Card Effect Of The Month

Look Homeward, Angel
Leo Horowitz

This could read “inversion with card at any number ungaffed”.

Though such may seem like a tall order this routine is short, sweet, and brilliant in mechanics and repitition of number. In the end though, it’s very basic to even intermediate handlers.

Personally I do the opposite as written, in that the selection is never seen by the magi. I feel this small bit is important though. As Ortiz pointed out, and I agree with, when a card is called or seen the effect diminishes in most cases. This is very easily fixed in this routine, and in my opinion the card now inverted face up gives a little more punch. I see no need or benefit to the deck being face up on selection.

Also an obvious is adding a deck flip move. Also an open one hand deal can come across as a one handed feat, when the number is called at the beginning and end. Very open and impossible.

I think in the end, this is a prime routine for timing misdirection. Many things can be forgotten and unseen. The bulk being any number and inverted with single hand ease.

Lastly if your a real stud, Vernon’s Slap from Chronicles 2 go with these ideas nicely.

Pinkerton’s Surprise
Roy Walton, Shannon Clark, Bill Goodwin

I ragged on Aaron Fisher’s “Search and Destroy” awhile back, and in my humble world for right reason. Having the spectators cut the cards is “ok”, but man, it rather defeats the purpose of the effect in my opinion. Sometimes “The action happens in the spectators hands!”, isn’t a great selling point when…….they are actually cutting the deck. Hell, I just give laymen credit when it comes to these things. I remember doing Walton’s “Pass on Red” and a teenage girl stated “You cut the cards when I wasn’t looking!”.

Anyway. This is a fantastic Searchers plot and only takes 2 passes. What I really love is the kicker at the end, where the “cards not sandwiched”, are excluded to the table. In the end of course the selection is between the 2 court cards AND THEN (oh yes) it is shown that the excluded piles have the mates on top.

Here’s the thing. This CAN be done in the same manner as Search and Destroy where the spectator cuts the cards. I know it’s hard to believe……….but you can do that in any event where a book states to execute a pass *canned laughter*. Why not exclude the cards in the Searchers plot, and have the spectator cuts equate an “x cardX4″ kicker? Then again. Pass and realize in many aspects having the spectator cut is, not a bad thing, it’s just really not the right plot in my opinion to do so. Either way. This is one great Searchers method based on Walton’s “Pinkerton’s Ladies” from an earlier issue.

Wesley James
L.S.D Aces

Do we really need another Ace assembly? It depends on your theory upon them I suppose. Personally I like to have 3 or so under my belt depending on the vibe of spectator attention spans. This is one of the best in my opinion.

For the record the others I spoke of (at least at the time of writing), these are my favorites. Bare Naked Ladies ala Jack Parker for a quick in the face assembly. Followed by JC Wagner Queens Debate. Then of course Jazz Aces and Stencil Aces. Learning the ones mentioned and knowing the options depending on the setting have done me well. At very least all are worth playing around with, if nothing else.

Roy Walton
The Overworked Card

One of the best in the hands Triumphs in print. Convincing with multiple faro shuffles and a very amusing climax as compared to the standard with selection.

Side note. John G’s Ballet Cut is a nice addition when the deck needs turning, enhancing the illusion.

Ron Bauer’s Lie Detector
L.I.N.T

With so many versions of Lie Detector why this one? Get the book and you’ll see why. It’s simple in it’s format (only a bluff pass is needed), and you can see a “debate” of who has the best version as per something Harry Lorayne stated in Apocalypse. I like it! You probably will too! The best? Very well could be….next to my version of the same…which isn’t rocket science, but makes a big difference.

Know the pattern used the book. Instead of doing the usual patter of “I’m programming the deck to find your card”, I like to cull the cards instead. It makes the effect stronger for the obvious, in that there is no blatant pre-determined work which can usually somewhat ruin Lie Detector effects. The best magic is in which “nothing happens”. Most Lie Detectors “too much happens too openly”.

Quite simply control the card as stated in the book. Neck tie the deck and casually cut the top (six) face cards to the bottom noting the selected card. Resume the pattern at “S,1″, culling the proper cards ala RoadRunner style. When done simply close the “culling” break. Patter should revolve in some manner of trying to find the card to no avail openly.

As a last note I whole heatedly disagree the last card culled should be of the same value. Instead change the “same value” in the formula to “face” or “spot” in line with the patter of questions used. Turning over the first stack with the same value (perhaps even it’s twin/mate) is poor and too much of a coincidence.

Vernon’s “Why Am I Here” can be a great follow up for a “do it again”. As Forest Gump would say “Peas and Carrots”. Personally the latter in my opinion should be performed swiftly if doing the two consecutively.

Scane’s Six-Way Baffler

As per the book iteself

This effect in brief: Two spectators are handed packets of cards and instructed to place them into their pockets. The performer names the exact number of cards in each spectator’s packet. Then for a startling climax, names the exact number of red and black cards comprising each packet. These six baffling revelations can be performed, from a borrowed deck thoroughly shuffled several times during the performance of this trick, which was created by the author.

That really is a very brief overview. Give it a try. You’ll enjoy performing it I’m sure, being there is plenty of time to improvise with your spectators and have some fun. Very strong with proper presentation.

Self-Locating Predictions.
Marlo Without Tears

The basic effect is that a card is peeked at. The deck is spread across the table and any card is chosen as a marker. The marker card is “stabbed” face down into the face up deck near the middle, and left protruded to the right side. The deck is again ribbon spread and the 2 cards to the left and the right are revealed written on the box flap. As a final kicker the locator card is shown to be the selection itself.

As a side note from a mechanics point of view Roy Walton has an effect called “Next” which somewhat leads to the same ideas. Peter Duffie came up with a splendid handling in Best Of Friends 3 called “Next To”. The handling is totally different than Marlo’s yet the end and means are mostly the same. In this case the card is found in one of 3 ways, all covered as part of the routine to adjust accordingly. It really is quite brilliant.

Doc Docherty uses this routine with his Electric Groove Switch, which go hand in hand like peas and carrots from the booklet “The Cards Remain The Same”

Anyone that knows the original handling will find that Chad Nelson’s Clip Shift is a very efficient method of control also.

In Richards Almanac, Kaufman gives an interesting short review on Marlo Without Tears only a publisher could give. It’s interesting to note his honesty on releasing a full book written on a typewriter.

Gambler Vs. Magician is a classic plot for right reasons. It is my personal preference beyond Reset and Traveler routines. It’s nature is of many plots in one essentially.

It’s fine as is, and simple in it’s form. The only variant I use is using the Pirandello Undercut from Frank Simon’s Versitle Card Magic.

Oh the reactions! We knew that though.

-First month was “Choice Flesh” By Max Maven. Apologies on deleting this. As was pointed out, I will start listing them, rather than making a fresh page every month.