This was another month where the first recommendation was going to be easy. Sucker Punch is a fantastic set of gaffed poker chips which will allow you to perform a wide range of effects. Think of it as an easy way to get into coin magic – as this set reproduces many of the coin gaffs which make so many strong effects possible – but at a much cheaper price point. Many routines and moves are taught via video instructions. Poker seems increasingly popular in the UK so I think this is a no-brainer. £38.99.

Now, call me an old romantic, but it’s hard to beat a classic magic text. And when you take a text that is as classic as Erdnase’s Expert at the Card Table, and then re-print it in a gorgeous pocket sized edition you can have with you anywhere, then you’ve got a real delight on your hands. Gilt edges, chestnut brown faux-leather. What’s not to like? £16.50

And, by the way, if you’re in a nostalgic sort of a mood, why not treat yourself to Limited Edition Expert at the Card Table Deck. This is a gorgeous thing, with a side-opening tuck case matching the colour of the original release of the book, and loads of lovely detail. £14.99

Whilst we’re on the subject of decks, here are another couple of releases that caught our eyes.

The Bicycle Old Parchment Playing Cards appeal to my love of aged looking cards. It’s a pleasing back design, but I particularly like the designs of the court cards which are highly detailed and the intricate custom pips. £9.99

I’m not so fond of the design of the Alloy Amethyst Playing Cards, but if you’re a collector they’re certainly worth a look since they feature – apparently for the first time – iridescent foil on the backs of the cards (as well as on the tuck case). Also available in a Cobalt (Blue) edition or a Copper edition. £19.99

And finally, if you’re looking to keep your deck in top-notch condition, you will probably want to get hold of a card clip. Dan and Dave have released a Classic Clip which is a beautiful example of style and simplicity. It is available in Silver or Black for £29.99.

That’s all for this month.  Let us know if you’ve seen anything worth looking at…

The post Trick of the Month – November 2016 appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

Poker Fly, as its name suggests, is a kind of ‘3 Fly’ routine using poker chips instead of coins. 3 poker chips travel one at a time from one hand to the other.

I like the idea of using poker chips. Because the coin routines need a large coin for visibility they often end up using dollars, which never sit happily with me in a UK context. Poker chips are recognisable and inconspicuous and the game itself seems to be increasingly popular.

A clever gimmick takes away the need for all but very basic sleight of hand. And there is an alternative ending to deal with the vanish of the last chip if you really want to avoid sleight of hand. The chips are nicely made and are pretty much a perfect match for the chips in my own poker set!

The routine is nicely constructed and best of all ends clean and examinable. The props take up very little space in your pocket and re-set is more or less instant. So I think this would make a great little routine for walkaround.

The DVD clearly teaches the routine – breaking it down into sections and then having a ‘practise session’ which goes through the whole routine in slower motion with commentary. There are not too many extras with this one. There is a bonus routine – which is like an extra phase with a single chip. But this requires you to be able to do the muscle pass – so is not for the feint hearted.

I think this is a nice addition to the ‘3 Fly’ genre. It’s £35 direct from MagicTao.

The post Poker Fly – mini review appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

This is a wonderfully visual effect which should make the spectator’s eyes pop out! It is pretty easy to do – though as with most effects there is a bit of a ‘knack’ to doing it which will require some practise to get it perfect. If that puts you off then why are you interested in magic!

The props you receive are well made, and as ever nicely presented. The DVD clearly explains the how and also offers a variety of ideas and variations. The ‘gimmick’ can be replaced with either a red or a blue backed Bicycle deck and there is talk of an iphone version.

My main concern with this would be the durability of the gimmick. Without giving too much away, I can see the potential for wear and tear or breakage with a lot of use. However, the DVD contains full details of how to repair your gimmick, which though a bit fiddly is not impossible.

It is hard to think of a more visual opener to a card routine, and the deck produced could be any kind of Bicycle Card deck – so you could produce an ID for example and go straight into that routine. Reset is fairly straightforward, though I don’t think you could really do it as you were strolling around.

You could argue that there are some angle issues, but given the size of the props (the pad is A5 sized) and the presentation, you are largely covered.

In fact my only real criticism is a small glitch on the DVD which means if you start with the ‘Introduction’ section, it jumps straight to the explanation and skips the performance. But I’m sure this will be corrected on later imprints.

All in all an excellent effect. You can get it from your favourite dealer, but if you go straight to MagicTao and mention ‘Bicycle-Cards.co.uk’ he will throw in a free deck of Bicycle Cards and another free trick too!

The post Pop Art by Mark Southworth – Review appeared first on Bicycle Cards.