Let’s get into the effects

Future Card – this is an incredibly fair looking effect where the spectator appears to make all the choices, and yet a card freely set aside at the beginning matches a card created by all the spectator’s free choices. I’m rarely baffled by an effect, but all but one element in this one flew past me first time. Requires some set up but is very easy to perform because of that. Very clever.

Shuffles Therapy – from a shuffled deck, the spectator chooses a card which is lost in the deck very fairly – including a two-way shuffle! Then the performer is able to reveal the chosen card. Another very fooling routine which can be done with a borrowed, shuffled deck – though is even easier with your own slightly prepared deck! There are lots of really clever things about the way this has been constructed, including a really cheeky peek! Great stuff.

Long Way Out – the title here is a tribute to Chad Long who’s excellent Shuffling Lesson (you can find it on the Ultimate Self-Working Card Tricks DVD) of which this routine is a distant relative. Two spectators touch the back of three cards which are set aside. Then each spectator chooses random bunches of cards and after a very fair-looking procedure they deal them into three piles. Despite all the freedom of choices, each person has three matching cards on the top of their piles. And the three cards set aside at the beginning complete each four of a kind. This is quite ‘long’! There is a fair amount of procedure – but if you keep it moving it is a baffling effect. Ryan teaches his own switch which is very cool and will have other applications.

Any Card Any Sum – this is a sort of ACAAN type effect. Briefly, a card is selected, then from a randomised process involving some other randomly chosen cards, a number is created. And the chosen card turns up at that number. There’s some clever thinking here, though I didn’t really care much for his presentation. But utterly baffling to anyone not in the know.

Magic Camp – let’s say at the start – this has quite a convoluted journey to the effect – the performance took 8 minutes. It is slightly hard to describe but to a fairly engaging presentation based on the idea of a ‘magic camp’ – amidst bewildering amount of shuffles and choices and exchanges you and two spectators all manage to find your chosen cards. This is largely self-working (if you can remember the procedure) but does rely on a certain amount of set up. The explanation is split into multiple sections which helps. I love some of clever ideas – some of which you could adapt for other effects. Ryan manages to build in some entertaining byplay to a long routine – don’t’ attempt it unless you could do the same!

Combined – this is a sort of ACAAN effect using a clever variation on an old number force which is well disguised. Briefly – a set of cards is mixed by one spectator to determine a number; another spectator chooses a card – which is then lost in the deck which is then freely shuffled. Yet still the chosen card is at the selected number. This is a neat little idea with some nice subtleties which make this a great routine. (An extra ‘convincer’ is taught where the deck is shuffled before the final phase – but I’m not sure it’s really necessary.)

We do as we do – this is a very fair kind of variation on ‘do as I do.’ After an extremely fair sequence of selecting, shuffling etc, the spectator manages to stop you on two chosen cards. It is a bit like a trick which is often performed with a marked deck, but this relies instead on a bit of set up. The handling seems incredibly fair and open and the small set up means you are so far ahead that the thing is very easy to do. It feels more direct than some of the more procedure-heavy routines on the dvd and is very fooling.

What do we think?

It is an interesting selection of effects – and they all seem to offer a very high degree of freedom to the spectator. An understated casualness is what sells these effects – and they suit Ryan’s personality very well. For someone with a different performance style a little bit of thinking would need to be done to sell the procedural aspect of some of the effects.

I suspect that most people would find a few effects they would use here – and even if they didn’t, then some of the clever principles could be incorporated into your existing routines to add extra layers of deception. Ryan relies quite heavily on a particular technique – and the DVD includes a short section providing some tips for using this.

Only slightly niggly niggles

I was pleased that Liam was there since on a number of occasions he ‘rescues’ Ryan’s explanations. Ryan is a great enthusiast but doesn’t always have the clarity which seems to come so naturally to Liam – but a prompt here and there makes sure everything is clear.

One feature which would have been useful (given the ‘procedural’ nature of many of the routines) – would have been some ‘rehearsal’ versions of the teaching – which step you through the procedures without all the extra detail.

However, overall I enjoyed the DVD. Ryan brings a different angle on his card magic which I appreciate and his enthusiasm is infectious. Another very worthwhile release from BBM.

You can pick up Only Slightly Sleighty from the Merchant of Magic for £25.50 (at the time of writing).

(With thanks to BBM who very kindly supplied the review copy.)

Ryan Schlutz – Only Slightly Sleighty – review

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The post Ryan Schlutz – Only Slightly Sleighty – review appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

Like so many of BBM’s releases, this is a largely self-working routine. You will need very basic card handling skills – but not really any sleight of hand. Ryan has a fun presentation which involves the spectators well – and as has already been mentioned it is highly visual.

You are provided with the gimmicks you need to ‘do the magic.’ The main gimmicks should last a very long time. A little extra something will need replacing – but it is readily available, and the DVD suggests a number of different alternatives so you should be able to source the necessary easily and at low cost. You’ll need to provide your own deck of Bicycle Cards.

It’s hard to find much more to say about this. Teaching is via DVD which includes a short ‘studio’ performance and very clear explanation of how the whole things works. The DVD runs at less than 20 minutes but is clearly shot and easy to follow. I enjoyed the jaunty background music on one of the sections!

There’s not really any re-set, and the deck can (with only tiny reservations) easily be used for other effects too. The gimmick itself, might lend itself to other routines with some imagination.

Mr Lifto is a great little release. It isn’t the most stunning effect we’ve ever seen – but it has great visuals and is easy to do so we would consider it well worth a look.
You can pick up Mr Lifto from the Merchant of Magic (who also have a nice video review if you want a second opinion!). £21.50 (Mr Lifto is also available in blue)

With thanks to BBM who kindly provided the review copy.

The post Ryan Schlutz – Mr Lifto – review appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

First up is a lovely effect by the marvellous Matthew Wright. He has a knack of coming up with workable magic – often with a mental magic theme. Visions combines a prediction of a card and a thought of image. His instructional material is always worth learning from – he has a wealth of real-world performing experience to back it up. Available any day (depending on when you read this!) for £29.50.

We’ve enjoyed a number of releases by the clever American magician Ryan Schlutz and so Lifto is certainly worth a look (we hope to do a proper review shortly). In brief – a chosen card lost is in the pack. Then a bunch of cards stick to your hand – and then fall off leaving only the chosen card there. Only £21.50

Another new release which seems to have had quite an impact is Angelo Carbone’s The Gift – an exceptionally clean looking prediction effect using a lovely gift box as a prop. It’s getting some wow reviews (and again, we hope to do our own soon) but if you can’t wait, is available for £71.99.

We’re planning to do another feature on the latest bunch of Bicycle cards released in the UK, but just to wet your appetite, why not have a look at Deck One – Industrial Edition by Theory 11. This is a re-release of an earlier deck, but in a new and stronger tuck case which emphasises the orginal vision. A nice deck and reasonably priced at £9.99.

We hope these ideas get you going through the murky month of March. Watch out, too, for our February competition, which with breathtaking originality we’ve decided to run in March!

The post Trick of the month – March 2017 appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

Clearly See Thru

A card the spectator merely peeks at (from a shuffled deck) disappears (becomes ‘invisible’!) and then instantly reappears face-up in the middle of the deck! This is a real fooler and a nice whimsical plot idea. There’s a virtually self-working version and also a slightly more ‘technical’ version if you want to fry magicians too. A great start to the DVD!

No Hassle Hof

The spectator ‘merely thinks’ of a card, and it appears amongst a packet of aces held by the spectator. As seems to be the case with a few of the routines – it requires more boldness than moves (though there is a more advanced handling provided too). Another worker from my point of view.

Split Decision

A slightly zany lie-detector type effect where you (of course) locate the spectator’s card from a shuffled deck. Some really sneaky thinking here which you could easily apply to other effects.

Wrongly Convicted

The magician makes a mistake in trying to locate the spectator’s freely chosen card just by looking into their eyes. All this is magically righted as their card appears in the packet in their hand instantaneously.

Forget to remember

The spectator makes up a card in their mind, which then disappears from the deck and is discovered already predicted. Easy to do and packs a punch. Shares some similarities with a Mark Elsdon effect (But Not Here) but is different in plot and method.

Fish Sandwich

To a plot based on ‘poker tells’ you fish to read the spectator’s mind. For me, this is the weakest effect on the disk and the presentation is a bit drawn out. More positively it makes a nice change from the pick a card type routine, and is a really ‘lateral’ use of a standard move, but this just doesn’t do it for me.

Needs a name

This uses a borrowed, shuffled deck, and you can locate a card merely thought of by the spectator. Looks super clean and fair and needs no preparation. This could well become the ‘go to’ impromptu effect when you’re asked to show someone a trick. Nice!

Extras and final thoughts

The Gap Principle is Ryan’s name for a key part of the method in a number of the effects on this disk. In an extra section this principle is explored in conversation with Liam Montier. It’s super sneaky and allows for a really fair looking control of a freely chosen card. Once you’ve got your head round this you will see the principle has a lot of applications in your own effects.

A new feature on this DVD (well it’s the first time I’ve seen it) is the Bullet explanation – essentially a stripped down explanation of the effect. This is useful if perhaps you’ve gone back to the DVD and just want a reminder of the details of the routine without all the talking that goes on in the detailed explanation. I can see this becoming a regular feature.

In other notes, this is the first time I’ve laughed out loud at a credits section. You’ll just have to see for yourself because I’m not spoiling it for you!

All in all this is another strong DVD from BBM – I can see everything in here playing well in the real world and with a decent presentation really doing the job.
Effortless Effects is available from Merchant of Magic (with thanks to BBM (who kindly provided the review copy).

The post Effortless Effects – Review appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

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?

The post Ultimate Self-Working Card Tricks Volume 3 – Review appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

Let’s run through the routines on the disk first.

Knocked Subconscious

– a very clean looking card location using a principle that is so old that you may never have come across it before – making it delightfully new again!  Ingenious!

Four Shadowed

– this completely fried me when I watched it for the first time – an incredible location of 4 of a kind which looks SO clean.   It is all achieved with a little bit of set up and a lot of sneakery (have I just invented a new word?!).  This is very strong indeed.

Deconstructed Construction

– another one which fooled me badly when I watched it first time – a very clever pseudo mind-reading effect – the spectator seems to only think of a card and you can reveal it.  This is extremely clean with some neat subtleties in the handling.  But you will need some confidence as a performer to do this one well.

Degrees of Board-dom

– this is a nice presentational approach which combines two already strong effects from Bannon/Aronson into a completely impossible miracle.  You cleanly predict the outcome of a very random set of decisions made by the spectator.  There’s a fair bit of one time set up for this and a bit of set up each time you perform it but the strong effect more than justifies this.  There are no moves as such, but it does require a bit of thinking as you perform it though I suspect after a few performances this will be second nature.  But be warned – you might still not understand how it works!

It cuts deep

– from a freely shuffled and cut pack you successfully reveal three cards.  This is a neat little thing.   It isn’t the strongest effect on the disk, but because it can be done with a borrowed and shuffled deck, that gives it extra points.  I could see this being a useful weapon in the impromptu armoury.

Methodical

– a three phase routine with increasingly impossible locations of a card from a random bunch of cards previously selected and shuffled by the spectator.  It’s hard to know whether to call the ‘moves’ in this ‘moves’ or not.  This was probably my least favourite routine on the disk but it is still effective and would fry a spectator.

1492

– another very fair-looking location of a card in a well mixed deck.  You don’t even need to look at the cards and yet can still find their selection.

So what do we think?

There is some great material on this disk – really strong effects with minimal ‘work’.  There are some principles here you might well re-use in your own ideas, but almost all of the routines are very strong in themselves.  I’m fairly sure that being a ‘magician fooler’ is not a particularly useful measure in evaluating magic – but it is fair to say that a lot of the stuff on here will fool magicians (who haven’t seen the disk!) too.

As ever, there are helpful explanatory comments from Liam Montier who has a real knack for asking the questions you might just have.  There are also some really poor jokes from James Went… And Ryan himself comes across as a really nice guy.

The title is ever so slightly misleading since the routines are not entirely without moves – but they are certainly not complicated finger flinging effects.  And from a technical standpoint anyone should be able to do these pretty easily.  To perform them well is another story.  But it always is.

There are lots of onscreen credits for sources which I always appreciate.  I also enjoyed the onscreen apologies and corrections.  They appeal to my sense of humour.  Make of that what you will.

Definitely recommended.  Release date is 19^th August.  Available from Merchant of Magic (with thanks to BBM who kindly provided the review copy).

The post Ryan Schlutz Miracles Without Moves 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.