Can anyone explain how to do the Elmsley count? As far as I know it is a false count.

Thanks

Ollie1235,

There have been many threads on the Elmsley count at the Café. Run a search and you will find a lot of information on this.

There are many sources from which to learn the Elmsley count. Jerry Mentzer's classic book Counts, Cuts, Moves, and Subtlety is one. Robert Giobbi's Card College Vol. 2 is another. If you prefer video, Michael Ammar's Easy to Master Card Miracles, Vol. 2 teaches it.
:banana:

Why don't you learn from the inventor of the count, Alex Elmsley? It's on his DVD The Magic of Alex Elmsley: The Tahoe Sessions (Volume 1).

Brian

If you buy something from Penguin Magic you get access to an instructional video that teaches it - I think they offer it with most effects that use it (packet effects mostly)

Now comes the question:

Which Elmsley do you prefer? Fingertip, or deep in the hand?

(Standing back...applying armour shielding, ready for the melee' to begin...)

I learned it the fingertip way, and it's hard to learn to do it differently...(old dog's learning new tricks again, LOL)

Fire away!

Doug

I can only do it at the very edges of my fingertips. Deep in the hand I can't seem to move the "odd" card consistently.

:bikes:

I have RRTCM and a few others. I recently picked up a few packet tricks and the Elmsley Count was either required or suggested to do them. When I picked up the packets the guys at the counter suggested Counts Cuts Moves and Subtlety by Jerry Mentzer. The pictures are better than RRTCM (which I believe was published before the E Count was developed).

I don't have it perfected for an audience but I got the hang of it after a little practice, and this is coming from a guy that had to spend a bit of time with the over hand shuffle bits in the first chapter of RRTCM.

The version taught in Card College Vol. 2 is deep in the hand. But as with any other family of sleights, if you're already comfortable with one, I'm not sure you need to (or even want to) master others.
:pepper:

I myself am a "Dealer's Grip" Elmsley counter. I execute the "Jordan Count" from the same grip. But then that's just the way I handle cards normally. If you ever sessioned with Marlo you'd know that he had a favorite name for the fingertip techniques, that I won't go into here!

Cheers!

Elmsley Count is very useful. I got it from Penquin Magic and it's been one of my "best friends" because I use it in a lot of tricks so if you don't have it I would recommended getting it.

The Elmsley "Ghost Count" is a great sleight due to the huge number of packet tricks it puts into your arsenal.

I start with the packet held at the finger tips of my left hand and pull them off deep into my right hand with my right thumb as I "count" them.

I started working on it for "NFW", but didn't really master it until I saw Aldo Colombini demonstrate it at a lecture. I really liked an effect he demonstrated called "Pick Me—Don't Pick Me!" This trick uses jumbo cards which are even easier to do the Elmsley Count with. I am not much of a card technician, but this is one I was able to learn pretty easily.

Here are links to couple of online tutorials:
http://www.montysmagic.com/elmsley-count.html
http://members.aol.com/MagicDan/docs/elmsley_count.html

Being a visual learner, I found it helpful to watch some online demos of tricks like NFW to get a feel for how to hold the cards.

I've got the basic idea of the Elmsley count but I'd really like to get a good video that covers this and maybe some of the variants. I've got books, but videos are a good tool for recognizing subtleties about the handling. So, please, no flames for wanting a video.

I've narrowed it down to getting either Encyclopedia of Card Slights by Daryl - Vol 7 or Easy to Master Card Miracles by Michael Ammar - Vol 2.

What's your recommendation? I've liked most of the Michael Ammar video I've seen. I haven't seen any of Daryl's video.

JesterJ

Ammar for sure...in fact, I'll join ya in the request for a good video (VHS or DVD) that covers the Elmsley in all its varieties...Daryl is one I've not seen, but he's good, no question.

I get caught a bit too much for my tastes...I've done the Elmsley for 20 years! Somethin's wrong. Angles, too many cards...(Alien Autopsy is one)...need some different ways to do this.

A video would be perfect.

Spot on, JesterJ!

Doug

The in the finger tips count is even better if you hold the card vertically in your hands so that the audience can see exactly what you are doing. It makes it even more deceptive, easier to handle and is easiest for the audience to see it all.

PSIncerely Yours,
Paul Alberstat

I can't quite picture that (vertically), it seems as though the specs would see a side they shouldn't.
I believe it just dawned on me so I'm editing. Vertical but with, (I'm thinking of Skinners 3 Card Monte) for instance, the backs still facing the spec? Maybe I shouldn't be venturing out of the New to Magic area just yet.

Runn a search for this seems to be a popular count !!!

plus why don't you buy nfw for within this trick it teaches how to elemsley

Thanks everyone , ive got it of of card trick central

Has anybody ever done the Elmsley in reverse, pushing the cards into the other hand instead of pulling them?

I tried it,it seemed like it would work with some practice but I figured it would be best to stick with the proven method.

Does the packet trick Twisted sister's require an elmsley count? I see it advertised as no moves or slieght's required , personally I would consider a false count a move.... as it requires a bit of pracitce...