My Favorite Card Tricks: Matt Szat
By Alex Robertson - Thursday, June 18, 2020
We asked some of our team to share with us their favorite card tricks. This week is the turn of Matt Szat. You may know him from doing the marketing and social media here at Vanishing Inc., or as the host of the Vanishing Inc. Replay. Over to Matt:
Anniversary Waltz
Since I typically reserve it for special events like weddings, it’s not technically in my everyday repertoire. However, I truly believe that, when performed properly and in the right situation, the Anniversary Waltz is one of the best card tricks ever made. It has a meaningful plot, evokes emotion and ends with a impossible souvenir that the spectator gets to keep. I’ve literally seen people in full tears after witnessing the Anniversary Waltz. While I know that others (including Josh) have come up with different methods that are less process-heavy, I have always performed the more traditional style. For me, I prefer not to rush to the fused card as fast as possible. While it’s an insanely magical moment, it’s only one piece of a broader whole. I’ve worked hard to refine my script to ensure every single moment has a role in enforcing the overall narrative. This slow build ensures that the final reveal is much more significant than just two cards becoming one.
Omni Deck/Phantom Deck
I always have been, and always will be, a card guy at heart. But, as I’ve progressed further into my magic career, I’ve learned that, for many spectators, all card tricks start to look the same after a while. Now, I haven’t completely abandoned my trusty pasteboards. But, in recent years, I’ve challenged myself to integrate a wider variety of effects into my close-up routines. By making the cards vanish during a set, I literally have no option but to do something else other than card magic. Of course, that vanish is also a mind-blowing moment for the spectators. I list both the Omni Deck and Phantom Deck because I’ve found after 100s of performances with both, they each have their own distinct reactions.
When it comes to the initial moment where the invisible cards are revealed, the Omni deck is king. However, once that moment passes and the spectator gets to more closely inspect the objects, the ability to fan through the Phantom Deck gets significantly stronger reactions than a block of plastic. While Josh would assure me that the Phantom Deck is supreme, I keep both in my close-up case and interchange them every couple of gigs based on my mood or the feeling of the room.
Hand Sandwich
My magic history knowledge is admittedly weaker than it should be. So, while I would assume it’s most likely not his creation, the hand sandwich popularized by David Blaine is my favorite way to start a card set. Quick, easy and visual with a strong ending. The impact to effort ratio is perfect, especially at the beginning of a gig when I’m still warming up to the room.
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