extremely simple switchout follows. In this manner there is NO chance of the "special' cards being discovered and the spectators are likely to remember - consciously or subconsciously - that they saw the Aces' backs when you first gathered them from the deck. If they reach out and pick one (or more) up to examine them - without prompting, of course - so much the better.

Regards,
Thomas Wayne

Thomas' advice for this particular effect is right on the money.

However, your upjog idea is still sound for other effects of this ilk, if you just hold the spread parallel to the floor such that the specs are looking directly at the faces of the cards.

And, as a corollary to Scott's sound suggestion, if you are performing for a larger crowd (but not necessarily big enough for jumbo cards), spread the deck at about chin level, with the faces toward them. Peek over the top of the spread to "find" the Aces (three will be quite apparent from the back; it's ACTING); pull them out and table or easel them without exposing the backs... proceed from there.

Regards,
Thomas Wayne

Thanks Scott and Tom for your advice! I especially love the switch in idea - and I'm working on it right now!

Ah...so many ways to control the cards...

many thanks!

C.