Wow, beautiful Center Deal LoïcJ!

I don't think it's LoïcJ who is performing the center deal in this video...

Exactly, it's not mine. I just want to have your opinion about it. I have the feeling that this center deal will be possible at a card table ?!

Wasn't aware that it was not LoïcJ dealing when I posted my comments about the efficacy of the deal,but my thoughts still apply regardless. It simply is not a "solid" move like a second deal and just doesn't stand up under all the conditions that one encounters in various game settings.

LoïcJ, this move can fly in a game, depending on the situation. I understand, this move in fascinating, but it's not a cheater's move. It's very good for demonstration, and you are magician so, you can certainly use the center deal in your demo (why don't use a pseudo center?), but if you want to know if it will fly in a game, the answer is, maybe, but it's useless. It's also depending on the game, for texas hold'em, 2 pocket cards, let's say 10 player, 3 burn card and 5 open card, for a total of 28 card dealt. If the cut was too deep, your middle slug is dead.

Cagliostro, as usually, I learn a lot of thing just by reading your post, and I second you, the video was great.

Well. I understand. Thank you.

Actually I use it ! It was just a little question about the video. The move is so good, I don't understand why it could be possible to use at a card table. Now I have an answer.

Going back a while it was common to play draw poker with a strip deck and I am just wondering if that would make a middle deal more practical, as you would be handling a 32 card deck?

I find it so-so.

The cut is completed in the hands, there is a very noticeable setup at the beginning and I'd like to see it from the front. Besides, each time he gets the deck back in the hands the setup takes ages. I'd like to see it with the cards sailed away too.

The take is nicely done though.

Just thought I'd clarify a few things from this thread.

1. Forte showed the pseudo-center deal routine to the producer of Hidden Secrets (Gary Ouellet) a few days before the taping. Ouellet had his world rocked by the demo and loved the "magician-fooling" aspect of the method. He insisted Steve include it in the show - it wasn't Forte's idea to include it. As someone who has practiced false deals for 20 years, I think it's 10 times harder to do than a regular center deal would have been.

2. It was the 9's that the guy on tv named, but he wasn't a stooge. There are other ways to skin that cat.

3. Derek's Spanish tv spots are not recorded. It's a live TV show going out to 3,000,000 people. The host (Pablo) has no idea what's going on. You see exactly what you see on television. How do I know? I was there for the most recent one with the bills. Just got back from Madrid an hour ago. Paul Wilson and Christian Engblom were also in attendance as Derek and Luis's guests. It was great.

4. Cagliostro is spot on about the practicality of the center deal in a real game. I'm not saying it's never been done, but the conditions must be just right for it to be a reasonable option (think a "7 pluck 1" scenario with the sucker in just the right seat to see nothing). The problem with the center is that if the conditions are right for it, then the conditions are usually right for a dozen easier moves as well. The center loses out to economy of effort in most cases.

5. It's Allan (Bill) Kennedy, not Robert Kennedy. Bish - Robert Kennedy was uh, someone else.

6. Anyone saying Forte is in a league of his own is absolutely right. I've never seen his equal when it comes to gambling moves.

Jason

Besides me you mean !

Jason,
Just wondering if you had any specific thoughts on the Kennedy center? I know you covered your thoughts and opinions of it in your 1 on 1, but was there anything you didn't put in that video that you wouldn't mind sharing?

You are too being much too modest, Tony. I think you mean you are in a “world” of your own, not a "league" of your own. Forte definitively comes in a distant “second” in this regard.

I sure you are right about that, Jason. I was writing from distant memory and you would have more direct knowledge of that magic performance than I. However, as I recall the four 9s were on the top of the deck and retained there during the shuffles and cuts, plus the camera cut away after the spectator called out the 9s. After the camera cuts away, and before the shuffling sequence starts, there are a number of ways of getting the 9s to the top.

As I also recall there was a magician (I think it was Bill Malone) who did something called the “Scarne Aces” after having one unopened deck selected from many. After the new deck was selected the camera cuts away before the magician goes into his Scarne Aces routine. The Aces at that point, from what I could see on the tape, were on top of the deck with some type of prepared card (crimped or otherwise) on the bottom. So the placing of the Aces on top had to be done during the time the camera was not recording the performance.

The point being it is hard to get an accurate viewing on a taped performance, especially when there are camera cuts in between and the angles of viewing are revised. But all of this is more in the province of magic trickery rather than practical gambling chicanery.


Forte certainly is a virtuoso when it come to manipulating the tickets, that is right after Tony45 of course. Got to give credit where credit is due.

Your low profile just got blown, Tony. Next we will probably be seeing you on YouTube demonstrating your moves like all the other "real" hustlers do. LOL

Im working on that project right now as we speak, right after I get through cleaning up the Middle East that is.

Your right - my mistake - thanks for the correction.

I think the book I was talking about was the magic and methods of Ross Bertram. This has the Kennedy center as I remember and some interesting copy written about Kennedy also.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf0F7f0c4N8 these centers are so great !

I watched the Greek Deal, but the video wouldn't load enough for me to see the others... The take looked good, but the thumb was dead!!!!!

Just to note, it's ridiculously easy to get the aces on top of the deck from new deck order without doing anything at all odd looking to a brand new deck of cards. The move required is well within the ability of much lesser card magicians than Bill Malone.

I am far to be skilled at this and I don't like this move for the reason that we spoke, but here is a little video of center deal training. If you have some thought...
Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tt413RQCzc&feature=youtu.be

I guess so..
but in that particular performance one of spectators shuffled the deck thoroughly before it was handed to Mr. Malone.