What's the Ideal Deck, Depending on What You Need It For?

I'll start by saying this is just my personal opinion. 😊

Besides loving magic, I'm also a deck collector.

These past few years, it's been torture watching manufacturers constantly pump out new decks, solely because they see a business opportunity (and I get it).

Personally, I love all this, but at the same time, it's a real struggle if you're trying to collect everything.

There are hundreds of different brands, many of them with hundreds of unique decks, each with their own color and design variations.

(By the way, I still don't have any of Julio's decks 🙄)

The simplest example would be Bicycle itself, with its color variations of the Rider Back design (except for the fuchsia pink, which is a Standard).

Clearly, this adds a 'visual' touch, making it more personal for everyone.

But that's just the tip of the iceberg. When it comes to designs, there's enough to bore you to tears.

Regardless of how "pretty and visual" they are, what should matter most to us is "functionality," which basically means practical utility.

I'll drop a link here to Julio's post, where he talks about what he considers The 5 Best Decks for Magic, and since I pretty much agree, I'll save myself from repeating what he's already covered. 😅

https://magiaycardistry.com/las-5-mejores-barajas-para-magia/

So..., depending on what you're doing, what's the ideal deck???

I believe that for performing good magic with techniques that aren't overly complex (self-working/mathematical tricks, Key Card, peeks/glimpses, Control, false cuts, etc.), any deck will do, even those cheap ones from dollar stores.

What's more, I actually consider it an ideal handicap if these types of cards are of poorer quality. Because when you use them to practice hard for a while, then finally get your hands on a deck like a Second or Standard Bicycle, you'll feel like a 'God' of card manipulation just from the feel of a normal deck.

For example, decks like these:

On the left, imitation Bee decks, the BCG from dollar stores (in my case, their utility is obvious: I use them as memorization tools), or decks you get for free from some random promotion.

These types of decks are ideal for practicing for the first time. It's not the same if these cards fall to the floor compared to a quality deck.

They're great for practicing your first shuffles and getting comfortable, working on card Control to the Top and to the Bottom, gaining confidence with genuine and false cuts, and much more in general.

Advantages of practicing with them?

As I said before, once you've trained with these types of decks for a while, when you pick up any decent quality deck, you'll feel like you can do anything...

you'll *feel* it, but that doesn't necessarily mean you *can*... 😅, though you'll definitely feel a huge improvement in your handling and dexterity.

Plus, these types of decks are the most common in bars and restaurants, perfect places to perform your first (and not-so-first) magic tricks.

Being able to handle one of these decks professionally requires having used them before.

If you start with Bicycle and *only* use Bicycle (or BEE, or Tally-Ho, etc.), chances are that when you get your hands on a cheap, crappy deck like these, you won't be able to do anything (except self-working/mathematical tricks) and your fingers will feel clumsy with them.

So I believe, just like weights in a gym, these types of decks... are a kind of 'training weight'.

Okay, but what if I want a good, acceptable deck? Which one would that be?

Among the most well-known, we'd primarily be talking about Bicycle, and more specifically its Standard decks, although for just about 1 Euro more, we could easily get better quality.

The lineup would look something like this:

From left to right, clockwise: at 9 o'clock, the Second; at 12 o'clock, the Standard; at 3 o'clock, the Rider Back; and at the bottom, together, at 6 o'clock (L to R), the Sello de Oro and the Supreme Line.

Okay, from my point of view, the Second, the Standard, and the Rider Back are THE EXACT SAME thing but with different boxes and prices.

Seriously, if I buy a pack of Seconds, put them in a Rider Back box, I GUARANTEE you, I could hand them to a magician, and they wouldn't even notice.

It's true that some Second decks come with misaligned backs or even faces (never happened to me), but for the most part, if they come out good, they're identical to Standard and Rider Backs.

NOTE: The ones that come misaligned... have a wider white border on one side.

Break out the paper cutter, and,

if it's the long edges that are off, welcome your new Stripper Deck

If it's the short edges, welcome your new Short Deck

That being said, for me, the best deck to really put through its paces is the Second, since it's the cheapest, followed by the Standard, and finally the Rider Back

The next step up for me would be to move directly to the Bicycle Supreme Line

For their price point, I consider them by far the best in terms of quality/price – as good as (or maybe even better???) than Richard Turner's Gold Seals, and I say that without a doubt.

They feel incredible in your hands for any kind of technique, and the Faro shuffles... oh, those smooth, buttery Faro shuffles. Pure bliss.

And for Cardistry?

Well, I haven't been doing Cardistry for long, but I'll say that when it comes to moves and especially glides, the Tally-Hos are my favorite.

I consider them excellent decks; they feel great in the hands, and their finish typically holds up to a lot of abuse, more so than 'normal' Bicycles.

And obviously, for magic, they're perfect, no doubt about it.

Other decks that work well for me for cardistry (and magic) are Bees and... Phoenixs? ( 🤔)

The Bee decks are more casino-grade and therefore have really good quality. Their borderless backs are perfect for starting to practice the 'Second Deal' and not much else; a very good deck.

And the Phoenix decks, 'made by magicians, for magicians' well..., what can I say...,

I... I still haven't quite gotten the hang of this deck...

My fans come out terrible (and I've opened several decks already), and I can't even get a decent Faro shuffle out of them. I've used them for magic and tried Cardistry too, but there's something about them that just doesn't click for me. I can't tell you what it is, because I don't know yet 🤫

It might just be my hands and ME, or some subconscious hang-up.

As always, my personal opinion.

Cheers to the whole community and good magic to all!!!