Ambitious Card, Chicago Opener, Triumph, Anniversary Salsa, Jumping Gemini, Twisters Flush, these are just some of the effects that I use, I also use Sponge Balls which in my opinion are the best close up tricks ever concieved. I suggest you look into them if you haven't already.

Not that anyone will agree, but if you're performing at a Magic Shop, perhaps you would consider doing NONE Of the effects listed here.

Most are very well known...

Perhaps add one or two effects that you've never seen or heard of anyone doing? Dig into the library, find your oldest books and look for something different?

Or not.

Either way, have fun and the audience will too.

Some great suggestions above - couple of others to think about...

-Think, Touch, Turn (Malone On the Loose 2) Marlo?
-Whack your Pack - great reactions!! (AOA 3)

All the best!!

Weapon, the only sturdy advice I can give you I'm sure you know. Involve the audience as much as you can! It helps so much and it truly is the best part!

Maybe some card to impossible locations?

You're 100% right...most of the stuff I wanna do is gonna involve 1, 2 or more people...I'm working on a 8 card mutliple selection as we speak.

Oesterlind's card calling routine, from his Breakthrough Card System, is a real winner. It combines humor with genuine amazement. And if you use jumbo cards, as he suggests, it can play to a large audience.

Rogues Place can accomodate a fairly large crowd in a small venue. I think laying card down on a table is pretty much out of the question there. Always in someones hand instead.

If you must stick to performing only with cards you have to keep in mind that what plays well for magicians doesn't always play for the laymen. The problem here is that you will very likely have a mixed audience of both magicians and laymen / adults and kids.

Rule Number 1 - Personality and enthusiasm wins out every time. Do not neglect the fundamentals. Its easy to forget in a first performance : Eye contact,
smile often and genuinely, Do not stare at your hands unless you want focus directed there.

Fifteen minutes can go by very quickly. I would recommend fewer effects rather than more. An overdose of "Perfect" effects will diminsh the impact overall. Go for quality over quantity when working at Rogues.

I would also suggest performing "Cards up Sleeve" -You will find references from John Carney and the Tarbell Course (Vol 2 I think).
This plays really well in a stand-up situation and allows for some variety in card work.

Oh, yeah. And do "Airtight" by Sankey. This gives you a great stand-up closer complete with a brilliant souviener

Hmmm, a bunch of card effects at Rogue. I haver worked out allot of kinks there. It is a good place to try out new material. This is a stage show none the less. It is a small venue, you can however have a table up front. If you are going to do something as small as ACR, I think you might loose people in the audience. If you must stick to cards find things that deal with multiple audience members and play up the personality. A card repeat routine, the McComb version would play well. Cards across is great for stage. Card to pocket works out anywhere, especially if a wallet or envelope is involved. Predictions are good animations are good, levitation is risky, and usually has already been tipped by the airports and malls of the world. Any stacked work is great, just don't do to many. Too many card tricks destroys an act unless you have the personality such that we don't care what you are doing. Let me know which Saturday. I'd love to come and check it out.

Thanx guys greta advive.. I will keep you posted as to when it is.!!!

I second Bill Malones version of the Mental photo deck, use is a an opener. It makes absolute sense. Transform the deck into a normal one, sw*tch d*cks, and start your routines. That's the way I want to open my card set, I am still looking for a good sw*tch. Spectators will probably burn the deck after they saw all those magical things happen to it.

If you have some table space, Mcdonalds aces makes an awesome closer.

A sequence of color changes is a good opener. It establishes that you're good, very quickly. Most of the color changes in the literature don't require a table.

Hollingworth's Waving the Aces is one of my favorite stand-up card tricks. Lovely magic from a lovely man.

1. Nemesis or Chicago opener 9. a ESP deck routine
2. Invisible deck routine 10. Twisted Sister
3. radar deck 11. Queens out of control
4. Jacks or better 12. Biddle trick
5. A Dream of aces 13. Breakthrough card system
6. rising card trick 14. Triumph
7. Ambitious card routine 15. Twisting the aces
8. Twisting the aces 16. Card Warp

Some performance worthy card tricks. I usually throw 3cardtricks in a show. so I just pick some of them at random. I use other card mysteries as well just what I feel like. I hope you like some of them

I love Card Warp, which I first saw performed about 15 years ago by Eugene Burger on a Paul Daniels TV special. He used jumbo cards, and, as one would expect from Burger, performed it with dramatic, theatrical patter. I loved the trick, and spent many hours folding playing cards to work out how it was done.

However.

Much as I like the effect, it never has a great impact on a lay audience. I usually get little more than a nod of acknowledgement and a "very clever, son". Shame really, since it's a fantastic trick.

Domonique Douvier Has a routine that envolves the audience in an explanation of how a selected card gets into the pocket. The spec gets to put his/her hand in the pocket a number of time to ensure the up and up, any way to make things short there card ends up in your pocket and they pull it out, right after they just felt it empty. After that you make it go back into the pocket but when they go to retrieve it they find that the whole deck is in there as well, and only four kings in your hand. Its a great routine. I beleave its called "Pocketful of miracles" It goes as long as you want it and its funny as you can make it. PM me if you would like to hear more. Also I love your "spirited away".

For an opener as a deck production, I like David Regal's Sudden Deck as well.