Hey guys,
I have some card tricks that uses a stacked deck, every now and then the spectator would go the extra mile and shuffle it instead of just giving it a few cuts (still working on my audience managament)
so all of the sudden I have to improvise and do an impromptu card trick which I was not prepered for. my question is - what is your backup card trick for cases like this? I want something that is not to easy or obvious but still managabale for beginners.

Thanks!

Learn about the Gilbreath Principle in which the random shuffle isn't as random as you think it would be. As I state in my "Giant Soul-Mates" from The Wizards' Journal #34, it is the closest thing this world has to REAL MAGIC. It will make a believer out of you.

Thanks! Where can I learn more about it?

I've written about 28 books on impromptu card magic - JUST FOR YOU, talweiss.

At the Magic Nook, The Wizards' Journal #34 item #2, or Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbreath_shuffle

Have you considered tricks that allow you to stack the deck as you perform?
I hear a lot of hate about the "give me a number between one and six" trick, but it's a nice relaxed lead-in to the trick I'm stacking for, which is stacking the deck for a better trick still.

Of course I don't know which "stacked deck" trick you are working one, but I hate letting the spectator decide the outcome of an effect

Irregardless, some people like the invisible deck or Brainwave for outs, or as Mr. Lorayne said there is no end to the resources available for impromptu effects. I know which ones I love, but I don't know what you love. I believe you should love the thing, so others will love it.

My spell check doesn't recognize "Irregardless" as bad spelling: That's real magic.

I don't do much with stacked decks. Yet. However, if you are planning a trick with a particular setup and the participant messes things up, that's fine. Make sure you can do 2 or 3 good tricks with a randomized deck. It really is that simple.

The hard part is changing gears quickly. You are totally in the mindset of one trick, the other person mucks it up, what do you do? That's why something like the ID makes a good out. You have a planned contingency course. If things are messed up, you know where to go. You can also just have in mind that if your person shuffles the deck before you have a selection made, don't do that trick. Do a different one.

I like Bob Longe's impromptu version of OOTW. I also like Ian Rowland's Thought Extraction. Ultimately, it is about being able to say "Okay, not only did you cut the cards, you shuffled them, so it is fair to assume that you have no idea of which card is where, right? Now, I want you to concentrate and tell me if you think this card on top is red or black." And off you go.

-Patrick

OK, so off the top of my head my go-to FSDIU (from a shuffled deck in use) self workers (without even a f*rce or anything) are (in no particular order):
Gemini Twins
Untouched (or variations)
The Piano Card Trick
Automatic Ace Triumph
Betting Game sucker trick (or any other KC+reveal trick)

If you can include on-the-fly set ups and a simple single 'move'(though not really a sleight):
Pre-prefiguration
Cowboys & Indians
Lazy Magicians Card Trick
Lie Detector 2
Hindu F*rce + revelation of choice/ Cross-cut f*rce + revelation of choice
The Nervous Card
Poker Player's Picnic
Overclock
Various J*nah card poker deal tricks
Any impromptu OOTW trick

Of course, if you have some basic sleight of hand (simple false shuffles and controls), then you have a whole other world at your fingertips!
To start getting into card magic that can be done without elaborate set-ups I recommend:
Harry Lorayne's - The Magic Book
Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic
The Royal Road to Card Magic
Magic Makers/Gerry Griffin's - Card Magic DVD set
Big Blind Media's Essentials DVD Box set

And if you want to go further then the Card College series by Giobbi.

I don't know what your skill level is, but you should be able to do a few tricks with a borrowed or shuffled deck, even if they are just self-working ones, even if it's just an impromptu Out Of This World (which knocks their socks off, by the way). Get Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic. There are dozens of impromptu ticks in that book that you can do with a shuffled deck, some of which seem really impossible and hit hard. You can get it here for about 12 bucks: https://www.amazon.com/Mark-Wilsons-Comp......in+magic.

Nardi's version of Prefiguration. Why? Because you offer to find your spectator's "Lucky Card". That's your hook. You calm, by saying you won't change their shuffled "order". And your actions look innocent. You make a prediction. Your spectator will make a selection and "participate". You turn-over three packet cards and they all match. Suspense..., packet in spectator's hand matches. The "Lucky Card".

Nothing better.

Next do Dr Daley's Last trick w/ their 4 of kind, or fish-out the aces. Why? Because their Lucky Cards have power, allegedly.

Next, if you've fished-out the Aces, do Chad's Long's "Shuffling Lesson". It's friendly, funny and can look "helpful", even if you decide to win.

Don't do any more card tricks. You're reputation is sealed. You will get ALL the chics. Just make sure to make "good money" and don't waste yourself on video games. Harry Lorayne will bum-rush you with his expensive books. You don't need them.

You're welcome.

The Card Magic of Nick Trost has some interesting tricks that use the Gilbreath principle.

If I'm using stacked decks, I carry two of them, and have routines where I use two decks but only need one of them stacked, so I just bring out my second stacked deck, hand that to a more easily managed spectator, and I'm off to the races. But you should definitely learn some impromptu ones, perhaps using a key card etc.

The secret is to become proficient in *magic*, not just "tricks". If you learn a trick or three, you're stuck there - that's all you know. But if you learn more of the general principles (in this case: key cards, impromptu small stacks, glimpse, force, crimp, and so forth), then you're ready any time your scripts and plans go south. Which will happen, and more often than you want them to ...

Ed

Much good info has been shared.
lybrary.com has an excellent book by Phil Wilmarth, Magic of Matt Schulien[, also do not ignore Harry Lorayne’s books.

Thank you for all this good info. I had previously defaulted to some kind of false shuffle effect. However, this thread has given me some new ideas. I was unaware of the Gilbreath Principle. Intriguing concept. Thanks jimgerrish. Also, great list of alternative effects Terrible Wizard. I'll check out Mark Wilson's book danaruns.

Check out any of John Bannon's offerings in Vol's 1-4 of Move 0. Some use stacks which are not hard to set up on the fly and others (my particular favorite he calls "Sort of Psychic") which don't require any stack and no real sleight of hand skills.