I've recently become interested in and had several questions about "3 card Joe" by Joe Monti. I recently had the opportunity to communicate with Joe and he was more than willing to answer my questions. What a stand-up guy.

The cards (both sizes) are polypropylene which is heavy plastic and are Silk screened. Joe explained to me 3 Card Joe is "NOT" the Skinner Monte. He was kind enough to explain to me what the specific difference is between the two versions. Although, Joe gave me permission to post what the difference bewteen the two versions are here at the Café, I have decided not to do so in an open forum. However, if you are truly interested in purchasing 3 Care Joe, I will explain the difference between the two in a pm as long as you can explain to me how Skinner's "Ultimate 3 Card Monte" works.

3 Card Joe is available in very limited supply in 9 X 14 inch cards at 3cardjoe.com. I just purchased this and received outstanding customer service.

3 Card Joe is the "classic" trick called, "Chase The Ace", this was marketed in the 1970's by the famous magic dealer, Ken Brooke, who owned the Ken Brooke Magic Place in London. After Ken's death, Supreme Magic in England put out Chase The Ace with cards that were color, previously they were the Ace, Two, and 3 of Clubs respectively.

What Joe Monte has done is made this close-up trick using massive size cards suitable for stage and stand-up magic. That is all I can see from the demo video he has contributed. His handling and patter is of course his.

The trick has always been made in huge playing cards, even the black pip version.

The original with regular playing cards marketed here in the U.S. by Haines House of Cards was called, 3 Card Monte, these are identical top the jumbo cards, and I would think there is no reason why you could not work out a handling with these massive cards along the lines of the original handling. That is unless Joe's cards are printed differently, but from the demo video, it looks like they are not.

That is the history as I know it, and lived it.

I bought 3 Card Joe as well. I love how simple and deceptive it is. Amazing product.

3 Card Joe always get a great laugh for my audience.

I tried Joes version , I bought it off him at a convention, quite a few times after months of practice but the moves are easy to get wrong, I love the effect, but have found I get stronger reactions and easier moves & bigger cards and have gone back to 3 card Prince- Harry Anderson. Joes version from when Ive seen him perform it live was very good.

Someone who does a lot of repeat shows for the same audiences will actually want to learn several different giant monte routines that work differently and have different outcomes so they never "catch on". Al-Quadir's (aka Qua-Fiki) "New Ace Chaser" is the best going for using an Ace, Two and Three (The Wizards' Journal #33); and from the same Wizards' Journal #33 "Alice's Wonderland Monte" is tops for a Jack, King and Queen Monte, ending with the transformation to all Queens. "Mumbo Jumbo Monte" from The Wizards' Journal #37 can use any three ungimmicked and ungaffed jumbo playing cards, randomly chosen by a spectator, and still end by turning them all into Jokers. And the Three Card Trick (with Four Cards) by Joe Riding can be use ungimmicked and ungaffed Jokers and Aces which can transform to all 3 Jokers or all 3 aces at various points in the routine (The Wizards' Journal #22). They are all different, yet all are variations on the 3 card Monte. I almost forgot "Threesies" for kiddies, using jumbo cards with cats and canaries (The Wizards' Journal #30). Learning several different ways also challenges your brain and keeps it young (IMHO).

Just to correct you on one thing there Bill.

Chase The Ace was initially put out by Harry Stanley's Unique Magic Studio in the early 1960's (whilst Ken Brooke worked for him demming). It was Ken's handling; the instructions were actually written by Lewis Ganson.

Ken's improved layout of instructions (complete with the same diagrams) were put out by Ken Brooke around 1969 - after he opened his 'Magic Place' in 1967.

These instructions were then completely ripped off in 1972; when Geoff Maltby started up 'Repro Magic' (a very apt name in this instance!).

I'm not sure when Supreme Magic released Chase The Ace; although they also sold a version with Jumbo-sized Piatniks in the late 1970's/early 80's. Their instructions were written independently - albeit contained exactly the same moves as Ken's routine (including the brilliant deliberate miscall). Suffice to say, if you were loyal to Ken Brooke, you'd always avoid Edwin Hooper's Supreme Magic.

I have always preferred Joe Riding's 'Irish 3 Card Trick' (to give it its' non-PC name) since first learning it in 1981. This was released by Ken Brooke (also in 1972); with some handling options by Fred Kaps a few Months later; including a Flushtration-style of count. Joe Riding later incorporated this count into his version. . Then the improved handling of Martin Lewis's Sidewalk Shuffle came along (I think Ken released the new handling/instructions for this, with less laying down of the cards, in 1975) - so there was another Monte-style trick to add into the mix.

As an aside, Joe Riding's version, released by Ken Brooke, titled 'The only 3 Card Trick in the World using 4 Cards' became his best-ever selling trick whilst he was at 145 Wardour Street - a fact shared by Ken, in an audio tape to Joe, shortly before his untimely death. Just to note the handling used a 2 card push-off from 3 - which Ken acknowledged was an idea taken from Edward Victor's excellent 3 card trick, named E-Y-E. Ken had purchased the commercial rights to sell E-Y-E from Edward (along with Sucker Silk) years previous. Just as an aside, the instructions for the Ken Brooke handling of Joe's trick also included the Elmsley Count - or the 'Four as Four' count to give it its' correct, maiden name.

Personally, I've never performed Chase The Ace (nor Sidewalk Shuffle) professionally. I'm not saying they are bad tricks in the right hands; for example, Ken made 'Chase The Ace' his own back in the day. A magician named Charlie Frye also puts 'Chase The Ace' over brilliantly....whilst juggling the cards! However, Chase The Ace has just never been for me - I don't think I could ever do the trick the justice it rightly deserves. I've always been of the opinion (possibly incorrectly?) that you've got to have a feeling of true passion for an effect, in order to deliver it to its' full potential.

Apologies for rambling on; but as my best mate in Magic (Joe Riding) has also unfortunately since passed on, I think it's important that we try and keep the history on record for these things.

Added to the fact that Joe's trick, along with FRED and the paddle effect 'I'll Start Again', are three of the things Joe Riding taught me that, nearly 40 years later, I hold so very close to my heart.

Anyone have instructions for this? I happily got the package from the widow of a deceased friend and like too many of us, the magician separated the instructions from the props and they are now nowhere to be found. Thanks in advance. Mike

What do you mean by using the word "THIS" ? In the topic above, there has been numerous mention of 3 Cad Monte effects by different famous magicians.

I suggest you contact the widow again, and ask if she knows where her husband kept his books, notes, and files for his magic tricks before she throw out what she finds during cleaning.

I mention this because a widow came to the local magic shop, and gave here husbands magic to the store owner. Then over a couple months, she came to the store 3 times bringing more stuff she found. Yes, the instructions where in folders. The store owner sold it all on line.

Note, the props are worthless without the instructions.

The origin of this trick is Theodore DeLand's "Pickitout," marketed in 1907.