What’s the effect?

This is Juan Luis Rubiales working of an effect which really goes back to a Paul Curry idea. As I was watching the effect I was thinking – I’ve seen this before – in fact it was just similar to the Power of Thought routine on the Awesome Self-Working Card Tricks DVD.

In effect, two spectators get half a deck each which is bound (hence the name!) with a small spiral binding coil. One spectator chooses a card and as the two ‘books’ of cards are ‘dealt’ it is found to be the only ‘matching pair’ across the two halves. And then, with no suspicious moves, suddenly both packets change so that it appears that all the cards match – even though the ‘binding’ prevent any tricky moves.

What do you get?

A deck of cards with the necessary holes in them to enable them to be bound. 2 small spiral binding coils. An instructional DVD.

The EMC DVDs are always nicely produced to a high quality. Rubiales’ English is a little idiomatic with quite a heavy accent – but the explanation is fairly easy to follow. The routine is, in fact, all but self-working. The cards are a standard Bicycle deck apart from the holes – so are of good quality.

What do we think?

This is really tricky. Rubiales performance, on the DVD, is really rather dull to my cultural sensibilities – but I think that is largely cultural. In a UK context I would perform this with a very different style – and in fact it would be possible to do it with only one spectator if you wanted which might speed things up (though possibly make it less magical?).

The routining is clever – and I really like the way the final ‘change’ is effected without any real moves. There are a number of clever subtleties going on here. I also think the whole concept of a ‘bound deck’ is intriguing – and would gain the spectator’s interest.

The trick essentially re-sets itself and doesn’t take up too much space in your pocket – though you wouldn’t really want to use this deck for any other effects I would have thought (you could – in principle – but then you wouldn’t be set for this effect again).

So there’s lots to like here. It feels more puzzling than astounding – but perhaps I’m thinking too much like a magician? But the thing that pushes me in a slightly more negative direction is the pricing. At our regular Murphys Magic supplier it is £38.99 (at the time of writing) which is quite steep for what you’re getting.

But if it appeals you can get it direct from MagicShop.co.uk.

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

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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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Regular readers will know I am a bit of a book lover, and also have fondness for mental magic. So you can imagine that I got very excited when I saw this lovely Open Prediction Project book advertised. 51 (why not 52?!) solutions to Paul Curry’s original challenge – rocking in at just under 300 pages this will make some good holiday reading! £34.99

We had never heard of David Corsaro before, but this DVD is getting some good reviews. Practical walkaround magic. £24.50

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If you’ve ever wanted to get into Cardistry in its purest form, this is a great introduction. It takes you from the very basics all the way to some very showy flourishes. All taught by the inimitable Andrei Jikh £26.99

This is a fantastic impossible effect. You tear two card circles from a chosen card and then magically link them together leaving an examinable ‘take home’ impossibility. Brilliant! Taught on DVD by Ben Williams. £19.99

I always like to mention a magic book because I continue to be a massive fan of the genre! Paul Curry is one of the most original magic thinkers ever – creator of the original and brilliant Out of this World trick. Here are 400 pages of classic Curry. £32.99

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