Have you ever noticed that if you give someone a deck of cards and ask them to do a card trick, the first thing they will do is spread out the cards and say “Pick a card, any card.”? Why is that? Is this the only magic that can be done with a pack of cards? Think about it. Think about all the card tricks you know and what is involved in those tricks. One thing that is common is that you always have someone pick a card, any card. This truly is the basis of all card tricks.

Now, don't me wrong, there are other card tricks that do not involve having someone pick a card. For example, you have the famous 2 Card Monty, or any card trick that involves producing aces in some magical way. But when you get right down to doing card tricks, you can pretty much count on asking someone to pick a card.

It is what is done with that selected card is what makes the card trick unique from other pick a card tricks. There are so many ways to reveal the chosen card, some very simple, some so out of this world, it leaves the spectator talking about it for days. This is where you can make it or break it. If you are doing a card trick and have the spectator select a card, you better be prepared to reveal their selection in the most amazing way you can think of as people now a days are so adapted to this trick that they will some how think you marked the card as you pull it from the deck and think big deal. You need to step it up a notch, something that is totally not expected.

Some of the most common ways are to produce the card from a sealed envelope, or have the card magically appear on your arm by rubbing ashes on it. These are all great effect and leave the spectator a little baffled. This is what you want. Other ways to reveal the selected card is to have is placed somewhere on or in the spectator's belongings, even way more powerful.

So the next time you are handed a deck of cards and asked to do a card trick, be prepared to step up and ask them to pick a card, any card, and reveal that card in a way that will blow people's minds away!