In theory, the characteristics of ideal marked poker cards are very clear and easy to identify. The ideal marking deck must balance two essential qualities: a) You as a magician should be able to easily read the markings
b. Your audience cannot easily detect the markings
Therefore, a marked poker cards should be as normal as possible. It shouldn’t draw attention to its contents or give away the secret. Also, the markings should not be obvious to those performing the magic. The markings must be easy to read for magicians. This means that the following elements are necessary for an ideal marked deck.
- It should be able to read the cards. A marked deck should use a reader software, rather than a coding system. Professional magicians would prefer this. Although a coded system is less likely to be discovered, it can also make you more alert while performing. This can add to the burden of having to quickly do mental math in order to identify the card. It’s important to make your job easy when you perform magic. This will allow you to focus on your presentation. A reader system is best for this purpose. It’s possible for your spectators not to be able to decode a coded system using obscure symbols. While it may sound true, it’s not very practical. There will be enough to think about if you focus on your presentation, technique and patter. This kind of multitasking will distract you from the things that are important to you and make it difficult for your brain to focus.
- It should have adequate size markings. You should be able to read the markings quickly and easily at a glance. Relative novices often praise marked decks for their almost invisible and unnoticeable marking system. These marked decks may stand up to close inspection and examination by your spectators. While tiny markings may not be obvious to the eye of spectators, it does mean that your job as a magician will be much more difficult when reading them. This becomes extremely difficult. Working magicians often dismiss certain marked decks because they are too small or difficult to read. Don’t spend more time looking at the back than you need. If you do, then it can be a sign that the deck is marked.
- It should adequately hide the markings. The markings should not be obvious enough to make your spectators aware that this is a marked deck. The best card back design elements will conceal the markings and make them easy to see. A well-marked deck will position the markings in the artwork of its back design so they go unnoticed unless the careful observer carefully studies them.
- It should have markings along the long edges. Spreads or fans are the best way to display a deck of cards face-down. In either case you will only see the edges of the cards when they overlap. This is why it is so important to see the markings in order to quickly identify a card within a spread. If the markings are not in the center of the backs of the cards, you won’t be able to see the card’s identity when it’s displayed in a spread. This characteristic is determined primarily by its practicality and utility.
- It should look as normal and natural as possible. Your deck should look as normal as possible to reduce suspicion and heat. Professional magicians prefer that the tool they use for their magic be identical to the one they are using for their other card tricks. A deck with unusual design risks making spectators mistake it for a trick deck. However, the acceptance of custom decks slowly increasing. The downside to a deck that features striking custom artwork is the possibility of distracting from what you are performing and thus weakening your magic. You should aim for a deck that shouts “normal deck”, isn’t suspicious, and doesn’t draw attention. This allows you to give away cards of the same deck but not marked to spectators.