Anyone have tips on how to do an Elmsely count with cards at chest instead of waist ?

Hmmm... If I were to do the EC at chest hieght I would do the count at the fingertips.

Docc Hillford showed me a way to do it at chest height while holding the cards vertically. It's a little complicated if you're used to the normal action, because you're going in reverse basically. You peel the cards off the face (audience side) while going through similar mechanics; but you have to be careful, because your hand will block the cards.

The problem in Vertical elmsley Count is that it does not seem like a nornal couting. Jordan Count is more convincing in vertical position. (You take cards from the side near to you. The second card is taken on face of the first card assuming the faces are facing to audience).

Hideo Kato

I've got a handling for the Ghost and Jordan counts at chest level. I think I put them on the Virtual Sessions, but I'm not sure.

Both counts work fine - I used them to move from my Twisting Aces to McClintock Twist. I had a video of them online a while back, but I think it's down now.

Take care, Ian

I performed the EC and JC vertically in my act at FISM-Convention in Baden-Baden Germay in 1967, and does it till today, specially also with Giant Cards!

Reading IanKendall's and MueCard-san's post, I solved the problem in my Vertical Elmsley Count, and got a good way. Thank you very much for the inspiration. (The key point is to steal the first card when I take third card, not second card(s)).

Hideo Kato

I will imply my way of EC a little bit:
I hold the 4-card-packet at the lower left corner between left first and second finger (outside) and my left thumb (inside. On "1" I take the front (first) card, and at the same time I angle jog the inner card (the fourth card) a little bit to the left with my left thumb. Now the block of the second and the third card shows at the upper right corner. In leaving the front card behind the packet it is easy to grip the block of second and third card on the count of "2".

Lower your hands...

There is a rather old video called the Phan(tom) Thumb. It teaches an interesting DL method, and also a vertical Elmsley count. Unfortunately, I lost that tape long ago.

Andy

I never felt the need to use the Elmsley count on chest level using the regular cards. If ever I would encounter that need, it would probably be for a larger audience, occasion of which, I would not be using the regular deck but a set of jumbo cards.

By then, why would I count unnaturally on chest level when I may count on natural position with the jumbo? = )

On stage, I think counting cards in chest level seems more natural and more showmanship like. If you Elmsley Count the cards at lower position, you need to look down, which is rather an awkward posture on stage.

Hideo Kato

Kato-san,

I could not agree more . . . you might lower the hands strongly, but that does not really look great.


Andy

Hmmm...I see the point. Thanks, thanks... = )