I use a poker theme. Basically, I talk about a game I once played:
I started out with a really good hand (4 aces), but then one by one, the cards started changing into (lower-value cards). I realized that the guy I was playing with was a card cheat and somehow he was switching his hand with mine.
But he didn't realize that he was playing against a magician --- hey presto, I changed the cards back, leaving him with the (lower cards).

My patter draws on Robert Houdin's statement that "a magician is merely an actor playing the role of a magician."

I then talk a little about how vital acting is in a magician's repertoire.

"For example, if I were to show you these Aces and tell you that they were, in fact, Queens, that would require a lot of acting..."

I use the PH RESET, and I absolutely love it. I like using the "hypnotism" technique to make the spectators believe that I made them think the aces were queens. I do that for Two Card Monte too.

Cain,
sorry, I still do not get it. You did mention that a magician labeled RESET as a trick for amateurs. Any reason behind that statement?

I have a version called "Threeset" - I am currently working on a small booklet - threeset will be included in it.

Cain himself did not make this statement. He said another magician did. Reread his post.

I too have found a lot of mileage from Reset. It is commercial, can be performed for all ages, and can be done with any deck of playing cards.

I personally perform the version from Jim Swain's book 21st Century Card Magic. The trick is titled "Metamorphasis". The premise of the patter is that as a close up magician you know how stage magicians do one of their big stage illusions-"The Metamorphasis" and you demonstrate that with the aces as magicians and the queens as the assistants.

I'm sure this was mentioned already but I will repeat it... And if it wasn't then goodie...That means less people know about it.

One of the most amazingly brilliant presentation for reset is in Jim Swain's 21ST Century Card Magic...It will be hard to find the book but the whole idea is this...

You talk about one of the greatest if not the greatest magicians to ever live, Harry Houdini a.k.a Eric Weiss... You talk about how he impacted the art and one of the greatest effects he ever did was change places with his assistant who was locked in a box in seconds...

Now I can't afford a box nor a lovely assistant.. So I will use these cards the Kings as the magicians and the queens as the assitants,

Yadda yadda yadda...Queens go in box and magicians switch places with them...

Great magic...

SIX

I'll throw in another vote for Harkey's version. If you can get your hands on that book, do it. It's amazing.

I know that, but why did the other magician made that statement?

Freakingeh I wanna get my hands on this book. Is it that good? Argh.

Andy, your first reply implied otherwise. In any case, this particular magician was really condescending, saying Reset was a "good" trick for "amateurs." He offered no supporting argument, so I don't know exactly why he made such an outlandish assertion.

Why specifically should the audience care that the cards you fussed over seem to be changing to some other cards you fussed over in such a contrived, obviously less than magical and far from satisfying manner?

Those who can read have some avenues to explore. Those who can't will likely believe what I wrote and hopefully get back to more direct magic.

Cain - thanks. Finally got it.

I will put in another vote for Jason Randal's Version with its wonderful hook it is (at least one of) the most motivated versions out there. I had forgotten about it for a while but recently rediscovered it and it is becoming a mainstay in my repitoire.