I'm not new to card magic, but I'm a culling virgin. If possible (and by PM) could someone quickly explain how, with the deck face up, I would cull a selected card so that when the deck is turned face down the selection is the top card. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Harv

Heh, basically you'r asking for exposure?

I would recommend editing your post because you are basically asking for exposure.

No......I said by PM which is Private Message which only I can see. I don't recall asking for the method to be posted on the forum. Read my request again.

It sounds to me like your asking for exposure also. In expert card technique there is the hofsinzer cull, and also Michael Ammar has a lecture dvd on it.

This is the exact technique you are looking for. I love the move its a nice when a spectator names a card as you spread through and when you turn it face down without much difficulty its already controlled.

Get expert card technique. Which if you have been doing card magic for awhile you should have anyway.

It sounds to me that you don't know what your talking about. I simply asked for some assistance BY PRIVATE MESSAGE. Magicians helping magicians....yeah right...like I need a lecture on exposure.

I'd recommend taking a look at Card College, it's not a bad place to start.

Fugeddaboudit.....I've asked the question in the secret sessions area.

Culling is explained in Expert at the card table, Expert Card Technique, Marlo's Lessin out culls and stacks are also good in his early books. Also Jimmy Cards Molinari and his Molinari cull is on his DVD. And the Stevens cull an on the table riffle shuffle cull is in the Book Revelations.

For video - the Molinari cull is also explained on his DVD.

Go to http://www.jimmycards.com

For more information. I hope this helps.

Bish I am glad to see that someone has helped ,,,,,,,
Bish will always help and he is also a teriffic teacher of magic ...

the godfather
Harv you have received excellent advice from Bish take it....

Hi Harv,

I very much second the Godfathers sentiments about Glen and his excellent advise. Techniques for locating and sending a card to the top or bottom by 'innocently' spreading the cards face up is described in a number of places. The main method I use for this particular handling of the cards is the Hoffzinger spread cull. I learned this from reading the description by Darwin Ortiz from his 'Scams and Phantasies with Cards' book p156. His description is most helpful. Other sources I am familiar with is Card College Volume 1, another very good instructional text and Expert Card Technique p129 of the Dover Edition. I found this 'older' description the most diffiuclt to follow. I have also studied this move on Vol 4 of Daryl's encyclopedia of card sleights and on Darwin's DVD version of Scams as well. Both are vey useful if you find books a bit heavy.

A different 'in the hands' method is offered by John Bannon in his 'Dear Mr Fantasy' book in his chapter entitled Cull De Stack on p62. Also, Paul Wilson on his and Jason England's excellent DVD 'The Unreal Work' demonstrate a very deceptive and simple 'in the hands' cull.

If you become particularly fascinated by culling and its links to gambling demo's then you need to venture into the territory between card magic and gambling sleights. Jimmy 'Cards' method of culling is achieved by overhand shuffle culling and runups. His method is demonstrated and taught on DVD I believe and in Volume One of his excellent lecture notes which I strongly recommend. His culling method is derived from the Barnyard shuffle cull described by Jean Hugard in 'More Card Manipulations'. Jimmy's development is ingenious and has numerous magical applications as well. Erdnase describes an interesting 'in the hands' gamblers cull on p60-61 of the Expert at the Card Table (Powner Edition) and a similar idea is adapted in Walter Gibson's Complete Illustrated Card Magic under 'Culling and Stocking' p432 for riffle shuffle culls. Perhaps the best table riffle cull extant, is the Stevens Control. The best description I have come across is contained in Andrew Wimhursts 'Down Under Deals' lecture notes. I believe Darwin taught Andrew this move. Performed correctly it is very deceptive but extremely diffiult to do at professional speed. Karl Fulves also covers this technique with many exercises and ideas of his own in his manual entitled 'Blocking Off'. I'm sure there are other technques but hopefully this will wet your appetite.

Regards,

Paul H

Kostya Kimlat's RoadRunner cull is also amazing, explained in his lecture-notes.

Ray Grismer has a great cull in the first part of the book Revelations to. It is sort of hidden in the book you have to look for it. Also the Marlo Lessin out culls and stacks are in the book Deck Deception.

Most of the better culls for magic use the jog shuffle. The advantage for this by a magician is that the cards are shuffle culled off the table so the audience can see it.

The table rillfle cull or the Stevens cull is on the table while you are doing a table riffle shuffle. This is explained in the book Revelations.

Good luck.

The best description I've read on an in-your-hands cull is from Mike Close (Workers 5, I think). He reviews a lot of the common mistakes people make and gives you tips on how to make the cull more invisible.


- Frank

The Wedge Cull of Larry Jennings is the only cull I've been using since I learned it. Does the job quickly for any number of cards.

Harv,

The Café is a wonderful place man! Like any community, heck, even the Vatican, there are good eggs and bad eggs. There are also those who say things differently. Generally magicians in the Café are helpful, its just that this is the open section. You know that and we know that no one needs to lecture you on that. What I's saying is this....

Please understand that anybody can join the Café, From lurkers, secret seekers and the jerk who tells the next guy how you did your trick. Bish, The Godfather to name a few are always willing to assist. That would include me!

Don't burn bridges or possible bridges by saying, "forget about it!" or using the word "Quickly" whan asking for help. Can't blame some guys here if they get alittle irked. Trust and friendship goes a long way in the Café. Just a friendly advice!

Anyway, I would just like to second Glenn Bishops recomendation! You might want to check out JJ Sanvert's DVD. He shows a quick move to get one card to the top at once.

Peace,

Rannie Raymundo
aka The Boss
aka The Manila Enforcer

I PMed you Harv, have a look and let me know if it worked.

Rannie

Hi.....Mmmmm, I've seen this question before ....anyway.....here are some ideas...

There are many ways to cull...the simplest is from the discard pile. Some people even cull and stock during the pickup.

Most other methods involve peaking at cards during the shuffle.

I personally prefer to use juiced or luminous marked cards. They cannot be detected using the "Gamblers Riffle Test" and marked cards not only help during the cull, but you can read the marks any time you need to.

A simple way to use marked cards for a cull is to look at the top 2 cards of each pile as you cut them for your riffle shuffles. If you like what you see on the face down card of either half deck, you can cull the card or, better yet, cull and stock it simultaniously.

The marked cards are also good to cull cards from the discard pile in a more subtle way since you do not have to look at the faces to know what cards you want to cull and/or stock.

I hope this helps!

First, I'd like to thank everyone for their very useful suggestions. I will definitely check them out. I don't know what I was thinking when I posted this question in the open forums.....I should know better having been a member of the Café for a few years. Thanks to rannie as well for your advice and PM...I do appreciate it.

Again....thanks to all for taking the time to respond to this question.

Best,
Harv

How about the "knock the deck off the table with your elbow cull"?