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.

Christian Engblom – Triple C – review

4.4 / 5 Reviewer

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The post Christian Engblom – Triple C – review appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

If you are a fan of top quality card magic then you should be VERY excited that The Complete Walton Volume 3 is now available! Roy Walton is an absolute legend in card magic and volumes one and two of this series are essential reading for any card magician. There are 96 effects in this new volume (55p each!) some previously unpublished – so even without reading it this would get my highest recommendation. £52.99

And if one book isn’t enough, then check out Less is More which I venture to suggest is likely to be another modern classic full of Ben Earl’s wisdom and strong effects. £38.99

Magic videos don’t often make me stop and stare, but if Expansion is even half as good as its video demo then it is a phenomenal effect! In effect you stretch a small whole into a long slot and then return it in an instant – and the signed card can then be handed out as a momento. Eye-popping visual magic. £27.99 (also available in blue)

Although I haven’t seen this, when Juan Tamariz recommends something I sit up and take note. Triple C is a method of controlling a card or several cards which will enable you to perform a whole host of powerful magic. £27.99 (also available in red – strangely for 51 pence more!)

Lots more new playing cards out – and sorry not to get round to the round up last month – I was too busy celebrating my birthday! But the Neoclassic Playing Cards have caught my eye this month. Follow the link for more pictures, but a classy blend of old and new with a pleasing back design and some very striking court cards. £9.99

And finally, let’s not forget those humble accessories which sometimes make our magic easier and always make it more of a pleasure. The humble close up matt doesn’t get much attention, but this new range from JM Authentics look rather fine and come highly recommended. Check them out!

I’m pleased to say that I have now acquired to of the books I mentioned in last month’s trick of the month – so more detailed reviews will be following soon. For now, have a great month!

The post Trick of the Month – June 2017 appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

You receive some specially gimmicked cards and a link to an online teaching video (47 mins long). (You might be forgiven for expecting a DVD – it is that kind of packaging – but there is no DVD!)

Apparently the routine started off as a challenge from Juan Tamariz – and in some ways I think that shows in the method. It is designed to achieve a particular outcome (a very clean display before an instantaneous ‘solve’) – but the solution creates its own ‘problems’. The gimmicks will take quite a bit of handling practise to get really convincing – at which point you might just as well have learnt the original pure sleight of hand version. Nonetheless, I enjoyed hearing about the evolution and development of the effect – Engblom is certainly a creative guy.

A variation is taught with a borrowed deck – but since at heart it is the same method, you actually just create extra steps as you have to get the gimmicks in and out of position. I’m not sure that the benefit of using an extra deck is worth the extra effort. Certainly the original method looks so fair and clean (and ends examinable) so there’s not going to be much heat on the deck.

The other small disadvantage of this method is that it really needs to be performed seated. Whilst you probably could find a different way to ‘clean up’ from the one taught, I’m not sure how easy that would be. To be fair, most Triumph effects do work better in a seated setting.

The teaching is clear with good, if slightly steady, explanation. It’s all shot from a single camera angle but this isn’t really a limitation.  A few extra ideas are suggested using the same gimmicks. For example they can be used to make a peek deck or to perform a chaos to order type effect where a mixed deck returns to new deck order. I don’t think any of the extra ideas were that practical/useful in the real world – so you’re really primarily buying this for the triumph effect.

So we’re a bit on the fence with this one. Pieces is a nice addition to the genre, but I don’t think it will be finding its way into my set. If you want to put a little work in to fool people badly then this is certainly a clever idea. And if you’re just an avid collector of Triumph variations, then what are you waiting for?!

Pieces is available direct from Merchant of Magic for £27.99 (at the time of writing).

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

The post Christian Engblom – Pieces – review appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

If you like card magic the chances are you have probably hit the point where you would find it useful to switch a deck in or out of play – but have you ever found a decent method? Christian Engblom has come up with something very clever in the Cooler to do just that. A clever gimmick plus a bit of practise… £41.50

Whilst we’re on the subject of accessories rather than effects or books etc. you may be interested in this clever item. I have come across a lot of effects recently with rough and smooth decks of various kinds. In the past these were a messy and fiddly business to prepare, but Harry Robson’s Roughing Stick promises to change that. Just rub the back of the card with the stick and you are good to go. £14.50

And now for something completely different. A really visual card revelation – on the side of an electric fan. What a great idea – and can be used for all sorts of other revelations too… £9.50

Although we usually stop at 3 items, here are two quick plugs for books which are well worth a look. Experience: The Magic of Jon Allen is a first class book with all kinds of magic from the innovative mind of Jon Allen. It is now available in paperback and in our opinion you should snap it up! A great read. £27.99 And if you are in to using a marked deck, you must have come across the name of Boris Wild. He has just released a new book all about using a marked deck which should definitely be on your list. £34.50.

The post Trick of the Month – November 2012 appeared first on Bicycle Cards.