A Chinese man has carved out a new career as a card sharp - by using his kung fu training to hurl playing cards like throwing knives. Bai Dengchun, 23, can throw cards with such force and accuracy that he can slice a cucumber or burst a balloon from 16ft away. His parents thought his unusual hobby was a waste of time - until a slot on TV led to an opening as a performer in magic shows. Bai, from Qingdao, northern China's Shandong Province, showed off his skills by throwing 28 cards into a watermelon from 10ft away. He can also use his card-throwing talents to break an egg or knock off the end of a lit cigarette from a friend's mouth. "The cards are like darts to me. I can precisely hit any target within a five metre radius," said Bai, who learnt kung fu from childhood. Ironically, he developed his talent because he was such a poor poker player: "When I was young I loved playing poker but I always lost," he explained. "I would always end up throwing my hand away and eventually I realised I could throw the cards a long way away - and very accurately. "Three years ago I decided to give up poker and take up throwing cards instead. Each month I used part of my salary to buy cards to practice with and it's paid off." Source: orange.com