Furniture´s Card Magic Corner

Last post?: We are moving...

2010-10-14T12:19:00.002+01:00

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Tips on the Jog Shuffle - Erdnase

2010-08-06T11:14:00.001+01:00

Think of a card - The real stuff

2010-07-16T12:17:00.002+01:00

A friend sent me an article about a research that explores the idea that there is a ‘random number generator' in our brain, and that is possible to know the number measuring a person's vertical and horizontal eye position.

Maybe this can be applied to magic. Imagine that you ask an spectator to think of a card: first of all he needs to think of a number from 1 to 13 and stick to it, and then think of a suit.

If here are patterns in the position of our eyes when we think of numbers and suits it would be possible to predict the exact card!

Check the article on: http://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltex/S0960-9822%2810%2900018-7?large_figure=true

Ricky Jay and his 52 assistants

2010-06-01T00:26:00.001+01:00

Two of my favorite videos. Comments to come soon...

Close-up week magic on ‘The Late Show with David Letterman’ - May 2010

2010-05-25T16:39:00.008+01:00

Last week (17th to 21st May) was the "Close-Up Magic Week" on The Late Show with David Letterman.

The show featured some of the world's best sleight-of-hand magicians: magician Jason Randal, John Carney, Johnny "Ace" Palmer, Steve Cohen and Michael Ammar.

Ammar’ performance was interesting and he included several items from his current lecture. Jason Randal, on the other hand, seemed to be quite nervous, more than a professional should be. The fact that Letterman was continuously interrupting him didn’t help at all his performance. I wonder why he didn’t made use of the opportunity of doing a color change when he was challenged by Letterman to repeat the effect ‘without the plastic folder’.

My favourite performance was John Carney’. Only after watching his performance I read on Genii that he also encountered some problems when performing at the show. In his own words <> Genii Magazine

As you can see the line-up is top notch, however the material chosen for the performance was not up to my expectations. Probably everybody opted to play it safe because they know that Letterman is a pain in the b*tt as an audience 

See below the videos in case you missed the show!

Monday 17th May 2010: Jason Randal

Tuesday 18th of May 2010: John Carney

Wednesday 19th of May 2010: Johnny Ace Palmer

Thursday 20th May 2010: Steve Cohen

Friday 21st May 2010: Michael Ammar

Hofzinser Aces

2010-05-20T11:39:00.003+01:00

The effect
The 4 aces are placed on the table and a card is selected and lost in the deck. The aces are shown one at a time and asked if they match the suit of the card chosen. The ace that matches matches the suit changes into the chosen card.

Comments
The plot was popularised by Hofzinser almost 200 years ago. Since then magicians have worked on it and created hundreds of methods to achieve this effect.

I have been thinking about this effect for a while. In my opinion, to obtain the greatest impact with this plot the following is required:

a) The spectator must be left with the feeling that any card could have been selected.
b) The aces must be kept away from the deck prior to the moment the card is chosen.
c) The aces are shown in the fairest way possible, and the one that matched the selection' suit changes into the selection.

Darwin Ortiz has taken the most direct approach to the effect and meets the main points that make this effect “magical”' with the exception of the selection process of the card. In my view this is the problem with Darwin' version of the effect. I don’t think that the riffle force is the most adequate to satisfy the first requisite.

On Benjamin Earl's version the card is selected freely but the aces are not put aside: only when the card is chosen and lost in to the deck the aces are produced. This means that the second requisite is not met.

For this reasons I conclude that the best version of the effect is, in my view, Michael Skinners Telltale Aces since it meets all the requisites, however I still have a soft spot for Benjamin Earl' version.

My favorite solution
Benjamin Earl: can be found in Past Midnight Vol. 1

Resources
Also worth checking:
- Darwin Ortiz version in Cardshark (known as the original in german: Kartenkunste)
- Hofzy Hofsbourne by the Twins
- Roberto Giobbi' Card College, for an elegant and simple solution
- Mike Skinner's Telltale Aces. The beauty of this version is that the ace changes into the selection and back into an ace, and that the spectator can examine the aces

For more resources you can check Denis Behr Archive

I found also a thread in the Magic Cafe with some other versions of the effect:
[1] Aldrich, St.: Aldrich Hofzinser Ace Trick in The Linking Ring, vol.71, no.6, 1991,
p.75
[2] Avis, J.: The "Lost Ace" Trick in Fulves,K.: Epilogue #11, March 1971, p.1
[3] Bengel,R.: One-Shot Hofzinser; Apocalypse, vol.12, no.9, 1989, p.1687
[4] Britland,D.: Tell Tale Aces in Magigram, vol.9, no.1, 1976 "Ganson's Teach In"
[5] Busby, J.: Cased Prediction, 1978
[6] Chesbro/West: Flipper in Tricks You Can Count On, 1970, p.25
[7] Christensen, J.L.: Pyramide Aces in Pabular vo.3, no.12, 1977, p.447
[8] Cyprian Fr.: New Hofzinser Four Aces in Father Cyprian's Lecture Notes #11, 1989,
p.29
[9] Cyprian,Fr. Hofzinser-70 in Epilogue #17, 1973, p.7
[10] Cyprian,Fr.: Fr.Cyprian on the Hofzinser Card Problem, Fulves 1978
[11] Cyprian,Fr.: Hats Off To Hofzinser in Father Cyprian's Lecture Notes #11, 1989, p.28
[12] Cyprian,Fr.: Hofzinser's Departure in Garcia,F.: The Elegant Card Magic of Father
Cyprian, 1980, p.54
[13] Duffie, P.: Hofzinser's Alternative in Sadewitz/Duffie: Inspirations, 1987, p.98
[14] Duffie,P.: Hofzinser In My Pocket in Duffie/Sadowitz: Alternative Card Magic, 1982,
p.22 verwandelt! Stets verwandelt sich das As der gew„hlten Farbfamilie in die gew„hlte Karte.®

[15] Edwards, D.: Half-Shot Hofzinser; Apocalypse, vol.12, no.10, 1989, p.1703
[16] Elmsley, A.: Bare-Aced Hofzinser in Minch,St.: The Collected Works of Alex Elmsley,
Vol.I, 1991, p.253
[17] Elmsley, A.: Hoftwister in Minch,St.: The Collected Works of Alex Elmsley, Vol.I,
1991, p.49
[18] Fare, J.: Criss Cross Triumph in fare,J.: Card Tricks French Stile, 1977, p.32
[19] Fulves,K.: Dollar Hofzinser in Fulves,K.: And A Pack Of Cards, 1989, p.24
[20] Fulves,K.: In Re Hofzinser; Fulves,K.acket Switches (Part Five), 1977, p.294
[21] Fulves,K.: The Red Backed Hofzinser in Fulves,K.: Packet Switches, Part One, 1971
p.8
[22] Fulves,K.: Two Unsolved Problems in Pallbearers Review, 3rd Folio, Winter 1969, p.299
and 302
[23] Giobbi, R.: Hofzinser's Aces in MAGIE (MZvD) vol.67, 1987, p.108
[24] Goldstein, Ph.: Twisted Hofzinser, in Linking Ring, vol.68, no.9, 1988, p.104
[25] Hartman,J.: Hof Zingers (Optionzer - Ringer - About Face - One Stop Swapping -
Elastic Ace - Over and Over and Out) in Hartman,J.: Card Craft, 1991, pp.253-271
[26] Hartmann,J.: Hof Zingers (=Hotfinger - Face Lift - Ringer - Final Solution) in
Hartmann Packet Magic, 1972, pp.31-37
[27] Higham, J.: Hofzinser Triumphs In One Shuffle; Higham,J.: Technomagic, 1990, p.67
[28] Jennings, L.: Hofzinser Ace Problem in Patton/Vergillo. A Visit With Larry Jennings,
1982, p.3
[29] Jennings,L.: A Problem with Hofzinser in Maxwell,M.: The Classic Magic of Larry
Jennings, 1986, p.17
[30] Jennings,L.: Tell-Tale Aces in Ganson,L.ai Vernon's Ultimate Secrets of Card Magic,
1967, p.49
[31] Kaufman,R.: The Hofzinser Ace Tunnel, Kaufman,R.:The New York Magic Symposium
Close-Up Collection One, 1982, p.71
[32] Lees, W.:Hofzinser/Jennings in Lees,W.: More Professional Card Tricks, 1981, p.21
[33] Marlo,E.: Choice Transposition in The New Tops, vol.5 no.11, 1965, p.37
[34] Marlo,E.: Marlo's Third Solution To Hofzinser's Card Problem in Racherbaumer,J.:
Cardfixes, 1990, p.55
[35] McCarthy, D.: No Shuffle Hofzinser Aces; McCarthy, D.: The Underground Hits The
Bottom, 1984, p.45
[35] McCarthy, D.: One Shuffle Hofzinser Aces; McCarthy,D.: The Underground Hits The
Bottom, 1984, p.43
[36] McCarthy,D.: Another Hofzinser Aces, in McCarty,D.: Sly Glances, 1991, p.29
[37] Nelson,B.: Jennings Improved in Mandoza,F.J.: The Book Of John, 1978, p.119
[38] Racherbaumer,J.: A Case For Hofzinser in Racherbaumer,J.: Cardfixes, 1990, p.50
[39] Racherbaumer,J.: About the so-called Hofzinser Problem in Racherbaumer,J.: Arch
Triumphs, 1978, p.8
[40] Racherbaumer,J.: Decking Hofzinser in MUM vol.67, no.4, 1977, p.16
[41] Racherbaumer,J.: Decking Hofzinser Delux in Apocalypse, vol.1, no.3, 1978, p.27
[42] Racherbaumer,J.: Hofzinser Triumphs in Racherbaumer,J.: Arch Triumphs, 1978, p.6
[43] Sanvert,J.J.: Another Hofzinser Twist, Apocalypse vol.5, no.10, p.687
[44] Simon, F.: Hot Zinger in Simon,F.: Versatile Card Magic 1983, p.134
[45] Solomon, D.: Triumphant Aces in Racherbaumer,J.: Arch Triumphs, 1978, p.10
[46] Swinford,P.: Three Different Ways in Fulves,K.:Epilogue #9, July 1970, p.3
[47] Tropeano, D.: Hofzinser Triumphs!; Apocalypse, vol.7, no.6, 1984, p.928
[48] Walton, R.: Grown Up Hofzinser in Walton,R.: That Certain Something, 1979, p.2
[49] Warlock/Haxton/Ryland/Kort: Platform Hofzinser in The New Pentagram vol.2, no.10,
1970, p.81; vol.3, no.2, 1971, p.13;, vol4, no.4, p.30
[50] Yedid, M.: Sandwichange For Hofzinser, Apocalypse, vol.15, no.5, 1992, p.2071

The Zarrow Shuffle

2010-01-18T22:49:00.003+00:00

Zarrow shuffle was invented in the 1940's by magician Herb Zarrow. Is a sleight of hand technique that gives the appearance of being a normal riffle shuffle, but in fact leaves the cards in exactly the same order.

As David Britland states in Phantoms of the Card table "[Zarrow] created a false riffle shuffle of such beauty that it is quite possibly the only move to have been originated by a magician and that has found its way into world of card cheating."

The shuffle is easy to learn but difficult to master

RESOURCES

One of the best resources out there is the DVD by Mr Zarrow himself. On this DVD Mr. Zarrow teaches how to execute the shuffle in great detail and with many variations. Although the DVD centers around applications for magic most of the information can also be used for false shuffles, culls and controls during play.Find it here.

You can also find a description in Giobbi's Card College Volume 3.

For more references, please check Denis Behr Archive Resources on the Zarrow Shuffle:

There are many variations of the Zarrow shuffle, one of the most popular ones is describen in a manuscrit by Gary Plants: Gary Plants on the Zarrow Shuffle is now quite relevant.

False Shuffles: Wessmiller' False Faro with Cascade Turorial

2010-01-15T10:54:00.008+00:00

Jeff Wessmiller has published in his blog an excellent tutorial on an original false faro shuffle. It does look very similar to a real faro shuffle, so if you are a faro worker you will find it very useful. It's perfect for memorized deck work, maintaining a stack, story routines, or whatever.

The false shuffle is similar to the Heistein shuffle but applied to the faro shuffle and not to the riffle shuffle. As the Heistein shuffle, it can be done in-the-hands, up-close, and has good angles.

I don't want to finish this post without mentioning another very good false shuffle that can be performed also standing up: Guy Hollingworth's false shuffle, as described in Drawing Room Deceptions. Hollingworth's is a in the hands strip out Shuffle with waterfall, and is one of my favorites.

For table work false shuffles there are three main possibilities: the strip out, the push through and the Zarrow Shuffle. Not many people know the difference between the first two so I will provide more information:

* Strip Out shuffle: the deck is halved and the halves table riffled together. The cards are ostensibly squared, but actually are *almost* squared - the resulting measure of jogged cards constituting the "brief." One packet is then stripped out of the other in the opposite direction from which it was squared, hopefully simulating a cut.
* Push Through (or, Pull Through) shuffle, after the brief has been established (or, for quick shufflers, as the brief is established), the halves are angled very slightly and pushed (or pulled) through one another prior to the strip-that-should-simulate-a-cut.

Paul Cummings.

You can check the video at Jeff' blog by clicking here.

RESOURCES AND OTHER FALSE SHUFFLES
About the Zarrow Shuffle nothing better than check Mr Zarrow' DVD on HIS shuffle.
Gary Plants has an a book on the Zarrow. Check out Wesley James's work on Zarrow's work in Enchantments.

- Aronson Strip Out by Simon Aronson in his book Simply Simon.
- Artanis False Shuffle in Frank Garcia's The Close Up Magic of Frank Garcia volume one.
- Riffle Diffle and Super Riffle Diffle by Harry Lorayne. Can be found at the Classic Collection.
- Hank Miller shuffle
- Optical shuffle explained in Royal Road to Card Magic.
- World's Greatest Overhand False Shuffle" in GENII Magazine: December 2004: page 22
- G W Hunter's shuffle: great overhand shuffle.
- In-the Hands-Shuffle" full deck false open riffle shuffle. It requires a table or knee to "tap" the interlaced cards against, before a strip-out from Card College 3, P. 651.
- Tamariz's false overhand shuffle from Mnemonica

David Copperfield performing Harris' Immaculate Connection

2009-12-21T13:28:00.002+00:00

A beautiful performance of the linking cards effect by the great David Copperfield.

The effect: Centers openly torn from three playing cards, resulting rings are linked, unlinked, finally rings are torn to unlink, but tear is magically restored and all three cards may be examined.

The routine is based on Paul Harris' Immaculate Connection.

RESOURCES
The routine can be learned from:
- Immaculate Connection. Stars of Magic 1983.
- Art of Astonishment Vol 2 (1996)
- Stars of Magic Video #5

Tamariz Memorized Stack (Mnemonica) Trainer

2009-12-16T14:58:00.011+00:00

THIS BLOG HAS MOVED... TO TUMBLR

Hi everyone!

Several magicians have studied and proposed memorized stacks, for instance Martin Joyal' "Six Hour Memorized Deck", the Si Stebbins Stack, Richard Osterlind’s Breakthrough Card System, etc. Beyond all doubt, the two greatest magicians that devoted their life to the memorized deck magic are Simon Aronson and Juan Tamariz, both created incredible effects, methods, and developed their own special 'full deck stack'.

A quick clarification, the term "memorized stack" means that you can convert a card to its position in the deck and a position in the deck to the card that is found there. For this reason the Si Stebbins or the Osterlind' stacks don't really are memorized stacks because they are designed for an entirely different purpose: know the next card on the stack. The Si Stebbins in particular is what we know in the trade as a sequential or cyclic stack. The Joyal stack, on the other hand, is designed as a memorized stack that is very easy to memorize. Check An Introduction to Full-Deck Stacks for more detail.

If you are as big fan of the Tamariz' memorized stack as I am you will find this post interesting. The Tamariz memorized stack, also knows as Mnemonica Stack, when properly and imaginatively used, becomes a very valuable weapon in your magic arsenal. But, how can you check that you know the stack like the back of your hand? Tamariz proposes several methods in his book Mnemonica

I have prepared a training file on excel that I wanted to share with you. You may find useful if you are into the Tamariz Stack. And… there is a bonus: I have also prepared a training spreadsheet for ACAAN (Any Card At Any Number). The spreadsheet has three worksheets that are, hopefully, self explanatory: Tamariz Mnemonic Order, Check your knowledge, and A Card At Any Number (ACAAN) Trainer.

So go to googledocs, download it as excel (xls) and give it a go! Tamariz Mnemonica & ACAAN trainer

RESOURCES ON MEMORIZED DECK
- Grey Matters: Memorized Deck Online Toolbox. For starting Points and learning how to memorize a deck.
- Michael Close: Workers 5.
- Darwin Ortiz: Scams and Fantasies DVD BOOK
- Simon Aronson (check the 'magicians only' section in his website for a free downloadable Introduction to the memorized deck magic)
Bound to Please
Try the impossible
Simply Simon
The Aronson Approach (check Simon Eyes)
- Juan Tamariz: Mnemonica.

Oil and Water effect: Jennings, Lavand and Ascanio

2009-12-14T19:11:00.006+00:00

The oil and water effect is a must for all card magicians to know. The effect involves several red and black cards. The red cards traditionally represent the water and the black cards the oil. The idea behind the effect is that the colours are alternated but they refuse to mix. They continually separate even after a very visual fusion.

I differentiate two approaches to the O&W effect: the first one makes use of extra cards and can be very direct. The second one does not requires extra cards.

Today I will post three videos. Two of them them follow the 'non extra card approach' and one of them makes use of extra cards. You will need to decide what approach do you prefer. In my opinion both approaches, if they are well routined, don't necessarily jeopardize the clarity of the effect.

First two choices are the versions by Larry Jennings (February 17, 1933 – October 17, 1997) and Rene Lavand (b. September 24, 1928 in Buenos Aires). Last but not least is the Arturo de Ascanio version, known as Sleightless Oil and Water.

The Larry Jennnings' version is inspired by Ray Kosby's Cooking with Oil and Water. Certainly this version is not for magicians but I think it plays very well on a laymen audience, and that is what real magic is meant to do :). On the other hand Rene Lavand' is one of the most elegant and poetic versions. He tragically lost his right hand at the age of 9 in a car crash, just two years after having begun to practice magic as a young boy. Lavand endured a gradual entry into the magic world, self-taught because, in his own words, all books and techniques are for two-handed magicians. Watch and enjoy, because it cant be done any slower. Arturo de Ascanio (1929-1997) has an version call Sleightless Oil and Water. It can be found on the outstanding Magic Of Ascanio Vol.2 - Studies Of Card Magic by Arturo Ascanio that I fully recommend.

LARRY JENNINGS

RENE LAVAND

ASCANIO

What is your favourite O&W?

RESOURCES AND OTHER VERSIONS

Rene Lavand' version can be found on his Closeup-artistry Vol 1.

Larry Jennigs. The Complete Collection, Volumes 1 & 2" It's on the dvd: "Thoughts on Cards"

Arturo de Ascanio - La Magia de Ascanio vol 2. The first volume contains his theoretical work with essays on presentation, creativity, timing, misdirection, the psychology of palming, etc. The second and third volumes are dedicated to his effects and techniques incluiding his "culebreo" (spread) and four versions of his effect "La Dama Inquieta" (The restless lady)and his routine winner of the 1970 FISM gold medal.

Richard Vollmer effect - check Apocalypse, Vol. 1-5, page 673: three phases, impossible-looking separations, and a kicker ending

Guy Hollingworth version is on The London Collection DVD and Drawing Room Deception.

Michael Skinner "Oil and Water Ride Again" is described in Classic Sampler.

Harry Lorayne. Apocalypse, Sept. 1987 (Vol. 10, No.9).

Probably every magician has a version of oil and water. Other names worth mentioning are Anthony Owen, Sean Bogunia, Denis Behr, Helder Guimaraes, John Bannon (Shake well before use, a full deck version explained in Smoke and Mirrors), David Salomon (technicolor oil and water), David Regal (perfectly oiled), Derren Brown (check his Devil's Picturebook), Marlo, Roy Walton (Oil and Queens) (v.g the one that can be found in Marlo Without Tears), Paul Cummings (Oiled & Watered), Darwin Ortiz (Ultimate Oil and Water that can be found in Scams and Fantasies), Simon Lovell (Oily Snobs, on Disc 3 of his "The Methods Behind the Madness"), Chad Long, Alex Elmsey (from the Collected Works of Alex Elmsley #1), Jim Pace (Pennzoil and Water)

Armando Lucero on Japan TV - Empanada

2009-12-10T23:41:00.004+00:00

Armando performing one of the best effects in the last ten years: empanada. Armando's routine *The Empanada* is only available via his exclusive seminar.

I provide the description of the effect as it will be difficult to understand unless you speak japanese!

EFFECT: The performer sets aside the two Jokers and asks a spectator to think of any one of the remaining fifty-two cards. Placing the Jokers face up at the top and bottom of the deck, the performer causes them to magically melt through the deck so that they slowly come together. They continue to do so until they trap a single card: the thought-of selection. Amazingly, the Jokers locate the selection before the spectator reveals his thought-of card. All of this transpires with such economy of motion that no chicanery is suspected.

Armando Lucero - Official Website

Chalie Miller - Tabled Spin Pass

2009-11-23T22:04:00.002+00:00

RESOURCES
Dai Vernon - Ultimate Secrets of Card Magic. Pg 122.
For other table passes check Denis Behr Archive

Deck, Lies and Videotape

Juan Tamariz - FISM 2009 - Mnemonicosis

2009-09-30T13:37:00.002+01:00

tamariz juan -fism 2009
by fondouble

juan tamariz-fism 2009
by fondouble

Hieronymus Bosch - The Magician

2009-08-05T19:34:00.003+01:00

The magician by Hieronymus Bosch (1453–1516)

Principles of Sleight of Hand

2009-08-05T19:26:00.003+01:00

The Seven Principles are:

1. Palm - To hold an object in an apparently empty hand.
2. Ditch - To secretly dispose of an unneeded object.
3. Steal - To secretly obtain a needed object.
4. Load - To secretly move an object to where it is needed.
5. Simulation - To give the impression that something that has not happened, has.
6. Misdirection - To lead attention away from a secret move.
7. Switch - To secretly exchange one object for another.

And the effects:
1. Production
2. Vanish
3. Change in position, material, form, color, size, temperature, weight
4. Magnetism
5. Levitation
6. Penetration
7. Restoration 8 Remote control
9. Sympathy
10. Divination
11. Prediction

Sources: secret!

David Berglas - A card effect

2009-08-02T20:55:00.002+01:00

I have no words... well, just one: Genius!

BTW I have just found out that David Berglas is the father of Marvin Berglas of Marvin's Magic, the world's leading supplier of professional magic sets.

RESOURCESOfficial Website: http://www.davidberglas.com/
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Berglas
Genii Magazine discussion on the Berglass effect: http://www.geniimagazine.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Forum=2&topic=000178&Number=0&site_id=1#import

Torn & Restored Transpo - David Williamson

2009-05-29T12:47:00.003+01:00

Some magicians have a signature effect. The 'one' trick they would perform if they have to perform just one!. David Williamson signature effect is Torn & Restored Transposition. An very intelligent effect that blends perfectly well misdirection, a transposition, a restoration and a 'reparation'.

I attended David' lecture last week, at Internation Magic in London: What a great lecture! He performed and went into detail of his Torn and restored transposition. The effect is really great an is also on his Sleight of Dave DVD.

David kindly replied to my post at The Magic Cafe regarding regarding how to reset the effect if you are table hopping:

Hi
Thanks for attending the lecture. What a fun night.

At the end of the T&R routine you are left with one torn, one folded (Flattened out w/creases) and one normal dupe. The creased card can be palmed off or dropped in the pocket. The pieces are ditched in a pocket during the routine. That leaves you with the 3rd dupe perfectly flat in a full deck- good to go.

Only 2 of the 3 dupes are destroyed, so you are left with 52. I used to add 2 more dupes to the deck on my way to the next table... when I was hopping.

RESOURCES
David Williamson at Wikipedia: click here!
Williamson Wonders by Richard Kaufman
Sleight of Dave DVD
FISM 2000 video - Hillarious

Matching the cards - Dai Vernon

2009-05-10T11:22:00.007+01:00

Matching the cards has became a favorite for many magicians. Leipzig asked Vernon to teach him this effect. The effect was later published by Lewis Ganson on 'Dai Vernons Inner Secrets of Card Magic' were Vernon states that this is one of his favorite close-up effects.

The effect is that a card, selected by a spectator, is placed face down on the table without its face being shown, then the performer endeavours to cut to the three other cards which match. He shows each card as it is found—three Eights—and places them face down on the table. When the spectator's card is turned it is found to be a King, so obviously a mistake has been made. However, when the three other cards are turned face up once more, they prove to be all Kings.

Lewis Ganson - Inner Secrets

If you like this effect I recommend you to check Rene Lavand' work on this one. He managed to combine both 'cutting the aces' and 'matching the cards' with a vernonesque style pattern about gambling and... just with one hand. His effect is knows as 'Historia de un Jugador' and can be found at his classic book Lentidigitacion vol II.

Below you can find a video of Michael Vincent' performance. As usual beautifully presented and impeccable handling.

RESOURCES
- Michael Vincent Official Website
- Michael' new DVD: The Classic Magic of Michael Vincent - Official Website Alakazam
- Roberto Giobbi suggested a wonderful handling of setting up the trick from a shuffled deck. It can be found at Genii Magazine, September 2005

New Magic of Japan - Five Times Japan - Richard Kaufman

2009-03-28T08:07:00.002+00:00

Hi there,

Today's post is about two fantastic books full of magic and innovative techniques: New Magic of Japan and Five Times Five!

New Magic of Japan is a compilation of magic from various magicians, so there is a variety of material for both stage and close-up.

Five Times Five follows the same scheme, and the effects are "quite unique and disarming". The contributors are Masao Atsukawa; Tomo Maeda; Ken Kuroki; Kuniyasu Fujiwara and Hiro Sakai.

The effects in both books include the use of coins, cards, silks, bills, ribbon, rubber bands and card boxes. I especially like some very original coin effects using a new sleight call "the bullet" (similar concept to the muscle pass).

There are many gems within the covers of these superb books, and great card magic!

Have a look at the videos below to get an idea of how the effects look like

Watch Magic of Japan in Entertainment Videos | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

RESOURCES
You can buy the book at the Genii Magazine Store: New Magic of Japan - Five Times Five Japan

Faro Shuffle Demo

2009-02-11T12:16:00.001+00:00

A faro shuffle is type of shuffle where the cards are placed end to end and caused to weave together. In a perfect faro, like the one shown on the video below, the deck is cut exactly in half and the two halves are perfectly interwoven, alternating every card from each packet.

The mechanics of this particular shuffle and the mathematical implications where initially put together by the card experts, Rusdick and Alex Elmsley. And later developed by Ed Marlo

The video below shows an out perfect faro shuffle. The amazing part is not just the skill required to obtain a perfect weave all the time but that after eight out faro shuffles the pack is back to its original order!!

WHERE TO LEARN IT?- Ed Marlo, Revolutionary Card Technique
- Harry Lorayne, Close-up Card Magic
- Roberto Giobbi, Card College Volumen 3
- Scott F. Guinn, The Magic of Scott F. Guinn, Vol. 1.

Table Faro

2009-02-07T17:22:00.002+00:00

Recently my efforts have given some results and I managed to 'master' the perfect table faro.

Comments welcome!

The Expert at The Card Table. by S.W. Erdnase

2009-01-22T16:11:00.003+00:00

Have a look at this. Our beloved book for free on the web:

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=1FkUmSKUgnkC&pg=PR1&dq=erdnase&ei=_ph4ScyzGpHQMuuNoa0E#PPR1,M1

ps. I certanly do not agree with this!

Lennart Green - Close-up Show

2008-12-29T23:31:00.003+00:00

Hi everyone. Lennart Green, the Swedish card master and world champion of close up appeared at TED in February 2005. Luckily enough for all his admirers and followers (and I am one of these) the video is now at TED website and can be watched embed below.

His performance includes the most part of the material he used to win the 2001 FISM competition and is definitely worth watching.

- The best resource to learn Lennart magic is probably have a look at this Video/Dvd Collection. Follow the next link and have a look at Lennart Green Videos on Ebay. All of them are worth it so what are you waiting. He also have a booklet explaining his most characteristic technique, the snap deal.

Arturo de Ascanio - Slow Motion Aces and Restless Lady

2008-11-11T13:19:00.003+00:00

Today's post is about one of the most important card magicians of all times. He is known for inventing the Ascanio Spread. Ascanio called his move "El Culebreo" ("the Wriggle"). It was Fred Kaps who called it Ascanio Spread. Ascanio's original handling opened (spread) the cards all at once with a wriggling movement, like a flower opening, unlike many cardmen you see who will pull the cards into view one at a time.

Don Arturo de Ascanio y Navas (1929 - April 6, 1997) of Madrid Spain wrote about theories and concepts important to magic as technique, like "In-Transit Actions" and "The Law of Primary Motion". By profession, Ascanio was a lawyer and devoted his retirement to magic. He won the first place Close-up Cards at 1970 FISM in Amsterdam.
He is also famous for his Color Changing Knife routines. His book Navajas y Daltonismo (1958) translated in English by Jose de la Torre as Ascanio's World of Knives (1975)

His magic has recently been edited in 4 volumes. “The Magic of Ascanio”. This work offers you, the complete work of the Maestro who changed the direction of magic in Spain and influenced many successful performers.

His signature piece, “restless lady” (la dama inquieta) can be watched below:

And another video showing his routine Aces With Love, Ascanio take on Vernon's Slow Motion Aces

Links
- Buy Ascanio Books on Ebay