The Bizzaro Flip by Bizzaro

International Incident - Tricks and Thoughts from Bizzaro's 2011 European Lecture Tour
Page 5 et seq.

Personal Comment: Nice to see a method/flourish that is actually usable in real life. There are no angle issues here. Bizzaro actually showed me yet another presentation, which was an instant reversal of the whole deck save the selection that has been taken before the trick started. So you see this can have many applications. Big thanks to Bizzaro to letting me film this little clip.

Difficulty 3/5

Das Supergedächtnis by Verne Chesbro

Handbuch der Magie (German book) by Jochen Zmeck
Page 126

Personal Comment: Faking remembering a deck of cards is not a new thing. Harry Lorayne has got like dozens of versions. This one is by Verne Chesbro. I never heard of the guy before. But the thing is so bold, that it is hard not to like.

Difficulty 2/5

Die Karte mit den drei Seiten by Jochen Zmeck

Personal Comment: I cannot give you any sources on that. But you don't need that. This is basically just a way to reveal a chosen card. I like the premise. It's cute.

Years ago I visited a local magic circle in Berlin, Germany. They had their own little magazine. And Jochen Zmeck, being an honorary member of that circle, contributed to that magazine. The pamphlets are called "ZauBerlin" but that is pretty much all I can say about that.

Difficulty 2/5

Heart of the City by John Bannon

Smoke and Mirrors by Simon Aronson
Page 13 et seq.

Personal Comment: Yeah, brilliant little piece of magic. Not so much the actual method (I prefer Brother John Hamman's approach) but the presentation. When you get to make the spectator to name his card you have done a wonderful thing. You made it absolutely clear that it would be impossible that this is the spectator's card, yet him naming it would first make the spectator right, also it would be satisfying the hope that you are good enough of a magician to actually make it true. Then revealing that it is true brings the whole presentation to a circle. Card revelations don't get much better than this. I don't do it justice in the video. It is much better than my little video makes it seem like. Also, this is the impromptu version. The better version actually has the card appear in a sealed envelope.

Difficulty 3/5

The Selective Touch

The Royal Road to Card Magic (1948) by Fred Braue & Jean Hugard
Page 225 et seq.

Personal Comment: As with most of the tricks published by Jean Hugard this has no credits. Seems not to be the common work back then. Anyway... the trick is... well... interesting. There are quite a few tricks out there where the effect is the demonstration of a superhuman skill. I will label this as "Super Skill" from now on. Personally I find it kind of hard to get away with this as a genuine thing. If it is perceived as mere acting, then the effect is meaningless as the magician could do stronger things. But if you think you can pull this off... well, give it a shot.

Difficulty: 1/5

The Obliging Card

Expert Card Technique: Close-Up Table Magic by Jean Hugard and Frederick Braue
Page 322

Personal Comment: Let's be honest here. The effect is nothing of great importance or impact. But it is a cute interlude. Because the plot makes it interesting. Succeeding, then falsely assuming failure is pretty much the opposite of the usual "magician in trouble plot" so it will be experienced in a very nice way. It is a nice little throw away filler. Really nice.

Difficulty: 2/5

Lazy Man's Card to Pocket

Expert Card Technique: Close-Up Table Magic by Jean Hugard and Frederick Braue
Page 313 et seq.

Personal Comment: I love Expert Card Technique. So many ideas, so many bold stuff. This might be too bold. I have been told many times by other magicians who actually perform this that the routine is good. But I have a hard time believing that any routine where the spectator is asked to think of, and remember more than one information is any good. The boldness of the routine aside, this doesn't "float my boat" but I got this gut feeling that this routine is grossly underestimated.

Difficulty: 1/5

The Vanishing Pack

Expert Card Technique: Close-Up Table Magic by Jean Hugard and Frederick Braue
Page 315 et seq.

Personal Comment: Very practical, In fact I use this more and more often. But I am not using a piece of cloth but a paper napkin. When I'm table hopping those are there in abundance. And the paper tissue creates a nice little shell pretending the deck is still there. In the end you just crumble up the napkin to get the effect. I usually get gasps. The reactions are about the same as the saltshaker through the table. Then I continue by doing a fake tear of the napkin, which leads into the total vanish of the napkin. As I am looking for the vanished napkin I load the deck of cards into my hand and produce those, bringing all to a close.

Difficulty: 1/5

The Invisible Transit

Expert Card Technique: Close-Up Table Magic by Jean Hugard and Frederick Braue
Page 290 et seq.

Personal Comment: It might be very primitive to a magician but to a layman this is a strong effect. But there are better version out there. But I tell you that this is routine is great for practicing DL's and TL's.

Difficulty: 2/5

A Tipsy Trick by Sid Lorraine

The Royal Road to Card Magic (1983) by Fred Braue & Jean Hugard
Page 183 et seq.

Personal Comment: We all love the slop shuffle don't we. And this routine is so darn practical and deceptive. I have done it many times (slightly differently) and I know that it hits hard. I cannot praise this enough. There are many weird version of righting the cards, but this is so good, that it cannot be dismissed.

Difficulty: 2/5

The Omnipresent Eight

Expert Card Technique: Close-Up Table Magic by Jean Hugard and Frederick Braue
Page 287 et seq.

Personal Comment: This goes a bit away from the Ambitious Card plot and shows off more of what a specific card can do. We go a color change, a card rise and a nice little transposition. So what we got is a true routine. I guess if you gonna learn just one routine this could actually serve you for the rest of your life.

Difficulty: 2/5

The Nomad Aces by Charlie Miller

Expert Card Technique: Close-Up Table Magic by Jean Hugard and Frederick Braue
Page 256 et seq.

Personal Comment: Compare this to Marlo's take. I think it is solved much better in Marlo's version. But if you are skilled it should matter as both would look nearly the same.

Difficulty: 3/5

Prelude to the Royal Impostor by Jim Abrahams

The Lecture That Has Never Happened by Jim Abrahams
Page to be added

Personal Comment: This takes heavily from Paul Gordon if I recall correctly. The whole first phase is the same, I think... although I saw Bebel and Dani Daortiz doing similar stuff. Well it's good and practical. As the title suggests you can go right into the Royal Impostor by "losing" the selection.

Difficulty: 3/5

Ace Affinity

Expert Card Technique: Close-Up Table Magic by Jean Hugard and Frederick Braue
Page 234 et seq.

Personal Comment: As said in the video, I left out a part of the presentation that is supposed to challenge the spectator to question if you really put the aces on the table. This is an element which is not needed I think to appreciate the trick. Personally I think this is one of the better Ace Assemblies out there. It has a build in little convincer and the method is fine. Also... it is easy.

Difficulty: 3/5

Merlin's "Lost' Ace Trick by Jack Merlin

Expert Card Technique: Close-Up Table Magic by Jean Hugard and Frederick Braue
Page 233 et seq.

Personal Comment: If your BD is solid, you cannot get any better than this. Otherwise... Tomorrows is easier and in terms of effect the same thing.

Difficulty: 5/5

Palmist's Prophecy by Roy Walton

The Complete Walton - Volume 2 1988
Page 80 et seq.

Personal Comment: I like it. I really do. I'd change the presentation a little bit. Here is how: I would let the audience cut off a certain portion of the deck and then I would turn over the prediction that has been set aside to find out how many cards have been cut. Then the counting can start. But either is fine.

Difficulty: 2/5

Inflated Ace by Roy Walton

The Complete Walton - Volume 2 1988
Page 29 et seq.

Personal Comment: I feel that there is a good effect. But I also feel that this is a great routine to serve as inspiration for a longer sequence. In terms of method this is typical Roy Walton face up and face down, and many, many cuts. I cannot say I like it, but I can say that this has potential.

Difficulty: 3/5

Muscle Reading by Roberto Giobbi

Card College Light by Roberto Giobbi
Page 49 et seq.

Personal Comment: Lots of setup, considering that a key card would work almost the same way. It would still be self working. And after a glimpse any shuffle may happen. So why the whole work... Because some need that. Not me. Thanks. But I gotta give the routine one big pro. It will fool fellow magicians.

Difficulty: Self Working

Fingertip Sensitivity by Bob Hummer

Card College Light by Roberto Giobbi
Page 43 et seq.

Personal Comment: Tricky to pull of, but the method is genius. let me explain. Instructing a spectator to do what you say requires that the spectator is not willing to screw with you. It also requires that he doesn't mess up by mistake. Also... sticking with the structure given in the book, there is plenty of doubtful work done by the magician. You COULD take back the mixed packet from the spectator and switch it underneath the table for a stacked one. You don't do that, but you could. Therefore it is a bit weak I think. So this trick requires an unusual balance of trust on both sides. And this is where most magicians would fail. And those who don't are too far advanced in magic to still need this trick. So this is one of those tricks that is great for magicians, if you perform for magicians. And if you do, you better go ahead explaining it right away so the magic buddies can also get a kick out of the method.

Difficulty: Self Working

Intuition by John Kennedy

Card College Light by Roberto Giobbi
Page 9 et seq.

Personal Comment: There are tons of version of Paul Curry's effect. This is among the better ones. I like it. The methods seems bold, because it is. But if you take a look at yesterdays effect which basically sets you up for this, you can see it is well covered. It is hard to believe that after T.N.T. the deck is not in some mixed up condition.

Difficulty: Self Working

Update on my Hand

I think part of my genetic information must be based in some super hero universe. My flesh has healed so quickly. The cut with the knife actually went down to the bone of the first joint of the left middle finger. As you can see in the video in the post below I can do self working card magic. My middle finger is still a bit stiff and bending it hurts but I'm fine. In a few days from now I will be back to the usual.

T.N.T. by Juan Tamariz

Card College Light by Roberto Giobbi
Page 3 et seq.

Personal Comment: This is bloody brilliant. Not only is it selfworking but it also has a nice built in dramatic structure. You are basically all open when you take away your layers. The effects seems even more impossible the further it goes. The method will make you smile. Big smile! It also sets you up for a variety of tricks. Most notably "Out of this World".

Difficulty: Self Working

Neural Photography by Aaron Ducker

Creator's Comment: A fun little idea I had using the Ed Marlo Snap Change and a blank card. You could also accomplish this effect with other changes such as the Shape Shift Change and its variants! Anything visual, but I prefer the Marlo Snap Change because I think it makes more sense to this effect! Yet I know theres people out there who hate the Marlo Snap Change.

Personal Comment: Oh boy... this routine needs improvement. But that is the cool thing about such videos: It's the state of the trick at the time. I really would love to see the trick in about a year from now. I am sure this will be a lot better. About the Snap Change. It's good, if the angles are good. So naturally for a camera this is about the best change one can do. But in real life hardly any performing situation allows for that. And even then I would ditch the extra card on the deck as quickly as possible. The general idea is good, but here is what I would change in the structure. I wouldn't have the blank card in the deck. I would take it from somewhere else. It would make the handling a bit more knacky (TC and DT) but it would make a lot more sense.

Seriously I would like to see the routine in about a year from know. I bet it will have changed a lot by then.

Difficulty: 3/5

Ammendment by Aaron Ducker

Creator's Comment: I've always liked effects like this, effects where the magician seems to screw up and has to fix it, it's why I adore wild card routines, this is a very direct idea, and it uses a few handling of sleights I've personally developed.

Personal Comment: In terms of method it feels so familiar in a way. I could swear I have seen that trick before. I'm not sure. In terms of plot this isn't new at all. But we all know that plot and know how well it plays. But to achieve the effect we could use a whole bunch of methods without resorting to gimmicks. So this makes the routine only interesting from a technical point of view. Does the use of a DF really enhance the effect? Personally I think not, but who am I to decide this?

Difficulty: 2/5

Philosophical Sandwich by Kamil Scott

Creator's Comment: "This effect is just my take on progressive sandwich and it's constructed to work in real world, so there are almost no angle problems. It is a difficult piece of magic but reactions justify hard work. So I hope you like it."
Kamil Scott

Personal Comment: Kamil Scott told me that this effect is "heavily inspired" by the sandwich routine by Tony Chang entitled: "Sandwich for your Mom". It's the first time a progressive Sandwich ends up here. I don't really like the idea of a progressive sandwich, but this has a nice little moment (at 1:45) that people will remember. Is it hard? I tried to reconstruct the exact handling but I failed. So I can make no claim on how difficult this really is. I assume it's knacky.

Imprint by Aaron Ducker

You don't need any source you basically know all the details if you have a little bit of background knowledge.

Personal Comment: What I really like about this, is that no DL is needed during the routine. Most often this would be the case. Hiding parts of the card during the showing is not a new thing. But combining that with gimmicky stuff might be a nice way to go. I am not so sure about this. But here is what I like: There is this gimmick out there and people like Mr. Ducker actually come up with ideas for that besides the ones that came with the gimmick. It's not a difficult routine... and I wouldn't call it a routine... but here is how it could be a full routine: Before this you would have a few effects, where pips travel from one card to another. Preferably not gimmicked (e.g. the Two of hearts loses a pip and becomes the Ace of Hearts, while the Five of Hearts becomes the Six of Hearts) that gives you a motivation to introduce the gimmick not make the routine "sleight of hand proof" then after the Six of Hearts is in the holder you take out the Ace of Spades and make the pip jump to the back of the Ace. That is pure magic. If the heart is actually printed on you have a nice giveaway. I also got a little bit of additional information by Mr. Ducker. He credits Simon Lovell because he used one little tip of Mr. Lovell. That little tip helps to know how to hold the Six of Hearts so the missing pip is not seen when it is not supposed to be seen.

Difficulty: 2/5

Nomad Aces by Ed Marlo

The Legendary Hierophant by Jon Racherbaumer
Page 307 et seq.

Personal Comment: Actually good. I would take away the fake stuff in the beginning. It just arouses too much suspicion. More than you get "proof" later on in the routine in my humble opinion. Also, there is a lot to mess up, even if you make a minor mistake. As in most assembly routines. That is kind of a bad thing I guess. But if you wanna study how a routine should not be, even though it is good. Study this one.

Difficulty: 4/5

The Daily Card Trick needs your help!

Email address: Zaubererroland@gmail.com

Here are the details: Make a video of you doing card magic. It needs to be published card magic. It can even be your own creations. Upload the video to a free fileserver like megaupload or yousendit. Then send me the link to the video and I will download it. Be sure to add a source and your personal comment to the email. Also make it very clear if you want your name attached to that.

I will upload the video to my YouTube account and set it to "unlisted".

I actually got one more video... coming up tomorrow, but then, that's it for a while.

This is a Four King Trick by Ed Marlo

The Legendary Hierophant by Jon Racherbaumer
Page 300 et seq.
also
Marlo's Magazine Volume 1
Page 59 et seq.

Personal Comment: What does the title of the trick have to do with the trick? Very, very little. Only two kings... it's like false advertisement. I assumed something in my book was wrong. It feels so unresolved. Good would have been if the black aces would also turn into the black kings. So why is this published the way it is? Food for thought!


Difficulty: 2/5

Bluff Sandwich by Ed Marlo

The Legendary Hierophant by Jon Racherbaumer
Page 192

Personal Comment: If you read the method you are all like "no way" if you try it you all like "no way".... It is deceptive, even thoug you wouldn't believe it at first glance. Is it any good because of it. No way! There are far better Sandwich routines out there. Most even by Mr. Marlo himself.

Difficulty: 2/5

Four Card Method/Trick by Jim Abrahams

The Lecture That Has Never Happened by Jim Abrahams
Page 23 et seq.

Personal Comment: This is a skill demonstration the magic is very minor. It can look good, if it is not me butchering the effect. But this only serves one purpose... to make the performer look cool. So if you are going for the magic moment, this is the worst thing you can do. But if you are a jester type of magician this is gold. Up to you.

Difficulty: 3/5

Crazy Card by Doug Edwards

Personal Comment: I like it. Many years ago when I was desperate to find good card magic I wrote this down. I don't recall where I got it from. I wrote down every little trick that I liked into the book. And then added my own two cents on that. You can see that the effect time ratio is very high. Many effects in very little time. I love that stuff. Visual and all of that. And so darn easy.

So as usual, if you know where this was published shoot me a message and I'll change it accordingly.

Difficulty 2/5

Why, Oh Why Another Sandwich? by Jim Abrahams

The Lecture That Has Never Happened by Jim Abrahams
Page to be added

Personal Comment: This is fun to do. That is all.

Difficulty: 2/5