In theory, the characteristics of an ideal marquee deck are fairly simple. Brands must find a balance between two important characteristics. Both of these must be true for the implementation condition.
a) The marked cards should be easy for the magician to read
b) The marked cards should not be easily identifiable by the viewer
Therefore, the identified deck should look as normal as possible, so as not to attract attention or reveal secrets. However, marking makes your job as a magician as easy as possible.
- Reader system must be used. Most professional magicians prefer marked decks that use reading systems to coded systems. Coded systems may reduce the risk of detection, but they are more cautious when performing. to be paid It also gives you the added burden of having to do some simple mental math in your head to figure out what the card in question is. I want to focus my mental energy on performing well, so the leader system makes the most sense. Coded systems that rely on ambiguous symbols are advertised as incomprehensible to audiences. This may be correct, but it is not practical. Focusing on patterns, presentation and technique will give you enough to think about and not confuse your brain further by deciphering things at the same time as you look at the back of the cards. This type of multitasking can impair your focus and enjoyment of what you do.
- Correct size markings are required. The marking should be large enough so that it is easily and quickly read at a glance. Many marked decks are appreciated by relative novices for having nearly invisible and unnoticeable marking systems. It may be true that a deck identified in this way can stand up to close scrutiny and scrutiny from an audience. The small markings may not be noticed by the viewer, but it also works as a magician’s work. It’s so hard to read that it quickly becomes very impractical. I have seen many comments from working magicians who reject certainly marked decks because the marks are too low. You don’t want to spend more time looking behind you than you have to. You risk knowing it’s a marked deck by looking behind you several times.
- Signs should be well hidden. However, you don’t want the marks to be so obvious that you shout to onlookers that it’s a marked deck. In the best-case scenario, you should retrieve a card that has a decorative design element that cleverly hides the markings from muggles and doesn’t make it hard to read. Place your marks inside so that only the most observant observer will notice.
- Marks should be on the long sides. The most common way to present a deck face down is with a spread or fan. In either case, only the long sides of the cards are visible when the cards are stacked. Therefore, it is important to have symbols here so that the cards in the spread can be quickly identified. If the marking is centered on the back of the card, the card is unlikely to be seen as part of the spread. This is a determined feature.
- Make it look as normal as possible. To remove all heat and suspense from the deck, you must give the viewer the impression that a completely normal deck is being used. For this reason, many professional magicians want a tool that looks like the deck they use to perform their other card magic. The use of custom decks is slowly gaining more acceptance. However, an odd-looking deck runs the risk of making the audience suspicious. It is a “trick deck”. It’s distracting and actually weakens the magic. So if you do card magic, ideally you want something that screams “regular deck”, doesn’t draw suspicion, and doesn’t draw attention to itself. This allows you to deal unmarked versions of the same deck of cards to your audience without risking something fishy on the back of the cards.