It looks like most of the posts here are about jumbo cards. I'm a newbie - what are some of the uses where mini cards are better than regular cards? I have some minis but I really don't know what to do with them.

I think Bob Jardine's 'LITLLE ESP' is one of the finest effects you can perform with a mini deck. You can watch it here: http://youtu.be/U3ZByKPYjcM

Taught in full on Bob's excellent DVD (it was a VHS when I watched it) though you may be able to suss out the method from the performance.

Cheers

AM

Thanks, Murrari. I figured out how to do it, but wouldn't it be just as effective if done with a regular deck in the lap?

For kids with small hands, mini-cards allows them to begin palming cards and doing sleights that they just can't handle with regular size (even bridge size) cards. So if you teach card magic to youngsters, consider giving them a mini deck to work with.

Mini decks are also good for comedy when you have a card trick where the spectator is supposed to shuffle the deck and you toss him a mini-deck that has been switched in for the regular deck. He will get all flustered shuffling and cutting the tiny cards and the audience will enjoy the attempts. A good ending is to use Manuel Magie's "Clubbed" to visibly turn the selected mini-card into a huge ultra Jumbo card.

Watching an audience member try to shuffle a tiny deck sounds great! Thanks!

And I do have to say this again: I am astonished at the accumulated knowledge of the members of this forum. Seems that somebody always pops up with a reference to other magicians' tricks that fit in perfectly with the theme of whatever is being discussed.

Love it!

Hello Dan

I have a 188 page hardbound book I've been meaning to mention to you, but just came across it this evening> sorry for the delay...

It is Miniature Mysteries With Cards compiled by Barbara Walker in 1980. It was published by Lloyd Jones/Magic Ltd. in Oakland, California. Tons of Magic with the little cards.

For the interest of those who care, she mentions that this project began as a simple reissue of Hen Fetsch's short pamphlet entitled Miniature Card Magic. (That one even came with a few of the necessary cards in an envelope stapled to the inside back cover.)

She contacted Sid Lorraine for some additional material and all of a sudden the book took on a life of its own.

I imagine this is long out of print, but copies will probably pop-up at the usual sources from time to time.

Enjoy your "little" search!

Julie

Yup, I guess so but I think the miniature deck adds to the charm (and staging) of the effect

Thanks for the info...I just found a bicycle deck that was a mini and bought without any idea as to what I will use it for. Does take up less pocket space

Use mini as a prediction card inside a pay envelope.

As Julie mentioned, "Miniature Mysteries With Cards compiled by Barbara Walker in 1980" is a great book. It is still available from her ex-husband, Byron Walker:

http://www.byronwalkermagicbooks.com/magic.html

For just $20 that's a deal!

Julie

If I perform to kids... I will just pre-prepare a mini card say 9D and write THIS ONE on the back.... force 9D with regular deck, make mini appear, go through find THIS ONE and its their selection

Om man, I just wathed little ESP and realized what I do is similar to what he does.. it really is so simple yet gets great reactions. reccommended

Shrunken Revelation. Just kidding. I wish. I cant palm properly with my left hand because of an old shoulder nerve injuury. But that effect is the best trick I seen that uses mini cards.

I'll second Shrunken Revelation .. nice ...

Sam Schwartz has an effect using a mini card on the bottom of an hour glass. It's a nice idea.

Aldo Colombini has a few nice effects on his web site that use mini cards as well.

I been been thinking of a card shrinking trick for over a decade, at least, now that would make sense to why and how a selected card or cards shrink. The Paul Harris trick where he shrinks a card using a pair of normal size cards is pretty good. What I do for kids is, force a card with mini card in the deck already for them to find after selection. I usually get a great reaction when they find a tiny shrunken card and they see that its their selected card lol.

Here's a nice one by Mike Powers:

http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/352

Mike Powers Book Power Plays has a great routine where the selected card pops out of the deck as a mini card then changes back to full size called "The amBIGuous Card.

Yes, that's another good one the appeared in his first book Powerful Magic.