There is clearly tons of great info here, but I'm still confused... I feel like this is a classic that I should really have in my card conjuring arsenal, but I still don't know were to look to find a basic "I saw a guy do this trick... so I went to the magic shop" version of this effect. Do I dare ask for even more help?

A nice description of The Six Card Repeat appears beginning on page 229 of "Roy Benson by Starlight".

It's explained there that the effect was invented by Tommy Tucker and published in 1933. The writeup in the Benson book compares the Benson method with Senator Crandell's routine.

I saw Crandall do this many years ago at a Magician's Guild lecture and I worked out a Perverse Magic routine around these thoughts that I have used for many years.

I discuss the plot with references in "Small But Deadly" and more later/recent versions in the sequel "Still Small, Still Deadly".

Climaxes include poker hands (Elmsley, Osterlind, Krause) color changing backs (Stewart James) and simply good punch lines.

Variations for the close up table include routines by Marlo, McBride, Paul Gordon etc.

Stevens Greater Magic Library have a DVD with several versions on which may prove useful to someone thinking of working on the routine.

Paul.

Michael Close has a version you described. The last card left is a four.

Your avatar is scary. People are afraid of you.

Sorry, it's a 4 card repeat... But people are still afraid of you.

Thanks for the help. I think I might try to check out the Great Magic Vol. 35 DVD. I like Michael Finney a lot and I think his version of the trick was the first one I ever saw.

...but what about something as simple as:
http://www.magic.org/store/product_info.php?products_id=1267

?

The routine that ends with a four is Dan Garrett's Four Card Reiteration, and it is very good, but does require that you are proficient with sleight of hand.

Is that the version that Michael Close uses? I always thought it was his own.

I believe Mike does a variation of Garrett's.

Pat Page had a variation combining cards to pocket with the repeat. Fred Kaps featured it in his layman act.

Wayne Dobson has a very funny version which is a 5 card repeat. It's in his 'Special Effects' release.

Does Paul Harris' Eleven Card Trick from AoA 1 count?

Lawrence makes a very interesting point about the effect being very popular without ever taking off. I think his assessment is correct in that the final pay off, despite the efforts of many a creative mind, is nearly always very weak and so a punchy climax eludes the effect.

Another thing about the 6-4 card repeat is that the very thing that makes it interesting can also make it extraordinarily dull. That is, the repeating nature of the effect. The mystery and the potential hook of the effect so often plunges it into terminal boredom.

Wayne Dobson came up with the most simple solution to this problem. In fact it's such a simple and obvious solution that the creative genius of his routine was that he spotted the glaringly obvious thing that had passed by others (including me) for years. So often this is the case. Those who follow can easily dismiss such contributions as trivial and, indeed, obvious. But to my mind teasing out what was there waiting to be found and discovered is a talent to be admired.

His solution to the punch line problem is equally as elegant and is an approach that I have used in other effects that don't have a natural end. Don't fight it. Recognise that the effect doesn't have an end and sell that as the ending the effect... i.e. you present the ending as if you could go on and on and on and on....

So my advice for the 6 card repeat...check out Wayne's version.

Anyone ever check out Max Krause's A Poker Story from Innovative Deceptions?

Randy Wakeman has a nice routine here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Q_21bQTXUI

Taj

There are one or two in The Card Magic of Nick Trost, but they are fairly sparse...no serious suggestion of presentation, mostly just the mechanics (which is the wont of this book actually). It is a much easier handling than most of the false counts though.

Hello Pete
Do you have any idea of where Pat dealt with this combination (which I think is a grand idea because it is so simple and natural)?

Pete don't bother searching I think that I found it: there is a six card repeat on p 66 of his Big Book Of Magic (c)1976 with the illustrations of the late Eric Mason (a great magician in his own name) and Lybrary.com is selling this masterpiece for a ridiculous $15

If this wasn't the one, I would call on you again but thanks for mentioning this

Hi Guys-

Im a a regular worker of this effect-not every show mind you and I admit I use the standard routine script with a couple of changes and finish with a fast 12 card count into the hat-
I then do a Diminishing cards as an extra finale & it plays really well for a lay audience............

I like TIM Ellis's version too. Very entertaining and fun.