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cristo Regular user 107 Posts |
I've read a few threads here where a poster describes adding a sleight here or there to a previously self working trick to turn it into a "miracle."
Anyone care to provide an example? The primary thing I though of was false shuffles/cuts to appear to mix the cards hopelessly. |
JoeHohman Special user Erie 706 Posts |
Indeed. Whenever I do a trick that requires certain cards to be left in position on either the top or bottom of the deck (or both), I always precede this with a false shuffle, or a REAL shuffle that nevertheless leaves the card(s) in place.
Then afterwards, I always let the spectators handle the cards themselves as much as possible, and do the dealing/counting/cutting/fanning or whatever is needed. This reinforces the notion that everything was done in their hands (even if it was the magician who actually did the shuffling beforehand). |
Ron Slater Loyal user 257 Posts |
Hello,
I do this often. I'm a huge fan of self-working or semi-automatic effects and have done a lot of research on, in my opinion, the best. However, I also love sleights but just don't perform difficult ones often because I enjoy the nature of clever principles for my effects and also being hands off and audience involved. For example, I may do a self working effect, and then use a top shop for a final revelation. The top shot is a knacky move that is not easy, however I have mastered it quite well and love to throw these things in my routines to deviate from the "self working" nature of my reportoire. I also like to include at least one flourish. This is a good way of establishing yourself as a serious card worker and not some Joe Shmo, so to speak. This works perfect in my case because I usually state something along the lines of "now if you saw a magician do something like this (insert impressive flourish or what not), you probably wouldn't trust him very much with a deck of cards." So I'd like you to take the deck....or do this for me....or shuffle these well...etc. You are also correct with your false shuffle. Whenever using a stack (which is a comfortable median for self workers) a false shuffle is always a very nice idea. Another example I could give would be for Simon Aronsons Shuffleboard, and all those versions that followed it. The deck "could" be given to the spectator and you would never have to touch it. However, I choose to handle it just a little for two reasons. First of all, and some may disagree with me, but being 100% hands off screams "set-up" or some pre-arrangement with spectators. Of course this won't always be true but you understand my point. Also, my second reason for handling the cards a little in an effect like this is because I can shuffle much better than spectators. And there is nothing worse than messing up a self working card trick. Ron |
Ace of $pades New user 63 Posts |
You could trim the corner a tiny bit of one card and have the spectator shuffle the deck. You then could riffle the cards and the corner short would be found instantly after controlling it to the top.
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EndersGame Inner circle Reviewer EndersGame 2195 Posts |
Some self-working tricks can appear all the more miraculous with the help of a false shuffle. For example, when performing Karl Fulves' "Gemini Twins", after the spectator has shuffled and I've taken out the two prediction cards, I sometimes give a false riffle shuffle (keeping the top and bottom cards in place), just to prove that I didn't memorize the entire deck when taking out the prediction cards. It's an extra convincer that suggests that the trick can't possibly be self-working.
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trickytrav Veteran user 391 Posts |
A trick like the 21 card trick could be enhanced just by adding a false cut here and there or using a full deck and using a shuffle that retains top stock. Any false shuffle or cut can only enhance a trick especially if you don't overdo it.
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