Get a deck that has all cards the same. Put one in the ice box. Have someone select one from the deck & then shuffle a few times. Tell them their card is in the ice box. fun
The Man Who
Two additions:
(1) Shuffle a few times before–it’s not hard to appear to shuffle the cards and still keep the top 4 cards the same.
(2) I think the easiest way to distribute the Aces is as follows:
“Take the top 3 cards on this pile and put one on each of the other 3 piles. You can choose which pile you put each card on.”
Then just repeat 3 more times with the other 3 piles, with your Ace-heavy pile being the last pile. Now the Aces are on top of that pile again (since the 3 cards from the other 3 piles have been redistributed back again). Now say “Let’s do it one more time” and do the same thing with the Ace pile, distributing the Aces.
ANOTHER TRICK
Fan the cards out, holding them up face out to your volunteer. Say “I’m going to touch each card and count. When you want me to stop, say Stop. That will be your card.” Proceed to count out the cards from the top of the deck, and when they stop, repeat the number you assigned to that card. Then, fold the fan back up and, again from the top of the deck, count out that number of cards. That should be their card (face down)–so cut the deck and insert that card in the middle.
Now, what people don’t know is that when you fanned the deck out (holding it up face out to the audience), you kept the top card obscured behind the fan. So if you stop on the “7th” card you touch, it is actually the 8th from the top. Returning the fan to a deck is an easy fluid motion, so nobody will notice this “extra” card. This way, when you count out 7 cards from the top and insert them in the middle of the deck, the card that person chose is now on top of the deck.
Now, all you have to do is screw around with shuffles and separate piles and what have you, just so long as you keep track of that top card. Then, viola!
Does anyone remember the trick where you end up with all the jacks queen kings and aces in a suit in little rows? I remember that there was a story that went with the trick and I used to know it in summer camp, but I have forgotten it now.
There’s a thread on “Svengai Cards”
** how do svengali cards work?**
Some of the links listed there are:
** http://www.magictheater.com/
http://www.supermagic.com/
http://www.allmagic.com/
This one requires no gimmikes or anything, but it is by no means near foolproof. But I’ve had it work before.
Shuffle the deck or allow the other person to shuffle the deck. Have them pick any card they want. Now make up some story about how you have ESP and can read minds etc. Then tell the person to stare at their card as hard as they can. While they are looking at the card, you should be “concentrating” by looking at their eyes!! You can see the reflection of the card in their eyes. Then it’s just a matter of showmanship: “It’s coming to me, yes, I see spades…” This is a really cool trick if you can get it to work. I’m 6’5 so most of the people are shorter than me and I’ve still had it work a couple of times.
–Good luck!
(I didn’t read any of the other tricks, so this may have already be mentioned.)
Hold out a deck of cards and ask somebody to cut it and pull a card out and show everybody but you. Then put the card on the bottom of the top half of the deck, and start shuffling, moving the top half to the bottom so that the chosen card is on the bottom of the deck.
Then give the deck to the person and tell them to grip it tightly with their four fingers on the top and their thumb on the bottom, and hold it out from their body.
Then smack it!
All the cards should go flying but the one on the bottom/their card.
Do this trick for a bunch of kids and they will think you’re Superman. 
I know this one. Take a standard deck, and turn over the first card. If it’s a two, say, then count 2, 3, 4, all the way to king, silently. Turn that pile face down. Turn over the next card and say it’s a jack, and count jack, Q, K. Turn this new pile face down. Continue until all the cards are used. If you have some left over that don’t go all the way to K, hold them in your hand. Have the victim point to a pile and you pick it up and put it in your hand. Keep them face down. Continue pointing to piles until only 3 are on the table. Then have him turn over the top card on two of the piles. Tell him you will tell him the number (but not the suit) of the remaining pile’s top card. Add the two top cards together (J=11, Q=12,K=13.) Say you have a 2 and a 10 showing. Add these together, (12), and then add 10 to this number. Count out 22 cards in the pack in your hand, then count the remainder, silently. It will equal the number of the top card.
I hope this is clear!