Why do magicians love card tricks? It’s a valid question, especially when audiences don’t always share this passion. I’m not saying audiences don’t enjoy card tricks—they do, but in small doses. (If you’re a magician reading this and think otherwise, you’re only kidding yourself and I’d recommend you read this blog).
Watching a magician perform card trick after card trick is like watching an incredible guitarist play solos. It’s great for a short while but quickly becomes tedious.
Nearly every magician I know (including me) loves card tricks. From breaking open a fresh pack to the constant and obsessive repetition of practising a “move”. It’s an exciting, addictive, and meditative practice. However, for some reason, magicians are unable to separate their love of card tricks from how an audience might feel about card tricks…
Why do magicians use cards?
Nearly every magician I know began their study of magic with a pack of cards (desperately trying to be David Blaine). I think there are three main reasons for this:
- Affordability: Playing cards are cheap and accessible.
- Accessibility: Learning card tricks is inexpensive, and resources are readily available.
- Volume: There are thousands of card tricks to learn and perform. (This is where magicians fall short—they fail to recognise that an audience does not distinguish between different card tricks like we do.)
One reason why magicians love card tricks is that learning them is incredibly rewarding. It is a combination of learning “knacky” sequences that you eventually put together into a routine. Naturally, after spending hours learning something, it makes sense you want to show someone…
However, just because you can, it doesn’t mean you should.
As a general rule, magicians prefer to make their lives easier instead of making the magic better. I don’t think this is entirely due to laziness. In part, it’s down to the misconception that audiences don’t know the difference between good magic and great magic. This is simply not true. Just because an audience enjoyed your card trick, it doesn’t mean they would not be more amazed by something else.
If you don’t share this thinking, performing lots of card tricks is the best choice!
I think the 3 main reasons for magicians’ obsession with performing card tricks are:
- Impromptu: Like a moth to a flame, magicians are obsessed with this notion. Impromptu means “off the cuff” and requires no set-up. Many card tricks fit this mould.
- EDC (Everyday Carry): EDC refers to a trick that is small, compact, and can fit in a pocket. Hence, you can carry it every day. It’s an absurd obsession. Stop carrying tricks with you everywhere you go.
- “Packs Small, Plays Big”: A mantra magicians obsess over. It means something is easy to transport but can play to big audiences. Honestly, that is one of the amazing things about a card trick! It can be performed for 1 person or 3,000 people. I saw Mac King entertain thousands of people with a card trick on stage (and it was fantastic). Again, that does not mean audiences should be subjected to an entire show of them.
