I feel I under-utilise this principle in my SW trick collection.

The only tricks I do with a KC are:
The circus card trick
Nervous card

There's got to other good ideas out there I'm missing?

Emotional Reaction by Dai Vernon

Two beauts: Wayne Dobson's COMPATIBILITY on Big Blind Media's Awesome Self Working Card Tricks DVD, and Sal Piacente's 4,5,6-Packet Trick in his Lecture Notes Vol. 2 DVD.

Cheers for the info guys

Jean Hugard's "Encyclopedia of Card Tricks" has an entire chapter devoted to magic with Key Cards (as well as other chapters that are devoted to other easily learned principles of card magic). One source: https://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Card......86212521

If you count a Br*****r C***p as a key, I use it in half the "pick a card" type tricks I know…

Using normal cards, the "Circus Card Trick" is also one I like.

Jack Parker's "Done Burying" (52 Memories) is another I really like - I find it quite surprising and not hard to do. A nice trick, I really enjoy it.

"Palatino" by Aldo Colombini is another one of my favourites (his version of Ryan Matney's "Desolation Row", from the book "Strictly Impromp2"). It's a version of the Hofzinser idea, here the selection changes places with a queen of the same suit. True, as written it does not use a key. But having a card selected, returned and then removing the four queens - a key is an obvious and simple alternative.

Using double keys, "Computer Mind" is an interesting trick. It's in the "Self-Working Card Tricks" book by Karl Fulves. Perhaps a false cut /shuffle would enhance it after the procedure (and maybe the card could be found missing, and produced from the pocket or perhaps reversed in the deck, instead of just naming it/finding it).

More good stuff guys - thanks . So much can be done with something so humble

Check out Ryan Shlutz's Effortless Effects for some nice keycard tricks and a very useful idea called the GAP principle.

Do As I Do.

Yes, I know it's in every beginner's magic book, but it's still a great trick with great impact.

I guess the circus card trick- since I read just recently around here that it is the same as Turnover Card from CCIM. Love that trick and it gets great reactions.

Kizmet from Michael Vincent!!

John Carey has some nice touches using this principal.

A Condition of Balance

Magicfish, can you please provide a reference for A Condition of Balance? Thanks.

A great opener effect to do is to use the mechanic but do a wrong reveal. Then perform a color change to the correct card. It hits really great for a starter effect as it is not too strong, but sets the stage for the rest of your performance.

See Roberto Giobbi, Card College Lighter p.66
Enjoy!

Thank you ThePhoenix!

There's a great effect on Sal Paciente's Expert Card Magic - vol 2. He goes over the us of KC a bit as well. I have not performed this yet - I'm still practicing and learning the theory behind this one - but the performance was awesome and I couldn't immediately figure it out.

John Carey's version of Emotional Reaction by Vernon is great! I like how the key card is spotted. Fooled me.

It's on Impossible Card Locations and is called Emotional Reaction Plus.

Kevin

I am taking cards seriously for the first time. It does not take long to notice how a key card makes things so much easier and more practical.