It's only a trick take the cards out of the wallet period...
vinny

Has anyone thought about taking a full deck and "magically" changing it into a packet trick? Surely, as magicians this is something we should be able to do. Just a thought.

I do Entourage and really think that it is the strongest packet out there. I like a little 3 card monte also as I just peel these off the top of the deck.

Julie,
Nice idea!
Thanks!

I think there are times when some justification might be in order. It depends on the context.

For example, if you're just in a pub or informal atmosphere, it might seem a little odd to bring out a little wallet containing cards. But if it has already been established that you are 'performing magic', then it would not seem out of place.

As has been mentioned, most packet tricks have a built-in reason for needing to be separate. So no explanations are necessary. I think effects with the 4 Aces (Daley, Twisting, Asher etc..) should be taken from a full deck.

Syd

Any reason will do, you feed it to them and they'll eat it.

I put the packet in an old beat up card box and explain, "I am buying this deck on the Lay-a-Way plan and I only have 48 payments left and these babies are all mine(what ever it may be depending on the # of cards used in the packet)...And if my 26th payment is on time I get a "New Box Upgrade" it costs extra if I decide to change colors and then I have to refinance, I just hope I have enough equity and my credit is good" and with that I go into the effect...there are many ways to go with this plot including incorporating it into a given routine. I use it for B-Wave, "Good thing you said Queen of Hearts...because I missed 3 payments and those SOB's came a repossessed the other 3 queens...And to be honest I could only make a partial payment on this one and they sent me a cheaper version and the friggin paint don't even match....Bastards!!!"...thats how I do it. This works with either "normal" gaffs or "strange" gaffs where motivation may be lacking.

Later & Out
RJ

I usually load a second deck with the packet tricks and do a deck switch.

I perform Queens out of control as part of my close-up act.

Why have them in their own little binder?

My patter is that when I was a young magician spending all my time with a deck of cards, I developed a crush on the Queen of Hearts. In fact, I used to carry pictures of her everywhere I went. I even kept them in a little wallet like this...

Sometimes a spectator will provide clues on how to lead into a packet trick. One friend once named the Queen of Spades when I was doing a trick with a full deck -- and she admitted that the Queen of Spades had personal significance for her. When I performed another trick for her a couple of days later, I reminded her of how she had picked the Queen of Spades, a card that had seemed to suit her. I then asked her, "If you were to name the queen that would be the least obvious queen for me to guess, which of the four queens would that be?" I was then in a perfect position to perform Dream Queen (a trick that's a cousin of Twisted Sisters.)

If I'm going to do a packet trick, I usually do it first then pull out a regular deck. I say, "I keep these cards in a wallet. And let me tell you why..." I say that before anyone can say, "Hey, why are you pulling cards out of a wallet?"

That's a good point. I had a discussion with one of my magician buddies the other day about how a spectator thinks as opposed to a magician. We specifically talking about color changing decks, and talked about the fact that there is no need to show the backs of all the cards in the deck or do too many "proofs" of a decks color. Just pulling a deck whose top card is red out of red box is enough in it's self. Throughout the routine it's always nice to do subtle proofs of the decks color, but the layman will not suspect a deck to be a different color. This is the same for the a packet trick... they don't always think like we do... I just did a walk around gig today and skipped from full deck tricks to packet tricks back and forth.. I never had one problem with this. Granted, sometimes I did some coin routines in between, but there is no reason to over-explain your reasons.

Most packet tricks (at least the one's I do) already have a built-in reason in their patter. color monte-"cards I got off of a guy who won my money" Tom Allen's Magician's Poker- "I saved my hand from the last game of poker I played"... I team up Ultimate Monte with a nice Himber Wallet and say, "most people carry money in their wallets, I carry three cards.... Cards that enable me to win money"

Other than that I just say, "it's not always necessary to do tricks with a full deck, so I keep extra cards seperate".... or for some, "i'm going to give my deck a break". These work for me but may not work for all. It's nice to be able to pull gimmicked cards out of a deck but when you do restaraunt work or walkaround, carrying around extra decks for the sake of a packet trick is just a hassle. It's nice to have them in a seperate small wallet.

My point is, you probably shouldn't over think this... it's not really a dilemma... You're not there to prove you're Jesus, just to entertain. Unless you are there to prove youre Jesus... in that case maybe card tricks aren't the best way to go about it.

Jquackc said it best: "You probably shouldn't over think this."
I can't recall any every being questioned why I'm taking a few cards out from a wallet after putting down a deck. Has anyone ever had that problem? If it ain't broke, don't fix it! If you haven't ever run into the problem, maybe it really doesn't exist.

Exactly! I agree with Vinny. It's only a trick.

Everyone knows we don't have "superhuman" powers or something. They, hopefully, just enjoy being entertained.

Mark.

Interesting to see some of the great ideas in this post so far.

I've been performing for over 30 years. Never once has anyone been bothered by my removing a small packet of cards. I'm not saying it couldn't happen but I'd be surprised if any "worker" has this problem on a regular basis.

It's really just a matter of your style and what you want to convey to the audience.
Everyone's different in the image they want to create.
While it is about entertaining, avoiding suspicions is just preferred by some.
You may never be openly questioned. That don't mean you're not suspect.

Good point.

Mark.

I usually don't call attention by unnecessary justification; but if ever I do, I usually say, I separated a few cards for ease. Let's proceed to the next trick. = )

I apologize...
I should have used "transition" instead of justification.
My bad....