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Vlad_77![]() Inner circle The Netherlands 5829 Posts ![]() |
Someone mentioned that the Svengali is dead. I literally laughed out loud.
Want to REALLY slay someone with a Svengali, then pull out your copy of Simon Lovell's Simon Says. The DS idea here is of course PRICELESS even when NOT doing the all the same card ending. As to the long ago OP's question, I NEVER do the whole deck changes to the same card ending. There are MUCH stronger endings in fact. Think outside the box. ![]() Ahimsa, Vlad |
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The_Outlaw![]() New user Texas 45 Posts ![]() |
I love the Svengali Deck.
Blows most laymen away i.m.o. On that note, I prefer to only perform the changing of all cards into one suit in front of smaller children (6 and under). Most parent's and older kid's will usually figure out it's a trick deck at that point, but the look on the younger kid's faces is always very rewarding. ![]()
Oh yeah?! Well...That's like...just your 'opinion' man.
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Zebaztian![]() Special user The Netherlands 655 Posts ![]() |
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On 2008-12-19 15:04, mike storz wrote: Well, thát's what the Svengali deck is all about. Besides it's not about the method, it's about the effect. If you can create such an effect and such reactions with a Svengali deck, why shouldn't you?
My mind reading routines: http://www.basjongenelen.nl/goocheltrucs/. Scroll a bit down to the English routines.
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Steven Keyl![]() Inner circle Washington, D.C. 2560 Posts ![]() |
Quote:
On 2010-07-18 14:05, Vlad_77 wrote: Vlad, I just read through Simon Says for the first time and the effect you indirectly mention is one of several that jumped out at me. Wonderful use of a SD.
Steven Keyl - The Human Whisperer!
Come visit Magic Book Report.com! "If you ever find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause, and reflect." --Mark Twain |
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J.Warrens![]() Inner circle Canada 1098 Posts ![]() |
Phil Goldstein has also put out some absolutely great ideas with the Svengali deck.
I used one of his sven routines a few years back, and fried a room full of magicians with it. It's all how you use it - this old piece of advice can be applied to pretty much anything in magic when it comes to gaffs, gimmicks, and props etc. Cheers. |
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MerlH Loyal user Carolina Shores, N.C. 272 Posts ![]() |
I work in a magic shop and pitch Svengali decks among other basic tricks. As Myrtle Beach is a huge tourist area we get customers in from all over the world. The few people that say they have the deck are usually people who come back year after year. If they shout,"I have that deck" I say, "its a great deck isn't it?" and they always shake their head yes. The deck is also a great way to introduce young people to magic. The hundreds of people daily who gasp when the cards are shown alike convinced me that I should ALWAYS show the cards alike. Still the greatest card deck in magic.
Merl Hamen Old dog-- New tricks
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shaneking![]() New user Sydney, Australia 61 Posts ![]() |
Some people are blown away by the revelation that a picked card becomes the entire deck. Me, I prefer to stick the "card" to the ceiling in advance or behind the the window...
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fingerjack![]() Special user CT, USA 568 Posts ![]() |
My thoughts on this very topic from an article several years ago...Hope you enjoy it.
Most serious card workers wouldn’t be caught dead with a Svengali deck in their pocket for fear of the headlines in the local magic newsletter, “He Used a Svengali!” While everyone surely has their own favorite-gimmicked deck, whether it’s a Brainwave, Invisible, Stripper, or any of their infinite offspring and spinoffs, the Svengali remains in my opinion to be one the most ingenious designs in all of the realms of magic. Burling Hull invented and marketed the Svengali deck it 1908 while still in his teens from some basic principals and already known techniques. I wonder if he could have ever imagined it's popularity would expand the globe and last this long. The Svengali has a strange relationship with magicians. They first embrace it, and then they shun it, and then they ultimately despise it. You see Svengalis everywhere; at the Discount Dollar store, in toy stores, in magic sets sold everywhere (including gas stations and supermarkets). You see them on late night infomercials, comic book ads, and they make them in all sorts and varieties including Baseball, Star Wars, and Pokemon cards. I would bet that there was even a Svengali of sorts in a box of cereal at one point. Svengalis have reigned supreme as the king of gaffed decks for decades in magic stores, fairgrounds, and carnivals around the world are probably responsible for getting thousands of people into magic. I would even feel safe, if speculating, that a vast percentage of laymen have either seen or actually owned a Svengali at one time or another, thus resulting in it less being commonly known as Svengali, and more often known as, “oh, the trick where the cards all of a sudden look the same.” It’s no wonder that any respecting card magician despises the Svengali to the point where they are telling the beginners to give it the quick ditch. But it’s for these very reasons that you can exploit the Svengali. Read on . . . When I first started work at a magic shop in Germany, I asked my boss if he sold any Svengali decks because I didn’t see any laying around. “Svengali deck?” he said raising a brow, “they’re for kids.” He pointed to a shelf where on top sat three decks under a quarter inch of dust. They were a Scat deck Svengali, bridge size, only 32 cards, the force card being the ever-obvious Queen of Hearts. I decided to prove him wrong, and within two days had sold all three. I then fooled him later that week with my own Bike Svengali, and he felt shamefully duped and ordered several dozen. I never intended to be, but I more or less became a dreaded “Svengali pitch man.” I sold one every time I showed it. Not because I was great or anything, but because a Svengali is the ultimate power tool as far as card magic goes. When handled right, a Svengali routine can be simply devastating to laymen. Super clean, straight to the point, seemingly impossible. The problem lies in overcoming the bad rap and exposure that seems to have almost rendered the Svengali obsolete. How is this possible? Does this guy really use a Svengali? The real secret to the Svengali is a bit of reverse psychology. I’m not going to go into handlings of the Svengali, for they are (or should be) well known. The simple secret is this; the better you handle cards, the less people will suspect you of using something like the Svengali. The same applies to all trick decks. If your style demonstrates that you have great skill and are quite competent with a deck or cards, they would never suspect you of sinking so low as using a child’s toy, but naturually, we all know better. Some other important things you might want to consider: You should only use the Svengali after switching it out for a deck you’ve already done a trick or two with, preferably one where the spectator was allowed to shuffle the cards. Switching the deck is absolutely essential in camouflaging the fact that you have switched tactics. For the beginner to go out armed with only a Svengali and no regular matching deck, he is most certainly doomed. Way bad advice. Save the Svengali for your last card effect after you’ve subconsciously established in the minds of the audience that the deck you are using is an ordinary one. Even better, if the opportunity presents itself, borrow a deck that just so happens to match your Svengali and then you are really loaded. And most importantly of all, something that needs to be mentioned; never, never, ever, ever, show all the cards to be the same. Every beginner (including myself at one point) simply can’t resist the temptation to do the move during performance because in essence, it is simply baffling to the uninitiated. But how often after completing the move does the spectator ask to see the beginner’s cards? This is why the neophyte, after grown weary of and frustrated with rightfully skeptical people grabbing for his cards, chucks the poor Svengali in a junk draw to grow old and stiff. Paradoxically, this controversial move is also the Svengali trademark (if not one of the most eye-popping visual effects in all of card magic) as well as it's selling point, but I believe when the cards are all shown to have changed to the selected card, the effect of magic is lost due not only to the impossibility of it, but also to the familiarity of it. To show the cards all alike is in my opinion a mistake simply because the spectator, no matter how uninformed you think he or she is, knows that you must have a trick deck of sorts. There is no other explanation. Just because magicians don’t talk of such things, doesn’t mean the spectator can’t use a little deductive logic. The greatest asset of the Svengali becomes it's undoing. You should guard the secret to the Svengali as opposed to expose it. Pay no attention to the ads and the pitchmen that exploit the Svengali’s modus operandi only to make a fast buck. The only two times I can think of that would be an exception to this rule would be 1) You are performing off the cuff for a bunch of little kids just for fun and you want make their eyes pop out, or 2) You want to show your magician friend that you just burned him with a Svengali. That’s it. Any other time is almost as the same as to say, “Hey, do you remember this trick from when you were a little kid?” or “How do you like my phony magician’s secret trick deck?” A few more tips on handling. When using a Svengali (especially for those in the know), never completely square up the deck. Handle it freely and openly as can be. Stick it right under their noses and make everything as fair as possible. Let them cut it, lay it freely in front of them, and cast an aura that says you have nothing to hide (but if they happen to reach for your Svengali, chop their hand off). That gimmicky sound of a Svengali being riffle shuffled is easily camouflaged by using a light touch, and you will find that you can convincingly false shuffle a Svengali both overhand and riffle with a minimal amount of practice. I prefer to force with a dribble force slightly angled so the spectator can see the faces of the falling cards. Or simply classic force (the force cards are easy to discern if you practice looking close enough). I’m not really fond of the classic Svengali “Stop” or finger-poke force, because they are both historically imbedded in the Svengali, and some people may possibly associate the two. Lightly spring and dribble the cards often so that the spectator subconsciously sees their faces and that all the cards are different (with of course never saying so). And lastly, do effects that are not closely associated with the Svengali. If you really think about it, the Svengali is so clever that you can think of hundreds of great things to do with it. The real secret is disarming your audience in the first place. Try not to see the Svengali for what it is and attempt to think past it and you might actually find a clever way to utilize it. If you happen to be a beginner, I don’t recommend running out to buy a Svengali right away. It's absolutely crucial to be somewhat proficient with a deck of cards and know a few decent basic tricks before you use one, and even then you really need to think about HOW to use it. If you already own one and haven’t done so already, spend $1 US Dollar (or equivalent) and pick up 75 Tricks with a Svengali Deck or invest a few dollars more in any of the cheap, fast-talking instructional videos. There should be plenty of information to get your imagination started. Hey, nobody needs a Svengali; it’s just a tool. Remember, YOU are the magic. I don’t use a Svengali in my routine anymore (although I did use it to fool the members of the Berlin Magic Circle), and I’m not really suggesting anyone else to do so either. But every now and then when I see one kickin’ around my junk draw I bring it along with me for the h**l of it. I have found that many times the tricks I do with a Svengali often receive a tremendous reaction. That’s just the way it is in magic sometimes. Yeah, I’m ashamed to admit to these things, and if I happen to die with a Svengali in my pocket, oh well, you will all know the truth about me. Hey, however you want to cut it, it was magic in the eyes of the spectator and that’s all that really matters. Maybe you have one laying around in your junk draw? Why not dig it out, use your head a little bit, and fool someone today (preferably somebody who owns one)? Have fun and good luck.
MAGNAPALM - The World's first psionic magnetic implants that is changing the future of magic http://youtu.be/EDmg2bp_Cas
WASHED AND DRYED - An squeaky clean incredible full deck transformation! http://fingerjack.wix.com/washedanddryed |
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The_Outlaw![]() New user Texas 45 Posts ![]() |
Quote:
On 2010-07-30 09:43, fingerjack wrote: I absolutely loved this entire post! Right on! I'm going to practice some moves with my Svengali deck right now! ![]()
Oh yeah?! Well...That's like...just your 'opinion' man.
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Alex Rapattoni![]() Loyal user Seattle, Wa 229 Posts ![]() |
I saw a Svengali pitch at my local theme park yesterday and it really made me want to break mine out. It seems that magicians over think it and even I was impressed when he showed all the cards the same (if not fooled). I think that there is plenty of life left in Svengali.
Weird is part of the job.
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Mind_Magic![]() Inner circle The Sunshine State USA 1237 Posts ![]() |
Dead Svengali Decks? Never!
Always I use Svengali Decks but with a different touch. I use a tarot Svengali deck and Rorschach Ink Blot Svengali Cards both from card-shark. They really play big! |
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Paul![]() Inner circle A good lecturer at your service! 4395 Posts ![]() |
Did anyone actually say the Svengali deck was dead? If they did I missed it, and the statement would certainly be incorrect.
![]() There is no question there are some great routine in print that would fool lay people as well as magicians, but the theme of the thread was specific to the "all the same ending", which without doubt is the best ending for the pitchman. I guess it's sad the deck got to be a pitch item in the first place, but the truth is, if not for its position most of us might never have been introduced to it in the first place. |
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fingerjack![]() Special user CT, USA 568 Posts ![]() |
Quote:
On 2010-08-24 09:54, Paul wrote: Very good point indeed.
MAGNAPALM - The World's first psionic magnetic implants that is changing the future of magic http://youtu.be/EDmg2bp_Cas
WASHED AND DRYED - An squeaky clean incredible full deck transformation! http://fingerjack.wix.com/washedanddryed |
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Olympic Adam![]() Inner circle 1253 Posts ![]() |
We should stop kids and one-trick people from getting them, the only reason that I would not use it would be the fear that it will be spotted. This can be helped by obviously not showing it as all the same card and handling it like other cards.
I taught the Svengali deck to a 6 year old yesterday, she did well but I'm not sure she really knew what was happening and why the 9 of hearts that has just gone in the middle is now on top can be seen as a shock. Having said that, she did it all herself and did really well.
Protection for mind readers and mentalists: http://tricksofthemind.com
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Paul![]() Inner circle A good lecturer at your service! 4395 Posts ![]() |
Quote:
On 2010-08-24 12:59, Olympic Adam wrote: Your post sounds a little contradictory... ![]() |
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Sealegs![]() Inner circle The UK, Portsmouth 2579 Posts ![]() |
Fingerjack wrote:[quote]To show the cards all alike is in my opinion a mistake simply because the spectator, no matter how uninformed you think he or she is, knows that you must have a trick deck of sorts. There is no other explanation.{/quote]
Reading this got me thinking.... and it would seem that by this reckoning any all backs routine must also leave the spectators thinking that you're using a trick deck of sorts. And indeed any General Card or Universal Card effect must too. In fact thinking about it.... this can be said of practically every magic effect going.... that is: there's no other explanation but the one that describes how the effect is achieved. And there we all were thinking we were creating a sense of the impossible being made possible. In practice though that is exactly what we do achieve if we are successful in our exploits as magical performers. So seeing more that one card of the same value or an unusual card like a double backer need not instantly and automatically send the spectators thought processes leaping to a conclusion (incorrect or otherwise) about the mechanics of an effect. It could do though...if we as performers don't ensure our presentations prevent this from happening. 'There is no other explanation possible', is not a good starting point or end point for looking at potential issues with using a Svengali deck.
Neal Austin
"The golden rule is that there are no golden rules." G.B. Shaw |
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fingerjack![]() Special user CT, USA 568 Posts ![]() |
Some very good thoughts Sealegs, thanks for the intriguing comments. However, it is still my belief that the Svengali can be a far more powerful effect WITHOUT showing all the cards to be alike.
I believe there is no trick deck that comes close to the exposure the Svengali has seen over the years. If a performer would show a laymen a trick where it appears there could be a duplicate or multiple cards of their selection (such as an unsigned Ambitious Card Routine), the finale of showing all the cards to be alike may pop eyes for a second, but what do you think they will include? I know it's easy to get lost in the land of "Well, it's obvious to me because I am the magician and I know the secret, but it will fool the layperson," but on the other side of the coin, audiences are a bit clever than we give them credit for. Especially in this day and age. My final point, as a performer, I would never show all the cards to be alike but certainly can perform other miracles with almost the same impact using the Svengali. It's really a tough call, mostly depending on your personality and your audience. I am certainly no *********, whose routine satisfies both stances. Just my humble opinion. Regards, Corey
MAGNAPALM - The World's first psionic magnetic implants that is changing the future of magic http://youtu.be/EDmg2bp_Cas
WASHED AND DRYED - An squeaky clean incredible full deck transformation! http://fingerjack.wix.com/washedanddryed |
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cvwtzhaar![]() New user 36 Posts ![]() |
I have fooled many a layman with the Svengali, I incorporate a few basic sleights with it.
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Jon-O the Great Elite user 493 Posts ![]() |
I'm having a hard time agreeing that the Svengali is dead. I sell a DOZEN or more decks every weekend and it isn't even my main pitch.
But when kids (and many adults) see the effect, especially the 1st trick, wnen I can name the force card BEFORE they show it to me, they truly are amazed. So please, KEEP on thinking it's dead. Leaves more money for me!:) Jon |
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Cyberqat![]() Inner circle You can tell I work on the net from my 2210 Posts ![]() |
Magicians will recognize the Svengali no matter what you do. Don't worry about them, they aren't who you need to fool.
It is always darkest just before you are eaten by a grue.
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