by Vivian Luu
Editor-in-Chief

All you need are luck and style to get through a game of poker. But someone needs real skills to use cards to their advantage—someone like SCC sophomore Arthur Abad.

Abad can literally make cards appear, disappear and reappear at will.

Growing from beginner to advanced magician in less than two years, Abad has tricks up his sleeve that are ready to boggle the mind.

Abad became interested in magic in his senior year of at Shorecrest High School. He was required to do a “senior project” and had to complete an individual project on a topic of his choice.

Abad elected to study magic for his project after speaking with a mentor at church. He became more interested in magic after visiting numerous websites to learn the basics of magic.

Close-up and table card tricks are Abad’s specialty. One of his tricks is the “Ambitious Card Routine,” where he can “move any card to the top of a full deck” by snapping his fingers.

He also enjoys learning tricks that keep him on his toes. “I love doing anything on the fly,” said Abad. “Something that’s quick, but witty.”

Abad’s favorite trick is called the “Jumping Gemini,” in which he makes a random selection of four different cards look like four cards of the same suit and number.

“I get a lot of laughs,” said Abad of audiences’ reactions to his tricks. “Some people get confused and just stare at the cards. Others freak out and walk away.”

Abad practices his magic at the SCC library and occasionally at friends’ parties. He has also performed “on the street with random people” and at his church.

“I’m interested in designing tricks too,” said Abad, “although I’ve only come up with one.” His original trick entails finding five cards of the same suit in a full deck, all in numerical order.

“When designing tricks, [I] have to focus on a specific pattern to have a good presentation,” Abad said. He also mentioned that it was important to develop a desired effect for his trick and a “smooth execution style.”

Although it is rewarding to practice card tricks, Abad is occasionally disappointed in seeing other masters work their magic.

“Knowing how some tricks are done takes the fun out of it,” he said. “Now instead of seeing the magic in a trick, I’m just impressed at how good and clever magicians are.”

Abad claims that to be good at performing card tricks, one needs to have dexterity, flexibility, and “a good feel of playing cards” in their hands.

When asked how flexible someone would need to be in order to perform card tricks well, Abad demonstrated a “Charlier Cut,” stretching his thumb and pinky finger to rotate a deck of cards around his hand—a marvel that few can accomplish.

Abad buys his gadgets from online magic shops. He also networks with other magicians from two online forums to learn new maneuvers and discuss his designs for new tricks.

He is currently a member on Penguin Magic, a general discussion panel for budding magicians, and The Story Circle, a more restrictive group for more advanced magicians.

“Everything started out as just an idea,” said Abad. “But now magic’s developed into a real passion for me.”