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Steven Palmer – Rogue – Review

Phil Sweeting — Tue, 10 Dec 2019 22:21:28 +0000

Rogue has been sitting on my review pile for woefully long. As you may have noticed, there’s been a bit of a delay in reviewing recently due to other pressures. However, Steven Palmer’s new (ish!!) DVD from Big Blind Media was well worth the wait. Let’s talk about the tricks first.

Deviant Shuffle
This isn’t a trick, but is rather a technique used in some of the routines. It is a sneaky combination of moves which allows the spectators to shuffle the deck whilst retaining a stock of cards. There are no ‘moves’ to speak of here and it does look pretty fair. Neato!

He also explains some subtleties on a breather crimp and a short card – both of which are underrated techniques which enable hands off miracles!

Void
This is a very convincing reveal of a card that the spectator is only thinking of. Quite a lot going on here and some clever subtleties. Two versions are taught – one is more ‘advanced’. As with many mentalism effects you will need some confidence in improvising around a script. But the techniques you need are not advanced and are clearly taught. A further variation is taught which works the opposite way round – which I can’t really explain without exposure!

Thought of Monte
Two spectators choose cards in a very fair way. Then you play a sort of two card monte game where the cards turn into the spectators’ selections in their hands. Did I mention you can do it with a borrowed shuffled deck?! This uses a lovely peek from Ollie Mealing which is fully explained and I’m sure you’ll use in other contexts too. And there’s another really nice utility move – a kind of switch. A neat little impromptu routine.

Villains and Heroes or possibly Heroes and Villains!
This is framed as a lie detector kind of test – where you pick up on the spectator’s tells to reveal their thought of card. The construction allows the spectator a lot of freedom and several free shuffles and yet you can still identify their card. Great effect. (The DVD titles give one name for this and Steven gives it the opposite name!)

Technically Missing
The spectator chooses a card and loses it in the deck. You not only find it again – but you also find its 3 mates. This looks so fair and the outcome is very surprising. Like many of the routines on the DVD this has lots of nice subtle convincers.

Memorabilia
This is another revelation of two merely thought of cards. For some reason this didn’t grab me as much as the other routines. And you’ll have to be prepared to do some verbal jazz to get to your successful result. But still very strong for a layperson.

Out of my sight
Another routine based on Vernon’s classic Out of sight, out of mind. The spectator thinks of card and you reveal it! Again, you’ll need to be prepared to think on your feet to pull this off. But if you’re confident with the approach you’ll have another very strong routine.

Medley
This is a nicely constructed series of three revelations of a spectator’s chosen or thought of card under the theme of a gambling demonstration. The phases seem more and more impossible and very fair. Possibly my favourite on the DVD.

Deadcut
With the presentational hook of deadcutting, you manage to deadcut to a card that the spectator has earlier freely chosen and lost in the deck. One of the easiest effects on the DVD – and yet just as strong as any of the others. Really nice routine.

Final Thoughts?

There is a lot to like about Rogue. BBM’s production values are always high and having Liam Montier in the saddle helps to make sure explanations are all very clear. I must admit to being amused by the ‘spooky mentalism background music’ – which is a bit of a break from BBM tradition!

Rogue is billed as ‘easy to do mentalism with cards’ – and I would just gently question the easy to do. It’s not that any of the routines require difficult sleights (although one of the peeking techniques taught does in my mind qualify as at least early intermediate) – but as with many mentalism effects you need a degree of confidence with your script to sell them. Not all the routines require this – and at least half are unquestionably ‘easy to do’ – but I would just put a tiny caveat on that label.

Another very personal reflection is that although I liked a lot of the effects, my main reaction to this DVD was to want to use the different elements and techniques taught here to come up with my own routines.

There’s a big in-house debate about mentalism and card magic and whether they should go together. But I think this DVD proves that you can do cracking mentalism with cards without any loss of integrity.

If you like strong mentalism then Rogue is definitely worth a look.

And you’ll be glad I waited so long to review this because it’s currently on offer for only £12.60 at the Merchant of Magic! (at the time of writing!)

Many thanks to BBM who kindly supplied the review copy.

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Jamy Ian Swiss – A Masterclass in the Cups and Balls – review

Phil Sweeting — Mon, 21 Jan 2019 00:01:26 +0000

A Masterclass in the Cups and Balls was another DVD I was very keen to look at. Partly because of my Cups and Balls pilgrimage and partly because I have very much enjoyed reading Jamy’s books.

This very reasonably priced one hour long DVD teaches Jamy’s Cups and Balls routine in full. It starts with a live performance – which is always massively helpful in getting the feel for a routine. It’s a long routine (around 12 minutes), which takes its time to get going since there is a 7 minute “introduction”¹. More about that later.

The rest of the DVD is taken up with the explanation. This is very clearly shot in a studio setting (though you do sometimes hear the camera operator laughing!). As you would expect from such a scholar of the magic art, everything is well attributed. And chasing up some of those references would be very profitable.

The teaching covers the structure, the development and the theory of the routine in much more detail than the actual moves. Many are standard cups and balls routines – and references are given if you don’t know them. There is a little bit more work on some of the vanished and on the wand spin, but this is not primarily about teaching technique.

It’s a style thing…

It is based, as so often, on Dai Vernon’s classic routine. There’s a reason The Professor’s is a classic! But it has evolved a fair bit and incorporated ideas from a range of other performers. It concludes with quite an elaborate set of final loads. You’ll have to make a gimmick if you want to do it exactly as he does it with a bonus liquid load at the very end.

The opening sequence is made up of a long and verbose prologue which allows a very comprehensive display of all the properties. In a fascinating article
– which reads like extended ‘sleeve notes’ for the release – he characterizes the style as:

a somewhat ironic approach, that collected some actual facts but presented them in a manner that was simultaneously light-hearted while also somewhat subversive

Perhaps this is a cultural thing, but rather than ironic, I found the patter somewhat pretentious. But this suits his performing style! And he explicitly denies permission to use it. Which again, is what you would expect, for someone who has written so clearly against plagiarism and ‘covering’ other people’s material.

But when you overlook the style, which would not be mine, I really liked his ideas for getting into position with the initial loading of the balls. There’s some great thinking here.

The routine itself

The routine itself flows well and is brilliantly structured. A spectator is invited to join in which is very effective and Swiss argues is absolutely essential to the effect.

Interestingly, at the very end of the whole teaching, his key recommendation is actually to learn the Vernon routine and then make it your own. In other words (as is fairly clear from the article referred to above) I think he sees the whole exercise as more as a reference work on your own journey of exploration than a destination in itself.

For that reason, it is not a work to learn the cups and balls from – it is called a masterclass for a reason. It will definitely repay study, but it is not the place to start.

If you’re on a pilgrimage like me towards developing your own routine then you should definitely invest and reflect (and read the article referenced above!) If you’re just starting out, don’t start here!

But at only £13.50 I would say this is essential viewing for anyone who wants to perform this classic of magic.

You can pick up A Masterclass in Cups and Balls from the Merchant of Magic or any Murphy’s Magic supplier.

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

¹Jamy entered into some private correspondence with me to correct my ‘error’ in initially describing the routine as 18 minutes long. He is firmly of the conviction that the routine itself should be distinguished from the ‘introduction’ or ‘prologue’. Whilst I understand this perspective from the point of view of the magician/performer (and have updated the review to reflect his wishes), I am still of the opinion that to a layperson watching they would not distinguish those two things – since some magic already takes place in the ‘introduction’. So from their perspective the ‘routine’ would actually be 18 or 19 minutes long. However, for the purposes of this review, not a great deal hangs on it…

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John Carey – Impossible Location Card Tricks – Review

Phil Sweeting — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 19:24:31 +0000

When I picked up Impossible Location Card Tricks – I was expecting something totally different! I was envisaging ‘location’ as a noun – and expected a DVD full of effects in which chosen cards appeared in impossible locations. In fact, ‘location’ was functioning as a verb – so the DVD is crammed full of chosen cards which are located by the magician in impossible ways.

If I thought that then someone else probably will, right? Or am I just very odd? Don’t answer that.

The tricks

Anyway, let me tell you about the tricks. Although John’s name is on the project and he does the teaching, a good number of the tricks have been contributed by others. Here’s the skinny…

Entrapped – John Carey
Spectator chooses a card from a shuffled deck which is lost in a packet of 5. Two queens are added to the packet. The queens ‘whisper’ the name of their card and then trap the chosen card in a sandwich. Easy to do and with some presentation skills could be an entertaining little routine.

The 7 Card 21 Card Trick – Mike Powers
The venerable 21 card trick meets a truth telling dealing effect. And the spectator’s card is located. The questions/dealing procedure takes this away from the trick that everyone’s grandad taught them – and it does seem impossible. But it is a little procedural for me – which will also affect the kind of audience you might want to perform it for.

Bake Off – Jack Tighe
A card is chosen and lost in the deck. You can reveal the card – and then (in spite of the pack being shuffled and cut) locate the card by touch in your pocket. One of the few effects on the deck which requires some set-up/preparation. But a strong effect nonetheless.

Impossible – Larry Jennings
A Jennings classic – in spite of losing a card with a high degree of fairness – the spectator locates their own card by spelling the word ‘impossible’. There’s a reason it’s a classic. Pretty easy to do and very fooling.

Bloody Amazing – Steve Bryant
A rework of Steve Bryant’s trick with toned down language for the UK market! Again it is spelling the title of the trick which helps locate the spectator’s chosen card. Some might still be uncomfortable with the toned down language – but with only a little thought you could change that too…

Lost and Found – Nick Trost
Nick Trost’s name is usually a guarantee of quality and often of ease of performance. A card is selected by the spectator and returned in the middle of the deck which is then fairly shuffled and cut. And yet you can still locate their card. A bit of set up needed – but a strong effect with very little effort on your part.

Counting on You – John Carey
Spectator thinks of a number and deals that number of cards down from a shuffled deck and remembers the card at that number. The cards are cut and mixed, then the performer cuts a selection of cards from the deck. The spectator then reveals the number they’re thinking of – and you’ve cut that many cards – and amazingly you’ve located their actual card. Again, easy to do and simply constructed, yet quite baffling to a layman.

Princess in my Pocket – John Carey
A card is thought of and shuffled away into a small packet. The cards are then put in your packet and you are still able to locate their chosen card. A very straightforward effect – easy to do.

Waikiki Location – Bill Morata
A deck is shuffled and divided into three sections. The spectator chooses one and selects a card and the cards are reassembled face up and down. After a cut and a mix, you are able to reveal their chosen card. I found this one distinctly underwhelming – the method seeming entirely obvious to me. But then I’ve been doing card magic for over 30 years. I suspect a layperson would be more baffled.

Emotional Reaction Plus – Dai Vernon
This is a nice twist on the Dai Vernon classic, using such a simple technique, and yet providing a strong piece of magic. A deck is shuffled, and the spectator takes them and chooses a card and cuts it into the midst of the packet. You can then locate the card in whatever way you please. A lovely cheeky set up and a strong effect. Definitely worth keeping this in your impromptu repertoire.

Anything else?

The DVD also includes a short ‘interview’ with John Carey. He speaks to camera answering questions which appear on the screen. I love how straightforward and down the line he is. An answer which may be of particular interest for the readers of this site – how much is too much for a pack of cards?!

BBM always put out decent DVDs that are well produced with good content. Quite a few effects on this DVD rely on specific procedures and as such will require careful instruction and handling of spectators. I don’t think there are man ‘magician foolers’ on Impossible Location Card Tricks – but it contains many effects which would be helpful for the beginner or newcomer.

If you’ll forgive a slightly ‘old man rant’ – there does seem to be a bit of a trend to put out DVDs of tricks which can be found in books all over the place. The host then becomes like a guide to the treasures of the magic library world to those who can’t be bothered to invest the time digging. I’m really grateful for the way they do this – and they often ‘mine’ some wonderful magic. But I feel that something is lost if you don’t go digging yourself.

So in conclusion, Impossible Location Card Tricks is not my favourite BBM release ever, but nonetheless, is full of routines which are strong and accessible.

You can pick up Impossible Location Card Tricks from the Merchant of Magic for £22.92 (at the time of writing) or just a fraction less as an instant download.

Review copy kindly supplied by BigBlindMedia.

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Daryl – Master Course in Cups and Balls – Review

Phil Sweeting — Mon, 14 May 2018 23:01:48 +0000

The Master Course in Cups and Balls is a 2 DVD (or download) training course featuring the much lamented Daryl. Our review is going to cover both volumes to give you a flavour of the set. The DVDs are dubbed in English, Spanish and Chinese which probably covers a good number of viewers!

First impressions… not the best

I must admit that when I first started watching I felt like the course was a bit confused about its level. Daryl was at pains to point out this was a master course and that you should first watch a ‘basic’ course (presumably this companion disc).

However, in spite of that, the first 20 minutes or so is spent showing you different types of props you could use and even classifying them. It felt slightly pointless and slightly pretentious – but the saving grace is that Daryl is such a good communicator that it isn’t too wearing. And the somewhat portentous cymbal roll for each main title screen made me chuckle!

The definitions section was more obviously useful – since it is helpful to be able accurately to describe moves etc. And the discussion on misdirection was also helpful.

Moves and more

Daryl then takes you through all the basic moves you can imagine: how to load cups, how to palm balls, fake transfers and shuttle passes etc. etc. But it is not just the basic moves – many more advanced techniques are taught and useful moves like the Charlie Miller move. And all the classic bits of business – like cup through cup (and some nice finesses on that) or deeper on the inside than outside, or wand through cup.

The teaching is excellent and clear – with multiple camera angles being used where that is helpful. And at this point I want to suggest that it is actually an excellent starting point in and of itself – there is no need to watch a primer first.

In addition to teaching the moves, there are plenty of tips along the way and it is here that Daryl’s enormous knowledge and research come in to play. There are tips from Slydini and Michael Ammar. Insights on different performing conditions. And many references to routines and performances by other great magicians (Tommy Wonder, David Williamson, Dai Vernon and Jay Marshall to name just a few) – which would give you a ton of further work to research if you are serious about developing your routine.

Daryl’s Routine

The final element on the first DVD is Daryl’s routine. Now although this is a great routine, I was a little disappointed. Because on a DVD titled Master Course in Cups and Balls you might have expected a full on 3 cup routine. But Daryl’s routine is more akin to a Chop Cup routine – with one cup – albeit an ungimmicked one. It is a super routine, but I was looking forward to seeing Daryl’s own unique take on a 3 cup routine. But maybe that’s just me.

The nice thing about his routine is it is more or less impromptu. This is great because with only minimal preparation you can borrow all the key elements. It is well structured and there is some really helpful coverage and reflection on the final loads.

Master Course in Cups and Balls Volume 2

The second disk definitely assumes you have seen the first since it contains less detail on the individual moves and elements. Instead it simply teaches three routines. A nice touch is the way they are taught with see through glasses so you can see what is going on!

First up is Nick Trost’s essentially sleight free routine. I didn’t even know Nick Trost had done a cups and balls routine! If I’m honest it felt a trifle long to me – a few too many phases – but nonetheless it would make a great routine to start with and includes some nice subtleties.

Next up is the big daddy – Dai Vernon’s routine. So many modern routines based on this. There’s a reason it’s a classic. And Daryl performs it beautifully. Everything is clearly explained, again with clear glasses.

In a nice touch there is a second performance after the explanation to help you learn the timing of the thing.

The third routine was new to me – to my shame – since it is apparently in the Stars of Magic book (it is – I just checked my original edition!). It is Dai Vernon’s impromptu routine. It has a certain amount of overlap with his normal routine but some interesting variations.

Again, there are lots of tips on audience interaction and handling – even the type of clothing you should wear! Daryl knows what he’s talking about and so this is full of gems.

At £14.99 a volume these are a very good value introduction to this classic of the magic world which helpfully brings together both the essential moves and some classic routines from different places. The Master Course in Cups and Balls would be an excellent place to start your voyage of discovery and a handy reference even for those who have been performing for a while.

You can purchase the Master Course in Cups and Balls Volume 1 and Volume 2 from our friends at MagicShop.co.uk.

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

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Trick of the Month – January 2017 – New Year new magic

admin — Sun, 01 Jan 2017 00:01:18 +0000

New Year’s always a great time to stock up on some new magic, some new decks, and maybe even some books to inspire you – so we’ve got something for everyone in our suggestions as we enter 2017…

First up is Ox Bender. We haven’t yet been able to get our hands (well, I suppose technically hand!) on this – but Ox Bender sounds to deal with one of those central issues with a coin bending routine – that historically have pretty much all needed two hands to do the ‘magic’.

As we’ve written elsewhere there is little more powerful in close up magic than making a spectator’s coin bend in their hand – and it also leaves you with an amazing souvenir of the magic. Well worth a look when it ships in a few days. £97.72

We haven’t focused on many new decks for a while, so allow us to indulge our love of a new deck of cards with several recent releases.

The Makers Playing Cards by Dan and Dave are exactly the kind of deck I love. They ooze luxury and I love the custom court cards and bold pips, gorgeous detail on the back design and impressive tuck case. £14.99

I think the Lost Wax Playing Cards are appealing at the moment mainly because I’m so cold! As I write the fan heater is trying desperately to keep my body temperature above zero but the Lost Wax cards bring associations of Africa and warmth in their beautiful orange and gold colour scheme. Ideal for collectors and art enthusiasts alike. £14.99

The Magic Notebook Deck is ideal for magic nuts like me and collectors alike (since each colour is a limited run of only 1200). It is a very minimalist solid colour back design and the tuck case contains a quote from Dai Vernon – in whose honour the cards have been produced. The bold-coloured solid Ace of Spades brings interest. £7.99

We love mentalism here at bicycle-cards.co.uk so we’re always on the look out for new utility devices which can be incorporated into our performances.The Jar is just such a device – but doesn’t just have applications in mentalism – it would make a fantastic card to impossible location effect – and just looks so innocent. Lots of possibilities here I think. £48.99 (PS this link is for the US version – though I suspect that is only related to a ‘special’ coin included – which could easily be replaced with a UK coin if you wanted it for that particular application – we’ll update the link as and when a UK version is here).

And finally, here’s a book which will make you think. We love good magic books – and over Christmas increased our own personal collection by three weighty tomes. In Grips Lines and Looks Marc Oberon has written a book which will help you think about the way you perform your magic and how you can make it more powerful. Who wouldn’t want to do that. It also includes a DVD. £40.99

We hope this gets you off to a good start to 2017. Do keep checking in to read all the latest magic reviews. Happy New Year!

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Awesome Self Working Card Tricks Review

Phil Sweeting — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 23:01:13 +0000

BBM are building quite a name for themselves in the self-working/easy to do magic range – and we always look forward to their new releases. Having gone through Ultimate Self-Working Card Tricks Vol 1, Vol 2 and Vol 3 their latest release is the more modestly titled Awesome Self Working Card Tricks – here’s our review…

We’ll jump straight into the tricks first of all before making some more general comments.

Your thoughts are mine – John Carey
You reveal a spectator’s thought of card which then magically turns face up in the deck and turns out to be from a different pack. There are some nice touches here but for me it was one of the less striking effects on the disk – which makes it a shame that it is most likely the first one you’ll see.

Compatability – Wayne Dobson
Here’s a clever effect with a nice premise – testing your compatibility with the spectator. Despite an incredibly fair looking procedure you and the spectator end up having signed the same card without knowing it. Can be done with a borrowed shuffled deck. There’s a little bit of mental maths to do – but with a bit of practise you’ll be baffling your audiences.

Wayne Man – Wayne Dobson
This is a fantastic pseudo-memorised deck presentation which is incredibly easy to do – but if you can sell it you will absolutely knock their socks off. I love the simplicity of this and directness – and it can be done with a borrowed shuffled deck. This probably won’t fool magicians but is a brilliant application of an under-used principle.

Future Deck – Jack Vosburgh
From a classic book (Scarne on Card Tricks) this is an effective prediction trick where a freely chosen card matches one you previously set aside in the card box. It requires a bit of set up (and will be a one trick deck) but all this preparation makes it incredibly easy to do.

Automatic Ace Triumph – Kuniyasu Fujiwara
This is an unusual effect (originally published in the well named Japanese Ingenious) in which having mixed the aces up in amongst a larger packet of cards, some face up and some face down, in the fairest possible way the cards instantly right themselves leaving only the Aces face up. Now I know how it works, I still don’t know how it works! It’s a little bit ‘procedural’ but in the right context it could work. You’ve got to try it out!

Emotional Reaction – Dai Vernon
A subtle little routine, as you’d expect from Vernon, using a very well known technique but in a very well hidden way. This enables you to locate a card the spectator has peeked and lost in the fairest (looking!) possible way. Reveal it in your favourite way. Again this can be done with a borrowed and shuffled deck.

Power of Thought – Paul Curry
This is a very powerful coincidence effect with two decks of cards. The spectator thinks of a card from the first deck – and it turns out to be the only one which matches with the second deck as they are dealt out together. This fooled me first time – which is quite rare – and the method is so simple yet devious you’ll love it. Some set up required but re-sets quite easily for subsequent performances. (Paul Curry is clearly a genius – if you liked this, check out Worlds Beyond, the book it comes from – full of more Curry magic)

What a Turn Up – Kaymar Magic
A small packet ‘do as I do’ – where you and the spectator both turn over a single card in a packet behind your back and they are found to match. Not a massive puzzler – but easy to do and a nice kicker at the end when all the other cards are seen to be jokers. It has the benefit of slipping in your pocket or wallet when you need a no-pressure trick to perform.

Route 1 – Dave Forrest
This is a very clever and fair looking ACAAN effect utilising two decks of cards. I love the sneaky and subtle method here – a great example of Dave Forrest’s lateral thinking. You will need to do a bit of work to set this up but it is well worth the effort. A few variations are suggested too.

Double Salto – William B Gibson
You and the spectator have half the deck each, then each choose a card and return it in the other person’s half. In an instant both cards reverse themselves in the re-assembled deck. Super simple to do – but with a strong impact on your spectator. You can do this any time with a one second setup. This is a classic effect.

Further than that – Stewart James
You read the spectator’s mind, spell to their card, produce the aces and a straight royal flush. Quite a lot of magic for almost no effort! There’s a setup (of course) but otherwise self-working – though a false cut or shuffle will significantly improve the impact of this. A great little trick.

So is it really awesome?

Yes – I think it is. The list of contributors alone should be enough to tell you that! The DVD is as usual very well produced. It has been shot in a variety of locations with a range of performers and the usual good-looking ladies to assist! Explanations are all clear and concise and for the most part the effects really are self working – in the sense of requiring no sleight of hand.

I keep wondering when they will run out of material for these kinds of disks, but I have to say that this feels like one of the strongest releases yet. They seem to have plumbed a few of the more classic routines which many newer magicians may have missed and made them more accessible by making a DVD of them. So I’m highly impressed by the collection – although one or two effects feel less strong I could see me using almost all of them in the right setting.

Highly recommended – and available direct from Merchant of Magic – £23.99

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Ultimate Self-Working Card Tricks Volume 3 – Review

Phil Sweeting — Sun, 25 May 2014 13:04:25 +0000

So there’s an ongoing debate about the use of the word ‘ultimate’ in the title of something with more than one volume. Is it the ultimate or are they amongst the ultimate? But ultimately, who cares – this is nit-picking and if I’m honest I’ve been impressed by the consistently high standard of the magic on these 3 volumes (you can read our reviews of volume 1 and volume 2). The line-up of creators on volume 3 is enough to make any magician salivate. But let’s get straight on to the tricks…

Armchair Mindreading – Caleb Wiles

I recently picked up a copy of Caleb’s High Spots book so was pleased to see first item on disk was his. Spectator freely cuts to a card in the deck then shuffles their cards (and puts the rest of the deck out of sight in the card box). You then successfully read your spectator’s mind and reveal their card. Some set up required but a really sneaky method which you will love to perform.

Self Control – Simon Aronson

It’s quite rare for me to be completely fooled by a magic trick – but I didn’t have a clue what was going on here. Encouragingly neither, apparently, did James Went or Liam Montier when they explained it! There is a mathematical principle at work but it is not as ‘procedural’ as this kind of effect sometimes is. It looks very fair and is a real fooler.

Rising Card – Daryl

This is a really visual rising card effect which pretty much works itself. It looks great and is very easy to work. As Liam comments on the introduction, it is rare for a self-worker to be so visually impressive. You have to try this one out.

Memory Opener – Sal Piacente

A pseudo-memorised deck routine – nicely constructed with three phases. I feel like Ryan Schultz overplays this in performance but it is a great effect. There is a set up required, but it would (as its name implies) make a great opener because of that.

Casino Clock – David Solomon

Solomon’s twist on the classic ‘Clock Trick’ (you can find it in The Wisdom of Solomon) with a slight gambling theme. It brings it out of the ‘puzzle’ category and gives it a bit more justification. If you can deal cards you can do this one and there’s a nice (and very cheeky!) extra ‘prediction’ which makes the effect even stronger.

Quadruuple Matchup – Nick Trost

A brilliant example of Trost’s cunning – the spectator has a very free selection and yet manages to locate 3 cards which form a set with your prediction set down earlier. You can work it from a borrowed shuffled deck. Love it. (Well worth checking out his books if you like this).

The Stapled Card – John Scarne

This is a really clever routine where a chosen card swaps places with a joker and ends up stapled to another joker. There’s a lot of magic going on here – far more than seems possible for a self-worker. We liked it last week when we read it in Liam’s Shazam and it is still good!

Devestation – Geoff Williams

This really does look completely fair – the spectator seems to make all the decisions to choose and lose a card (with a borrowed and shuffled deck) and you can still locate it. Uses a principle you probably read about in your first magic book, but so well disguised this is a genuine killer! This goes straight in to my impromptu set.

Impossible Divination – Larry Jennings

A classic from Jennings 67 – this is almost entirely hands off, and yet you manage to locate a card selected by the spectator from a borrowed shuffled deck. It shares many of the strengths of Devestation, but feels slightly more procedural to me.

The Red and The Blue – Alex Elmsley

In this clever effect from Alex Elmsley a card chosen by you and the spectator swap places by magic – or rather the decks containing them do! And the set up is accomplished by performing the venerable ‘Do as I do’ effect. Not only does the ‘Do as I do’ set you up it creates a routine which builds together nicely.

Final Thoughts

It is hard to make absolute comparisons, but I felt the material on here was slightly stronger than the material in volume 2. There are some cracking effects which require nothing in the way of sleight of hand allowing you to concentrate on the presentation. As the quote from the legendary Dai Vernon (which appears on the cover) says: “In magic, today as always, the effect is what counts. The methods used are always purely secondary.” Well you get some GREAT effects which require very little technical effort. If you’ve got an ounce of performing skill you will be getting some brilliant reactions from this material.

Highly recommended and available from MagicShop.co.uk (with thanks to BBM who kindly supplied our review copy).

And as our summer competition we’re offering you the chance to win all 3 volumes of the Ultimate Self-Working Card Tricks series – so what are you waiting for?

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Trick of the Month – February 2012

admin — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:01:09 +0000

Sorry – January was a bit of a quiet month on bicycle-cards.co.uk but we’ve got lots in store for February – starting as usual with Trick(s) of the month!

This one is brand new and though we haven’t seen it in person yet, the video looks amazing! Do watch it! Two cards penetrate one another in full view. Did I mention it looks amazing? MIX includes four other effects for your magical pleasure. And apparently not too hard to do either… £23.99

OK, so not many of you are going to rush out and get this, but if you love your card magic, then this set will be a Revelation! Dai ‘The Professor’ Vernon is a legend to card magicians. 30 years after the amazing Revelations video set was released, it has been remastered on to DVD with loads of extra footage and material. This would keep you going all year. £156.99

Our finall recommendation this month isn’t new, but it is reloaded! Twisted Sisters is John Bannon’s all time classic effect, and it has been re-released in Bicycle Mandolin stock, and with newly shot DVD instructions and additional material. If you’ve never done this before then get it. And even if you have, you might get some new ideas here… Only £10.99

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The Elmsley Count Project – Review

Phil Sweeting — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 23:04:18 +0000

We’ve been sitting on this 2 disk DVD set for a while – but it was well worth waiting for. Though it hurts us to say this on bicycle-cards.co.uk, I should warn you at the outset, that Liam uses Aviator cards all the way through! And whilst we’re on full disclosure he has a slightly unsightly plaster on his left hand thumb nail which I found slightly distracting as I watched. But don’t let these things put you off!

The Elmsley Count is undoubtedly an important move in card magic. But Liam argues that as a group, we magicians have often done it without thinking carefully about it. So he has researched lots of the literature on the move, and tried to bring together lots of tips and his own experiences to explain the move exhaustively.

So after a short history of the move, he moves on to teach it. The count is taught in painstaking detail – with each tiny step explained and analysed. Every beat of the count has its own menu entry so it is easy to come back to the details. There is a helpful discussion of the movement of your hands, rhythm (which is usually the ONLY thing talked about), and the use of the count with larger and smaller packets.

The next section looks at a number of variations on the count. Each one is first demonstrated, and then explained carefully.

Ed Marlo’s Opec Count is a kind of ‘out of position’ Elmsely.

Jack Parker’s Outjogged Elmsley – I’d not seen this one before and it is a very fair looking variation.

Pinch Grip – this is the version I first learned in my first trick with the count – Walton’s classic Rainbow Cascade. On a slightly geeky magic note, Liam says this was originally a Jack Avis handling with jumbo cards – but I first saw it in Ed Victor’s EYE trick – which I think might have predated, and possibly been part of the inspiration for the Elmsley count. But either way, Liam clearly doesn’t like it!

Snap Count – this is an Elmsley with sound effects! Particularly useful when you are emphasising the number of cards.

Dai Vernon’s Twist Grip – to avoid some of the problems of repositioning cards between different count grips. [If you listen carefully on this explanation you can hear someone’s kids in the background!]

Underground Elmsley – leaves packet in original position. (good for practising)

Vertical Elmsley – a variation for use when seated at a table – I’ve also used it with jumbo cards when standing up.

The next section includes some Other Counts

Jordan – this classic goes with the Elmsley like horse and carriage.

Spirit – this is more related to the Jordan count and shows 2 as 4.

Discrepancy City Display (Bannon) is used in one of my favourite impromptu tricks (which is explained later on the disk).

Siva Count (Jack Avis) sort of a combination of the Elmsley and Jordan counts.

Bullet Party Display (Bannon) – this displays 1 odd card and 3 duplicates whilst actually concealing 2 faces.

In all this is a really useful set of counts and variations. Time for a quick bit of nostalgia by way of approving of this disc. One of my earliest and most treasured books was the classic counts, cuts, moves & subtleties. It was about 20 years ago I first laid my hands on that and it was a fantastic way to learn some of the most useful moves in card magic. If I was starting all over again, this section of the DVD would be a really serious alternative – especially for those that don’t like books so much.

Disk 2

After a brief tutorial on making multiple lifts in a small packet (using a Bro John Hammon technique) we get into some really strong tricks which utilise the count.

Four Card Trick – Alex Elmsley’s classic. If I am honest, I didn’t really enjoy Liam’s presentation of this. But it remains a great trick with a kicker ending and ends clean. You can also enjoy the sound of sheep bleating in the background of this and many of the following effects!

Twisting the Aces – Dai Vernon’s classic. A wonderful economical effect. Hard to know what to say, except everyone should know this routine.

The Odd Man Out – Liam Montier – I’d not seen this before. But it is a nice engaging presentation with lots of magic. And it ends clean. Great stuff.

One Too Many – George McBride – close up version of classic 6 card repeat. This is a whole pack trick not a packet one and can therefore be performed anywhere. It’s a great routine – and in Liam’s version has no need for palming. A real worker.

Que Sera Sera – John Bannon – this is one of my favourite impromptu effects. A really cheeky (in method!) prediction effect which is strong in performance and easy to do. I can’t remember where or when I learnt this – but the presentation on this disk works better than the one I had remembered from before!

Jacks in the Box – David Solomon – here’s a clever sandwich and transposition effect which all takes place in the card box! Some clever routining enables a lot of magic to take place with very little work on your part.

Whisperstition – Liam Montier – this is another clever bit of routining, which shows you the power of the Elmsley count in the context of a whole deck routine. You get 2 revelations of selected cards plus a clever transposition in this conjoining of a number of different effects.

Jazz Aces – Peter Kane – another classic routine – the aces transpose with 4 indifferent cards in the cleanest possible way. A variant handling is also included.

In Conclusion

I have always loved packet tricks. This set has got me to revisit the wonderful world. Although I often think of the Elmsley count as something to use with a special set of gaff cards, some of these really strong and impromptu effects show how versatile this count is.

The explanations are very clear, and a pdf is supplied with all the credits for the routines (though it does reference one trick ‘The Montinator’ which does seem to have made it to the final cut of the DVD!).

Whilst this would be a brilliant set for someone just starting out in card magic and wanting to learn the move, I think even experienced magicians would pick up some useful tips, or learn a couple of strong routines from this. So it comes highly recommended.

Available from MagicShop.co.uk for £22.99 (at the time of writing). Many thanks to BBM who suppplied the review copy.

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Trick of the Month – January 2012

admin — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:01:45 +0000

What better way to start the new year than with some more great magic? Happy New Year!

We’ll start our recommendations with a trick which isn’t brand new, but we’ve been playing with it recently and like it a lot. Alice’s Revenge is Bob Farmer’s variation on the B’Wave/Twisted Sisters concept but in many ways looks cleaner.

Reset is very quick and there is lots to like about the method. I’m a bit of a fan of this type of packet trick and it rocks in at only £13.50.

Our second suggestion this month is not so much a trick as a way of adding an extra level of impossibility to your existing card effects. The Wonder Sealer does just what its name suggests and enables you to ‘factory seal’ a deck of cards which you have previously set up in whatever way you wish. Refills available. £39.99

Forgive us for a slightly different kind of recommendation to end with. The Magician and the Cardsharp (subtitled: The Search for America’s Greatest Sleight-Of-Hand Artist) is an intriguing ‘biography’ exploring the life of Dai Vernon and in particular his hunt for an elusive move ‘the centre deal’. Although the author is not a magician, he writes well on the subject and it gives a fascinating insight into the life and times of this great magician.

And if you just don’t fancy reading a book, then why not get yourself a deck of these beutiful Erdnase Limited Edition playing cards. Erdnase’s classic book was a key inspiration for Dai Vernon, and these cards pay homage to his time and elegance. £5.50 for a beautiful collectible deck.

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