I'm sometimes asked, “What’s your favorite card trick?” It’s a tough question for obvious reasons. But if I had to pick one—gun to my head—I’d likely choose a trick I call The King Thing, inspired by Scott Robinson’s The Queen Thing from his excellent book, Pure Imagination.
I first learned The Queen Thing more than 20 years ago, long before the book was published, from one of my closest friends, Kostya Kimlat. I loved the routine and performed it for years. But as often happens with tricks you perform frequently, it evolved piece by piece into a different routine with its own handling, while still preserving the killer ending that made the original so strong.
If you hand me a deck of cards and ask me to show someone something, The King Thing is likely what I’ll perform for a few reasons. First, it’s impromptu, requiring almost no setup. Even the little setup that is needed can be done right in front of the spectator, completely justified. Second, it packs a lot of magic into a relatively quick trick. The ending isn’t just strong, it’s completely unexpected, which adds an element of surprise. And in my experience, surprise tends to generate a far bigger reaction than effects where spectators start to get ahead of you.
But what I love most about this routine is how it reframes expectations. Unfortunately, most laypeople have a preconceived notion of what a card trick is—usually from watching their uncle fumble through one at Thanksgiving. It’s understandable if they’re not immediately thrilled at the prospect of picking a card and having you find it. The King Thing quickly establishes that you’re operating on a different level than anyone they’ve seen before—that you’re a sleight-of-hand expert. And that shift in perception is key to me, setting the proper stage for whatever you decide to perform next.