The S4S shell game DVD is on its way to me. If it's as good as the 3 card monte DVD set it will be brilliant! Bill, you're right about the PDF files on these DVD's - they're packed full of good stuff

Riley

Lewis Ganson's "Routined Manipulations" was my basis for learning the shell game. The grid he used and the length of the routine seemed easy enough and short enough to be effective. After only a few days of concerted practice, I was able to make the moves without thinking too much. The icing on the cake was the Perfect Pea. Because of its construction, consistency became part of the moves.

Nick Maggio

Well, the S4S Introduction to the Shell Game DVD arrived yesterday. It's brilliant, of course. (Another late night )

Martin Breese told me recently he learned the shell game personally from Lewis Ganson, many years ago. Martin didn't make it to the recent Blackpool Convention - we'd arranged to meet up and talk shells!

I agree with Whit and Nick in their posts. Keeping with the same pea is the same as the pool or snooker player who keeps with the same cue. Even a new tip on the cue feels different. It's important in the shall game (and all magic) to reduce the variable as much as possible, for smooth presentation. The S4S Perfect Pea is the best I've ever used!

Riley

As always, the members of the Café have offered up a wealth of great information and wisdom to you. I can only add my own experince. My learning curve was EXTREMELY long. While I had mastered the basic load and steal relatively quickly, I had my shells for the better part of a year and a half before everything seemed to "click" for me and came together.

In all honesty, I was more than a little intimidated by the shells. (Intemidated my aunt Fanny, I was flat scared of 'em if you want the honest truth.) It wasn't until I had the opportunity (read as "had no other choice") to work them all day for four days at an outdoor festival that I REALLY began learning what they were all about.

I cringe when I think back to how awful it must have looked that first day or two. But I got through it somehow. By the end of the second day I had relaxed, slowed down, stopped handling them like bricks, and was actually beginning to have fun with them.

Now, far from being intimidated by them, my shells are dear friends and one of the first things I reach for when I'm working.

So, just keep at it. It WILL come together in the end if you don't give up.

Whithaydn
I enjoyed your latest DVD.
Mario

Bob Sheets has an excellent idea on the dvd, with the chips, and who can pick the pea. My routine has been the same for years, but I will now try to work this twist in.

Thanks, Mario.

Yeah, great dvd Whit.
When are you going to have a book on the shells? Hopefully it will be as comprehensive as your SFS 3 card monte book!

I just got the S4S street shells recently and they are great. The perfect pea is remarkable. Works like a gem. It does take a lot of practice.

Anyone using the solid shell? I have never used one, wondering how it plays!

John, further up you mentioned a little hesitation that you made when stealling and loading the pea.

First of all of course practice will help. But I don't use the traditional pinch, I use the deeper pinch. This allows me to focus on just pushing the pea forward, letting it come out, and then when I spop pushing the shell forward-- pinch.

In other words, I think that the the deep pinch might help eliminate the action.
I am not a pro at all though, so if you think about possibly doing this or some versions you should probably contact Glen, or Whit, or someone who has a little more experience.

I believe Whit Haydn suggested this next concept as just something that looks ultra-clean: (for right handed position)
Index finger on forward hump (?) of the shell. Thumb on left side. Middle finger curled on right side of shell and the tip of your middle finger should be in the nitch of your thumb.
You are going to push the shell (with pea inside) forward far enough to the point at which the pea will roll allong the sides of your middle finger and thumb to the point at which the pea gets lodged in a thumb palm position.

Anyone try that before? Just wanted to hear some of your guys' experience with it if you have.

Good luck with the Shells John