MoM Archives - Bicycle Cards

Collector Decks – Endless Dark Vs Chancers Vs Magnolia

Merchant Magic — Wed, 19 Jun 2024 21:29:22 +0000

Collector decks like Beyond the Endless Dark playing cards are getting a lot of attention at the moment. Here is a comparison of two other playing card decks compared to Beyond The Endless Dark Playing Cards

Pros

Unique Design – Features a rotating colourful star system, evolving the style of the original Beyond deck. The artwork is visually striking and makes for a great display piece.

High Quality – Manufactured with premium materials, ensuring durability and smooth handling, ideal collector decks for cardistry and magic performances.

Cons

Price – Slightly higher priced compared to standard decks, which might not be ideal for casual use.

Complexity – The intricate design might be distracting for signed card tricks where simplicity is preferred

Chancers V3 Green (Marked) Playing Cards by Good Pals

Pros

Marked Deck Includes a discreet marking system that is beneficial for magicians to perform card tricks without the audience noticing. That’s are in decent collector decks.

Aesthetic Appeal – The green colour and design elements make it stand out, appealing to collectors and enthusiasts alike.

Cons

Learning Curve – Requires time to learn and utilize the marking system effectively.

Specific Use – Primarily designed for magic, it might not be the best choice for general use.

Magnolia White Playing Cards

Pros

Elegant Design – Designed by Paulina Diaz, these cards feature a minimalist white design with elegant artwork, making them aesthetically pleasing and perfect for sophisticated magic performances.

Versatility – Suitable for both magic and general card games due to their standard face cards and high-quality stock.

Cons

Durability – While made with good quality, the white colour might show wear and tear more quickly than darker decks.

Limited Edition – Being part of a limited release might make replacements or additional purchases more difficult

Conclusion

Best for Magic

Chancers V3 Green (Marked) Playing Cards – Ideal for magicians looking for a functional marked deck.

Best for Aesthetics

Beyond The Endless Dark Playing Cards – Perfect for those who want visually stunning collector decks.

Best for Versatility

Magnolia White Playing Cards – Great for both magic and casual play with an elegant touch.

Each of these decks offers unique features catering to different preferences, from performing magic to collecting playing cards that are aesthetically pleasing.

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Patrick Redford – Temporarily Out of Order – review

Phil Sweeting — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 23:01:06 +0000

I have often observed that there appear to be trends in magic, and Temporarily Out of Order is the latest of a series of books to have been published in recent years on the Memorized Deck. We recently read and enjoyed Woody Aragon’s excellent Memorandum. And we will be doing a review of Atlas Brookings fine release The Solution any day now. I will try and make some comparisons between these works as we go (and if you are serious about getting into memorized deck work then you really need to consult the classic work of Tamariz and Aronson too).

Never judge a book by its cover

The old adage about judging a book on its appearance is true, and nowhere more so than with Temporarily Out of Order. I found the front cover unimaginative and the back cover rather stark, nor do I like the glossy paper on which the book is printed or the font used. Sorry! But don’t let this put you off – because the content is brilliant and more than makes up for these assaults to my aesthetic sensibilities! And in its favour it is well illustrated throughout.

Do we need another stack?

Many readers will already be familiar with either the Tamariz or Aronson stack and so this question is inevitable. The Redford Stack has been built from the ground up to enable a number of features not so obviously present in other stacks. It is loosely based on the well-known Si Stebbins stack, but this has been in altered in various ways to hide some of its more obvious features.

The design means it is very easy to get into the stack from new deck order (and back again), or from Si Stebbins order. There are multiple spelling and poker effects built in, and also numerous other features which make it a very powerful tool indeed.

The tricks

There are plenty of tricks – far too many to describe in detail. They are gathered in collections – spelling/location effects, gambling demonstrations/deals, faro effects (requiring perfect faros), and a couple of chapters of more general effects. One chapter includes five effects which are not stack-dependent – so you could use with an alternative stack you’ve already learned.

The title-routine, Temporarily Out of Order, is a very strong five phase effect in which a series of more and more incredible coincidences take place and the deck ends up being in full deck order. He even teaches a version which can be done without memorising the stack and is therefore more or less self-working.

Another chapter includes three ‘story’ effects – where a story is told as you deal through the deck. I like the way that he includes some magical effects to add further interest to the story, though one of the routines is sufficiently ‘adult’ that I wouldn’t use it in performance myself.

And there’s more

A short chapter explores combining the stack with other principles – notably the idea of end strippers. Then we hit some really useful ‘utilities’ chapters. The first teaches a brilliant false overhand shuffle and series of different false cuts. Another contains several deck switches – which are also very deceptive.

In a very generous idea, the final chapter which shows how to get into the setups for a ranger of effects by other people. It doesn’t teach the effects, but does give full references which you may well want to chase up on the strength of Redford’s recommendation!

On the subject of references – everything contains highly detailed references which I appreciate and enjoy reading. There is also a very helpful online ‘toolbox’ – with videos of some of the effects and techniques.

Final Thoughts

A good number of the effects can be performed without actually memorizing the deck. But for those who are going to put in the hard work, there is plenty of help in teaching memorization techniques and mnemonics.

There are also loads of great performance tips and wisdom buried away in the descriptions – so even if you don’t perform any of these effects you will still learn some useful stuff.

We often like to comment on the skill level of items we review but that is difficult in the case of a book like this. Some of the effects are essentially self-working and others require a high degree of proficiency with a deck of cards. And the process of memorization itself – if you decide to go down that route – will be harder for some people than others.

Comparisons are difficult, but my sense from a distance is that Memorandum contained more effects, but the effects in Temporarily Out of Order were of a more consistently strong character. I also felt that some of the extra techniques and ideas in this volume would be relevant whichever stack you choose to use – indeed even if you don’t perform mem deck work yourself.

For this reason I would strongly encourage you to add this volume to your library, in spite of the cover…

Temporarily Out of Order is available from MagicShop.co.uk for £45.50

Review copy kindly provided by Murphys Magic to whom dealer enquiries should be directed.

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AC2Phone magic app – review

Phil Sweeting — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 10:05:55 +0000

We very rarely review phone apps on this site, but when we were offered a look at Any Card To Phone (AC2Phone) we were delighted to take a look. These days we always have our phone with us, so the idea of having a magic trip ready to go all the time is very appealing.

In essence you can use this app for a ‘reveal’ at the end of a card trick. When you run the app the back of a playing card is visible. This can be freely ‘moved around’ by anyone. When you turn the phone over again it will be displaying the face of a playing card which has chosen in any way you prefer. An extra feature has now been added where you can finish the trick by ‘pulling’ the card out of the phone!

In look and method AC2Phone is very similar to an app I used to use when I still had an apple device – though I understand from a friend that the other app is no longer being supported. The app I previously used was more of a routine – so you could appear to shuffle the cards first – and in presentation it was rather more like an electronic version of the classic Invisible Deck.

In AC2Phone, it is really only the revelation of the card rather than a ‘free-standing routine.’ You could have a physical card selected and have it appear on your phone. Or you could have someone merely think of and name a card and then reveal it. Or you could use any kind of peek device or centre tear – or the mentalism tool of your choice for the first part of the routine.

In order to ‘pull’ the card out of the phone, you will need very basic sleight of hand, but I really like the extra visual element that creates. And it somehow draws attention away from the phone itself which is a real bonus.

Another excellent feature is the possibility of customising the back design. The app includes good quality reproductions of some ‘standard’ backs including (bicycle rider etc) – but also allows you to upload your own artwork. I don’t like the faces of the cards so much – and that might also make the illusion of ‘pulling’ the card from the phone less convincing as the pips are a bit more bold than standard bicycle faces, for example.

It’s very easy to do – and you’ll learn it in 5 minutes. For a very modest investment you have a trick you can carry around with you all the time. Well worth a look.

You can pick it up at the Play Store. An iOS version is coming soon – watch this space…

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Sans Minds Wallet – review

Phil Sweeting — Fri, 20 Oct 2017 14:18:29 +0000

Of the making of magic wallets there is no end, but what makes the SansMinds Wallet different is that they have boldly forsaken the traditional bi-fold style wallet design and gone for a more contemporary ‘street’ style. I should say at the outset that I am probably not the target market – since I am in my 40. That may colour my remarks.

The Innovation here is not in method but style. These smaller wallets rather than classic UK bifold are becoming much more popular. (I’ve been using a Trove as my every day wallet for a couple of years because I was fed up of the enormous bulge in my pocket with a conventional wallet).

What is it?

To start off with, it is worth saying there are two models. The 2-part ‘formal’ wallet, and the 1-part ‘street’ wallet. They are fairly similar to look at, but the ‘formal’ wallet (which we were sent to review) has a zippered ‘purse’ which slots into the main credit-card holder part. If I’m honest, I didn’t even notice that mine was the 2-part wallet until it was show on the DVD. I now realise that it can easily be visually distinguished by the excessively long strap on the zip of the ‘street’ wallet.

The wallet(s) is gimmicked to enable you to perform a no-palm card to wallet effect (or indeed, anything else you can introduce into the wallet – see below) – and also enables a few other moves/techniques. The formal wallet functions somewhat like a Mullica wallet.

The design is clearly motivated by a desire to be more contemporary. I have seen some wallets in this kind of style – though most people I know do still use a bi-fold. My wife is normally more ‘on trend’ than me and her opinion was that is looked ‘cheap’ – but you will draw your own conclusion on that. I was certainly disappointed that they didn’t utilise real-leather – since there are so many beautiful leather wallets being made today.

The routines

The wallet comes packed in a heavy card envelope in which there is also a teaching DVD (more about this below). It explains a number of different effects and techniques. The explanations are primarily geared at the ‘street’ version – but then include a brief explanation of any differences in handling if you are using the 2-piece wallet. I can see why they would do this to save time and money, but it does make the ‘formal’ wallet feel like a poor relation.

Card to wallet – A signed card to wallet routine is taught. The presentational premise – for me – was a bit cheesy – but you can easily adapt your own. But this is your bread and butter card to wallet routine. Given that the ‘technology’ for no palm card to wallets is pretty standard, you could easily adapt your existing C2W routine to work with this.

Mystery Card – this is essentially the same as the C2W routine – but you first demonstrate that a card is inside the wallet at the beginning of the routine. It becomes a different effect as the mystery card is shown to be the spectator’s chosen and signed card – which was chosen after the card was already shown to be in the wallet! I have always loved the mystery card plot and this is a nice and simple solution.

Card Steal – this is a nice two-card transpo effect. The spectator chooses and signs a card, which is zipped in your wallet for safe-keeping. They then choose another card from the deck – and in an instant the two cards change places – so the signed card is in your hands and the second card is zipped in the wallet. The main move in this can be used in many other routines. The move here is slightly trickier – but still pretty easy. [Strangely this item doesn’t appear on the DVD menu so I guess you can only view on play all]

Peek – you can use the wallet for a basic peek function for anything that will fit inside the wallet. I think it’s fair to say this isn’t really the primary function of the wallet – so although you can use it in this way, there are many more elegant solutions which have been specifically designed for this function. I definitely wouldn’t buy this primarily as a peak wallet. In some ways the two part wallet makes this function easier. But at the same time the whole procedure then feels a bit illogical. As ever, presentation is all.

Mind Read – this is simply an application of the peek – using blank cards and a straightforward mind-reading presentation.

ACAAN – I admit I was surprised to see this on the DVD menu. A red backed card is show in the wallet. Spectator shuffles the deck of cards and then says stop at any point as you deal through the deck. Then the wallet is opened and it is seen to be the very card stopped at. This is a lovely bit of lateral thinking which makes for a super easy and pretty clean looking version of this classic effect. I have a half-inkling that I’ve seen this kind of idea before – so I would have liked to see some crediting here.

Business Card Switch – a fun little idea where you look at their business card and then give it back to them to hold – at which point it switches places with your business card inside your wallet. I can’t work out what I think about this one. It could be a great way of getting your card into their hands and theirs into yours. But it almost feels like a non-effect. With the right presentation it could be more than just mildly confusing.

Object to wallet – of course you can get other things into the wallet This may or may not appeal to you. When I use a gimmicked wallet (or other prop) I quite like trying not to draw attention to the wallet itself. So I’m uncomfortable with using some of the more ‘impossible’ objects (like a sharpie too big for the wallet) since they seem to do just that.

Wallet Management – I couldn’t get this section to play – nor the final thoughts. But how much more is needed to say at this point?

Overall I was impressed with the teaching which was clear and thorough. All the necessary moves (forces controls, DL etc) are taught at a good pace and from helpful angles.

I was very pleased to see a DVD supplied instead of being bound to an internet connection like so many modern releases. However, (and this may just have been the disk I received) had problems reading the DVD on two different computers I tried. It was more successful on a blue ray player – but even that got stuck at some point. I hope this is a one-off – but it may be a function of the storage of the DVD in heavy card packaging which a bit tight with the wallet in there too and is perhaps more prone to scratch?

What did we think?

If you like the style or are keen on the size then this is well worth a look. It is well-made (though I would have liked to see real-leather) and should last well. I was pleased with the thought which had gone into the teaching DVD which gives the newcomer a good number of different effects to get going straight away. And if you’ve been performing this kind of magic for a while you will no doubt already have many other ideas for how to use it. Definitely one of the better SansMinds releases.

The SansMinds Wallet is available in the 2 piece style for £65.99 or in the 1 piece street style for £49.50 direct from MagicShop.co.uk.

Review copy kindly provided by Murphys Magic to whom dealer enquiries should be directed.

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Jason Knowles – Double Take – review

Phil Sweeting — Tue, 10 Oct 2017 23:01:20 +0000

Double Take is a gimmick, or more specifically a couple of gimmicks, which enable you to perform some very visual transpositions with a playing card and a bank note. Three routines are taught with the gimmick, though no doubt other possibilities are available with some creativity.

What’s in the box?

You receive various materials for making the gimmicks and a link to online instructions. The instructions run to just short of an hour. There is also a pdf download with currency specific information on construction.

A double take?

After a brief introduction there follow around 4 minutes of crediting. But it is a slightly odd sort of crediting in that it references a number of things on the market with similar methods or partial methods – though this was apparently developed independently. That raises my first small issue with the release – I really have definitely seen several pretty similar things before. Yes, I’m sure that you can make a case for this being unique – and maybe it is just my current lack of sleep talking – but I just found the gimmick a bit samey which didn’t help me to get excited about it.

Given what I’ve already said, the fact that the teaching immediately launches into almost 25 minutes of instructions on constructing the gimmick didn’t help me. I know that I’m in an unusual situation since I’m sitting down to review an effect I know nothing about – and most people will have ordered it knowing what the effect is – but I would have loved to see a performance by this point so my construction of the gimmick could be shaped by that.

On the positive side, the instructions for construction were excellent. The pace was good and they were easy to follow. You will need to provide a few (standard) craft materials and, of course, some bank notes (which will be destroyed) in the making of the gimmick. The craft work is not too challenging, but it will take you some time to do it well. There are some helpful tips from someone who has obviously made quite a few of them!

The routines

Double Take routine – I found the main routine slightly confusing based on the performance we saw, but again this may be my tiredness speaking. It is in effect a 3-way transposition effect. A selected card disappears from the deck. An indifferent card goes under your foot. A bank note is in your wallet which the spectator holds. In an instant, the bank note has turned into their selected card which is in your wallet. The bank note suddenly appears under your foot. And the indifferent card (which was under your foot) has returned to the deck and is now reversed in the middle. This requires some basic card handling skills, and in a funny sort of way seems to underutilise the gimmick.

Ambitious Money – I rather like this which is a much more direct and very visual routine. The spectator chooses a card which is lost in the deck. The spectator holds your wallet which contains a bank note. You then say you will try to make the card rise to the top of the deck and if it doesn’t work they will get the money. In a flash the bank note appears on top of the deck and the chosen card is found to be in the wallet where the bank note was before. Super visuals and a really flashy effect which is easy to do.

Invisible Pickpocket – Spectator chooses a card and this is placed in your wallet with a bank note. To an engaging story about pickpockets you remove the playing card from the wallet and then in a flash it changes into a bank note and when they open the wallet the playing card is back inside. This routine is based on a Patrick Kun presentation and I rather like the unusual premise.

What do we think

I preferred the two more visual routines to the Double Take routine itself. It would have really helped me to see some proper live performanecs with real people in the audience. The performances we saw were in a studio with another magician and lacked a great deal of conviction.

Double Take is a nice enough little routine, but it didn’t really light my fire if I’m honest. Of the routines taught, the Ambitious Money was actually my favourite – and it would make a really nice extra phase to an ACR. But if you like the premise and can handle the crafts, then you should certainly take a look. Just bear in mind you’ll need to pick the currency in which you want to make the gimmick.

Double Take is available from the Merchant of Magic for £28.50 (at the time of writing).

Review copy kindly provided by Murphys Magic to whom dealer enquiries should be directed.

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Christian Engblom – Triple C – review

Phil Sweeting — Fri, 06 Oct 2017 08:40:21 +0000

Triple C is billed as Christian Engblom’s prized and closely guarded secret which he is releasing to the magic fraternity after years of keeping it (largely) to himself. So what is it? Find out in our review…

What is it?

Triple C is actually an idea that has been around for a very long time – it is a particular way of gaffing pack of cards which enables you to control one or more cards very easily. It also enables an extremely ‘free and fair’ handling of the deck which makes the idea that you are controlling anything seem impossible.

Although the idea was published a long time ago, as the saying goes, the easiest way to bury an idea is to publish it. And in 30+ years of reading magic books and magazines I have never seen any significant routines utilising the principle. Engblom has refined his own techniques which work with this principle and, by way of a taster, given us three great routines using these.

You receive a factory prepared deck of Bicycle Cards, and a link to online video instruction. Unusually, this has been split into several different videos – performances, introduction, explanations, etc – which makes it quite easy to watch just the bits you want.

Three strong effects

Name Spell – spectator freely shuffles the deck and removes and remembers a card. Then they return it to the deck which they can shuffle and cut again. They then spell their name to locate their card. It looks quite impossible. And it does require a little bit of ‘jazzing’ on your behalf. I would say this is not an effect for the absolute beginner – but it is so strong if you can get it down. There are some really clever ideas in the explanation which will help you with the jazz!

Poker Demo – the spectator chooses any four of a kind and loses them in the deck. They then specify any number of hands of poker and indicate which is to be the ‘lucky’ one – then as you deal out the hands, their four of a kind all appear in the hand they have specified. The technique involved in this may initially put you off – but the way the deck is gimmicked actually makes this easier than it would be with a normal deck. Another real fooler, but not for the beginner.

He Knows – this is a great two spectator routine. The first spectator chooses a card and loses it in the deck. Then the second spectator is able to name the card! A lovely ‘instant stooge’ kind of effect which could be a lot of fun with an obliging spectator. This is probably the easiest of the three routines taught.

Triple C or A minus?

The teaching is clear – but some of the more advanced moves are only briefly shown. For this reason I would recommend it to an absolute beginner. Although the special deck does some of the work for you, the core technique which Engblom teaches will require a fair bit of practise to get it smooth. I hope you’re not the kind of magician that a bit of work would discourage! And there are more simple techniques you could use to get started with the deck.

The additional ideas section teaches a few other techniques which could take advantage of this special deck and should spur you on to think of other applications.

I really love the tricks which all fooled me on first viewing – these are ‘magician foolers’ for sure. The way the deck is gimmicked does allow a significant degree of freedom in the handling which is wonderful, but you will need to bring to this a certain amount of sleight of hand too.

You can use it as your ‘regular’ performing deck with no concerns and the way it is gimmicked makes it very versatile. Refills decks are also available at a very reasonable price.

All in all there is a lot to like here. If you’re prepared to put in the work, Triple C will enable you to perform some real miracles.

Triple C is available from MagicShop.co.uk for £27.99 (at the time of writing). It is also available in blue. Refills can be found here.

Review copy kindly provided by Murphys Magic to whom dealer enquiries should be directed.

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John Bannon – Move Zero Vol 4 – review (TOTM – Oct 2017)

Phil Sweeting — Sat, 30 Sep 2017 23:01:19 +0000

Trick of the month is a review again – not of a trick but of the excellent Move Zero Vol 4 – which is due out any day now…

We have loved the Move Zero series and couldn’t wait to get our hands on Volume 4. But there’s always that fear that the quality will drop – or the sequel won’t be as good. Well [spoiler alert] we weren’t disappointed. I guess you really want to know about the tricks first of all, so here’s our review…

Proximity – This is a clever presentational twist on an old principle. The spectator thinks of a card and you make two predictions you think will be ‘close’. When the spectator’s thought of card is located (in a freely shuffled deck), the cards either side are found to match your two ‘predictions’! This is a brilliant way to open the DVD and I love the entertaining twist on a principle you may well already know. And on a very few occasions you’ll get a different but possibly even stronger outcome! This one’s going straight into my impromptu repertoire!

Second Reckoning – this is a remix of Dead Reckoning (from Move Zero Vol 1 or Dear Mr Fantasy). The spectator shuffles the cards and then chooses a bunch. They remember a card at the number they have chosen and the mentally spell out the name of that card. Amazingly without anyone saying anything out loud, the performer stops dealing at the end of their spelling and has stopped on their very card. Very fooling effect – though it doesn’t use a whole deck – which may put some people off. Baffling for the spectator and easy to do. No reset. Brilliant.

Power of Poker – this is a routine which has appeared on at least one other DVD we’ve seen (and also in Dear Mr Fantasy) – but apart from anything else I really liked the jumbo cards he used in this version! Essentially, in spite of the the fairness of all the spectator’s choices, they manage to deal you a royal flush which beats their full house.

Banco – a spectator makes all the choices and yet you end up with all the envelopes full of cash! This is a nice example of taking a principle from one effect and moving it to another area. This is undeniably clever, but for me seems slightly less fooling than its playing card equivalent. On the other hand, effects with cash always pique a spectator’s interest and so it may be that the hook makes up for any possible shortcomings in the trick. To use the presentation Bannon uses you will need to purchase a few special bank notes which you can probably pick up online.

Depth Charge – this is a very clever ACAAN type of effect. One spectator chooses a small packet of cards to create a number. The second spectator creates a random card out of two that have been randomly shuffled to. This is a great example of how ‘layering’ really obscures the method. It looks so fair and the result is devastating. There is a very simple ‘move’ involved – but it is so easy it doesn’t disqualify it from the Move Zero label! One of the sneakiest ACAANs I have seen – and definitely a worker.

Lost in Translation – this is a fun prediction effect where three playing cards stand in for three words – which you can reveal. And then there’s a nice cheesy kicker (!) at the end. It’s a whimsical little effect which doesn’t have the feel of a card trick even though in one sense it is. If the gag appeals to you then it will be an easy addition to your repertoire. But I suspect not everyone will want to use the gag! You could easily take the idea and weave your own version around it.

View to a skill – this is a clever take on the classic Miraskill (which can be found, amongst other places, in The Encyclopedia of Card Tricks) which removes all the sleight of hand (instead utilising some sleight of mouth!) and turns the thing into more of a game. Typically lateral Bannon thinking here to make a fun effect. I love the way it is structured to cancel out methods in the spectator’s mind. The dealing procedure makes this a fairly long effect – so you will need the right context to perform – but it is a great one to have in your bag.

GoFiguration – after a very fair looking series of shuffles and decision by the spectator, you have managed to arrive at four of a kind. This is a masterclass in layering methods and subtle manoeuvers. Another really strong effect for very little effort.

Triplicity – the spectator cuts to a random number of cards, then remembers a card at that number in the deck. First you read their mind, then you reveal what number their card sits at (once the deck has been cut) and finally you reveal that you predicted both things in advance. This is another great routine which very much works itself but would be utterly baffling to a layperson.

What do we think?

This is the fourth volume in an excellent series. It has been some time since I looked at the earlier volumes which makes comparisons hard, but my sense this time is that this material is more consistently strong than the earlier disks. And they were excellent so that gives you some indication of the quality here.

There are several effects here which are well worth having up your sleeve when you’re out and about – they need no real preparation and are easy to do. Although this series is aimed at those who are new to card magic I think that even an old hand will learn a thing or two here.

In addition to the strong magic, there are insightful gems to be found in the interview segments which intersperse the magic. Like the earlier volumes there are also ‘Trick Bag’ sections which takes a look at some of the principles used in the effects in some more detail – which may help you utilise them in your own ideas. The final interview section has some pointers for ‘next steps’ for the magician who is just starting out. These could be really useful if you’re just finding your way with sleight of hand.

As always, everything is well attributed/credited. As you’ll notice, some of the effects have been published in recent years – so if you’re the sort of person that likes learning from books, you could do a lot worse than looking up his recent books.

Move Zero Volume 4 is unreservedly recommended and you can pick it up from MagicShop.co.uk – just as soon as it is released – for £26.99.

(Review copy kindly supplied by BBM)

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Alice in Wonderland Playing Cards – at Kickstarter

Phil Sweeting — Thu, 28 Sep 2017 13:18:16 +0000

These Alice in Wonderland Playing Cards are just delightful! Time does not permit a full review, but we were privileged to receive a prototype deck and wanted to share some pictures and thoughts…

What we love about the cards is the incredible attention to detail which has woven the theme so clearly throughout the deck. From the very first view of the tuck case (“We’re all mad here” it proclaims – which could well be my family motto!) there are lovely touches everywhere. The Cheshire Cat’s grin disappearing; the mock turtle and gryphon holding the crest; the messages on the side of the case. I particularly love the deck seal – which illustrates Alice’s frustration!

The stylised garden makes a pleasing back design with those elusive locked doors in view. Each suit has its own graphic (the pocket watch, the pepper pot, etc) which carries through the whole suit – and gives an interesting ‘edge marking’ effect.

The court cards have been delightfully illustrated with many of the main characters. Alice herself gets pride of place on the Aces with allusions to a number of the key scenes. The jokers represent that pesky potion and the cake which are responsible for so much of the mayhem.

The preview deck we saw didn’t include the delightful artwork inside the case – of Alice falling down the rabbit hole. So we may just have to get ourselves a real deck!

It really is a charming deck which will certainly appeal to any Alice in Wonderland fan. And as a limited edition deck it will appeal to collectors too.

It is printed on Bee Stock – which promises the same finish as ‘air cushion’ but felt smoother to me. I’m not sure I would use it as a magician unless I had a specifically Alice flavoured routine to perform. But well worth a look.

At the time of writing the Kickstarter campaign has 17 days to go (if you want to get some of those lovely bonuses – which include things like uncut sheets etc) – so what are you waiting for? You don’t want to be late…

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The Casino Con – review

Phil Sweeting — Mon, 25 Sep 2017 23:01:58 +0000

For some reason I’ve always had a thing about casino themed effects so I was delighted to get the opportunity to review The Casino Con by Steve Gore and Gregory Wilson.

The effect is straightforward. You mix up a load of jokers from a variety of different casinos. The spectator chooses one – and it is found to match the ‘lucky poker chip’ you have already given the spectator. Then the chip visibly transforms into a chip of much higher value. In a brilliant final phase, the spectator makes all the choices to deal out the cards into two hands. Amazingly the cards dealt to you have transformed into a straight flush in spades!

What’s in the Casino Con box?

You get a DVD, and all the necessary playing cards and poker chips. The cards are of a nice quality though some of the printing on the back is a little ‘fuzzy.’ The chips are well weighted which always adds conviction. You also receive a little plastic wallet to hold the cards and to help you do part of the trick more easily!

The DVD includes several different performances by different performers which gives you a great idea of how strong the effect is.

The explanation is at a good pace and covers all the detail you need. In fact that sentence should really read ‘explanations’ since the teaching has been filmed in two different locations and both are included! The first phase is all but self-working – incredibly easy to do.

If you want to do the ‘chip change’ you will have to execute a little sleight of hand. One method is briefly taught – and a couple of different methods can be seen in the performance section. If you need some more help here any basic coin resource will do (and if you don’t already own it – buy yourself a copy of Bobo – it should be in your library!). I really like this as an extra phase – but you could miss this out if you wanted to. However it does provide another moment of misdirection which is helpful to get you into the final phase.

There are a number of different ways to perform the final phase. They are all easy to do – though some will require you to remember slightly more procedure. This is a really surprising climax to the whole thing. One of the really clever things is the way the methods ‘cancel each other out’ – which is always a great way to fry your spectators’ minds!

There’s no con – it’s a great effect!

I think you get a whole lot of magic for not a lot of effort – which also means you can focus on your presentation. The casino theme is engaging for most audiences and sells itself. It doesn’t take up much space in your pocket and is pretty much instantly re-set. This is a real winner!

The Casino Con is available from the Merchant of Magic for £26.99 (at the time of writing).

Review copy kindly provided by Murphys Magic to whom dealer enquiries should be directed.

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Menny Lindenfeld – Tru – review

Phil Sweeting — Thu, 21 Sep 2017 13:24:58 +0000

Although, like many of you, I am increasingly cynical about demo videos, the visuals for Tru looked amazing. So I was looking forward to writing this Tru review.

In case you’ve missed it (and I’ll post a video at the end of the review), Tru is a multiple phase rubber band penetration routine. First the rubber band appears to penetrate your finger. Then it does the same thing – but this time with a second rubber band securing the ends of your fingers making it even more impossible. Then it jumps back again. Then again – but with your hand the other way up. In the final phase it actually jumps from your finger to the spectator’s – even though your hands are secured together with another band.

Although the phases flow nicely together, in principle any of them could function as a stand-alone effect – which is great for practise purposes and even for increasing performance confidence. But there is a natural ‘build’ in the phases so they work together very well.

What’s in the (tiny) box?

You receive some Joe Rindfleisch ‘professional performance rubber bands’ – which certainly handle very nicely – though in principle you could use any rubber bands. You also get a link to the online instructions. At certain times I had some problems streaming these – but that may be down to my connection – since on other occasions they were fine.

The teaching consists of 1 hour and 12 minutes of instructions and is of excellent quality. Footage is well shot – from the performer’s perspective (which is very helpful for learning these kinds of moves). Explanations are very clear with multiple walk-throughs to aid learning. The last rubber band routine I learnt was the classic (and still wonderful) crazy man’s handcuffs – way back in the day – but I had no difficulty following the moves.

The explanations are peppered with detailed tips which indicate they are born out of years of performing the effect – this is without doubt a ‘worker.’
There are thoughts on performing with other things – the thick rubber bands so loved by the Royal Mail here in the UK or with borrowed hair bands. And wonderfully several of the phases can be done with a spectator’s headphones/ear buds instead!

An extra 15 minute bonus video promises to teach variations. It shows the routine as he originally performed it (with slightly different phases) and also another way of presenting it with the band partially under the table. For me this ‘bonus’ added little – I much prefer the routine as taught in the main section.

A Tru winner?

There is so much to like about this. It is incredibly visual and a very clear and direct effect. You will need to practise to get this down – but it is well within the sights of anyone prepared to take a little bit of time over it.

It has made me wonder why I don’t perform more elastic band magic. There is something incredibly innocent about using a rubber band and you get great reactions since there is so clearly nothing to be ‘gimmicked.’

If I had a tiny criticism it would be that I am almost certain that he is building on the shoulders of the work of others – and I didn’t notice any crediting at all. I am not familiar with the enormous body of rubber band magic which has been released in the last few years – but I would be very surprised if this was 100% original and unique. In fact, from memory, it feels a bit like a distant relative of an impromptu magic effect which appeared in lots of magic books for beginners. But don’t let that fact put you off – Menny has so refined and improved the method that it is much more visual and effective.

So Tru gets 2 big thumbs up from us. Or it would do if our thumbs weren’t currently wrapped in rubber bands while we practise…

Tru is available from MagicShop.co.uk for £22.99 (at the time of writing).

Review copy kindly provided by Murphys Magic to whom dealer enquiries should be directed.

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