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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The underlying effect is based on Simon Aronson’s Shufflebored (we saw another cracking variation on this theme in the Ryan Shultz DVD we reviewed earlier this year) – but as with most of Wayne Dobson’s recent work this is a completely ‘hands off presentation’.

What do you get?

A nicely printed prediction booklet (about which more later) and a DVD featuring a performance by Michael Sullivan and all the explanation you could possibly need.  The DVD uses simple but elegant graphics and is very easy to navigate.  You need to supply your own (regular) deck of cards.

What do we think?

This is effectively a self-working trick.  It does requires some set up –  but all this is  very clearly explained on the DVD.  And once you’ve set up, reset is quick (though not quite instant).  The nature of the effect means anyone can do it – you just need a little practise to get the procedure right (and this is covered several times on the DVD).

You really need a table to perform this and it takes a little time.  The slightly ‘procedural’ nature may put some off and there is a certain amount of counting and dealing involved.  However, the novelty of the little printed book and the premise of the story (‘Once Upon a time…’) really helps here – so assuming you have an ounce of presentation skills I think this would play well for a lay audience.

As mentioned earlier, this principle can be seen in other effects, so in many ways what you are paying for here is the nicely printed prop and the presentational ‘hook’ of a story book.  The printing is of good quality and on a nice glossy paper – so with careful handling it will last a reasonable length of time.  If you are performing a lot, it might be worth getting a back up copy since this will eventually tear or deteriorate.

Costas’ explanation is always clear and careful.  For my money he almost gives you more information than you need for what is essentially a self-worker.  But actually sometimes it is the simplest things we need to go through carefully.  There is a useful little tips section which covers a couple of handling points to look out for.

Does the story end well?

Yes!  We can see ourselves getting some use out of this.  If you don’t already have access to a version of Shufflebored then this is definitely worth a look.  If you already use it and like the presentation angle here, then it is very reasonably priced to get you the prop and the DVD.  A big thumbs up from Bicycle-cards.co.uk

Once Upon a Time is available from MagicShop.co.uk (with thanks to MagicTao who kindly supplied the review copy) for only £12.99 (at the time of writing).

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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).

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Contact Colours (Aldo Colombini)

This is apparently one of Iain Moran’s favourites. A pack is shuffled, then a chosen card is found in the fairest way, and is compounded by a 4 ace discovery and a separation of the pack into the colours. Needs a table, some set up and a bit of drawn out dealing, but a nice and impressive looking effect.

Impossible (Mike Austin)

A ridiculously fair looking card location where the spectator seems to do all the work. Quite likely to fool any magicians that haven’t watched this DVD too! A really neat, also genuinely impromptu effect.

Shuffling Lesson (Chad Long)

Unfortunately the explanation button for this one takes you to the explantaion for Shuffleboard! The boys at BBM have been informed and I believe they may re-issue it.[UPDATE 12/07 – BBM tell me these have now been replaced] But you can actually get to it by using ‘play all’ and skipping through the chapters. This is a really cool effect (previously published in the classic Art of Astonishment Vol 3). Under a story of explaining how to handle cards and loads of fair mixing, the spectator manages to locate the 4 aces. And they won’t have a clue how they have done it. A small set up is required (and a table needed) – but the payoff is massive! Love it.

Henry Sugar (Liam Montier)

This is one of the newer tricks on the collection! It has a nice hook/story and an impressive feat of ‘seeing without seeing’ – all looking very fair. Well constructed routine with a big finish – and essentially moveless. A bit of set up required, but again a very strong effect which is worth it.

Pre-prefiguration (Larry Jennings/Mark Elsdon)

Spectator finds 4 of a kind from a borrowed shuffled deck. I particularly love the cheeky (and highly efficient) way the set up is done before their eyes. It does need a table but I just love this. In fact by this point on the DVD I am struggling to decide which is my favourite routine!

Your Aces are Marked (Terry Lagerould)

This is a triumph-esque effect with a 4 ace finish. It is very visual and really convincing. The routine easily lends itself to a patter line and is easy to set-up. A table is needed but this is very strong and ridiculously easy to do.

Shufflebored (Simon Aronson)

Shufflebored is one of the most well known effects on the disk (originally published in a booklet of its own, then re-published in Bound To Please). An amazing effect where in spite of very fair shuffling and mixing you have predicted the final state of a deck of cards. Needs a bit of space to perform, but will leave them floored.

The 716 Club (Alex Elmsley)

This is a clever little prediction effect where the spectator does all the work. For me it is a little ‘procedural’, but it is the sort of trick that you will fool yourself with. Easily set up on the fly. In the right place and with a lively presentation this could be a winner.

Impossible (Larry Jennings)
As Iain Morain says – Larry Jennings is not a name you usually associate with self-workers – but this is a blinder! Like the previous effect, it is slightly procedural. However, for my money the impact is much greater than 716 Club. (You can see this in print in The Classic Magic of Larry Jennings)

4,5,6 (Al Thatcher)

This is a really fair looking card reveal. A spectator freely cuts to a card which is lost in the pack. Cards are dealt into some playing card hands and you can then locate their selection. It uses a borrowed, shuffled deck – with no set up. But there’s a lot of dealing going on, so you will need some good audience management to keep the interest going. You won’t really understand how it works even when you know how it works!

Unbelievable (Bascomb Jones Jr/Michael Shields)

An intution testing effect. A shuffled deck is separated into two sections by suit which are then dealt out and end up in pairs. Takes a lot of space, requires a lot of setup, there is a lot of dealing and a time-consuming separation of the pack.. This is really the only trick on the DVD that doesn’t tick any boxes for me. I may be guilty of not reating like a lay-person here, but this one isn’t for me. Liam and Owen keep telling me it’s a killer but…

Extras
Some false cuts and shuffles are taught so you can add conviction to any routines which require a setup. There is also an interview/tip sections which address some of the concerns folks might have about ‘self-working’ tricks. There is a good emphasis on the need to put in thought and practise on the presentation in order to sell them. Don’t ignore this section – there is some key information here – especially if you are new to performing magic. Lots of valuable tips from a variety of performers.

Anything else to say?…
I really like the titles on the disk, but the nit-picker in me spotted that there are some variations in the way names are spelled etc. [UPDATE – I double checked this and in fact there is only one name which is spelled differently between the menu and titles] It doesn’t really matter, but combined with the wrong link on the menu for Shuffling Lesson this just makes me feel like there wasn’t quite enough attention to detail. But these are really very small niggles, and the quality of the magic more than makes up for it. I also appreciate the way that most of the effects have a brief introduction about their inventor. There is also a tantalising credit at the end about returning (volume 2?) with a Bannon!

For me this is one of the stand-out releases of 2012. Loads of good magic that is within the reach of magicians of all standards. But please take the time to come up with a decent presentation so that you don’t squander the goods…

Available direct from the Merchant of Magic (£19.99) or all your favourite dealers…

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Wimbledon almost over, so it must be time for some more recommendations from Bicycle-Cards.co.uk

We have a growing library of magic books at Bicycle-Cards.co.uk headquarters, and Try the Impossible is one of our latest additions. Full to the brim of interesting card magic, from the self-working to the rather more involved. And perhaps most pleasingly it includes one of the effects that recently fooled Penn & Teller. A great book and only £25.95.

The Torn and Restored Card is a classic of close up card magic. There are some fiendishly difficult methods out there, but Mickael Chatelain’s latest take – Rewind – promises to be within the reach of most magicians and is certainly visually very impressive. It’s a lot for a single trick – but watch the video and see what you think… £62.00

We’re back to our bread and butter here with a new and unusual Bicycle Deck. We’ve just received one of these and will do a longer review as soon as time permits. But for now, check out the new Bicycle Stickman Deck. £5.49.

The post Trick of the Month – July 2011 appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

	If you’re a fan of good card magic you will be familiar with The Session – an annual convention for those who love their cards. This little booklet contains 6 great tricks from the first Session in 2006 and is currently at the bargain (half-) price of £2.50
	Here’s a great and unusual way to perform a card revelation – by imprinting the image on a squished coin! Just like those classic machines at the seaside. £14.99
	Having just come back from a small convention, most of my new ‘goodies’ were in the shape of books, so here’s a plug for a great book for Card Magicians. Simon Aronson needs little introduction for those familiar with card magic. This book has effects from the essentially self-working to those that require rather more work, and some mental magic too. £24.99

The post Trick of the Month – November 2009 appeared first on Bicycle Cards.