Who is Kellar O'Neil?

Arguably the single most prestigious award in the playing card community is 52 Plus Joker's Diamond Award.  So what better way to introduce Kellar O'Neil than by noting that two of his decks have been nominated for the Diamond Award for Deck of the Year.

In 2020 he created Charmers Playing Cards in collaboration with Lotrek, one of the very top playing card designers in the world, and that deck went on to be nominated for the Diamond Award.  Then in the past year he created his Marvelous Hummingbird Feathers Playing Cards in collaboration with Chris Tipton, and that was nominated for this year's Diamond Award.  Considering the huge number of playing cards that appear on the market every year, to have a deck you have produced make the shortlist of the top four candidates is a huge honor and recognition.

But there is a lot more to Kellar O'Neil, and in this article we're going to learn more about him, and some of the decks he has produced.  While he is active in the playing card community, especially as a creator, his roots lie in his expertise as a magician, although he prefers to call himself a mystifier due to his performing style.  He's been performing professionally for over 20 years, and when going to one of his shows you can typically expect Victorian charm in a historic venue, with some astonishing illusions courtesy of Kellar, who is billed as The Southern Charmer, Mystifier of the Finest Affairs.

Kellar was kind enough to agree to do an interview, so please join me in welcoming him, and let's listen to what he has to say about himself, and about his beautiful playing cards.



The Interview

About Kellar O'Neil and Marvelous Cards

For those who don't know anything about you, what can you tell us about yourself and your background?

I reside in South Carolina.  I am a professional Mystifier.  I entertain mostly as a corporate entertainer for major companies in the United States.  I have been performing since the age of 12. 

What can you tell us about your career as a performing professional?

I love performing for audiences to give them a moment in time where they can simply forget about the world's problems (and their problems) and realize that there is wonder - true sense of wonder that still remains in the world ... and doesn't need to be on a screen!

You describe yourself as a "mystifier" rather than a magician, but also as a mind reader and mentalist. What is the significance of those terms for you?

A mystifier is someone that creates wonder for someone.  My interaction with the audience is one of an experience, and not just a 'show.'  I want someone to remember the moments they had - not just some showcase of the impossible.  Ten years down the road, I want those that have experienced my performances to say - WOW! that really changed my perspective.

What is the significance and origin of the name used for your professional website, keepthewonder.org?

Keep the Wonder is a reminder to everyone I meet to take a moment to enjoy the true miracles in life - those miracles are within us and we have so many wonderful things in life yet to experience and explore.

The name Marvelous Decks has a similar feel.  What is the origin and significance of this name?

Marvelous Decks does have a similar feel - that name was created by myself and Chris Tipton (Master of Letterpress Art).  When we decided to create the concept of Marvelous - we knew that there are so many Marvelous Details in Life and we want to capture those as creatively as possible and bring those to collectors, magicians and the world.  Marvelous encompasses the magical wonders of this world.  We can't wait to share more.

What should we know about Marvelous Decks, and what it strives to be?

Marvelous Decks is a creation between Kellar O'Neil & Chris Tipton.  Our decks have and will strive to be 'eye-candy' and 'texturally miraculous'.  We give great thought to the designs and production process.  I have a background in print production and the creative, while Chris has many years in design and production and is at the top of letterpress in the world.  Our experience through these projects was a perfect fit in our minds ... and so ... Marvelous it is.  So, so many Marvelous things coming...



Playing Cards

What kinds of routines do you use playing cards for in your professional performances?

Mind reading effects mostly, and some card flourishing.

Which playing cards do you personally use when performing?

My Charmers Playing Cards designed by Lotrek.

Do you have any favourite deck that you have used for performing over the years?

I am a fan of Theory 11's Citizens Playing Cards.

As a performing professional, what qualities are most important to you for handling of a deck?

Definitely the stock and finish.

What card stock do you prefer the most, and why?

I am a huge fan of Cartamundi B9 Linen Slimline.  It's just so so buttery - and they know their shimmer.

What are your thoughts on how the playing card industry has changed, and the explosion of custom playing cards that we are seeing today?

I love this!  I am an avid supporter of the community and love supporting as many decks as I can.  Creativity at its best.  I love watching other creators, and watching videos of cardists, magicians and collectors experience all of these decks.

You used Kickstarter to help produce your Charmers deck.  What has your experience with Kickstarter been like?

Kickstarter is a great platform.  It's great that there is a platform that can be used to create a new product.  More decks are coming from us on Kickstarter.



Marvelous Cards

What got you started with creating playing cards, and why?

I wanted to have my own deck designed and was honored to work with Lotrek - it got into my blood after becoming a member of 52 Plus Joker and here we are!

Which decks have you been involved in creating so far?   

Charmers, TwentyTwenty, Hummingbird Feathers and coming soon, House of Whispers.

Which of these have been your most successful designs, and which is your favourite?

Honestly, I can't say that I feel one has been more successful than another and I have an admiration for them all as they have different characteristics and meanings.

What are some of the easiest, and what are some of the hardest parts of the process in creating a custom deck?   

The easiest part is coming up with ideas.  The most difficult is the long process of design (normally two years) and then of course the funding.  Fulfillment is fun and rewarding, but a lot of work!

How much time does it take to actually create a deck from start to finish, and what aspects take the most work and time?

Two plus years.  Artwork most definitely involves the most work/time - a lot of back and forth to get it just right!!

You printed both the Charmers and the Hummingbird decks with Cartamundi.  Why did you opt for them, and what aspects of the results were you particularly happy with?

I believe Cartamundi produces the best decks in the business at the moment.  Their stock and finish is something truly special.  They are the best in the cold foil finishing as well.  I have been able to create a relationship with them that is wonderful.  They are busy of course - so patience is key.  They stand by their product and quality control is very important to them. 

Most of your decks have a relatively standard look to the court cards and number cards.  Why was this important for you? 

It's a card deck first and foremost - so I want people to be able to sit around a table and play cards or do great card effects.  Playing cards are also art - I find that courts should be fun and beautiful, but functional.




Charmers Playing Cards (2020)

The delightful Charmers deck is billed as a throwback to the Victorian Era.   What is the significance of that inspiration and style for you, and why did you choose this?

My performance style is from this era - so when working with Lotrek we wanted to pull together that style.  It's such an elegant style.

How did this deck come about, and what were some of your goals in producing it?

I always wanted to have my own deck and approached Lotrek to create something special - he did such a fabulous job creating a collector's deck - but also extremely functional and magnificently beautiful.

You created this deck in collaboration with Lotrek, who is a rock-star designer in the world of playing cards.  How did this collaboration come about?

I simply reached out to him after seeing his decks - I knew it would be a long-shot - but he was excited about the project and we worked well together.

What role did you play in the creation of these decks, and what role did Lotrek play? 

I created the name and Lotrek created the art.  I allowed Lotrek to use his creative license to make something special.  He's truly at the top of the art - and never doubted what his vision was.

What do you like most about how the Charmers decks turned out? 

The gold...the gold and the gold.  I am partial to the tucks.  I am addicted to foils and textures.

Which of the Charmers decks is your favourite, and why?

The Green Standard deck.  I love the color and it's my go-to deck for performance.  Of course they are all great - and the Signature...well, it's a masterpiece from Lotrek.  Glad my name is on there...

The Charmers deck was one of the nominees for 52 Plus Joker's Diamond Award for 2021 Deck of the Year.  What did this nomination mean to you?

Such an honor.  Very humbling.  I never would have imagined this would have happened so quickly with my creations.  52 Plus Joker is a wonderful organization and I am proud to be a member.  Their work is awesome for the community. 



Marvelous Hummingbird Feathers Playing Cards (2021)

What do you love about hummingbirds, and what inspired you to create a hummingbird themed deck?

I love the intrigue of hummingbirds, but also their beauty and determination.  My inspiration came from my grandmother's love of hummingbirds.  We always spent time together filling hummingbird feeders and watching them visit.  Magical!

This deck was a collaboration with Chris Tipton.  What should we know about Chris, and what contribution and role did each of you make?

Chris is a true professional in his design and Master of Letterpress.  When I decided to create Marvelous - I knew his expertise was a great match.  He loves bringing these productions to life and has a love and excitement for the process too. 

The tuck box of this deck looks amazing.  What went into the design and creation of the tuck box, to accomplish this?

There are 8 dies that went into making these tucks.  Chris spent hours upon hours creating this masterpiece.  Many prototypes were made with dies and this was because we knew it had to be just right. 

What is meant by "multiple holographical foils", and what can you tell us about how the cold foil was used?

We have a Secret Marvelous Recipe for these products...

Why did you decide to go with the colours red, blue, and purple for the three different decks of this series? 

Red was my favorite and I knew it had to be used - and the other two colors were so striking ... so I knew they had to be used too.  They are based, however on real hummingbird combinations.

What are some of your personal favourite things about how the Hummingbird decks turned out?

The tucks for sure - but I absolutely was amazed when I opened the decks from the factory and they turned out better than I imagined.  The Shimmer, shimmer, shimmer is at the top too.

Your Hummingbird deck took out 2nd place for "Best Tuck Box" in Portfolio52's 2021 Deck of the Year contest, and was also a nominee for "Overall Deck of the Year" and the "Best Card Back" category.  What do these awards and recognition mean for you?

Whew ... again so humbling.  The card community has been such an inspiration to me and to be nominated by the community as being in the top ... words can't describe how blessed we feel.

Can we still get these decks? 

Very few decks remain - there are some decks available from other playing card retailers, but very few remain.



Twenty Twenty Playing Cards (2021)

What is written on the back of the 2020 deck tuck box, and what is the importance and significance of this for you personally?

The Year 2020 caused everyone around the world to rearrange their normal.  This official deck will serve as a reminder that through the highs and the lows, we will go on.

This deck was very personal to me and to others.  Covid changed the world, and was a tragic situation - however, we felt that through the court cards we could portray some of the lighter sides of the craziness of 2020, while keeping this deck as a keepsake for collectors and future generations to say ... we did make it and we are stronger for it.

What can you tell us about Kevin Keigley, who was the artist of this deck?

Kevin is based in South Carolina and is a wonderful person and artist as well.  He has a whimsy with his art and makes me smile.  Expect another Marvelous Deck from Kevin very soon too!

What can you tell us about the novelty designs we can expect to see on the court cards of this deck?

See the gallery at Card Scans.  They portray some of the things that represent 2020 as the Year that Turned the World Upside Down ... in a light hearted way.

Why did you opt to print these with Shuffled Ink, and what was that experience like?

We also like this US company.  Their stock and finish is nice (and smells good too).  Their customer service is wonderful.  More Marvelous to come from them too.  Their decks handle well.



Final Thoughts

Are you also a playing card collector, and what can you share about this?

I collect a wide variety of decks (I have around 300 decks).  I normally am pulled towards the more ornate designs.  Favorite designers outside of my own decks would be Lotrek and Lorenzo,

What advice would you give someone who is interested in creating their own deck of custom playing cards?

I dig it and love that people are so excited about decks.  It is great for us all.  Be creative and make it happen!  Advice would be to take your time and create something meaningful. 

Do you have any recent, current, or upcoming projects that you can tell us about?

House of Whispers designed by Widakk & Dalibass with Marvelous Decks - coming to Kickstarter soon!

What is the best way for people to keep up with news about any new projects you might put out?

Instagram.

Is there anything else you'd like to share about designing or using playing cards?

It's such a fun creative outlet - have fun collecting and treasure the art.  Support the community and Keep the Wonder!



Conclusion

There's a good chance you've seen pictures of some of Kellar's decks previously, especially the stunning Hummingbird Feathers, which makes an instant and memorable impression.  It is bursting with holographic foils, and generates the kind of amazement that seeing a hummingbird in real life can produce. And that's the sort of wonder that Kellar wants to evoke, whether it is through his performing, or by putting one of his custom decks in your hands.

While I've not had the opportunity to see Kellar perform his mystifying brand of magic, the fact that he is a professional entertainer who specializes in creating a sense of wonder and astonishment, ensures a good crossover to the world of creating playing cards.  He's keen to approach the task of producing custom playing cards with a similar benchmark of success, by creating something genuinely remarkable and breathtaking.

If the Marvelous Hummingbird Feathers deck is any indication, he certainly has what it takes to produce a spectacular deck that stands out from the competition.  We can only look forward to what will come next!

Ways to connect with Kellar O'Neil and Marvelous Decks: Keep the Wonder, Marvelous Decks, Instagram.



Author's note: I first published this article at PlayingCardDecks here.

Snakes & Ladders Playing Cards

A unique deck of animated marked cards, with built-in card magic

I love decks with the novelty of flip-book animation.  And no one does this better than Mechanic Industries.  They have produced a growing range of terrific playing cards with animated decks.  They've also found ways to combine this with card magic, and typically each of their releases comes with access to extensive free video tutorials, teaching fun magic routines that can be done with their creative playing cards and gaffs.

Snakes & Ladders Playing Cards is their latest release, and is billed as a re-imagining of the classic Snakes & Ladders game, "but in a Quantum Mechanics kinda way."



The board game inspiration behind this ingenius custom deck is immediately obvious from the tuck box, which features exactly what you'd expect: a snake and a ladder.  The colour scheme of black, gold, and gray is our first introduction to the main colours we'll find on the playing cards.  The tag line "Animatdna Playing Cards" is a clever play on the word "animated", and indicates something about the animations to be found within..

The back of the tuck box shows us the snaking ladder design that is the chief feature of the card backs.  This is the effect created by animated card backs, when the deck is arranged with each suit from Ace through King: "Twinned serpents create a snaking ladder using our trademark 13 repeating back marking system. Riffle through the deck to activate the animation and give your spectators a truly magical moment... then hit them with the other hidden and surprise tricks."



The animations are very eye-catching in several ways.  The first thing you'll notice is how twin yellow bands move up or down the card backs.  But when looking more closely you'll notice other aspects that have been animated as well: a snake rotates in the center, between two snakes that also move in endless figure eight shapes.  The top and bottom of the card backs also have lines that turn and move.  It is very well designed, and will immediately attract interest from anyone that sees it.

You really need to see this for yourself by checking out the official promo video.



Won't that make it a marked deck?  Well, yes it will, and that's one of the built-in aspects of the deck that you can use for card magic, since you can decode the information on the card backs to figure out the value and suit of any given card.  The deck comes with a video tutorial for this that I'll cover in just a moment, but I'll mention already now that it teaches a gambling "demonstration" you can perform with the help of the marked backs.

While the card faces have a relatively standard look, making them well suited for card magic, the Snakes & Ladders theme is also very evident.  It has been applied to all of the Aces, each of which is decorated with a snake or ladder, as is particularly evident with the showcase Ace of Spades.



Immediately noticeable is that the traditional red used for the hearts and diamonds has been switched and replaced with a vibrant gold, matching the colour seen first on the card backs.  It's a stylish choice that works with the theme, without taking away from the deck's functionality.

The court cards also have some special touches.  All the characters have been given gold serpent-like eyes, and each is holding a snake, while ladders appear on some of the cards as well.



The deck comes with two "Snake Reveal" Jokers, both of which feature a snake on a ladder.

One of these is curled up, and the art has been designed in such a way so that magicians can use it to reveal a forced 8 of Diamonds by means of a fun colour reveal, in combination with the animations.



A duplicate 4 of Clubs is also included for use in card tricks. 

This is intended to be used especially in combination with the "Snakebite Gaff" that you can cut from the final bonus card that comes with the deck.  The gaff is easily made, and depicts a serpent holding a torn corner from the 4 of Clubs.  You can use this to create an unforgettable moment of magic as a snake shoots out of the deck, and steals the corner of the spectator's card. 



All this is of course fully taught and explained in the accompany video tutorial.  As we've come to expect from decks produced by Mechanic Industries, the ad card includes a link and password to instructional tutorial video on the Mechanic Industries website.  In this case it is a full-length video that runs for 44 minutes. The video includes an explanation of the markings and how to use them to identify the cards, with a sample gambling demonstration routine performed and taught.  There's also full teaching for tricks using the other gaffs, namely the Joker Reveal, and the Snake Pop Out. 

Check out this official trailer video to get an idea of how these routines look, and to see some of the possibilities these offer.



Once again, Mechanic Industries have presented us with a full tool-kit that gives us everything we need in order to maximize the potential of this clever deck.  It's not just a custom deck, although the animated backs alone should make it appeal to collectors.  But in combination with the unique tricks that theSnakes & Ladders Playing Cards will enable magicians to perform, it's especially going to be shine in the hands of magicians who like the idea of impressing their audience with something unique and memorable. 

Whether you're just a collector, or serious about performing card magic, you won't find much better value than what you get with Snakes & Ladders.  And if you're not yet familiar with Mechanic Industries, this unique and attention-grabbing deck is a great place to start!

National Park Playing Cards

The story behind National Park Playing Cards is worth sharing.  This deck was actually designed by Micah Hoang, at the age of 15! 

Think about that for a moment.  What were you doing at age 15?  Playing hockey on the street perhaps?  Riding your bike?  Playing computer games?  But how about designing a deck of custom cards that would go on to sell over 10,000 copies.  That's what Micah Hoang did.  And it all started in 2018 when he was just 15.

Here's how Micah introduces himself over on his Etsy shop:

"Hi! I'm Micah, graphic designer, nature lover, high schooler, and the founder of National Park Playing Cards. I created the deck as a passion project, which later transformed itself into a full-scale business after amassing over $6000 on Kickstarter."



Micah's Etsy page also goes on to describes the story of his National Park deck:

"It all started in late 2018, when Micah, a 15 year old graphic designer from Los Gatos, California decided to design a deck of playing cards, each with a different US National Park. What started out as an idea became a reality through his Kickstarter page, where he almost tripled his initial funding goal of $2500.

"In 2021, more than 10,000 decks have been sold in retail stores nationwide, including Canyonlands, Arches, and Zion National Park visitor centers.

"Besides managing his playing card business, Micah enjoys trail running, mountain biking, hiking, and exploring National Parks."

His father Lan Hoang managed the Kickstarter for him back in 2018.  But even so, I'd say that's a pretty impressive result for a 15 year old!  The fact that he's sold over 10,000 decks since then is quite remarkable.  The deck I own has the date of 2022 on the tuck box, so it's obviously been reprinted at least once, to keep up with the demand.



Here's how the ad copy explains the concept of the deck:

"Whatever your card game of choice, let it become a way to take you on a spectacular cross-country road trip through 52 unique National Parks. Each card in this beautifully designed, casino-quality deck features a different National Park through illustrations that capture the beauty of each park with a modern look and feel. Designed in California."



Now let's show how the deck looks, starting with the tuck box, and then moving on to the cards themselves:















On his website, Micah tells the story about the creation of the deck in more detail, and also explains the significance of different aspects of the deck:

"An Idea: It was early January when the idea first came to light. I wanted to work on a big personal project to start the year of 2018. Something that would take the entire year to complete.

"Something that I?ve seen a lot of designers take on is the task of designing a deck of playing cards. This looked to me like a wonderful idea. Not only would it strengthen my design skills, but it?ll teach me other skills like  how to manufacture, sell, and market a product. Not only did I want to design a custom card back; I wanted to design a custom case and card faces for every card.

"Somehow, the idea of creating a US National Park themed playing card deck arose. There just so happened to be about 55 registered National Parks in the US, and getting the official gift shops to sell them would be a good long term goal.

"The Process: I went straight to work. Designing each card face to feature a different National Park, I got about 3 completed every week. Along the way, I discovered my  own unique style. Using minimal linework to depict memorable scenes from each park, the cards give off both a vintage and modern vibe at the same time.

"The face cards (king, queen, jack, ace) have filled in circles with negative space lines to distinguish them from the other cards. The jokers depict Native American animals, also illustrated in the same minimal lifework style.

"Each suit represents a different region in the United States. Diamonds represent parks in the Southwest, Spades represent the parks in the Northwest, Clubs represented the East, and Hearts, the South.

"Additionally, the card values are sorted by park popularity, with ace featuring the most visited parks, and 2 featuring the least visited parks.



"With all the design elements ready, including the foil tuckbox, card faces, and card backs, I put the project up on Kickstarter, where I almost tripled my funding goal of $2500. You can check it out here.

"Within months, my first batch of playing cards were sold out.

"Retail & E-Commerce: My main strategy was to target small boutique stores as well as official National Park gift shops to resell my decks. This deck would be best appreciated as a collector?s item, or as a souvenir from a US National Park.

"National Park Playing Cards are now available at locations including REDEMPTION CA, Los Gatos; STRIPE Men, Santa Cruz; Canyonlands National Park, UT; and H?mage, Pasadena.

"They are now also available on Etsy, UncommonGoods, and on my Shopify store. I utilize both Facebook and Instagram marketing and promotion to gain sales and it?s been a huge success so far."

[/quote]

The decks were printed by WJPC, which is a Chinese playing card manufacturer that has also been used successfully by creators like Stockholm17 and Elephant Playing Cards, who have stated that they tend to be faster and cheaper, and more reliable than other alternatives. 

This particular deck uses WJPC's 310gsm German stock, which has the advantage of durability.  I personally prefer using WJPC's 300gsm German stock, because it is softer and thinner than this.  Because it handles so consistently and smoothly (e.g. faro shuffles and fans/spreads all work well), and is most similar to USPCC's crushed stock, it is my favourite of their stock options.  But given that this is a souvenir style deck for the mass market, durability is important, and so 310gsm stock makes sense for a deck like this.



Links to product pages:
https://www.rei.com/product/217991/articavisuals-national-park-playing-cards
https://www.etsy.com/listing/791184502/national-park-playing-cards

Social media:
https://www.instagram.com/nationalparkplayingcards
https://www.instagram.com/articavisuals

NB: I have no affiliation with Micah or this product, but just figured it was a pretty neat story worth sharing.  It certainly helped increase my appreciation for this deck and what he's accomplished with it!

Secret Tale of King Arthur Playing Cards

The Dutch Card House Company first got my attention with their Diamon series, which features colourful geometric designs that are perfect for cardistry, and are also at an affordable price point.  Based in the Netherlands, their team has now produced several different successful series of custom playing cards, including Tulip, Paisley, and others.

But it was when I first saw their Secret Tale of King Arthur Playing Cards that I knew that they were for real.  This is not just your average "custom" deck, but is a luxurious project that consists of two fully custom luxury decks that draw on the famous Arthurian legends.



Most of us are familiar with the classic tale about King Arthur, who was raised by the wizard Merlin, successfully removed the sword Excalibur from the stone, and became king.  The Dutch Card House Company has come up with the idea that a secret manuscript written by Merlin has been discovered, which tells more of the story about Arthur.

This newly found document is called "Merlin's Confession", and reveals a prophecy from the Lady of the Lake that Arthur and Guinevere will father a son who will rule over Britain and all Europe. It further tells the story of how King Clovis of the Franks works together with the sorceress Melina to try to prevent this prophecy coming to pass.   It is this "secret tale" that forms the back-story behind this lovely custom deck.



A 68 page mini-booklet telling this story was even created as part of the project. It includes pictures of all the court cards, along with a summary of how each of the depicted characters plays a role in the narrative.



But let's start by talking about the decks that are part of the project. There are two companion decks:
● Black Knight Edition, which was printed by LPCC in their Viper finish.
● White Knight Collector's Edition, which was printed by WJPC in a limited edition of 500.



The design of the card backs centers around a keyhole, which represents the entrance to the cabinet where Merlin has hidden his secret tale.  Careful observers will also notice details from the Arthurian stories as part of the ornate design, such as the legendary sword.

The Black Knight Edition and White Knight Edition both have the same combination of colours, and while the face cards are identical, the card backs have a very different look as a result having either a black background (Black Knight Edition) or a white background (White Knight Edition).



The style of the artwork on both the backs and the faces of the cards combines old folk art with antique colours from the Middle Ages.  The court cards especially bring the story to life, with lavishly illustrated characters that make good use of the space offered on the faces.





The court cards depict the following characters in each suit (from Jack through King):
● Spades: Sir Galahad, Lady of the Lake, King Arthur
● Hearts: Arthur as Ibex, Queen Guinevere, Sir Lancelot
● Clubs: King Clovis, Melina, Sir Pellinore
● Diamonds: Merlin, Lady Morgause, Sir Mordred





The pips and indices are beautifully customized in a style that is in keeping with the rest of the artwork.  The dual tones used for the pips makes them look very elegant, and the custom arrangement adds to the unique feel.


The deck is rounded out with some fine Jokers. There are two Jokers in the LPCC Black Knight Edition, and three in the WJPC White Knight Edition, namely the Holy Grail, Excalibur, and Guinevere.



Naturally the Ace of Spades also enjoys a fully custom look, and showcases some details from the secret story.  Head over to this gallery over at the Playing Card Scan Archive to see all the cards in the deck.



The tuck boxes of both decks are already beautiful, with embossed card stock and multiple foils.  But it gets better, because a deluxe "Camelot Box" was produced for each box.  These were created by WJPC, which also printed the Black Knight edition.  WJPC is an increasingly respected playing card manufacturer based in China that specializes in printing playing cards, as well as every aspect of luxury packaging for playing cards, and has a growing track record of real success.

The Camelot Box is a very sturdy box decorated with lavish gold foil for a classy look, and has a drawer with a ribbon that you pull open.  This drawer has ample room for storing a single deck along with the mini-book, and makes for a lovely presentation.



I can't say enough about how beautiful this project has turned out.  If you are going to search out a copy, I especially recommend a gilded edition, which adds that special touch in keeping with the luxury of all other aspects of the Secret Tale decks.

The gilded editions were produced in even more limited numbers, the Black Knight Edition with gold gilding, and the White Knight Edition with blue gilding.  These also both come with a custom numbered seal.



Collectors who appreciate what they're seeing here will be pleased to know that the Dutch Card House Company has gone on to create a second installment in the Secret Tale Playing Cards series, this time drawing on the legendary Robin Hood, with a project entitled The Secret Tale of Robin Hood.  This project is currently in the process of being fulfilled, after being successfully crowdfunded.  It looks to be just as spectacular as the first installment of the series.

With the newest Robin Hood project, all the decks are being printed by WJPC.  If the quality of the Arthurian decks is any indication, the Robin Hood decks will be equally wonderful.  With this beautiful series, the Dutch Card House Company has certainly shown themselves to be an important contributor to today's playing card industry, and well worth keeping an eye on!

Mechanic Industries

I have a special fondness for decks that have special features, especially flip-book animation.  Mechanic Industries has been producing some of the very best decks in this category, especially with their Casino Edition Range.  I first came across Mechanic Industries courtesy of their clever Mechanics deck, which doubles as a marked deck, and also produces an animation of moving cogs when you flip through the card backs.  The metallic deck set with gold and silver foil is especially stunning.

Following closely on the heels of this were their eye-catching Optricks decks, which came out in black and in red, along with some very unique gaff cards, including one that enabled you to produce an anamorphic illusion with the Queen of Hearts, and the Optibox gaff which can make a card box look empty even when the deck is inside.   The Visualies Gaff System from Mechanic Industries took this to a whole other level, with an entire deck of creative gaffs.



The Casino Edition Range continues Mechanic Industries' creative use of flip-book animation on the card backs, with a series of innovative decks that build on casino-related themes.  The first was Roulette, which has an animated roulette wheel on the card backs, along with customized artwork that draws on the roulette motives.  Its successor, Fanimation, was a reimagining of this concept, which used ideas optimized for card flourishing, as well as a clever use of a roulette-inspired fan display that had good application to card magic.

The latest in the series is Snakes & Ladders, which takes the classic game to the card backs with an animated snaking ladder, customized details on the artwork, and appropriate inclusions like snake reveal jokers, a snakebite gaff.  As with all the decks in the Casino Edition Range, with the decks you also get access to a full range of high quality video tutorials created by Mechanic Industries, where you get taught how to maximize the secrets of each deck, as well as some magic routines employing the gaffs and other features.



Craps Playing Cards

But the deck I'm covering here is Craps Playing Cards.  Like its siblings, this deck is perfectly suited for gambling routines and more.  For those unfamiliar with it, Craps is a popular and historic dice game where players bet on the outcome of a roll of a pair of dice.

The tuck box immediately introduces us to this theme, with casino-like betting charts, and of course some pairs of dice.  The tuck box flap includes a card reveal for the 7 of Spades, which magicians can take advantage of for card magic.



When the cards are in new deck order, flipping the card backs with your thumb will produce an animation of dice rolling on a table.  This really needs to be seen to be believed, and you can see it in action by checking out the official promo video.

Obviously this also makes this a marked deck, which can be used by magicians to quickly figure out the value and suite of each card by looking at the back.



The Craps theme has also been applied to all aspects of the artwork on the cards, and this is one of the most customized decks yet in the Casino Edition Range.  The backs have a thin black border, inside of which our dice will roll, against the moving background of a betting chart, to add to the illusion and feel of an actual Craps table.



You'll immediately notice that even the edges of the cards are coloured with a jet black, which adds to the sense that the complete deck is a mini-table, and helps this deck make an instant impression.

The card faces also look quite different from previous decks in the Casino Edition Range, and all help give this deck a unique vibe.  The edges of all the faces have black borders, along with a sweeping arc on the left and right.  The Ace of Spades is particularly appealing, with a fully custom look.



The colours are reduced to just red and black for a more classy casino-style look, and the font and pips have also had stylistic adjustments to give them a fully custom feel.

The court cards are classically inspired, but our familiar characters are all equipped with casino-related additions, in the form of a wad of cash (Jacks), a rake (Queens), and dice (Kings).



The black borders on the faces and backs of the cards are registered perfectly courtesy of printing by Cartamundi rather than USPCC, which is notorious for making a mess of borders as a result of inaccurate printing.  Cartamundi's Slimline stock has become very popular in recent years, and it handles consistently and smoothly.

The flip-book animation and custom artwork doesn't end our fun with this deck.  It also comes with three Jokers, one with a pair of dice showing a 5 and 6, another with a pair of dice showing a 2 and a 5, and a third blank Joker.  These are ideal for magic tricks, and you can create the illusion of a pair of dice falling off the card, leaving it blank.



The final card is an ad card that includes some gaffs you can cut out for making flat dice, which you'll use for a "Squished Dice" routine (taught in the free support materials).

The ad card also includes a link and password which gives you access to a 50 minute tutorial video over at Mechanic Industries, which is full of information about how you can use the card backs as a marking system.  But best of all, this includes tutorials for performing a number of great tricks (e.g. Die Flat Purse, Squished Die, BPM Roll'em, Stick, Flat Top, and Splat), which utilize the novel card backs and features built into this deck.



It should be obvious that Craps Playing Cards is much more than just a deck of custom cards: it's a full toolbox of creative magic effects.  It will appeal to collectors who like the idea and novelty of the flipbook animation.  But it will especially find a welcome home amongst magicians, who are best placed to take full advantage of all its unique features.

Regardless of whether your love is just collecting novel playing cards, or serious card magic, Craps Playing Cards is excellent value given everything you get for the price.

10 Top "How To" Videos For Getting More Out Of Your Playing Cards

I've been writing some Top 10 lists that relate to playing cards, and I thought it would be fun to come up with some great ways that you can use your playing cards in a less conventional fashion than what we normally do.  After all, most of my readers do own a lot of decks of playing cards.  Most of us are good at collecting them, and maybe we even use them occasionally for things like playing card games, card flourishing, or card magic.

But how about we learn some other activities that we can use our playing cards for?  Some of the "how to" videos below will teach you essential skills that everyone should learn how to do, like shuffling cards properly.  Others will teach you less common skills, like throwing playing cards, which you can use to impress your friends or family.  All of them are easily learned and mastered.

So without further ado, let's get started with some "how to" tutorial videos that will help us acquire new skills with our playing cards!

1. How to throw a playing card

Rick Smith Jr is a professional magician, but he's also the holder of three Guinness World Records for throwing playing cards.  He set the first one in 2002 for throwing a playing card 72 yards at a speed of 92 miles per hour.  His other two records were set in 2015 and 2017, one for throwing a card the most accurately (46 out of 52 cards to a target within a minute), and the other for throwing the highest straight up in the air (70 feet).  Rick is so good that he can use a throw a playing card to slice fruit.  His impressive skills have been featured a couple of times already on Dude Perfect.

His baseball background helps, but really it's all about good technique. To see what I mean, try throwing a playing card right now.  Most people are fortunate to throw a card even just a few meters away.  In many cases the card will travel a meter at most, and then tumble embarrassingly down at your own feet.  But with the technique that Rick teaches, you will quickly and easily learn how to throw a playing card effortlessly across an entire room.  I've seen teenagers pick up this skill in no time at all, and seriously impress with their mad card throwing skills.  Give it a try!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlMIcGTLQNU

2. How to build a house of cards

Have you ever tried stacking a house of cards?  I have.  And it's much harder than it looks.  Usually by the time you get to the second or third level, the whole structure collapses, and you have to start all over.  If you manage to get to 4 or 5 levels high, consider yourself well above average.  But building a house of cards isn't nearly as hard as it seems - at least, not if you take a leaf out of Bryan Berg's book.  Bryan Berg is another individual with numerous world records to his credit, including both the tallest and the largest house of freestanding playing cards.  He's built structures nearly 8 meters high, with over 70 levels.  He goes through well over 5000 decks of cards a year, and is usually sponsored for his work, which has included large projects such as a replica of Cinderella's Castle for Walt Disney World that took almost a month to build.

Bryan's technique is no secret, and he teaches it openly in some tutorial videos. The key to success is that instead of building with the usual pyramid or triangle shape, you use a grid-like structure based on square shapes.  This makes for a much stronger and more reliable house of cards, is easy to learn, and you'll be heading for the ceiling in no time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5F6j4e1C4Zk

3. How to do a riffle shuffle and bridge

Do you know how to shuffle a deck of playing cards properly?  You may have the nicest deck of playing cards in the world, but you're going to look like a fool if you don't even know how to handle it properly.  You don't want to embarrass yourself by spilling cards all over the floor, resorting to an ugly granny shuffle, or looking like you have no clue what you're doing.  So even if you don't go on to develop mad card flourishing skills, at the very least you should master the art of a basic card shuffle.

There are different ways to shuffle cards, but the two most popular methods are the overhand shuffle and the riffle shuffle.  Each involves different techniques, and has different advantages.  The overhand shuffle is the most common method, and is what most people learn first.  It's practical and fast, but it does keep groups of cards together, and magicians take advantage of this to use it to control individual cards while shuffling.  The riffle shuffle is more elegant and sophisticated by weaving cards together, and is the kind of shuffle associated with card games and casinos.  When done in the hands it can be finished off by letting the two interwoven packets purr satisfyingly together in what is called a "bridge".  It will instantly make you look like a professional, and is worth the minimal effort required to learn it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6ZD1lDbW3M

4. How to do a card trick

Everyone should know how to do at least one decent card trick.  After all, you never know when you'll be at a party or playing a card game, and the perfect opportunity is there to entertain others, and instantly become a hit.  In contrast, there's few things worse than sitting through ten minutes of tedium, as Cousin Bill tries again to remember exactly how the 21 card trick works.  The good news is that you don't need to learn all kinds of sleight of hand in order to produce a miracle, because there are plenty of card tricks that require no tricky moves at all.  In the world of magic, these are called "self-working card tricks".  A good self-working card trick has the advantage of being easy to learn and perform, letting you focus on presenting it well.  And there are some terrific ones out there, which aren't mathematical atrocities that involve lengthy amounts of repeated dealing or counting.

"Gemini Twins" is a true gem among self-working card tricks.  It was popularized after it appeared in one of Karl Fulves' books on self-working card magic, and numerous variations exist.  You remove two prediction cards face-down from a shuffled deck, and these are used twice to mark the place where your spectator deals from the deck and stops at any point where they wish.  When the deck is spread face up, the two prediction cards amazingly turn out to match in colour and value to the exact cards that your spectator stopped at.  Despite a simple method that is easy to learn and perform, this is a very strong magic effect.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9A7Nk-XAgo

5. How to do a card flourish

While card magic is about doing something that seems impossible and magical, cardistry is all about pure skill with cards.  It's another word for card flourishing, and involves performing skilful moves that are all about looking flashy and visual.  Some have described it as juggling with playing cards, and that's a good description.  Flashy packet cuts, dribbles and springs, impressive fans and displays, aerials and spins, are all classic examples of cardistry.  In recent years cardistry has really taken off with the help of social media and the internet, and nowadays you can even buy decks that are geared specifically to looking good when performing cardistry moves.

The good news is that there's no right or wrong way to approach cardistry, because you can learn whatever you want.  So you have complete freedom to explore whatever suits your preferences and taste.  Even so it's good to start by mastering the basics and have somewhat of a graduated approach.   Don't focus on rushing things, but try to perform the moves smoothly.  And keep practicing, because cardistry is perfect for doing "fiddle moves" while you're watching a movie or waiting for a bus.  In this instructional video Chris Ramsay will teach you three basic packet cuts: the swing cut, the swivel cut, and the rotation cut.  While the rotation cut is a bit more finicky, you'll master the first two in no time, and you'll be surprised how rewarding it is to do these whenever you have a deck in your hands!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OsV9Xe6h2M

6. How to play the GOPS card game

How about playing a card game with a deck of playing cards?  What a revolutionary idea - not - since this is of course the exact reason why playing cards were invented, and is the primary way they are used.  But I want to challenge you to go outside the familiar and learn something new.  I'm a huge fan of card games, and have tried many, many different ones over the years.  Good card games for just two players are particularly in rare supply; at least, few people seem to know them.  So let me introduce you to a simple, easy-to-learn and quick-to-play bidding and bluffing game for two players that is particularly excellent.

It's called GOPS, which is an acronym for "Game Of Pure Strategy", to reflect the fact that there's no luck.  But don't go thinking that this is a brain-burner, because it's not that kind of game at all. Instead, it's all about bluffing.  Here's the basic concept: You're trying to win the 13 Diamonds cards, which are point cards corresponding to their value.  They're shuffled and then revealed one at a time. Players each get an entire suit as their hand (Clubs or Spades), and simultaneously play a card of their choice, with the revealed point card going to the highest played card.  The player who wins the most point cards wins the game.  The tutorial video will teach you the game in just two minutes, and it's far more fun than you might think!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUTc1AF3a0I

7. How to play the Exit solitaire game

Virtually everyone is familiar with playing Solitaire with cards, because it's been included with the Windows operating system for more than 30 years now.  It's saved countless office-workers and secretaries from boredom, and at times it's also caused company productivity to take quite a hit.    We probably all know how it works: you're trying to get rid of all the cards in order from Ace through King in each suit, and do so with the help of seven stacks of cards, which you can arrange downwards in value in alternating colours of red and black, and by dealing cards from the stock.  There's a good dose of luck, but enough decision making to keep it interesting and addictive.  What many people don't realize is that this game is actually called Klondike Solitaire, and that there are hundreds of other types of solitaire games that can be played with a deck of cards, many of them involving more skill, and many of them even more interesting.   Klondike is an example of a builder type of game, where you're stacking cards up or down in order of value, but there's a whole genre of non-builder games that work very differently.

One of the best non-builder solitaire games is called Exit, or its alternate game Gay Gordons, and was created by card game scholar David Parlett. You set up the game by dealing cards into ten columns of five cards each, plus one column with just two cards.  The goal is to eliminate all cards by removing any available pairs that add up to eleven, or a pair of Jacks, or a King/Queen pair.  It's super easy to learn, and there's lots of room for planning and decisions because all the cards are dealt face-up.  Don't be fooled by the length of this instructional video - the explanation of how to play runs for less than two minutes, and the rest is simply an example of gameplay.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jImASlumyF4

8. How to make a kirigami card

Almost everyone knows what origami is, but how about kirigami?  This is the Japanese art of paper cutting.  In its purest form, the goal is to start with a single piece of paper, manipulate it with cutting and folding, and with the final result you should in theory be able to unfold it and return it to its original flat state.  No additional components are allowed.  So how about if we take a playing card as our starting piece of paper, and use that to create some works of art?  Many creators have experimented with creating kirigami playing cards, and one of the best and most prolific today is Scott Dyer.

When you look at the final outcome of a kirigami card, it typically has an impossible look, hence the alternative names "impossible cards" or "wow cards".  But not all kirigami cards look impossible, and others simply create a beautiful visual aesthetic, or represent an artistic or creative design.  And it's not as hard to learn as you might think.  Scott typically creates digital designs on his computer first, which he resizes to match a playing card.  He's kindly made available all kinds of templates that you can freely download and use.  The example in the video is slightly different from Scott's usual kirigami, and shows how to make a mystery box card he calls "Fireworks".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1Ue6SmVTKM

9. How to make the hypercard illusion

I've always been fascinated by optical illusions.  It's when the eye deceives you, so that what you are observing seems truly impossible.  What if you could make your own optical illusion with a spare playing card?   Introducing: the hypercard.  The hypercard is a concept that can be created using cardboard or paper, but the result is far more effective with a playing card, because the mind gets tricked by your perception of how a playing card is supposed to look.

With the help of some scissors and origami, you'll be able to make your own impossible-looking hypercard with a playing card in only a minute.  Seriously - it's that simple to make.  All you need to do is make three cuts on the card, and then carefully fold the card in two places as taught in the tutorial.  The best way to show off the illusion is to insist that people not be allowed to pick it up, but try to wrap their head around the baffling object that they see.  If you use a double-backer card, the result looks even more baffling.  For just a couple of minutes work, it's well worth the astonishment that the hypercard can create.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odiNQCrsJy4

10. How to make a three card burr

Sticking with the arts and crafts theme, this small project is inspired by George  Miller's "Three Card Burr".  Like the hypercard, it results in a puzzling object that is both satisfying and baffling.  It consists of three cards that are interlocked together, along each of the three different intersecting planes.  And once the cards are assembled together, the cards lock together and are virtually impossible to pull apart.

You will need to use the following template, which will tell you exactly how to cut the three cards.  That part is all quite straight-forward and simple, but the real challenge is to assemble the pieces together to make the burr.  That's why this even doubles as a puzzle, because you can try to figure out how to put the cards together on your own.  You'll have to do quite a bit of bending and fiddling to make it work, and if the idea of finding the solution on your own doesn't interest you, then just watch the tutorial video and follow the instructions.  Either way the impossible-looking result is impressive.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c24M1fz5y0M

Honorable Mentions

Is there more you can do with a deck of cards?  Of course!  This isn't an exhaustive list, so I'll leave you with a few more tutorials to inspire you to make the most out of your playing cards.

Especially if you enjoyed making the hypercard and the three card burr, and want a harder challenge, check out George Hart's card constructions. He's created some wonderful polyhedrons made out of playing cards, and some of the instructional videos below are inspired by his work.  A fine example is the 3D card star made out of just 12 cards.  If you have the patience to make it, the 30 card global sphere is especially impressive. Once you have exhausted the ones on this list, head over to Scott Dyer, who lists a couple of similar projects.

● How to make a playing card flower
● How to make 3D playing card art
● How to make a 3D card star [reference: alternate video]
● How to make a global sphere [reference: template]
● How to make a turbo cube [reference: template]

Have fun!



Author's note: I first published this article at PlayingCardDecks here.

Kickstarter: 19th century Dondorf "Four Continents" Luxury Playing Cards

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/playingcarddecks/19th-cent-b-dondorf-four-continents-luxury-playing-cards

Limited Edition "Deck No. 207" - originated in Frankfurt 1870 - reproduction by AZURED OX and Will Roya, printed by USPCC

Cost: US$14 per deck
Current funding level: over 200% funded
Project ends: October 10, 2022

Ad copy: "We are delighted to announce another historical deck restoration by AZURED OX. This is a revived 1870 luxury deck that tells the story of four "corners" of the world. Introducing - The Dondorf's "Four Continents" Luxury Playing Cards Collection."



This beautiful and historic deck was originally printed in 1870 by Bernhard Dondorf.  Dondorf's luxury playing card factory was founded in Frankfurt in 1833, and produced playing cards for about a century. Even today Dondorf playing cards are highly recognizable and collectible, and noted for their attractive artwork.

Three versions of this deck are being produced as part of this project. The first two are a red and blue version. 



A limited edition copper version will have some unique features that helps set it apart from the other two.



The tuck case is based on historical Dondorf boxes and inspired by various antique references. 

The tuck box seals are custom made, and based on antique stamp marks seen in various playing cards from Dondorf, and captures their early 20th century dragon symbol and logo.



The back design is closely based on the Dondorf originals, but has been adjusted to ensure that they are symmetrical aside from the BD monogram in the center.  Metallic inks are being used on the card backs for extra luxury.



The court cards depict figures dressed in clothing from their corresponding part of the world, with each suit representing a different continent, along with an influencing country and religion:
● Clubs: America - story of Spanish Influence / Catholicism
● Diamonds: Europe - story of French Influence / Protestantism
● Spades: Africa - story of Turkish Influence / Islam
● Hearts: Asia - story of Indian Influence / Hinduism





Each of the numbered cards include illustrations that relate to the theme and story of each suit/continent.  These pictures are painted in Grisaille style - a method of painting in gray monochrome, typically to imitate sculpture.





The original deck is from around 1870, which dates from around the time when indices were being popularized, and in Europe these were typically on all four corners, as with this deck.  This does mean the deck can be fanned in both directions, and the indices are still always visible.



The gorgeous Aces are one of the highlights of this deck, and each also captures aspects of the theme unique to its corresponding suit.



The Jokers represent restored versions of original Jokers used by Dondorf.



Also included are 2 double sided extra cards which have the descriptions of individual cards inside the deck.  The text on these cards reproduces Dondorf's "Four Continents" playing cards leaflet that came with the original box.



Here's an overall summary of the main features:
● Historical luxury playing cards collection of 3 poker-sized decks
● Design strictly based on B. Dondorf's originals from 19th century
● Unique artwork on every card, digitally hand-restored and designed by AZURED OX
● Standard red & blue index editions: "Four Corners" Dondorf's small index pips
● Limited rare non-index edition: special copper metallic ink tuck case
● 52 cards + 2 jokers + 2 double sided extra "description" cards
● Symmetrically adjusted card backs printed with metallic inks
● Custom oval-shaped Dondorf tuck seals
● Printed by United States Playing Card Company (USPCC) on  professional classic stock + embossed (linen) finish
● Produced by Will Roya, and fulfillment by PlayingCardDecks.com

Gilded versions of each deck will also be available as add ons for backers.



Project link

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/playingcarddecks/19th-cent-b-dondorf-four-continents-luxury-playing-cards

Kickstarter: Butterfly Playing Cards Workers Edition

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ondrejpsenicka/butterfly-playing-cards-workers-edition

A version of the famous Butterfly Playing Cards, now with a versatile white border, designed for working magicians.

Cost: 15 euro per deck (13 euro early bird)
Project ends: September 29, 2022



The ad copy says: "Destined to become the new quality standard of playing cards and the everyday carry of many magicians, the new Workers edition of the Butterfly Playing Cards comes with an adjusted marking system, a clean white border, and our lowest price tag ever!"

I've been fortunate enough to see in person a prototype of this new workers edition.  And as much as I like the original borderless Butterfly decks, I am happy to report that a version with a white border still captures the beauty of the original back design, while white borders ensure that it looks somewhat more like  "normal" deck for laymen, and for some card magic will simply be more practical.  And while not as powerful as an edge-marked deck, it's still is a fully marked deck which you can use for routines that require a marked deck.



The original decks

Both in the world of custom playing cards and of card magic, Ondrej Psenicka is a well-known name.  He's the creator of the stunning Butterfly Playing Cards, which first appeared about half a dozen years ago now.  These gorgeous decks had fairly standard faces, but had backs with a gorgeous borderless design that revolves around the beautiful buttterfly, and looks particularly spectacular in fans and spreads. 

But this deck didn't just blow people away because of its good looks, but its ingenious secrets.  It came with an innovative edge marking system, and full video instructions about how to use it, which enables magicians to read a card without even spreading the deck.  Proof of this deck's potential is that Ondrej used it to successfully fool Penn and Teller on their Fool Us show.  Magicians who need more convincing that this is one of the very best marked decks on the market, should read my article Recommended marked decks that aren't Bicycle decks.

But since so many people loved the deck's design, more versions were created, including some luxurious black versions with gold or silver foil, and matching gold or silver edges.  These were available in unmarked versions as well, making them perfect for the ultimate in luxury when playing card games.  Then followed the "Seasons" series, which continued the beautiful borderless look, with individual decks corresponding to the colours that typical each season.



The workers edition

Now Ondrej is bringing us yet another version of his beautiful Butterfly Playing Cards, this time with a white-bordered version, geared to be a practical deck that is ideal for regular use.  And especially when buying in larger volumes, it's been priced to make it more affordable, and at the lowest price point we've seen from a Butterfly deck yet (e.g. the 12 Butterfly Special early-bird price works out to 11 euro per deck).



The essence of the marking system has been retained, but has been adjusted in light of the borders, making it functional for working magicians.  The cards are marked for value and suit on all four corners, using the one-way marking system of the previous borderless decks.



As with previous Butterfly decks, the cards are printed by Cartamundi on their Slimline stock, with a traditional cut, using the cut that makes it ideal for doing faro shuffles smoothly.  The cards all have a standard look, with the exception of the Aces (which all have custom over-sized pips), two different butterfly Jokers, and two extra cards.



Kickstarter link:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ondrejpsenicka/butterfly-playing-cards-workers-edition

Koinobori Hanafuda Cards and Koinobori Fusion Playing Cards (Kickstarter)

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/iws/koinobori-playing-cards-hanafuda-poker-plastic



Available in two formats: a thick plastic mini hanafuda deck, or a regular poker-sized fusion deck

Cost: US$18 per Koinobori Fusion deck, US$28 per Koinobori Hanafuda deck, or US$44 for the pair
Current funding level: already funded
Kickstarter ends: Sept 17, 2022

The Koinobori decks represent the latest project from IndianWolf Studios.  They have successfully produced several Hanafuda Fusion decks already, which are so called because they double as a standard deck of poker-sized playing cards, and as a Hanafuda deck.  What makes this project particularly noteworthy is that besides the poker-sized Fusion deck they are also producing a separate Hanafuda deck in the traditional mini-size. 



The Koinobori decks were created in light of the challenges that have faced our world in recent times, and were intended to be a positive creative project to lift spirits and bring a smile to others.  They are themed around koinobori, which are carp streamers/windsocks that are traditionally flown in Japan to celebrate Children?s Day.  Much like many children, carp are strong willed and spirited.  The artwork is cute, colourful, and cheerful, and is geared to celebrate children, and remind us that there is hope for our future, and an encouragement to fight the currents and keep on swimming!

Koinobori is available in two formats: Hanafuda and Fusion.



The Koinobori Hanafuda deck

 Wondering about Hanafuda?  It has its own entry in the BoardGameGeek database because it is a classic and special deck that originates in 18th century Japan.  It is used to play a whole lot of different games, including favorite classics like Koi-Koi (popular in Japan) and Go Stop (popular in Korea).   To learn more about Hanafuda, see my article reviewing Hanafuda here: Not just a deck of cards, but a system of games with a rich heritage!



After their previous projects, IndianWolf had a lot of folks asking for a traditionally sized plastic hanafuda deck. So at last here it is, something with the mini-sized plastic cards that those familiar with traditional Hanafuda will instantly recognize and appreciate. They're plastic to ensure durability, and also give the satisfying "snap" when throwing down the cards, which is all part of the appeal of the game.  These decks will be produced by well-known game manufacturer Panda Game Manufacturing. 

The artwork of these Hanafuda decks is polyptych in style, which means that the cards can be combined alongside each other to create a single larger image.



The Koinobori Fusion deck

IndianWolf Studios came up with the clever idea of combining the Hanafuda deck with the traditional deck of playing cards most of us are familiar with today, so that you can play games from a variety of cultures.  They have already created several previous Hanafuda "Fusion" decks using Japanese inspired art, as part of their successful Hanami, Sensu, and Night Parade Hanafuda projects. These are multi-purpose decks that you can use to learn and teach Hanafuda, while the standard indices also mean you can use it to play regular card games.

Here's a sample card from the Fusion deck, which incorporates standard poker card icons/indices, and can be used for Hanafuda games as well:



These decks will be printed by Expert Playing Card Company (EPCC), which is is one of the top playing card manufacturers today alongside the United States Playing Card Company, so the cards themselves are guaranteed to be high quality, durable, and to shuffle and handle smoothly.



Game Rules and Other Extras

Both projects come with their own full color booklet that has the rules for a new game created by the IndianWolf Studio:
- For Koinobori Hanafuda the game is "Capture the Flag", described as a fun twist on capture games! 2 players. 
- For Koinobori Fusion the game is "Chaffs & Grains", described as a precision trick-taking game for 2-4 players. 

Other items like uncut sheets and a Koi Pouch are also available with the project.



What about other Hanafuda games, and how do you play them?  Already available from the publisher is a 236-page full-color Hanafuda rulebook that gives the rules for 37 different games that can be played with a Hanafuda deck.  You can get this in a digital version or a printed version from Amazon (Hanami edition or Sensu edition) or Barnes & Noble (Hanami edition or Sensu edition).  This massive rulebook is a world first, and is an extremely valuable resource, because clear rules for Hanafuda games are otherwise not readily available in English.

Kickstarter link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/iws/koinobori-playing-cards-hanafuda-poker-plastic

Disclaimer: I have no official relationship with the creator of this project, other than being a keen gamer and reviewer, as well as an enthusiast and collector of custom playing cards.  I own a copy of the previous Hanafuda Fusion decks from IndianWolf Studios and also have their Hanafuda rulebook, and consider them outstanding.

25 Things to Love About PlayingCardDecks:
A Fifth Anniversary Appreciation Post

So PlayingCardDecks.com is celebrating its fifth anniversary.  The official date is 20 April 2022, which marks the exact day five years ago when the very first sale was completed back in 2017.  The site is run by Will Roya, who left a career as a professional magician in order to dedicate himself to going into business as an online playing card retailer.  This article is intended as a celebration of sorts, about why PlayingCardDecks (or PCD for short) continues to be one of my favourite playing card retailers, and about the many things it has brought to us over the last five years.

A Personal Story

Let me get one thing straight: I am not Will Roya.  I'm just some guy out there on the internet that loves playing cards, and loves writing about them.  That's stating the obvious, perhaps, but there are some people who think that I'm him.  But I'm not him, and can't take any credit for what he has achieved.  When people see Will posting blog articles on his site, they sometimes incorrectly assume that he is the EndersGame who writes the articles.  But "EndersGame" is just the online handle I've used ever since I started writing game reviews over a decade ago.  And Will has more than enough to keep himself busy running a business without complicating things by writing articles too.  So if there's any content that upsets you, I'll take the blame for that, not Will.

I first got in contact with Will in late 2017, when we started corresponding about some of the first Kickstarter projects that he was working on at the time.  I was already writing about playing cards - purely as a hobby and as a labour of love, and because I like helping out creators and sharing helpful information with other collectors and enthusiasts.  I did a couple of write-ups to help spread the word about his early Kickstarter projects.  One thing led to another, and he offered to post some of my articles over on his blog.  I was happy to agree, and I've been doing that for the last four years, writing about playing cards, card magic, card games, and other playing card related subjects, whenever time permits me to do so.

Now I am not officially part of PlayingCardDecks, and I also publish what I write on other playing card platforms.  Occasionally I even purchase playing cards elsewhere.  In the end, I'm just a passionate playing card enthusiast like so many of my readers.  But I do feel a strong sense of loyalty and appreciation to Will Roya, and I am a satisfied repeat customer.  I personally placed my very first order with PCD around April 2018, which coincided with their first anniversary event, which ran for almost a week.  They say that first impressions are everything, and I was quickly hooked, and would return often.  Since then I've placed more than 30 orders with PCD, some of significant size; something that many other playing card enthusiasts will be able to identify with. Just last week I placed an order and spent over $100 of my own money to pick up several collectors decks which I simply couldn't get from other retailers.

I'll describe this as an appreciation post, because the fifth anniversary of PCD is a good time to reflect back on what Will Roya and PCD have accomplished.  It's also an opportunity to share some of the things I particularly appreciate about them, and why they remain my #1 choice as online playing card retailer.  As mentioned already, I will occasionally buy playing cards elsewhere too.  Any playing card enthusiast knows the importance of shopping around, and there will be times where hard-to-find decks can only be sourced elsewhere, or where there are special offers that are impossible to resist.  But on the whole, PCD is the retailer I keep coming back to, and in this article I'll share with you some of the things about them that keep me coming back.  Obviously this is biased and from my own perspective, but that's kind of the point!



A Short History

But first, how did Will Roya get to where he is today?  Will's personal background includes an established magic career.  He had been performing magic professionally at restaurants, resorts, and private parties since the age of 16.  After an education in theater and business, he eventually moved to Las Vegas, where he continued to perform magic regularly, as well as working as a magician on cruise ships.

Over time Will began developing an increasing interest in selling magic products, and eventually gave up performing to focus on sales full time. He also started getting involved in the creation of a number of different magic products.  Will soon discovered that his real passion was for playing cards.  He started thinking about ways that he could sell them, and how he could contribute to the industry by creating them.  He began to get further involved in the playing card industry, and gained valuable experience by helping other creators get their projects crowdfunded, through services he offered in consulting and fulfilment.  He also started selling a range of magic products and playing cards via Amazon and eBay.

But eventually it was time to bite the bullet.  By now he had an office and warehouse, and he made the decision to focus exclusively on playing cards.  He'd already built up an online business over several years by means of his Amazon and eBay sales, so he was well placed to take the next step.  In April 2017 he launched PlayingCardDecks.com as a retail website, from the outset offering a selection of more than 1000 different decks of playing cards and related items.   The addition of a small band of dedicated staff members has helped him continue to grow.

By the time the first anniversary rolled around a year later, things were moving in a positive direction.  Will celebrated the milestone with a bang by offering huge discounts site wide, as he continued to grow the site.  At that time his range of different decks was well over 1500, and the total amount of stock numbered in the 10,000s. To mark the occasion, he released a special mystery anniversary deck, and shortly afterwards he launched his Pip Box Club subscription service, a popular program which continues to run successfully even now.

Over time Will has continued to develop his business in various ways, and the creation of custom decks of playing cards under the PCD brand is a notable and important contribution he makes to the playing card industry on a regular basis.  From the many times I've corresponded with him, I know that he's always looking for new ideas and willing to try new things, in an effort to improve his business, serve his customers better, and provide more for the playing card enthusiast.

And that brings us to today, five years later.  Since its launch, Will has focused on making a diverse selection of playing cards available at reasonable prices, and combining this with good customer service, with speedy processing and shipping. At any given moment you can expect to find literally tens of thousands of decks in stock at PCD, including all the latest and greatest releases.  Each month thousands of orders are processed and shipped throughout the United States and around the world.  Happy fifth birthday PlayingCardDecks.com!



25 Things To Love

So now it's time to share some of the good things that PlayingCardDecks brings to the playing card industry, and what I appreciate about Will and his team.

1. Wide range

Of course the main reason to go to PCD is to buy playing cards.  But to keep consumers like us happy, they need to have what we're looking for - in other words, a wide range of products to suit a wide range of customers with a wide range of intereWith literally tens of thousands of decks in stock, and more than 1,500 different decks, this is one of the widest ranges of quality playing cards you'll find anywhere.  Whenever there is a new release, which mostly is channelled via Murphy's Magic (the world's biggest distributor of magic and playing cards), you'll usually see it quickly added to the PCD inventory in their new playing cards section, which is constantly being updated.

2. Quality decks

You know those cheap playing cards you can get at places like the dollar store?  Well you won't find them at PCD.  A significant amount of playing cards available here are printed by the United States Playing Card Company, maker of the famous Bicycle brand, in a high quality air cushion style finish.  Others are sourced from industry leading printers and reliable playing card manufacturers like Cartamundi, Expert Playing Cards, and Legends Playing Cards.  One thing you won't typically find at PCD are cheaply made cards that are garbage quality.

3. Specialized decks

Every collector tends to have a type of deck that has their special interest, or that they focus on collecting. For me personally, I have a soft spot for cardistry and novelty decks.  I really enjoy fiddling with a deck, and experimenting with different card flourishing moves, and practicing sleight of hand.  It's a great way to get extra mileage out of a good deck of cards, and to enjoy the visual artwork.  I'm happy to report that there's a particularly good range of colourful and creative cardistry decks, which you'll quickly find by entering the word "cardistry" in the search bar.  Fun novelty decks are of course found all over the site.  Other categories I especially enjoy are transformation decks, vintage decks, and marked decks, and  PCD has a large range in each of these categories.  And if those don't float your boat, plenty of other categories are listed in the sidebar, including decks arranged by brand (Bicycle, Cartamundi, Ellusionist, etc), or topic (Animals, Fictional, Military, etc).



4. PCD branded decks

From the outset, Will hasn't just been selling playing cards, but has also been heavily involved in producing them.  Over the course of the last few years, he's produced a number of excellent PlayingCardDecks branded decks.   He first gained experience with several collaborations, and his Chicken Playing Cards was the first deck he produced under his own PCD label.  Many custom decks subsequently followed, and he has established a network of reliable connections with artists and producers in the playing card industry.  Quite a number of his decks are produced with the help of crowdfunding, and Will has already chalked up almost 30 successful playing card projects on Kickstarter.  I especially love the novelty decks that he's produced, and the reproductions of historic and vintage decks.

5. Under $5 decks

I've introduced a lot of teenagers to card magic and cardistry via the communities I'm involved with, including at a school.  You'd be amazed at how enthusiastic kids can be about card magic, and especially about cardistry. All you need to do is point them in the right direction by giving them some links to reliable video tutorials on youtube, and they'll be away and running.  I like to encourage kids in this by giving them a custom deck.  For this, I've found the under $5 range on PCD to be a lifesaver.  All of these decks cost around five bucks or less, and yet for the most part they are still quality playing cards.  Most kids have never before handled a USPCC produced deck of cards with an embossed air cushion finish, and are blown away by the quality.  They also just love decks which are totally customized.  There's plenty of decks in the under $5 range that make great gifts, and I've picked out and given away dozens and dozens.

6. Accessories

When you love playing cards like I do, then you'll also find yourself becoming interested in playing card accessories.  Over the years I've found myself ordering things like deck cases and brick boxes for storing my decks, deck stands for displaying them, and deck sleeves for protecting them.   Then there are helpful products like fanning powder, card clips, card wallets, and dealer coins.  Yes, I've bought all those too.  In one instance there was a delightful Piatnik playing card puzzle on sale, and that proved to be a great treat for the family.  A wonderful book about transformation playing cards continues to be one of my personal favourites.  I always keep an eye out for the newest products added to PCD's catalogue, because I never know what kind of interesting accessories I'll find.



7. PCD accessories

Besides his PCD branded custom playing cards, Will has produced a number of PCD branded products.  These include these clear PCD plastic boxes which are great for protecting decks in transit.  Other swag he's put out include a PCD face mask and a PCD can holder.  But my favourite item is the Franken Deck. This is a delightful Frankenstein-inspired deck that made up of 54 cards, each taken from a different deck.  In other words, you still have a complete deck with cards from all four suits, each running from Ace through King, plus two Jokers.  But every card has a very different look, making it a wonderful collector's item that showcases the beauty of over fifty different custom decks.  It's only available at limited times, but is a great novelty piece that is well worth keeping an eye out for.

8. Magic products

Not everyone is into magic, but for me it's one of my pet loves and goes back to my teenage years.  PCD isn't a magic site in the first place, and quite honestly when it's magic products I'm after, Penguin Magic is usually my first port of call.  But from time to time Will gets magic products that are being liquidated or which he gets good deals on. So when looking back over the orders I've placed over the past four years, I noticed that I'd picked up quite a few magic tricks, ranging from gaff decks, to special coins or invisible thread, and even some individual marketed effects that I've had a lot of fun with.  Usually these are also posted in the accessories section of the site.

9. Competitive prices

Since PCD arrived on the scene five years ago, the playing card industry has grown significantly.  It's also become more competitive, and the range of online retailers that sell playing cards today is bigger than ever before.  In the early days of PCD, pre-COVID, it was even possible for them to offer free shipping around the globe with a certain minimum order size.  Significant postage increases have brought an end to that.  But even so, generally speaking I find that the prices at PCD are quite competitive, especially for loyal customers who take full advantage of discount coupons, clearance sales, and the loyalty rewards program.  Once you factor all these things in, more often than not you'll be saving money by shopping at PCD rather than heading elsewhere, especially for customers in the US.



10. Safe shipping

I live overseas, so shipping is always going to be a consideration for me.  But for US customers, any order above $100 is automatically free.  Aside from some delays that were inevitable during the height of COVID, I've always found that my orders were shipped in a timely manner, and arrived safely as a result of excellent packaging.  My decks have always been well-packed, and typically arrived in a cardboard box with padded envelopes and styrofoam offering extra protection on the inside.

11. Customer service

Having a good product and a good website alone won't make a business successful.  These need to be backed by good customer service.  My experience with PCD's customer service has been very good.  It's been extremely rare that something was wrong with an order, and I've never had anything arrive damaged due to poor packing.  Whenever I had questions prior to making a final decision, or needed to correspond about anything, responses were always prompt and pleasant.

12. Professional website

When you're involved in e-commerce, you need to have a functional website, because that's the territory where your customers are seeing and purchasing your products.  Anything that makes that experience unpleasant or awkward is likely to chase them away.  My experience with PCD's website has been consistently positive.  I appreciate that you can easily browse decks in different categories, and navigate to the cards you're especially interested in.  The search function works well, and you can even narrow down a search in many ways.



13. Product photos

One of the best things about PCD's website is the photo galleries that accompany each product listing.  This lets me zoom in to see exactly what the tuck box and cards look like, so I know exactly what I'm getting before I click "Add to Cart". There's few things more frustrating than visiting a retailer's website and not knowing exactly what you're getting, or being uncertain about what the product looks like.

14. Product reviews

The longer the site is around, the more useful the "product reviews" of the site becomes.  Customers can leave reviews on specific decks, and because this in turn earns you loyalty points, there is a good incentive to do this.  When I'm shopping around for new playing cards, I always find it incredibly helpful to know what other people think.  Did a deck turn out to look somewhat different than how the marketing photos made it seem?  What was the handling like? I'm one of those people that always reads reviews before I make a purchase.  There aren't quite as many reviews on PCD as I'd like to see, especially with newer decks, so I always consult other sources too.  But this is a valuable part of the site that can really help  customers to make informed buying decisions.

15. Game rules

The section on card game rules is one of the lesser known parts of the site, but it's a real gold mine if you like card games.  I'm a huge fan of playing card games with a traditional deck, and it is one of my favourite ways to enjoy a custom deck of cards.  I've also written a couple of articles that cover the best card games to check out, and the best two player games.  I've not been involved at all with the section about rules for card games, but I've used it many times as a resource, and found it very helpful.  I especially like the video tutorials that accompany most of the written rule descriptions.  The videos created by Triple S Games for PCD are particularly well done.  If you prefer the printed page, then Will Roya's book Card Night is also a great resource for card game rules.



16. Blog articles

Typically each week sees a new article appearing on the site's All-In Playing Card Blog.  Often this features one of my articles, which cover a wide range of subjects including basics about the creation, care, and quality of playing cards; essentials about collecting and playing card history; interesting stories about creators or projects; playing card trivia and novelties; as well as articles about card games, card flourishing, and card magic.  Occasionally I get the opportunity to interview leading figures in the industry, and the blog has featured interviews with top playing card designers and famous magicians.  You can see a complete list of articles arranged by topic.

17. FAQ

Arguably the most useful article on the site, and worthy of getting separate mention here, is the FAQ: I'm New To Collecting Playing Cards, So Where Should I Start?  This is a synopsis of some of the other content on the site, and is intended as a quick reference guide for newbies looking to learn the basics about playing cards and collecting.  If you're new, this is the place to start, and you'll find all the key information that you need in one place.

18. Newsletter

On a regular basis Will puts out an email newsletter, which is a free service for anyone who wishes to subscribe to it. This announces the latest news about new decks that have been added to his inventory, decks that have come back in stock, upcoming releases, special sales and events, information about his Kickstarter projects, and the articles appearing on the blog.  It's a terrific way to stay informed about the latest and greatest playing cards, and to make sure that you don't miss out on any sweet coupons or special deals.



19. Social media

PCD also has an active presence on social media, and that is another way to help stay in touch with their latest news.  You can follow them on Facebook and on Instagram.  Their YouTube channel hasn't had much activity in recent times, but there is still a wealth of great playing card reviews and other information you'll find there.

20. Pip Box Club

The Pip Box Club is a monthly subscription service that started in May 2018.  For a monthly fee, subscribers get  a box of decks and other extras, which are shipped by the 10th of each month.  Two different sizes of Pip Box are on offer, and typically these include at least one brand new release, and the chance to get decks before they are otherwise available.  The value of what subscribers receive is more than what they pay for joining the club, so it's good value.  Sometimes extra exclusives and bonus items are included.  I'm not personally a subscriber of this club, because I prefer to order exactly what I want, but I have seen many positive reports online from other collectors about it, who speak very highly of it.

21. Loyalty program

Already early on in running PCD, Will introduced a rewards system for repeat customers.  The idea is quite straightforward: you earn points for each dollar you spend in the online store, as well as for a number of other things like following PCD on social media, referring new customers, or adding product reviews.  You can then cash in these rewards in return for a range of free decks on a future order.  The more points you earn, the better the deck you can get.  I've picked up some great decks for free this way, and it's also a great way to pick up extra decks to give away as gifts.  At the higher reward levels you can earn things like uncut sheets, $50 off coupons, and even a complete series of decks.



22. Discount coupons

One of the items available through the loyalty program are discount coupons.  But you'll often be greeting with an offer for a 10% off coupon just by visiting the site, especially if you are a first-time visitor.  The weekly newsletter tends to announce special sales and offer, and discount coupons are certainly not uncommon.  Some of the people who partner with the site sometimes also offer special discount coupons.

23. Sale events

At special times of the year Will Roya hosts site-wide sale events, where the discounts can be as much as 20% off.  I confess that I have sometimes waited with placing an order until one of these events has rolled around, in order to maximize my savings.  Typically there is a sale like this around the time of the site's annual anniversary, as well as around Black Friday, and the Christmas/New Year holiday season.  They are well worth keeping an eye on, because you can save a bundle.  In fact, to help celebrate PCD's fifth anniversary, from July 25 through July 30 there is a site-wide 25% off sale, using this code: PCD25.

24. Clearance section

At any given time there is a range of cards on the site's clearance section.  I always check this out whenever I'm placing an order, because I never know what treasures I might find at heavily reduced prices.  It's happened numerous times that I found some great deals here which I added to my order.  Again, this has been a great way to pick up extra decks to give away as gifts to family and friends, or to give away to teens who are excited about cardistry or card magic.



25. Surprise freebies

From time to time, Will includes extra bonuses for his regular customers along with their order.  It might be a free deck, or some stickers.  Often it is a collection of sample cards from other decks.   This shows that he's not just in the business to make money, but wants to keep his customers happy, and so he goes the extra mile to give them some unexpected extras.

Bonus item: A great owner

Let's add one bonus item to the above list: PCD has a great owner.  I've corresponded with Will Roya numerous times in the past few years, and it's obvious that he's a great all-round guy.  He works hard, is passionate and dedicated, and cares about his products and his customers.  He's courteous and prompt, and really is an asset to the playing card industry.  Clearly, PlayingCardDecks wouldn't be what it is without the man himself.



 Final Thoughts

Am I sick of playing cards yet?  Not at all.  Even though my personal collection seems to keep growing, I still enjoy the playing cards I already own and actively use them for playing card games, card magic, and cardistry.  I love collecting decks with a high novelty or a high luxury factor.  And I love giving them away as gifts.  A quality deck of custom playing cards nearly always makes a great gift for the person that you're struggling to find a gift for.

PlayingCardDecks has been a wonderful asset to the playing card industry over the last five years, in helping playing card enthusiasts get connected with the decks that they love.  With his solid selection of carefully curated products, Will Roya has done a splendid job in helping collectors get their hands on a wonderful range of beautiful and quality decks of playing cards.  Playing cards can be used for many different purposes, and whether you're looking for something suitable for card games, card magic, card flourishing, or even just to collect or to give away as a gift, you're certain to find something that you like.

Will Roya and PlayingCardDecks have made positive contributions to the playing card industry in multiple ways.  Of course I'm biased, but in my experience most playing card collectors only have good things to say about him and his business.  Will is a talented and dynamic individual who has the extensive experience and personal skills needed to succeed, and I'm very pleased to see what he's achieved so far.  Many PCD produced playing cards occupy a pride of place in my personal collection, and I look forward to what decks he has in store for us in the remainder of this year.  On behalf of others in the playing card industry, thank you Will, and keep up the great work with PlayingCardDecks!



Anniversary sale: From July 25 through July 30, to help celebrate PCD's fifth anniversary, there will be a site-wide 25% off sale, using this code: PCD25.

Want to learn more about playing cards and PlayingCardDecks.com?
● Official: Web Store, Facebook, Instagram
● Related links: Kickstarter Projects, Loyalty Rewards Program, Pip Box Club, Gift Cards
● Further reading: Articles, Blog, FAQ for New Playing Card Collectors

Video tours of the PlayingCardDecks.com showroom and warehouse:
● PCD tour by The Cardists (13 December 2018)
● PCD tour by Inside the Casino (16 June 2018)
● PCD tour by 52 Plus Joker (25 December 2020)
● PCD tour by Bryan Eckstrom (15 March 2021)



Author's note: I first published this article at PlayingCardDecks here.

 Powerful Marked Bicycle Decks That Use a Stack

 Marked Decks for Magicians, Part 4

Introduction

Today we are not just living in a golden era of custom playing cards, with a massive range of new releases coming out all the time.  We are also living in a golden era of marked decks.  Compared with what was available to magicians just two decades ago, we have the luxury of multiple options that they could only dream about.

It is interesting trawling through magic forums and reading old threads from around 20 years ago on this subject.  Magicians often had to make their own marked decks, typically using a coded system.  When it came to a factory printed marked deck, there were very limited options available.  Even compared to just ten years ago, today we have products available to us that the previous generation could never have imagined, particularly when it comes to openly readable decks. We really are spoiled for choice, with a massive range of marked decks to pick from, and new ones hitting the market all the time.

The decks covered in this article are splendid examples of the best of the best.  In a previous article I already covered the top marked decks that use the familiar Bicycle Rider Back design, or one of its close siblings, the Bicycle Maiden Back and Bicycle Mandolin Back.  The four marked decks I recommended were all reader decks that quickly tell you the suit and value of any given card via easy-to-read marks on the card backs. In order of their release, these were:

● 2005 - Boris Wild Marked Deck ($20) by Boris Wild (Maiden Back)
● 2005 - Ultimate Marked Deck ($40) by Magic Dream (Rider Back)
● 2011 - GT SpeedReader ($14)  by Garrett Thomas (Mandolin Back)
● 2017 - Marked Cards ($10) by Penguin Magic (Maiden Back)

In this follow-up article I will cover some Bicycle-branded decks that have more complex systems of markings, because they combine the best of a reader deck with a prearranged stack.  This gives you powerful access to even more information, and enables you to perform real miracles.  Bear in mind that this guide is especially geared to working magicians.  If you're just having fun with friends, a novelty marked deck with a coded system can be fine.  But working magicians need something practical, easy to use, and powerful.  The marked decks you'll find here are exactly the kind of power tools that professionals are looking for.  Here are the three decks that we'll be looking at, again in order of their release:

● 2008 - Gambler's Marked Deck ($33) by Boris Wild & Geno Munari (Maiden Back)
● 2013 - The Code ($30) by Andy Nyman (Maiden Back)
● 2017 - Marksman Deck ($35) by Luke Jermay (Mandolin Back)



Inspiration: Automatic Playing Cards (1914) by Theodore DeLand

These modern factory printed Bicycle decks all owe an important debt to Theodore DeLand, whose Automatic Playing Cards was developed in 1913 and first appeared on the market in 1914 under the name "Dollar Deck".  It was rebranded as "Automatic Playing Cards" from 1919 onwards when it was published by S.S. Adams.  This product is still being actively sold today by Magic Makers, who bought out S.S. Adams, and renamed the deck "DeLand's 100 Dollar Deck".  The fact that it is still being published is a testimony to its ongoing success as one of the ultimate trick decks.



The innovative feature of DeLand's Automatic Deck is that it combines several magic tools: a marked deck, a stacked deck, and a  stripper deck.  These are already powerful on their own, but when rolled together into one, they turn a marked deck into a super weapon.

The back design of the DeLand deck consists of a series of circles that hide a clever and powerful marking system.  These are coded to correspond to a clock face, with tiny dots indicating values from 1 through 12 depending on where they are located.  You can quickly decode this information to determine the value and suit of any card.

But what makes DeLand's Automatic Deck even more powerful is that it also comes in a prearranged stack, namely the Si Stebbins stack.  Besides the main marking system, the card backs include an additional coded marking system which combines with the stack to give you all kinds of additional information about other cards in the deck and where they are located.  As experienced magicians will know, having the cards in a stack already enables you to do a variety of strong effects, such as naming the location of any given card in the deck.  But this is strengthened in DeLand's deck by the fact the deck is marked, and by the wealth of information provided by the many markings on the back of each card.

For example, if a spectator cuts off a random number of cards, you can decode the information on the top card to reveal exactly how many cards the spectator has cut, and how many cards are left in the deck.  What's more, you can name the cards on either side of that particular card.  Naturally all this requires you to retain the deck in a specific order, via false shuffles and false cuts, but these kinds of card controls are the bread-and-butter of an accomplished card magician anyway.

The DeLand deck is an absolutely amazing deck of cards, and in the right hands it is a powerful tool that can work wonders.  Experienced magicians can use it to perform miracles otherwise not possible with sleight of hand, and that will seem utterly impossible to spectators.  But because it relies on a coded system, it's not very practical.  DeLand also created other decks that incorporated both markings and stacks, and while they are also ingenious, like the Automatic Deck, they lack practicality.

But what if you could have a factory printed Bicycle deck that takes on board some of the secrets encoded into DeLand's Automatic Deck, but turns it into a reader deck?  What if you could have a modern deck that employs the clever principles from a century ago, but makes them more usable for today's performer?  What if you could instantly get access to all the information you need without needing to decode anything?   That's exactly what the three decks featured below do.



But first there are a couple of other precursors to mention.  The first is the S.U.M. Deck (the acronym stands for: Set Up Marked) by Roy Johnson, which was initially a system he taught in a book that he published in 1988.  It made use of Ted Lesley's transfers, but combined this with the Osterlind stack.  A factory printed version eventually appeared on Hoyle backs in 2000, while the more recent Phoenix S.U.M. Deck 2.0 uses Card Shark's Phoenix backs and the Mnemonica stack.   

Heavily inspired by the S.U.M. Deck was Larry Becker and Lee Earle's Demon Deck from 2004, which also used the Osterlind stack, and their own custom design.  The three decks below build on these ideas, but represent factory printed Bicycle decks that combine stacks with a reader system of markings.

Gambler's Marked Deck (2008) by Boris Wild & Geno Munari

Creator: Boris Wild & Geno Munari
Back design: 813 Maiden Back
First released: 2008
Price: $33

The Gambler's Marked Deck is one that most readers won't have heard of before.  That's because it was created to be exclusively sold by Houdini's Magic stores in Las Vegas, and was especially geared towards the general public.  So it isn't distributed via regular channels, and you won't typically find it at your favourite magic retailer.  It is however available online directly from Houdini's Magic.



Description

This deck is notable for combining three powerful tools together into one deck: it's a marked deck, a stacked deck, and a stripper deck, all rolled into one.  As we've already seen, this concept is in itself not new, since it goes back to DeLand's Automatic Deck, which relied on similar qualities.  But instead of using a coded marking system, the Gambler's Marked Deck is much easier to use, courtesy of its simple reader marking system.

Another ground-breaking feature of the Gambler's Marked Deck was the fact that it was printed on Bicycle Rider Back stock.  Not only did it innovate by replacing DeLand's coded system with an openly readable system, but when it was first released in 2008 it was the first time ever that a Bicycle-branded deck had combined a reader system of markings with a stack.  As such this pioneering deck would pave the way for later products which followed it, like The Code and the Marksman Deck, which are marked reader decks that incorporate markings for Juan Tamariz's popular Mnemonica Stack.

The Gambler's Marked Deck doesn't use the Mnemonica Stack, but instead uses the intuitive Eight Kings Stack, which can be found in Erdnase's Expert at the Card Table and elsewhere.  To make this system easy to use and learn for those unfamiliar with it, the stack order is listed both on the box flap and the Joker.  An instructional card for the marking system and a card locator table is also provided.

Of course you can also ignore the extra information provided on the card backs, and just use this deck as a simple marked deck with a reader system.  But the amount of information you can glean from any random card back is significant, and altogether there are several pieces of information you have easy access to just by looking at the back of any given card.  The most important of these are: the value and suit of the card itself; a quick indication whether it is red or black; the number of cards in the stack (1 to 52), and the value/suit of the bottom card of the stack.

In addition there's also a subtle one-way element to the design, and the card normally at the top of the stack also is marked with three dots to enable you to easily identify it.  This means that like both The Code and The Marksman Deck, the reader system on the backs of the Gambler's Marked Deck can help you quickly identify the cards above and below any cut card, and instantly tell you the number of the cards above any cut card.   One additional bonus feature of this deck is also worth mentioning: The barcode on the bottom of the tuck box has an 8 of Clubs card reveal.

History

The story behind this deck is worth telling, because it's one that few magicians seem to know about.  What follows represents what I learned first-hand from Geno Munari and also from Boris Wild, who was also involved with the creation of this deck.  Geno is the man behind Houdini's Magic, and he wanted to create a unique and powerful marked deck, geared especially towards the general public that passed through Las Vegas.  With Las Vegas being the home of so many professional magicians, it was an ideal market to tap into, since most tourists were already interested in magic, and many of them would have a natural interest in learning some card tricks.  This deck was created to be sold exclusively in Geno's Las Vegas shops, which is why you've probably never heard of it before.

The first version of this deck was printed on lower quality stock, with a generic card back design.  Geno then involved French magician Boris Wild to help develop the deck further, and to produce a more professional version.  Boris was instrumental in producing a new version of the deck that incorporated the reader markings on the classic Bicycle Rider Back.  The deck was also printed by USPCC on much higher quality card stock than the original edition.  A relatively inexpensive companion book with 101 tips and tricks was also made available, either separately or together with the deck, to help get newbies started with their new miracle deck.

The involvement of Boris Wild was an additional reason for not distributing the Gambler's Marked Deck more widely via magic retailers or via mega distributor Murphy's Magic.  Boris didn't want to cause any confusion with his own marked deck, which was published previously and used a different marking system.  At that time the Boris Wild Marked Deck was already on the market, and was targeted towards and promoted for professional magicians.  Seeing his name on the Gambler's Marked Deck would potentially make buyers think they were getting the Boris Wild Marked Deck instead, which employed a very different marking system and had very different features.  In view of that, it didn't make sense to add to the magician's marketplace another marked deck with his name on it.

And so the Gambler's Marked Deck hit the market in Houdini's Magic stores in 2008.  It proved to be a huge hit, and quickly became one of their top sellers.  Meanwhile the deck continued to fly under the radar for most magicians, simply because Houdini's Magic wanted it to be a product that was exclusive to their shops.  They cleverly realized that the market they had with laypeople and with the general public would likely see a higher turnover than if they marketed this multi-purpose marked deck to professional magicians.  And they were right, because the decks flew out of the door and were a big success with Las Vegas visitors.  Like DeLand's original deck, it had the power to do miracles, but was so easy to use that even beginners could harness some of its powers.

When the time came to reprint this deck around 2010, USPCC had tightened their rules about using their trademarked Rider Backs. The only way for the Gambler's Marked Deck to get reprinted was to use different card backs. The Maiden Back design had just been released by USPCC in early 2012 as an alternative to the Rider Back design, and could be altered and used in marked decks and gaff decks. The Maiden Back design was developed by Theory11, and was specifically created to serve as a look-alike to the tried and true Rider Back. Geno Munari and Boris Wild also had some input during the development process of the Maiden Back design.  Boris later then recreated the Gambler's Marked Deck on the new Maiden Backs, and subsequent printings since then have used this back design. It was released in April 2012, just a few weeks after the standard Bicycle Maiden Back decks appeared on the market.



Teaching materials

The instructional materials you receive along with the Gambler's Marked Deck are very helpful when learning the ropes of what it can do.  To begin with, you get access to a 20 minute online video.  This was created by Geno Munari in 2014, so it is somewhat dated in terms of the looks and production quality.  The video is fairly basic, but it covers all the essentials about how to read all the markings, and how to use the stripper feature of the deck.  You won't really learn any tricks from the video other than how to strip a selected card or strip the aces from anywhere in the deck, or how to instantly sort the deck into red and black by stripping the cards.  But you will know how the deck works, including the markings, and be well set to use it.

The 60 page booklet that is included in the package along with the Gambler's Marked Deck itself is a real lifesaver, however.  The first 20 pages or so overlap with content from the video, but give greater detail. They explain all the features of the deck, and teach you everything you need to know about the markings, about the Erdnase stack, and how to use a stripper deck.  It also reproduces some content from Erdnase's Expert at The Card Table about using this stack. 

But the real treasure lies in the fact that fully half of the book gives instructions for performing a large number of tricks: 9 with a stacked deck, 14 with a marked deck, 10 with a marked and stacked deck, 59 with a stripper deck, 1 with a marked/stripped deck, and 8 with a one-way deck.  The final ten pages cover tips for shuffling and switching decks, basic moves and sleights like shuffles, cuts, and more, and a few simple forces.  It's certainly packed with a lot of material, and while it's especially geared towards beginners, and is heavier on method than presentation, you can certainly get some good mileage from it.

Recommendation

Today the Gambler's Marked Deck continues to be available exclusively from Houdini's Magic, so you'll have to get it from their website or their store if you want a copy.  But it is unquestionably a powerful tool in the hands of laymen and magicians alike.

While it has a lot of markings on the card backs, they're all quite easy to read, which is all very much by deliberate design.  Boris Wild wanted to have the cards convey as much information as possible, so that the deck would be a real powerhouse.  For a magician who knows how to take advantage of its extra features, this is a true Swiss Army knife, and can accomplish miracles not possible with other marked decks.



The Code (2013) by Andy Nyman

Creator: Andy Nyman
Back design: 813 Maiden Back
First released: 2013
Price: $30

The Code was produced by Andy Nyman for Theory11 in 2013.  It is a fine example of a specialized marked reader deck, because it gives more information than just the value and suit of each card, and is built around a whole system, namely the popular Mnemonica Stack by Juan Tamariz.



Description

Like the other marked decks on this list, The Code can firstly be used like any other basic reader deck, in that it provides each card's value and suit, the latter in this case being indicated with a letter rather than a pip.  But because it also incorporates the popular Mnemonica Stack, The Code also includes a built-in system that gives you considerably more information than simply the identity of the card on the reverse side.  In addition the card back will also enable you to identify two other important things: (a) the identity of the card above it; and (b) the number of cards above it. 

Andy Nyman acknowledges that Roy Johnson's SUM Deck did this years before he did, but at that time without the stack numbers.  Despite the use of a stack, there's nothing for you to memorize; Andy himself even admits that he doesn't even know the Tamariz stack.  Reassembling a shuffled deck is easy, because the cards are all numbered from 0 to 51, which indicates the number of cut cards above each card.

The markings are very easy to read, and are even larger than those used by The Marksman Deck, but are surprisingly well disguised.   The production is from USPCC on Bicycle stock for consistent handling.  The Maiden Back design on the card backs ensures an innocuous and "normal" look that won't alert spectators that anything is out of the ordinary.  According to Andy, this is the closest you'll find to a Rider Back design which USPCC allows.

Impressions

Quite frankly, the ability to know the identity of an adjacent card and the exact number of cards above it is a brilliant weapon.  One advantage of this feature is that it takes all the heat off your peek, in a very natural way.  Now you don't even need to look at the actual card in order to read its suit and value.  Your spectator can even remove a random packet and sandwich it in their hand, and in their mind there is no possible way you can know how many cards they have or what card they have cut to.  All the heat is on the cards in their hands, and not the cards remaining, so this reduces the risk of getting caught reading the card backs, and is much more deceptive.   Of course there are plenty of ways you can justify looking at the remaining deck, for example by moving it on the table. 

This also opens up all kinds of new tricks that you can perform.  If you're completely new to this concept, and want to experiment with the kind of magical possibilities that this unlocks, try using a marked deck along with the easy-to-learn Si Stebbins stack, which also allows you to instantly know the card above and below any card that is cut to.  Knowing exactly how many cards are above a card randomly cut to by your spectator makes things even more impressive, especially when combined with an intriguing presentation.



Teaching materials

To help you along with the new possibilities that The Code offers, the deck comes with an instructional DVD that has just over an hour of video tutorials. This video instruction covers techniques and tips, as well as a couple of routines and ideas for presentation.

The first part of the video starts by teaching various natural ways of obtaining a peek, which Andy calls a "sniper".  For example, what he dubs as the Sniper, Sniper 2.0, Sniper 3.0, Sniper Dribble, Double Dribble Sniper, are merely all different ways you can obtain the identity of a card chosen by a spectator by looking at the adjacent card.   Andy also teaches natural ways of glimpsing the identity of a card by reading the back of that card itself, with methods he calls the Fan Sniper and Ribbon Spread Sniper.

There are two main tricks taught in the instructional video.  In "Homicide", a spectator first cuts a packet from the deck and you reveal how many cards he's taken.  The process is then repeated and this time you reveal the identity of the precise card he has cut to.  In the "Double Deck Routine", you start by giving a spectator a prediction, after which he cuts to a random card.  You then read the prediction which indicates the exact number the matching card will be found in a second deck that the spectator has been holding the entire time.  Several variations of both tricks are covered, so there's different directions you can take this, and different ideas you can work with according to your own style and presentation.  Both tricks are certainly very fooling and strong, and you couldn't do either of them with an ordinary marked deck.

The teaching and instruction on the video has received high marks from magicians around the world.    You can come up with your own ideas for using The Code besides the routines taught on the video, since the deck is effectively a utility device that can be used in all kinds of ways.  The system is certainly easy to learn, and even relative beginners will quickly be able to start performing miracles with this remarkable deck.

Recommendation

There's no doubt that The Code was quite revolutionary when it first came out in 2013, and it made quite a splash in the magic industry at the time.  It really took marked decks to a new level by incorporating the Mnemonica Stack and by making this ingenious system accessible to everyone.  Proof of its positive reception is the fact that The Code won The Magic Cafe's "Thurston Award" in the year after it was released.   And while this deck is not cheap, Theory11 does offer refill decks for around $10, for returning customers who have previously purchased The Code.

The instructional video that comes with the deck will provide you with expert assistance in getting going with this wonderful deck, and teach you how to master multiple ways of glimpsing the markings under well-motivated cover, as well as teach a couple of very strong routines.   It really is excellent all round.



Marksman Deck (2017) by Luke Jermay

Creator: Luke Jermay
Back design: 809 Mandolin Back
First released: 2017
Price: $35

The Marksman Deck from Luke Jermay and Vanishing Inc Magic takes things to another level yet again.  The Marksman Deck doesn't just tell you the value and suit of any given card, but it also has several different numbers hidden in the design that tell you the position of the card in the deck, and a whole lot more - even more than The Code.



Description

The deck itself is printed on Bicycle stock with Mandolin Backs, so it looks and handles like a completely normal deck.  The size and style of the markings is almost identical to that used by the GT Speedreader, and slightly smaller than those of Andy Nyman's The Code.

So what are the additional markings for?  Creator Luke Jermay says that he fell in love with Deland's Automatic Deck over 15 years earlier, so that is the obvious inspiration.   He used Deland's deck as a teen, and over time slowly developed his own version of it, adding more marks all the time, and this eventually became the Marksman Deck.

Because the deck incorporates a prearranged stack (Mnemonica order), you do have access to an incredible amount of information just by looking at the back of a single card.  Not only can you immediately identify the card above it, but from the markings you also can know the exact position of the card in the deck, including how many cards are above it.

Some critics have said that this is a deck which offers the Mnemonica stack for people who can't be bothered to learn it, which is an overly harsh and unfair assessment.  In fact, when he first created his deck, Jermay had initially devised his own ordered stack, and he only opted to use the Tamariz Stack when producing the deck professionally, given how popular it is.  In reality tricks with a memorized stack are a whole separate animal, and it is just for convenience that this happens to be the stack used, for the sake of memdeck fans.

But extra markings added by Luke also give you access to more remarkable information: You can reveal the exact number of red and black cards respectively that are above the cut card.  And you can name the combined total of their values.  Each card also indicates exactly how far away in the stack each card's "mate" is.  And there's an additional mark so you can use the deck as a one-way deck.  That's a ton of markings, and a ton of information and possibilities!  On their own some of these features seem like overkill and unnecessary, but they have been incorporated specifically to facilitate very specific tricks that have been designed around them.

Impressions

To give you a good idea of what this deck can accomplish, check out the 45 minute performance documentary. You can freely view that online, and it will help you decide whether or not this is for you.

Effectively what each card reveals is the same as The Code, but it gives additional information as well.  To be clear though, the Marksman Deck wasn't a reworking of The Code, since Luke had clearly been working on it well before The Code was ever released.  But it did come out a few years afterwards, and the markings give you the same information as The Code, except with a whole lot more.  Does that make it better?  Many magicians consider the Marksman Deck to have superseded The Code due to the extra information it incorporates on each card.  But others will argue that The Code gives just the right amount of information needed to make it more versatile than a regular deck, and that the extra features of the Marksman Deck are unnecessary.  In addition, the marks on The Code are more subtle than the Marksman Deck, and in the latter they can seem glaringly obvious.

You wouldn't want to hand out the Marksman Deck for examination, because the increased number of markings also increases the chances that your audience will notice them.   There are seven different markings in total, which are mirrored on each card.  They're very easy to read, which is what you want, but that also means there's a risk of getting caught.  Admittedly this shouldn't be a problem with good audience management.  And given the style of magic you'll use this deck for, you do want fairly large markings that are easy to read.   The reason these markings are so obvious is to enable you as a magician to read them quickly, and to let you focus on your showmanship and presentation.  It won't fool magicians, but because it looks like a regular Bicycle deck, it should go undetected by spectators.  And if you perform as taught by the tutorials, any concerns about this should quickly disappear.

There's no doubt that the potential built into the Marksman Deck is mind-boggling, and the firepower that all this brings to the magician's table is pretty incredible.  It's been described as an entire show built into a deck, and that's a fair description.  That's because the features it incorporates aren't merely bells and whistles that serve no purpose other than novelty.  Instead, each one was developed to do a specific job for a specific effect that Luke Jermay wanted to perform, and so effectively they do have their own routine built into them.  The Marksman Deck is especially great for mentalism, since that's Luke's preferred style, and many of the tricks he teaches rely on a mentalist presentation.

Combining a marked deck with a stack and putting a memorized stack within easy reach of everyone that uses this deck is a stroke of genius.  To be fair, the genesis of these ideas goes back to DeLand's Automatic Deck more than a century earlier, and that was a big inspiration behind the Marksman Deck.  But while DeLand's deck uses a coded system that isn't as easy to use, Luke Jermay's deck is not only more user-friendly, but it also can do so much more than all its predecessors.




Teaching materials

When you buy the deck you also get access to around 90 minutes of online video instructions that teach you how to use it, and how to perform several strong tricks that utilize the marking system.  The basic routine is effectively self-working, because the deck does most of the hard work for you, so that you can focus entirely on the presentation.  So even if you've not had any experience with a stacked deck before, this is a great tool that will help you get into the magic very quickly, and open up a whole range of new possibilities for performance.

There are five main tricks taught in the instructional part of the video.  With "Intuition", the spectator cuts off a packet, and you reveal the number of cards cut, the number of red cards, and the total value of the pips.  For lay people, this is nothing like any other card trick they've ever seen, and completely defies explanation.  "Easy to Read" basically involves you reading the mind of your spectator to reveal his card, and covers numerous different peeks.  "Dowsing" has the spectator cut to any card, which they keep secret, and you miraculously find the perfect match.

"Card Calling" is presented as an exercise in remote viewing, and you name card after card in a packet removed by a spectator.  "Card Memory" is a presentation where you identify a card removed from a shuffled deck (or a card reinserted in a different place in the deck), supposedly by memorizing the entire order of the deck.  This last trick can be done with any marked deck, while Easy to Read and Card Calling rely on the any marked deck that has markings for the stack and adjacent card.  Intuition and Dowsing are two unique tricks that you won't be able to perform with anything other than the Marksman Deck.

Luke's style won't suit everyone, because he employs a presentational approach that focuses on having psychic powers.  His presentations include things like remote viewing, being blindfolded, going into a trance, or using a sixth sense, and you'll often hear him talking about his audience's feelings, emotions, and intuition.  But you can certainly modify this to suit your own style.  In deciding on the tricks to include, Luke's main requirements were that they had to be fun and easy to perform, with minimal sleight of hand, and which gave the potential for powerful mentalism, with a real focus on psychology and theatrical presentation. I think he succeeded. And because they aren't hard to do, and you can be performing relatively soon after watching the video instructions. 

Besides the instructional video, Luke's book Voyages is another resource that covers the Marksman Deck.  It was released for separate purchase, and you may need to head to the secondary market to get a copy.

Recommendation

If The Code is a marked deck on steroids, then the Marksman Deck is like The Code on steroids.  So if you are just looking for a marked deck that only tells you the suit and value of cards, then this marked deck will be overkill.  Then it will give you far more firepower than you'll ever need, and is like taking a machine gun to a wrestling match.  So unless you're actually using these extra markings, the Marksman Deck isn't really essential, and it won't suit most magicians looking for a simpler tool to do a smaller job.

But for the dedicated performer willing to put in the minimal effort required to learn the system and the routines built into them, the Marksman Deck will enable you to perform insane miracles that you simply can't do with an ordinary marked deck. It is really built for the kinds of tricks that Luke Jermay performs and teaches, but wow, are they ever impressive!



Final Thoughts

One other Bicycle-branded deck that I haven't mentioned is Maiden Marked Playing Cards.  Like the others in this list, it also incorporates markings with information about a stack.  It includes similar information to The Code (including the identity of the adjacent card, and the stack number).  But it uses an unusual graphical method of designating information about values and suits that makes it harder to read.  So it's not a reader deck in the usual sense, but is very close, and that's why I will just mention it in passing for completeness, without further comment.

The additional information offered by all these decks, in going well beyond your normal marked reader deck, will seem like overkill to the average magician.  Decks like these are really only worthwhile getting if you intend to take advantage of the fact that they allow you to tap into the potential of a prearranged stack like Mnemonica, or the extra information that their markings offer.  They are effectively high-powered Swiss Army knives that incorporate multiple tools.  So if you are looking for a simple bread knife, and have no use for a prearranged stack or all the extra information about adjacent cards and more, you are probably better off buying one of the cheaper marked reader decks that just provides the suit and value of the cards.
But the real strength of marked decks like these lies in the built-in superpowers that their additional markings give you.  With their help, you can accomplish levels of wizardry simply not possible with a regular marked deck, especially if you enjoy mentalism.  Admittedly, along with this comes the need to put extra work into mastering the markings and the stack - although the markings themselves are very easy to read and learn.   And it's a lot less effort than memorizing a complete deck stack from scratch.  It may even help you learn the Mnemonica stack, and if you've been holding off learning a memorized stack due to the sheer hard work involved, these decks will allow you to tap into the potential of a memdeck without the usual entrance requirements.

It's not just the advantages of a stack that these high powered marked decks offer, however.   Knowing the value and identity of an adjacent card is already powerful information, because it makes it so much easier for you to get the glimpse you need to identify a card, because you don't actually need to look at the card in question, but can safely look at its neighbour instead.  And particularly in the case of the Marksman Deck, there are additional features geared to very specific effects that can truly astound spectators.

It won't come as a surprise that specialized decks like these typically come with a higher price tag than a more generic marked deck.  But that's because they come ready-made with routines and presentations that you will quickly learn and soon perform.  Another disadvantage of these decks is that you will need to be able to master some false shuffles and false cuts, to enable you to maintain a completely stacked deck.

But the extra expense and extra effort required will be more than rewarded  with the kind of marvels you will be performing.  And at some stage in your performance you can always let your spectator shuffle the deck, and you can still use it as you would any other marked deck.  No matter which of the above decks you choose, if you put in the effort to explore their true potential, you won't be disappointed.

Where to get them: The three decks covered in this article can be found here:
● Gambler's Marked Deck by Boris Wild & Geno Munari (Maiden Back)
● The Code by Andy Nyman (Maiden Back)
● Marksman Deck by Luke Jermay (Mandolin Back)



Previous articles in this series (Marked Decks for Magicians - A Definitive Guide):
● Part 1: Why do magicians use marked decks?
● Part 2: What is the best marked deck for card magic?
● Part 3: The Best Factory Printed Marked Bicycle Decks

Acknowledgement: It is important that I provide readers with thorough and reliable information.  So I want to acknowledge the assistance of many people I corresponded with when researching and writing these articles, especially numerous individuals who were personally involved in creating these decks.  They kindly provided me with answers to specific questions I had along the way, and also reviewed relevant parts of the text to ensure that the information I included was up-to-date and accurate.  I especially want to acknowledge the input of Kevin Reylek, who is an expert on the subject of marked cards, and whose assistance was invaluable.  Kevin was extremely helpful in ensuring the accuracy of many fine details, and very generous in pointing me in the right direction and in providing me with the information I needed.

Author's note: I first published this article at PlayingCardDecks.

The Best Factory Printed Marked Bicycle Decks

Marked Decks for Magicians, Part 3

Introduction

For working magicians who are serious about card magic, a marked deck is not a novelty.  Instead, it's a valuable tool that can be used to good advantage in creating powerful effects otherwise not possible with a regular deck of cards. But a marked deck that is suitable for card magic does have very specific requirements.  In my previous article, What is the Ideal Marked Deck for Card Magic?, I outlined several key things to look for:
● It should use an-easy-to-use reader system, and ideally have decent sized markings on the long edges.
● It should disguise the markings sufficiently, and ideally look as normal as possible.

In short, enabling you to read the markings easily and quickly is the most essential quality of a good marked deck, while at the same time it should prevent easy detection by your spectators.

There are plenty of marked decks on the market, but the majority of working magicians will want to narrow down the field of suitable candidates to a Bicycle Rider Back or similar.  That's especially true if you plan to use the same kind of deck for all your other card magic, because then the cards will look normal and are less likely to arouse suspicion.  Something can seem fishy if you pull out a "special" deck merely for a particular trick that requires a marked deck, and where the cards look completely different from the decks you use for all your other card magic.

About ten years ago the manufacturer of Bicycle decks, the United States Playing Card Company (USPCC), took further steps to protect their brand, and this included trademarking the distinctive design of their classic 808 Rider Back.  One consequence of this move is that alterations to the Rider Back design are no longer permitted. This had the effect of ruling out any further printings of marked versions that used this classic back design.  But to meet the demand for marked decks in the Rider Back style, USPCC came up with two other back designs that do permit alterations and markings, and which to the casual observer look almost identical to the Rider Back: the 809 Mandolin Back (first released in 2010) and the 813 Maiden Back (first released in 2012).

Some magicians will also have further requirements, such as an  additional marking that indicates the exact location of a card in a prearranged deck.  This can be incredibly powerful, particularly when it is combined with the concept of a memorized stack, because you can immediately identify the cards preceding or following any given card.  Such systems can even enable you to know any card that is a specific number of cards away from any other card.   So depending on what you are looking for, the answer to the question about which marked deck is right for you will vary.  But I will start by identifying the best reader decks that simply indicate a card's value and suit, and I will save more high powered marked decks with other features for my next article.

In introducing you to the best marked decks that meet the above criteria, I am not going to show you detailed pictures that actually identify and teach the actual markings.  Given how carefully magicians protect their secrets, that would be taboo, and I'll already be pulling back the curtain far enough with my written descriptions.   But the level of detail I will include is along the lines of what you'll find in the promotional ad copy for these decks, in reviews on Youtube or magic retailer sites, or in discussion threads on public magic forums. So my aim is to find the right balance between honouring the magician's code, while also providing enough information to help you make an informed buying decision about the marked deck that's right for you, working with the details about these marked decks that are already publicly available and easily accessible elsewhere.

In this article I'll be covering the following basic reader decks, which are the best of the breed:
● 2005 - Boris Wild Marked Deck ($20) by Boris Wild (Maiden Back)
● 2005 - Ultimate Marked Deck ($40) by Magic Dream (Rider Back)
● 2011 - GT SpeedReader ($14)  by Garrett Thomas (Mandolin Back)
● 2017 - Marked Cards ($10) by Penguin Magic (Maiden Back)



Inspiration: Working Performer's Marked Deck (1983) by Ted Lesley

But first, let's go back to an important predecessor of these reader decks.  Most of them were inspired by an older system for marking decks that was popularized by noted magician and mind-reader Ted Lesley.  The method taught in Ted Lesley's Working Performer?s Marked Deck Manual (1983) relied on a rub-on transfer that required you to apply white numbers/letters for the values/suits to the back of the cards yourself.  This book gave instructions for how to make your own deck with this system, along with a number of excellent ideas for routines.

Lesley's method of marking decks was very popular when it came out, largely because it took a different approach to marked decks than the more commonly used coded systems.  Using his method resulted in marked decks that were very easy to read, because it offered a bold marking system that could even be read from some distance away.

To be fair, this idea had been suggested well before Lesley.  Already in the 1920s, T. Page Wright posited the notion of using a typewriter to put openly readable marks on the backs of cards. And in the 1950s Al Baker used an alpha-numeric system of letters and numbers to represent suits and values, which he implemented on the back design of Bicycle Angel Back Squeezer cards.  This was followed by similar systems from Harry Riser and others.  But there's no doubt that Ted Lesley's 1983 book popularized the concept for use with Bicycle Rider Backs, and had a significant impact on the use of marked decks from here on in.  His idea made it very practical to create a complete and functional marked deck using rub-on transfers, and it quickly became quite a hit with magicians who learned about it.

For its time, Lesley's deck was brilliant and innovative, and his companion book was also highly praised.  But it did have disadvantages, especially when compared with the factory printed products we have available to us today.  The marks could be considered a little too obvious, and quite a number of performers found that they got caught by spectators when using it.  In addition, applying the transfers manually yourself required real time and effort.  The transfers could also rub off over time, so they had a limited shelf life.

So while the Ted Lesley Marked Deck still has some admirers today, it has largely been superseded by the factory printed decks that are readily available in today's market, and which are covered in this article.



Boris Wild Marked Deck by Boris Wild

Creator: Boris Wild
Back design: 813 Maiden Back
First released: 2005
Price: $20

The Boris Wild Marked Deck is named after its creator, French magician Boris Wild.  Boris Wild's credentials speak for themselves: he is a previous winner of FISM, which is the most prestigious award in magic.  Boris first started playing around with marked decks in the mid 1990s, but his own factory printed deck first appeared on the market in the sumemr of 2005.  Prior to this he had taught his marking system so that it could be used with Ted Lesley's transfers, but having his marked deck factory printed was a truly ground-breaking and revolutionary development.  At the time it was the very first factory printed Bicycle marked deck with a reader system on the Rider Back design that was printed by USPCC.

It is still quite popular today due to the unique way in which it indicates suit.  By cleverly eliminating the need for a separate marking for suit, this clever deck enables you to do things that can't be done with most other reader decks.

Description

When the Boris Wild Marked Deck was first released it used the Rider Back design on the card backs.  That was later changed to the Maiden Back design after USPCC adopted its new policy to disallow any customization of the trademarked Rider Back going forwards.  The Maiden Back design was developed as an alternative back design in 2011, and and was originally known as the Angel Back.  Boris Wild and Geno Munari (who together also created the Gambler's Marked Deck, a marked deck with a stack that will be covered in the next article) had some input in shaping its final design, which was developed by Theory11.  To the average observer, the Maiden Back version of this marked deck still looks like a normal Bicycle deck, and unmarked versions of the Maiden Back are also available. 

The Boris Wild Marked Deck is a reader based deck, clearly inspired by Ted Lesley's Marked Deck, but with factory printed marks.  In creating this marked deck, among the most important criteria for Boris were speed and readability.  He wanted the marks to be on the edge of the cards so that they could be easily read in a spread, while still being well hidden by the design.    Everything about this marked deck has been designed for speed, which is also why the markings are entirely numeric rather than alphabetic.  They're also located in areas of the card less likely to be covered by your thumb when dealing the cards.

A striking feature of the Boris Wild deck is that the cards are only marked for the value.  The suits are cleverly indicated by where this mark is located on the card back, which will be in one of four different places along the long edge of the cards.  So the side of each card has been divided into four "levels", each of which corresponds to a different suit.

As is usual for USPCC decks, the Boris Wild Marked Deck comes with two extra cards, which in this case give instructions about the markings and how to use them.



Impressions

The disadvantage of this system is that initially it can take a little longer to read than a standard reader deck, because to determine the suit you need to quickly scan up to four areas on the card backs. Most marked decks allow you to bring your eye straight to a single place on the card back where you know the marking will be, and that makes them quicker to read.  In some situations, that makes the Boris Wild Marked Deck less than ideal (e.g. if you're trying to find a four-of-a-kind), although with experience you'll quickly train yourself to use this system rapidly.

But the fact that the markings aren't in the same spot offers some real perks that you can turn to your benefit.  This unorthodox marking system has been deliberately engineered to provide other advantages, which are well taught in the support resources for this unique deck.   For example, if you're looking for a card from a specific suit, you just need to look at one area of the card, making it much quicker to find.  This was one of Boris Wild's goals with this deck, namely to enable you to find a single card in a spread very quickly.  It's a real strength of this clever marked deck that you can accomplish this without needing to examine each and every card individually.   You can basically eliminate 75% of the deck instantaneously, and focus on finding the selection by just examining a portion of the card back.

In the final analysis, this is a very well thought out system that allows you to find a specific card in a spread just by scanning the relevant level of the card.  So if that's the kind of work you're using your marked deck for, this will actually make the Boris Wild Marked Deck a better choice than comparable marked decks.  In his video, Boris demonstrates how you can use his markings to locate a specific card in a face-down spread even more quickly than you could locate it in a face-up spread, which is very impressive!

It is true that the Boris Wild Marked Deck will require a little more practice than most other marked reader decks in order to master it.  The markings used with this deck also aren't as large as those on some other marked decks, such as the Marked Cards from Penguin.  So those who struggle with aging eyes may find that they want to compare it with other options.  But the marks are far less likely to be noticed by your spectators, and many magicians report that the markings even go unnoticed by other magicians who are checking to see if it's a marked deck.  With less markings on the card backs as a result of the marking system, you're less likely to have someone actually notice the marks anyway.  So this deck does have some applications that are unique to it, and it offers flexibility and some advantages that other marked decks don't have.

Teaching materials

Along with my copy of the deck came a double sided sheet of paper with full instructions about how the markings work, and tips to use them.  There's also an explanation about how to perform the excellent trick "Name My Card", which is taken from the book Hidden in Plain Sight.

But because you can do things with this innovative deck that you simply can't do with other marked decks, it is best used in combination with some of the additional resources created for it.  One such resource is the instructional video that was produced for it by Big Blind Media, entitled The Boris Wild Marked Deck Project.  It is available as a DVD or download, is priced at around $30, and has over four hours of tutorials and instruction, including some brilliant routines.

Of all the video resources mentioned in this article, this video is easily the best of the lot.  This video showcases Boris himself providing specialized teaching that is geared specifically to the system used by his Boris Wild Marked Deck.  He teaches you everything you need to know to maximize the benefits of the Boris Wild markings in a way that isn't possible with other decks. More importantly, he teaches a number of top notch routines, which are surprisingly easy to learn and strong in effect, courtesy of the power of his marked deck.

The video really is a must-have if you want to really want to get everything you can out of this marked deck.  The production quality is outstanding too, and Boris does an excellent job in teaching and explaining everything, with the benefit of his expertise.  The tips he gives in an extra section about the cull are also very helpful.  He also covers how to make your own deck with his marking system, which will take about 15-20 minutes using white transfers or a white marker (that you'll have to purchase yourself) once you're experienced at it.  There's no doubt that his passion and enthusiasm is infectious, and will really inspire you to get out there in the real world and do miracles with the Boris Wild Marked Deck.

Besides the video, Boris has also contributed to the book Hidden in Plain Sight (2005) by Kirk Charles, which is not just an excellent resource about his deck and about marked decks more generally, but is one of the all-time top books on the subject of marked decks.  His book The Complete Boris Wild Marked Deck (2001) and the more recent Transparency (2012) also teach a solid number of routines, techniques, and applications for marked decks.  A 40 page PDF with a selection of the content  of Transparency, including six great routines, is available under the title Boris Wild Marked Deck Lecture Notes.  While these are specifically tailored to the Boris Wild Marked Deck, they will also allow you to unleash the power of combining a marked deck with a stack (the Boris Wild Memorized Deck), for even more impressive miracles.  Boris is a true professional, and a real strength of his material lies in the construction of the routines, and the presentational elements he teaches - this is all very strong magic.

Recommendation

The Boris Wild Marked Deck may not be the first choice for someone looking for a plain reader deck.  But if you are prepared to adopt this system and learn the techniques that take advantage of it, you will find yourself well-rewarded given the unique potential this deck offers.  It's not as well suited for some tricks that require a marked deck, but for others it is actually better suited.  So it's an excellent tool well worth knowing about and considering.  And for those who aren't fond of Bicycle backs, a Phoenix Edition of the Boris Wild Marked Deck is also available, which offers an alternative back design.

Especially if you combine the Boris Wild Marked Deck with some of his own teaching materials, you will find yourself very well equipped for some stunning card magic, some of which simply can't be performed with other marked decks.  This is definitely a great marked deck that deserves a solid thumbs up.



Ultimate Marked Deck by Magic Dream

Creator: Magic Dream
Back design: 808 Rider Back
First released: 2005
Price: $40

The Ultimate Marked Deck (dubbed in magic circles as UMD for short) was released around 2005.  It originates with French magicians and creators Damien Vapereau and Jean-Marc Gahri, and the French company behind it is called Magic Dream.

When the Ultimate Marked Deck first appeared on the market, it was highly praised for being a reader deck that cleverly incorporates marks into the Rider Back design.  Many working magicians immediately embraced it, and lauded it for being the best marked deck that they'd seen and used.  The fact that it actually used the Rider Back design was naturally a real strength.  And unlike the Boris Wild Marked Deck, all the marks were in the same place, making it easier to use.

Description

This deck bears the unique distinction of being the only deck on the list that still utilizes the Rider Back design.  USPCC has not allowed marked decks to be printed with the Rider Back design for more than ten years now, and the original print run of the Ultimate Marked Deck preceded this new policy.  But despite the new restriction, Magic Dream managed to successfully convince USPCC management to do one final print run of the Ultimate Marked Deck with the Rider Back design in 2015.  It's uncertain how they managed to pull this off, given USPCC's strict policy on disallowing any alterations to their trademark.  But it definitely means that this print run represents the very last marked deck to be produced with Bicycle Rider Backs.  The Ultimate Marked Deck was produced in both a red and a blue version, but at most retailers you'll find that the blue deck is already sold out.  Once the remaining stock sells, these will never be available again.

The markings are in the two places where you would expect to find them: near the top left corner, and in the opposite corner, making this deck very intuitive to use and easy to learn.  This does make it more susceptible to being discovered via the riffle test ("taking a deck to the movies") than decks like the Boris Wild Marked Deck and the GT Speedreader.   Particularly the GT Speedreader is  more deceptive in that the marks are near the lower left corner, making them less likely to be observed by a spectator or uncovered via the riffle test.  But having the markings at the top left corner is more convenient for reading when spreading or fanning the cards in a normal way, so the Ultimate Marked Deck does use a very practical marking system.

The size of the marks on the Ultimate Marked Deck is similar to those used on the GT Speedreader, and slightly smaller than the ones used on the Marked Cards from Penguin.  What dictated the size and style of the markings was an effort to create a marked deck with the ideal qualities best suited to performing card magic in performance conditions before spectators: invisibility and readability.  The goal was to have markings that won't be detected by your audience, and that are still easy, simple and quick for you as a magician to read.



Impressions

The font size of the markings on the Ultimate Marked Deck accomplishes exactly what it set out to do.  As a magician, you can read them from a slight distance away when performing, knowing that the marks are always in the same place and a cinch to read when you're working with the decks.  But because your spectator is slightly further away, the marks will completely escape his notice, because they blend into the design so seamlessly.

One other thing to be aware of about the Ultimate Marked Deck is that the tuck box has a Magic Dream logo on the bottom, which could tip off your spectators that something is out of the ordinary.  Although it's highly unlikely that this would be noticed, if you are dead-set on making absolutely everything look innocuous and "normal",  you may want to switch the box with a regular one.

Although the Ultimate Marked Deck is at a very high price point compared with other marked decks, its real strength is that it is printed with the Bicycle Rider Back design.    So it will especially appeal to magicians who insist on having a marked deck that uses a Rider Back design, and want to steer away from the Mandolin Back and Maiden Back decks.  If you restrict yourself in this way, then your options will be very limited, because this is pretty much the only marked deck that meets those criteria.

Teaching materials

The Ultimate Marked Deck also has a Ultimate Marked Deck Companion Book (alternatively entitled: 100% Ultimate: The Secrets + 36 Routines) that can be purchased separately for around $30.  Like the deck, it was created by Magic Dream, who owns the rights both to the Ultimate Marked Deck and to the companion book.  It was written in 2010 by Ivan Laplaud in combination with the creators of the deck, Damien Vappereau and Jean-Marc Gaheri.  It is almost 150 pages in length, so it's a solid piece of work, and even includes some bonus routines contributed by Gaetan Bloom, Darwin Ortiz, and Michael Weber.  It's an excellent resource, and is well organized, clearly laid out, has plenty of helpful diagrams, solid ideas, and good crediting.

Besides some specifics about Ultimate Marked Deck, and techniques and tips for handling the deck and glimpsing the marks, the book also provides helpful information about marked decks generally, including their history, and what to look for in a good marked deck.  But the real treasure follows all this.  About two thirds of the book (over 100 pages) covers tricks and routines for marked decks, and this material is useful for any marked deck, not just the Ultimate Marked Deck.   And it is very  good content, with a lot of outstanding ideas.  Not only does it explain the methods to a number of very fine tricks, but its value especially lies in a real emphasis on presentation.  In terms of books with routines and tricks for marked decks, it's one of the very  best that I have.

Recommendation

The Ultimate Marked Deck is a good marked deck.  And if you do insist on a Rider Back marked deck, then this is the one to get.  The companion book is also outstanding, and although it is a separate purchase, it is well worth considering getting regardless of which marked deck you buy.

But you'll likely have to source the deck itself from a magic retailer.  And the price is quite steep, and it has a limited availability.  So don't wait too long, because once they sell out, they'll be gone forever.

The Prophecy by Roberto Giobbi

A freely thought of card appears inside a wallet in your spectator's pocket

Overview

Roberto Giobbi is a master when it comes to the construction of card magic. Not only is he the author of today's Bible of card magic, Card College, but he's also a highly renowned teacher who is known for his ability to give close attention to all aspects of a magic performance.  When he puts something out, it's worth looking at closely.  Prophecy is a trick Giobbi released together with Penguin Magic towards the end of 2021, and it is a true gem.

Here's what Roberto himself says about it: "This has been the Finale of my Close-up Shows, and my Encore for Stage, for several years now. It is one of the three best tricks I've ever come up with in my professional career of 33 years, and I'm releasing it now for the very first time with all the details that make this a miracle for any lay audience - and I've fooled some of the smartest and most knowledgeable magical minds with it in my performances at seminars and magic conventions around the world."

This isn't just another magic trick, destined to collect dust at the bottom of your magic draw.  Even if you're paying for it with your hard-earned money, this can be considered a gift from one of the world's most respected figures in card magic. Giobbi has been fine-tuning this piece for years.  And not only do you get everything you need to perform this miracle yourself, but you also get the opportunity to learn from one of the very best that there is, not merely how to do this trick, but much more about thinking and performance which will benefit the rest of your magic as well.



The effect

As the name suggests, The Prophecy is a prediction.  The ad copy summarizes the basic effect like this:  "The magician shows their audience a wallet. It's opened, and emptied. It contains a single envelope and nothing else. The envelope is placed back inside the wallet, and then the wallet is handed to the spectator for safekeeping. Then the audience freely selects a card from an imaginary deck. The spectator opens the wallet, and the magician opens the envelope. Inside is the exact prediction of what the audience chose."

Giobbi himself points out that you can even give away the card and envelope to your spectator: "At the end he can take the envelope home, with the performer's business card, whom he may call, just in case he cannot sleep ... This is what is left in the spectator's `communicative memory' and what he will be telling everyone for the rest of his life."

To whet your appetite, see the official video trailer here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TT8uhWtF0pM



What you get

With The Prophecy you get several things:

● Himber Wallet: The real highlight here is the lovely Himber Wallet that is provided as part of this trick.  It's in the older style of Himber Wallet, and has a clasp, making it look quite distinguished.

● Other props: Besides the wallet you get the other props you need, which include some standard coin envelopes, and some Bicycle quality cards, and one or two other essentials.

● Instructional video: Also included is access to an online tutorial video, which explains everything you need to know about the method and performing The Prophecy.

● Bonus routines: Finally, there's a bonus PDF with a couple of alternate handlings and presentational ideas, one called "Who Believes in Clairvoyance?" and the other called "The Seven Chairs".



The wallet

Of everything you receive with this trick, the real prize is the wallet.  As the promotional materials describe it: "In addition to an incredible instructional video from Roberto Giobbi, you receive the Prophecy wallet. This genuine leather wallet is beautifully constructed and allows you to perform incredibly strong magic."

 It's true that wallets are becoming less commonly used by laymen nowadays, but you can pass this off as a passport wallet, or something to protect important documents.  The point is that because it's closed and in your spectator's pocket, there's no way you can do any quick switches, so as a prop it has functional importance. This adds conviction and impossibility to the effect in the mind of the spectator, while of course for you as magician it provides part of the method. 

A good quality Himber Wallet is not cheap, and I imagine that a large part of the price you're paying goes toward covering the cost of including this wallet. The nice thing about the wallet is that it is a very versatile prop, so you can use it for other tricks that require a Himber Wallet as well.



The video

The instructional video for The Prophecy can be downloaded or streamed online.  It was created by Penguin Magic, so it has good quality visuals and sound, and is well produced.  It runs for a little over 50 minutes, with Penguin's Nick Locapo taking up the first 10 minutes to show us the wallet and the basic mechanics of how the trick works.  The next 40 minutes features Roberto Giobbi himself, first with a full live performance with spectators, and then over half an hour of explanation.

If you've ever watched any of Roberto Giobbi's video tutorials, you'll know how he pays attention to every single detail in the construction of an effect, and thinks of absolutely everything.  What's more, he constantly provides all kinds of wisdom and advice that you can use for all of your magic. This instructional video is no exception, and it can rightly be described as "a master class in magic performance."  The guys at Penguin recommend that you take notes when watching the video, and I can see why.  There's a rich amount of valuable thinking that Giobbi shares throughout about how to become a better magician.

I'm a long-time fan of Giobbi's clear and logical thinking about magic, his careful explanations, and his all-round love for the art of magic, and all of that is on display here.  As always, he is also meticulous in his crediting, and acknowledges the likes of Alan Jackson and Kenton Knepper in inspiring aspects of this routine.  There's a great deal to like here.



Other impressions

Is it difficult to perform?  Not really.  The method doesn't require much in the way of sleight of hand at all, although if you want to be able to give away an empty envelope at the end to your spectator at the end you will require some experience. But more importantly, you will have to be mentally agile in how you manage things, especially the "off by one" principle, and that's where Giobbi's wealth of experience comes in.  This isn't something designed to satisfy newbies looking for a quick trick, but will especially benefit working performers who want quality, want to amaze, and are willing to give attention to detail.

As is typical for most magic publishers, Penguin does hype this trick, billing it as follows: "Perfect for close-up, parlor, and stage, this effect will deliver some of the strongest reactions you've ever gotten."  But in this case the lavish praise is not undeserved.  This really is the complete package, and there's little to disappoint here.

First of all, you get a very solid trick, with great presentational possibilities.  The idea of a thought-of card appearing in a wallet in your spectator's pocket is quite astounding.  Intrigue is immediately aroused by saying: "I have the answer to a question inside this envelope, but the question has not yet been asked".  Giving the wallet up front to your spectator to hold on to also strengthens the impossibility. Having your spectator shuffle an imaginary deck also makes for some fun byplay, as those familiar with the invisible deck will immediately realize, but it also creates an outcome that seems all the more baffling and astounding.   And despite what some might think, the method doesn't rely on multiple layers of equivoque, and aside from the colour, it really is a genuinely free choice on the part of your spectator.  The "off by one" ending won't excite everyone, but when presented right it can also add more amazement.  Arguably mentioning this at the outset can even strengthen the entire routine.

Secondly, you get a great prop, which has the potential for being used as a tool in the rest of your magic.  Especially if you don't yet own a Himber Wallet, or have always wanted to get your hands on the older style like the one included here, this is a great opportunity.

Finally, the teaching is superb.  This is much more than just an explanation of how to do this trick, but at times aspects of it become a mini-course in improving your card magic and performance. Giobbi covers all the aspects of the handling, and while equivoque isn't at the heart of the routine, there are numerous "outs" that you're working with, in order to make things seem truly impossible for your spectator, and by the time you've watched the video you'll know exactly what to do.



Recommendation

I'll admit that I'm somewhat of a Giobbi fan-boy.  And I'm also a big fan of clever card magic.  That makes me the ideal target market for something like The Prophecy.  But I know that I'm not alone in appreciating this trick for the classy and sophisticated piece of work that it is.  It can be considered an impossible trick, a versatile prop, and a mini-magic course, all wrapped into one. 

The Prophecy isn't ground-breaking in the sense that it comes up with a brand new principle or something that we've never seen before.  But what it does, it does superbly, because it is a highly polished work of art.  I highly recommend it.

Where to get it? The Prophecy is available directly from Roberto Giobbi or from Penguin Magic.