How to do Magic Tricks

Robert writes:

Daniel asks: I bought loads of decks to make sure my decks are always ready. I want to know when to replace them? Found different videos but things are not clear.

For professional performance

• Casual Close-up / table-hopping / walk-around:
  Every 1–3 weeks if you’re gigging often. Some magicians ( Including myself) use a fresh new deck at each gig. It’s build into the fee, and I like the feel of a new clean deck. I often leave the deck with the client at the end, especially if some of the cards have been signed.
  Oils from your hands, humidity, spills, and heavy handling can end any deck of playing cards quickly. Once cards start to clump, lose snap, or feel “soft,” spectators will feel it—even if they don’t consciously notice.
• Heavy practice decks:
  Your hard core practice decks can last months, but they should never be your performance deck. Practice wears out cards much faster than performing.

For specific uses

• Sleight-heavy work (faro, push-through shuffles, double lifts):
  Replace as soon as precision is lost. That can be after just a few days of real use.
• Gaffed or stacked decks:
  Replace when:
  • The Playing Card Edges get dirty and expose differences
  • Cards warp and ruin the ‘line’ of the stack
  • In the end you start “fighting” the deck instead of working with it
• Outdoor or summer gigs:
  Expect to replace decks much more often—sometimes per gig in hot or humid conditions. Expect to replace the deck after each gig.

A good professional rule of thumb

If you ever think:

“These are probably still OK…”

They’re not.
A professional magicians deck should feel crisp, springy, and trustworthy every time you take it out.

Practical pro tips

• Make sure you take at least two new decks to every gig.
• Break in decks at home (faro, springs, spreads) before performing. We have a great fee ebook on how do do that: How to break in playing cards
• Retire decks early to practice or giveaways—never push them on a paid job.
• Cheap cards are expensive. Good cards replaced often look more professional than battered ones stretched too far.

How Often to Replace Your Deck – By Brand

Bicycle (Rider Back & Standard Bikes)

Best all-round affordable and professional choice

• Average lifespan (working gigs):
  1–3 weeks

• Why:
  Bicycles are forgiving, familiar to spectators, and break in quickly—but they also absorb moisture and hand oils faster than premium stocks.

• Strengths:

  • Excellent for double lifts, controls, basic sleights

  • Familiar look (important psychologically for lay audiences)

• Weaknesses:

  • Lose snap and edge quality relatively fast

  • Faros deteriorate quickly once worn

Pro tip:
Bicycles are cheap enough that replacing them often is part of being professional. If you’re hesitating to open a new deck, you’re already overdue.

---

Tally-Ho (Circle & Fan Back)

Longer-lasting, sleight-friendly

• Average lifespan (working gigs):
  3–5 weeks

• Why:
  Slightly stiffer stock and better edge consistency mean they hold up longer, especially for technical work.

• Strengths:

  • Excellent for faro shuffles

  • Stay “crisp” longer than standard Bikes

  • Fan backs hide wear well

• Weaknesses:

  • Less recognisable to some spectators

  • Can feel stiff if not properly broken in

Pro tip:
Great for magicians who favour technical card work but still want a traditional look.

---

Bee (Casino Finish)

Durable but specialised

• Average lifespan (working gigs):
  4–6 weeks

• Why:
  Thicker stock and casino finish resist wear and clumping.

• Strengths:

  • Extremely durable

  • Excellent for gambling routines

  • Hold up well in humid environments

• Weaknesses:

  • No borders = mistakes are less forgiving

  • Less suitable for some packet effects and colour changes

Pro tip:
Bees last longer, but they demand cleaner handling. If your sleights aren’t solid, they’ll expose you.

---

How Often to Replace Your Deck – By Working Environment

Restaurant & Table-Hopping

• Replace every: 1–2 weeks

• Cards pick up:

  • Food residue

  • Grease

  • Moisture from glasses and tables

Rule:
If a deck touches a restaurant table, it’s on borrowed time.

---

Weddings & Corporate Events

• Replace every: 1–3 gigs

• Higher expectations, closer scrutiny, better lighting.

• A soft or clumpy deck feels amateur even if the magic is strong.

Rule:
New deck per event = peace of mind.

---

Outdoor / Summer Gigs

• Replace every: Per gig or even mid-gig

• Heat + humidity destroy cards quickly.

• Sweat alone can ruin a deck in under an hour.

Rule:
Always carry multiple sealed decks.

---

Street Magic / Busking

• Replace every: Few days to a week

• Dirt, wind, moisture, rough handling.

• Expect faster wear than any indoor environment.

Rule:
Cards are consumables, not equipment.

---

Practice Only

• Replace when:

  • Cards are visibly bent

  • Edges are fraying

  • They stop faroing consistently

Practice decks can last months—but should never cross over into performance.

---

The Professional Mindset

A fresh deck:

• Feels better

• Looks better

• Handles better

• Removes doubt

And doubt is deadly in performance.

Final rule:

If you wouldn’t be happy handing the deck to a spectator, it shouldn’t be in your pocket.

 

One of the most common concerns magicians ask me when they visit the magic shop and I demonstrate the Svengali deck is a question we received via email today: 

“Won’t people notice the same card keeps coming up? I can’t show more than one trick to the same group, surely?” – Mark

It’s a fair question, especially if you’re imagining doing a complete close-up set with the deck, and every trick somehow ends with someone pulling out the 10 of Hearts. Suspicion is bound to follow, right?

But here’s the truth: that’s not how you work a Svengali deck properly in performance.

I’ve personally performed a two-hour walk-around gig at a corporate Christmas party using nothing but a Svengali deck, after having lost my checked-in case on a flight, and not one spectator caught on to the method or called out the repeated card. Why? Because it’s all in how you structure your performance.

I’m going to break down how to use a Svengali Deck for you and give you a professional magician’s perspective on how to turn one Svengali force card into an entire routine — even a whole act — without raising eyebrows.

First, Stop Thinking in Isolated Tricks

The problem arises when you treat your Svengali deck like a one-trick pony. If you perform a single card selection, reveal it, and then ask them to choose another card (which ends up being the same one), then yes — that will look suspicious.

But a Svengali deck isn’t about repeating the selection. It’s about creating a thematic narrative with the same card, much like how a stage magician might weave a single object — say a signed bill — throughout multiple effects in a longer routine.

The Flowing Routine: A Real Example

Let’s walk through how you might perform several minutes of strong, varied magic with just one selected card using a Svengali deck.

1. The Basic Revelation – Setting the Hook

Start with a card selection. The spectator “freely” chooses a card (which is your force card — let’s say the 10 of Hearts for argument’s sake). You control it back into the deck casually.

Now perform a simple but powerful reveal. Maybe you say:

“Watch, I’ll spell out your name and it’ll appear on the last letter…”

You deal cards, one per letter, and the last one is their 10 of Hearts. Bam. You’re off to a strong start.

2. Building on the First Effect – Control and Magic

Next, you pretend to lose the card in the deck. Cut, shuffle, whatever looks convincing.

Then say:

“If I snap my fingers and tap the deck, your card will jump to the bottom.”

You tap, show the bottom… not their card. “Oops,” you say, and drop a spoonful of water under the deck on the tablecloth.

Now comes the kicker:

“I hit it too hard… it went through the tablecloth.”

You pour a little water on the tablecloth to make it go transparent — underneath, a face-up card. the 10 of Hearts.

You’re not re-selecting the card. You’re using the same card in new ways, and every effect gets stronger and stranger.

3. The ‘Secret Reveal’ – How to Use a Svengali Deck to Kick Up the Drama

Later, maybe after a few minutes of conversation, you do the old magician’s trick of pretending to reveal the method.

“Let me show you how I make the card rise to the top…”

You place the card in the middle and say, “With a flick, it comes to the top.” You lift the top card — not theirs.

Then you get dramatic. Ask them to look up. It’s stuck to the ceiling.

In reality, you set it up before, but the continuity of the effect — all based on their card — is what sells it.

No Need to Reselect the Card

Here’s the key idea for how to use a Svengali Deck: You don’t need the group to select a new card every time.

You’re not showing them a series of disconnected tricks. You’re creating a mini theatrical experience using that single card as a recurring character.

It’s almost like you’re doing a sketch show with a running gag — except the gag is their card popping up in increasingly impossible places.

For Table-Hopping and Walkaround: Just Use Multiple Decks

Now, if you’re table-hopping at an event and seeing multiple groups, you don’t have to use the same force card every time.

Simple solution: carry two or three Svengali decks — each with a different force card. One group gets the 10 of Hearts, another receives the Queen of Spades, and so on.

Even better: colour code the boxes or put a small mark somewhere you can feel or spot quickly. That way, you’re always ready with a fresh experience for the following table.

But honestly — even if you didn’t bother switching decks — as long as you’re not repeating tricks for overlapping groups, most people will never notice or care.

The Power of Consistency and Theatrical Framing

Here’s what a Svengali deck gives you when used well:

• A consistent thread you can build a whole narrative around.

• Multiple revelations with increasing impossibility.

• Total control, which allows you to focus more on performance and less on sleight of hand.

It’s not about doing a card trick. It’s about learning how to use a Svengali Deck by creating a moment.

And if you sell that moment — with humour, structure, and just a bit of theatrical flair-no one’s going to question why they saw the 10 of Hearts again.

If you’re still worried that the Svengali deck is too limited for multiple tricks, I’d urge you to reframe how you think about it.

Instead of worrying about hiding the repeated card, lean into it. Build a story with it. Turn it into a feature, not a bug.

The Svengali deck is one of the strongest weapons in a walk-around magician’s arsenal when used right. I’ve made a living with one. You can too.

Best wishes and good luck with your magic

Dominic Reyes

---

Got your own ideas or Svengali deck routines you love? Drop them in the comments — I’d love to hear how others build magic from this underrated classic.