Check out Don England's version in Best of Friends. There is a kicker ending which comes as a complete surprise. It is also very easy to do.

I have an unusual version called Impossible Travelers. I recently found out that it is very similar to a Geoff Lata routine. You can see the video at: http://www.mallofmagic.com/videos.htm

There's another interesting item in the video section called Invisible Aces that has an open travelers phase at the end.

Mike

Looks great Mike.... you should call it "Traveling to McDonald's".

S.Segal

This sounds a lot like Larry Jennings' "Travelling Expert" (page 150 of "The Classic Magic of Larry Jennings"). It's incredible that the 4 aces (and only the 4 aces) are used (and yes, the packets do not come into contact with eachother). Boy, that must have been a sight to see. I have yet to see it performed, and I personally am far from being able to perform this super advanced version of Open Travellers.

Has anyone tried making this trick a progressive affair?

No it was nothing like Travelling Expert. I mean this thing was incredibly visual. It really looked like the card was taken. Three cards were laid out in a spread. They were covered with the right hand momentarily and when he picked his hand up there were only two cards in the spread. Then he did this for the third Ace before vanishing the last Ace from the table.

Don't know about the version you guys are talkin bout but I had version called Stealth Cards published in The Trapdoor 1997. if you'd like to see it here is a link to a video version of it. My technique and presentation are a bit rusty but you'll get the idea. Also only uses 4 cards no extras.
http://www.magicvideodepot.com/view.php?a=v&t=5111

The 2 best versions I have seen were by Lee Asher and Harry Levine... Both were OH so good and clean.

Hey guys,

My version called, "Las Vegas Aces" is pretty neat. The advantage of this routine is that you see the aces before the vanish...they vanishe...then you see them arrive. For me this is a very strong point of the routine. Also, it is basically self working...no "real palming" is involved! Anyway, Hocus Pocus has them if anyone is interested...

I hope this helps,
Cody S. Fisher
MUM Magazine

I must say I like both Mikes and Hippies videos, very nicely done

Well...

I am nowhere near my library at the moment, but I seem to remember the Jenning's effect from The Classic Magic of Larry Jennings, used an extra card, whereas the Harris effect from 'Close Up Kinda Guy' used only the four cards.

I am familiar with the Chris Kenner version from 'Out of Control' as well, but in all honesty, I only use the Harris version in actual performance. It is easy to do, very visual, and I developed a handling of the last card that is just killer. It just seems to melt away at your fingertips.

I would say check out as many versions as you can, because what works for me, or others here, may not be suited to you and your style.

Sean

Harris' only uses four cards? I did not know that.

I personally don't like Harris' handling of it. When Larry Jennings formulated his handling of the effect, his goal was for the two packets to never come into contact, Harris' routine, although easy, requires that you scoop up one packet with another packet. It just doesn't look magical to me, after all, if the aces are supposed to be travelling, why do the packets come into contact at all..? Another part of Harris' routine I don't like is the switch of packets after the first appearance. The effect is that the aces travel from one packet to the other. So why switch the packets?

Right now, I personally use a modified variation of David Ben's Turnover Travellers in Tricks when I have acces to a table and the audience and surroundings are suitable. But more often than not, I end up using the Jennings version. I think it's one of the most motion-efficient routine there is. Every action and move is justified and there's no wasted motion. Plus it can be done surrounded.

Joshua Jay has a nice idea in his lecture notes, although the routine is illogical, there's a really nice idea in there on producing the last ace which he credits to Steve Draun. Cough a couple of times before you start the effect and feign coughing right before you produce the last ace, and take that opportunity to lick the palm of your hand. Now when you produce the last ace, the ace will stick to the palm of your hand, creating a very nice illusion.

Somehow I've always been unable to justify putting the last card on the deck. Why didn't I just vanish it as before...? Not wanting to do anythign that would compromise on angles, to this day a solution still eludes me...

Cheers
Ted

Tom Blue told me that this effect is actually based off one by Alex Elmsely which appears in the two tome volume of his work.

Sadly, I don't remember the name of the effect of Elmsely's.

But, if you're really wanting to find out how it started, I mean c'mon...Tom Blue??!!

Actually the history of the effect as far as my research goes is that Marlo's " Real Gone Aces " started the trend. Ok Marlo 1st made mention of the possibility to this effect to The New Phoenix in a letter he sent on 11/19/1955 and The New Phoenix mentioned it in issue # 334. Now it did not come out in that issue no instead Marlo wanted it for the March 1956 issue. He called it Real Gone Aces. Move forward to issue # 338 Real Gone Aces is finally released. In the method Marlo makes note of the usual ace assembly with the aces laid out and 3 cards added to each and finally assembling in the last pile but he notes that the aces don't vanish they just get replaced. So he came up with Real Gone Aces. Which is The aces laid out but instead of 3 cards on each only the first 3 aces get cards the last ace is alone and one by one the aces join it. But he also mentioned his Vanishing Ace Theory in which he analizes what a real assembly of aces should look like if the aces really vanish. Move forward to The New Phoenix issue # 362 Oct 1961(wow 5 years) and WM. Miesel (whom later will become known as Bill Miesel) has an effect called Invincible. In this effect only the 4 aces are used (supposedly) and one at a time they vanish and join the leader ace. Move forward again to The New Phoenix issue # 375 Dec 1962 Marlo has a routine published called Open Travelers. In this effect Marlo has only the four kings (supposedly) assemble. Now the difference between Miesel and Marlo's assembly (besides one using aces the other kings) is that Miesel uses one extra while Marlo uses 2 extras. to me Miesel's is as close to what we do now than anything else. Jennings mentions Marlo as credit but if you read both versions you will see that Meisel's is what most modern card men do. And Miesel in his book " The Creative Magic Of William P. Miesel " mentions Real Gone Aces as getting him started to think of the possibility of doing an ace assembly without the extra cards.

This effect is simply awesome.

Try and remeber how it should look to the audience. The effect of hidng a card within the folds of your hand; that's the effect. The hanlding which really sells this notion is the handling Larry Jennings published in The "67" book. This handling has some incredible touches which amplify the effct.

This is my preffered handling with some extra finesses of my own thrown in. My only challenge with this effect is the last card, which I feel should not come anywhere the deck. My solution will be in my forthcoming book. Nevertheless, the Rub-Away-Vanish completes the notion and premise extremely well.

Learn this effect and present it well and you will experience a wonderful thrill of seeing pure undiluted astonishment in the eyes of your audience, this is the purpose of magic.

Mike Vincent
London

I'm partial to the J.C. Wagner version, which can be learned as a bonus effect on the "Queen's Debate" video.

CSR

Stop teasing us with snippets of the book Michael.

We are all on the edge of our seats waiting for it.

Do you know when its going to hit the shops?