The Tricks

Karmatic by John Bannon
The DVD starts with a corker. This is the Mighty Bannon’s sort of take on the Trick That Cannot Be Explained. Which is to say that it relies on a certain amount of ‘jazzing’. But the premise and method mean that the jamming doesn’t require any sleight of hand – only a bit of on your feet thinking. In effect the spectator shuffles the deck and yet you have successfully predicted the outcome. I like this a lot – and it is dead easy – the only possible negative is that it does somewhat depend on the spectator being able to riffle shuffle.

Coincidence by Bill Simon
The spectator spookily finds two matching pairs without ever knowing how they did it. That bald description doesn’t really do justice to what is a very strong bit of magic from the ingenious Mr Simon. The bad news is there is some set up required. But it is worth it for a really fooling bit of magic that is very easy to do. I love the construction which makes the effect build to an apparently more impossible second phase.

Five Nine King by Martin Gardner
In this clever mathematically based trick, in spite of a high degree of freedom of choices, the spectator manages to find 4 of a kind. It relies on a clever set up and is pretty fooling. For me it is a little on the procedural side, but nonetheless a clever effect.

Company of Three by Roy Walton
This is a Roy Walton classic – where you can locate two different spectators’ cards by spelling and counting. As taught it requires one very simple bit of sleight of hand – but a truly sleight free handling is also taught. I like this. A very simple set up does all the work for you. A lot of bang for your buck.

Sorta Swiped by Jack Tighe
This is a clever and easy take on the mystery card idea. The spectator chooses and signs a card – and through a slightly ‘sucker’ presentation your different-coloured-back ‘lucky card’ morphs into their selection. Two versions are taught – one of which includes the use of a man-servant! This is a strong routine – but you’ll need some extra cards beyond your normal deck to bring it about. But you leave your spectator with a nice souvenir they can keep. There’s a really nice force taught that I’ve not seen before which would have other uses – especially in an Anniversary Waltz type routine.

And there’s more tricks!

Miracle Aces by Stephen Tucker
Another take on the ‘spectator cuts the aces’ type routine. The spectator seems to have a fair degree of freedom and yet still all comes good. A small set up is required and then the procedure is very simple. A clever self-working solution.

Baker Street by Liam Montier
Baker Street is a two-phased mind-reading effect where you can reveal two cards chosen by two spectators. Again, a small set-up is required. I love the way the construction enables you to deduce both selections in an impossibly fair way. Great little worker.

Third Attribute by Michael Breggar
A really nice routine where a card from a borrowed shuffled deck is selected in a fair manner – then shuffled into a face up and face down deck. The spectator picks three random cards from the deck and then you ‘deduce’ their chosen card. The presentation provides beautiful distraction from the very simple method. I’d not heard of Michael Breggar but this makes me want to investigate his work some more.

Swindle Conincidence by Peter Kane
A fantastic combination of ideas which produce the effect of two spectators selecting the same card in the fairest possible way from two borrowed shuffled decks. Although I knew the principles involved this one flew past me first time. I love the sneaky procedure. Fantastic effect.

Card U Reka by UF Grant
A triple prediction effect with a pseudo-card-reading presentation. There’s some set up required to make up the decks for this effect. But you’ll then have a powerful effect without any hard work at all. Sneaky.

Final Thoughts

One of the many things I like about this series is that they don’t just teach some cracking new tricks, but they unearth and polish up some classics (hence here tricks by UF Grant and Peter Kane etc) which may have passed you by. I’m a firm believer that in our attention to all the new releases all the time we often overlook gems from the past.

The teaching is clear and everything you need to know is explained. If you can’t get at least a few routines from this that you will use then I don’t know what you’re doing! This volume reminds me particularly of the strength of even a small set up in terms of getting you so far ahead. Although these are self-working, it would be of real benefit to get your head around a false shuffle or two in order to add another layer of convincing to them.

It is a while since we looked at the last volume, but Ultimate Self-Working Card Tricks Volume 4 feels like it is the best in the series so far. Full of fantastic, workable material.

What are you waiting for? Go out and buy a copy!
You can pick it up direct from BBM for £21.99 or the download for only £20.50 (at the time of writing).

Many thanks to BBM for supplying the review copy.

Ultimate Self Working Card Tricks Vol IV – review

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The post Ultimate Self Working Card Tricks Vol IV – 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.

This releases oozes class (is that even possible? Can class be oozed? Or is oozing not classy?) – even from the DVD cover. I love the simplicity and elegance of the tree silhouette on the outline of his jacket. But that’s enough about externals, what about the content?

Right from the introduction, James’ passion and concern for the details of an effect comes through. He’s read widely (and attributes brilliantly) and has clearly worked at the routines at length. The DVDs are shot to BBM’s usual high standards, and each disk contains effects, techniques and some interview sections.

The effects

Inevitable
James starts with a really strong routine – a distant cousin of the open prediction plot. A spectator chooses one of two decks of cards and it is set aside. Then the other deck is shuffled and they get to select any card. This is turned over and the value of the card is counted down in the deck to reveal another card. These two values are added together to create a new number and they count down to the card at that number in their deck. This is the card you predicted at the outset. A clean and strong routine, easy to do – definitely worth playing with.

Roy’s Sandwich
This is a nice sandwich routine where the two red aces, inserted at random locations near the top and bottom of the deck manage to move to capture a card merely glimpsed by the spectator earlier. In the (optional) second phase this is mixed with a kind of triumph effect where the deck is mixed up (face up and down) and instantly righted at the same time as locating the chosen card. This is heavily influenced by a Roy Walton routine as its name implies. This requires a little more technical skill (the moves are explained in another section of the DVD) but the second phase, in particular is extremely easy because of the structure of the routine. Beautiful magic.

For Krenzel
A card is merely peeked by your spectator – you’re then able to read their mind and reveal the card, which then instantly reverses itself in the deck. This is basically a routine which showcases a move which James created. The choreography beautifully covers the move – which is worth a short investment of time to learn.

Conditional Triumph
This is a great example of how presentation is king. James justifies the ‘Triumph’ plot by making a ‘find a card’ trick seem more and more impressive. This really works well with James’ personality and the premise primes your spectator for a good reaction. It can be done with a borrowed, shuffled deck, and doesn’t require too many knuckles to be busted for a great effect.

Sandwich Thing
A quick sandwich routine – combining a number of ideas by other people into one snappy routine. A card is selected and lost in the middle of the deck, and a face up king placed on the top and bottom of the deck – these instantly locate the chosen selection in the middle of the deck. Then the two kings visibly jump out of the deck trapping the selection a second time. And then a moment later the kings are back on the top and bottom of the pack and the selection is in your pocket. Again, there’s a little card handling required. But if you’ve been doing card magic for any time it should be within reach.

Poker Con
In this entertaining routine, the spectator is involved as your ‘confederate’ in a poker routine when, from a well-mixed deck, the performer manages to deal four cards to complete a perfect hand with a card the spectator chose at random. Requires some setup but utilises a lovely simple but convincing false shuffle which is justified by the plot narrative.

Selected Daley
This is the first thing James published (in a lovely ebook I own – Celtic Cabal). A selected card is lost in a deck. Four Aces are discovered in the course of a faux gambling demonstration (during which, a la Daley’s Last Trick, the red and black aces repeatedly transpose) and then the selection appears in the middle of it. A nice technique for controlling the chosen card from the middle of the deck which will require some practise but is worth the effort.

Broken Triumph
Another take on the Triumph plot. A spectator glimpses a card and then shuffles the deck. The performer can then both read their mind to reveal the card and then perform the standard Triumph effect – where a mixed face up and face down deck instantly rights itself with the exception of the chosen (“merely thought of”) card.

Collectors
This is a traditional collectors plot – but what makes this so nice is again James’ presentation and the routining which is very slick.

Searchers
Like a slow motion version of the earlier sandwich trick where the 2 aces move towards the spectator’s selection in two stages! Fair bit of handling required.

The Techniques

4 of a Kind Production
Does what it says on the in – a fancy way of producing four of a kind. Not too tricky and nice if you like this kind of thing. And if you do, there’s another version too!

Tit Peak – Tabled Injog Turnover Peak
This is a move to peek a card in the move of handing a deck out to be shuffled by a spectator. A little bit of a knack, but pretty straightforward and versatile move. There’s also another variation taught which can be done standing without a table and without being contrived at all, the acronym this time is TITTIES…

Top Card Production
This is a way of producing the top card apparently from the middle of the deck. A useful and fairly easy little technique.

Jack’s Ginger Snap
A variation on a Jack Tighe move – again making a card look a lot like it comes from the middle of the deck. A nice little move.

Spread Peak
Again, does what it says on the tin – a peak which is made during a spread on the table. This man is obsessed with peaks. This is quite disarming.

Relaxed Pass
The pass is another move James rates highly – interesting how some sleights come in and out of fashion. As its name suggests this one is deliberately casual to avoid the awkwardness sometimes associated with this kind of move. James has combined parts of two other moves to make this pass and it does achieve he casual feel he is aiming for.

Thoughts on Controls
James teaches a couple of controls whilst explaining his thinking around this key area of card magic. Nodding his head in the direction of a Roberto Giobbi essay (from Confidences) there are some helpful tips here around the psychology of making your controls more convincing.

Spread Pass
It’s another pass people. The selected card is passed as the spread is squared up. You’ll need to work at this to get it smooth but it is a very useful move and James gives you several tips born of playing with the move incessantly.

Spread Half Pass
This is the technique used in Roy’s Sandwich (and turns up quite a bit in Roy Walton’s work). A potentially under-used move and well worth getting your fingers around.

The Interviews

As much as I love magic, I enjoy getting to know people even more, so I always look forward to interview sections on these kind of DVDs. They contain and nice mix of serious and light-hearted questions. You do get to see a bit of the real James and he comes across as a really nice guy.

One major encouragement to any aspiring professionals is that he started out in magic (relatively) late in life an yet has achieved a great deal in a short time. It’s never too late to learn. Oh, and like me, he’s a big fan of magic books – what’s not to like?!

The story behind how he got involved in Help My Supply Teacher is Magic is also really fascinating and he comes across as a very humble guy. I really enjoyed these sections.

Any Final Thoughts

This is an impressive debut and I hope it brings James more recognition in the magic community. There are some great effects and useful techniques.

Whilst I love his relaxed and personable performance style I don’t think his teaching is quite as clear as that other BBM stalwart, Liam Montier. James often goes a little quicker and seems to assume more. To be fair, many of the releases Liam has taught on have been aimed at beginners and Meditations is probably a little more advanced than that.

Some of the more complicated routines have a nice feature – an extra fast recap for practise purposes so you can refresh your memory or practise without having to go through the whole teaching slot. And as often on BBM disks, there are some fun messages on screen and little bits of banter – as if the magic weren’t enough.

A great release for any lover of card magic. Meditations comes recommended and is available direct from the Merchant of Magic for £34.50 (at the time of writing).

Many thanks to BBM who kindly supplied the review copy.

The post James Went – Meditations – review appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

Mind Mirror (Jack McMillan)

A really clever and very fair looking card discovery (originally published in his Expert Card Technique).  Some set up required but beautifully simple.

Convergence (Cameron Francis)

This is a really commercial version of the ACAAN type plot.  If you have a long memory you will remember this was released on the Annihilation Deck and for me (you can see our review here) it was stronger than the main effect.  This is a brilliant solution which you can just concentrate on presenting.

Stock Exchanged (John Gustaferro)

Here’s how it plays – a pack of cards is well shuffled and mixed with the help of two spectators face up and face down.  At the end of the process two predictions match and the rest of the cards right themselves and separate themselves into reds and blacks!  Triumph meets OOTW meets a double prediction.  Very clever routineing combines some principles you will probably know for a great effect.

Sense-Sational (Ryan Schlutz)

Crazy levels of very free-looking mixing end up with the location of 3 randomly chosen cards.  There is a setup required but it is well worth it for the power of the effect.  There are three phases to the routine each utilising different principles all of which are well concealed.  You may well find yourself incorporating some of them in your own effects.

Poker Pairadox (John Bannon)

A mixed up set of cards instantly separates out into matching pairs with a nice presentational angle.  Insanely easy and very visual looking.

Four Most (Peter Duffie)

This is a clever twist/extension of an effect you may have done before.  Three spectators stop you at random points as you deal out some cards and insert bank notes to mark the spot.  One of them stops during dealing for your note and at the end you have located the four aces.  Showy, easy to do, engaging.  This one is going straight into the working set!

Password Fallacy (Jim Steinmeyer)

Whilst I’m a big fan of Steinmeyer’s books, I must confess I’ve never seen any of his close-up effects, so I was curious to see what this was like.  It is effectively a spelling effect – but the method is such that with care it could be done over the phone or in any other entirely hands off way.  It’s not a massive mystery but it is a puzzling little effect with a logical premise and if presented well it should go down very nicely.

Amara Rises Again (Ryan Matney)

I’d never heard of Ryan Matney before, but this is a nice little effect.  The spectator ‘goes digging’ in the pack of cards and by a very fair looking process manages to identify the card which matches one isolated in the card box, and also find its three mates.  An engaging plot helps keep this otherwise slightly ‘procedural’ trick moving.  The ‘force’ is very clever.

Blind Choice (Roy Walton)

A clever little colour-matching effect involving five spectators.  Think OOTW but without such a lengthy dealing procedure and involving more people.  Compact, clever thinking as you would expect from Roy Walton.

Final thoughts

I think there is some really strong material on here which would be really helpful for someone just starting out, and in the hands of someone with a bit more performing experience they would become miracles.  I will certainly be using some of these.

If I had a minor niggle, it is that a couple of the effects have been released before – on BBM disks – but at least they have re-filmed them so it isn’t just a cut and paste job  More positively, as we’ve probably said before, Liam Montier has a real gift for explaining things very clearly – so full marks on the explanations.  I also note the blatant use of attractive women on the main menu without making comments!

All in all, a great disk – go get it.  The release date is 17^th June and there are all kinds of pre-order deals on – we’ve highlighted a couple below.

(Oh – and for the next week you have a chance to win it and a bundle of other goodies in our competition!)

You can get it direct from the horse’s mouth at BBM.

Merchant of Magic are offering a deal with Volume One and Volume Two together with 25% off.

Freepostmagic are offering a free deck of Karnival Hornets or Karnival Deathheads with pre-orders while stocks last.

The post Ultimate Self Working Card Tricks Volume 2 – Review appeared first on Bicycle Cards.