Hi Barry, is it listed in the table of contents or is it buried?

@magicfish page 167.

Thank-you.

Thanks, mb217 for the feedback and the recommendations. I've been waiting to respond until I could track all of them down.
I was able to purchase electronic versions for Asi Wind and the HG Effect but have to wait for delivery of the physical product for FAST.

Where can I find Ben Earl's ACAAN in print?

I appreciate your help.

@smithart Bens ACAAN is not in print. You can find it on unreal card magic 2 from ellusionist.

That was my fear, based on my searches. That's a pretty hefty investment when I'm currently only interested in one effect. Not that it's not worth it, but I'm already spending quite a bit on what is basically an experiment.

And to be clear, that's what this is, an experiment. I'm trying to get enough real-life experience with these approaches that I can better evaluate the answers to the topic question, and I thought MB provided a good range of different approaches.

Of course, having spent the money, I will definitely be performing those that I can! And I hope to find a favorite among them.

The Ben Earl Unreal Card Magic sets are amazing.

To be honest the methods are pretty basic but the why it works is where the real value is.

That being said if you are just looking for the method as a starting point there is a full performance on YouTube from Ellusionist.

Another thought that came up around this topic is what is the actual effect.

ACAAN could be presented in a number of different ways. Is it a prediction, is it a demonstration of coincidence is it a penetration of the card falling / rising thought the deck, the list in endless.

The reason I bring it up is once we know the effect the method can either make or break the impossibility and inturn the reactions.

If it is a prediction there is every justification to openly move the thought of card to the thought of number (obviously before the spectator names the card/number). If the prediction was made in advance why isn't the card face up / different back etc.

If it is a coincidence it is entirely reasonable and almost expected that the spectator shuffles the cards.

Historically I have presented it as testing the spectators intuition. I suppose for me that was the reason them deal the cards was a non negotiable

Good point, David. This wraps another important layer around the spectators expectations, and therefore what they will accept procedurally as well as their ultimate reaction.

Just checking back here…smithart, what did you think of the ACAAN suggestions?

MB, I've started writing up my thoughts and plan to post them soon. I appreciate the help you've provided as I've gone through the process. I did find that although I was actually able to execute all of the approaches I tested (including your four suggestions), I wasn't comfortable enough with some of them to test with actual spectators.

I'm also afraid my write-up could be quite long, and I don't know how interested the readers of this forum will be.

So I have to decide whether to create one long post, several smaller posts, or just TLDR it.

As a fairly active contributor to this thread I would love to see where you land

I've concluded that ACAAN is not effective for all audiences, but it's worth having in the repertoire for certain kinds of people and situations. (To explain why would require, not surprisingly, quite a lengthy post.)

smithart, please write up your thoughts and post them. I'm interested in hearing what you've discovered.

The un holy grail by the godfather vinny marini https://youtu.be/YUAxxgd43Pk?si=N27UNlbFlAU7ULyT
two versions https://youtu.be/uLzbTLQqk1U?si=0537VCTquW04aw4w

it take courage to do this remember a camera is un forgiving

Earlier, I mentioned Juan Tamariz's handling of Al Baker's A Card and A Number (see page 207 of Mnemonica. There's a more detailed description starting on page 166 of The Magic Rainbow.)

Tamariz also has a more direct version of Any Card at Any Number using the classical method. (See page 82 of Mnemonica.) The first time I read it, I didn't pay much attention to it, but then I saw an actual performance on disk 2 of the Mnemonica Miracles DVD set. It played very well, and Juan has some great work showing how to create a strong emotional response with the effect. His version of Al Baker's A Card and A Number is easier to do, but his handling of the classical method is also well worth studying. Either one can create a strong impression on an audience.

Jeff McBride has talked at length about the difference between a Thinking audience and a Drinking audience. ACAAN is definitely for the Thinking audience. In my own experiences with this classic, without the right type of audience, this effect falls flat. (Perhaps you have a great way of making this play for a 'short attention span' audience. If so, more power to you!)

When using the classical method, I've gotten the best results with ACAAN when performing it as an encore for a sophisticated audience, a difficult piece of magic that is typically performed only for other magicians. (And this makes it special for the audience.) In the card magic that precedes ACAAN, the audience has shuffled the cards and handled them. Since we don't discuss methods, you know what you'd have to do to make this work. Since the show has already ended, the required work is pretty easy to do.

But that brings us back to the beginning. Once again, when you're performing this, what is the EFFECT? (Is it a coincidence? A prediction? Are you 'willing' the card to move to a specific position? You get the idea.)

And how will you ACT when you're successful? And what do you want your audiences to FEEL? And what STORY do you want them to tell afterword?

Barry, I think this is one of the most useful responses on this thread. Thanks!

(I know I can't hold off forever; I really need to post something soon.)

I have been watching this thread with great interest. It is genuinely encouraging to read the open and courteous exchange of thoughts on a fascinating topic. I have particularly enjoyed reading some of the very wise comments from deeply experienced forum members. The commentary regarding what we are looking for as a plot, method and response (spectators and ours) has been very insightful and helped me with shaping my own approach to the effect.

ACAAN has had its share of supporters and “knockers” on these pages. There are many magi who see it simply as self-indulgent and many others who are obsessed with its many forms, methods and complexities. I fall comfortably into the latter category. To each his own . . .

A few contributors have offered specific effects for you to review and by and large I agree with their choices as excellent examples of ACAAN. I have tried a number of different methods (including nearly all of those posted) and I have settled on two quite different approaches. My go to ACAAN Asi Wind’s (AWACAAN), with Barrie Richardson’s ACAAN a close second.

Along with many others, I believe that Asi’s is the gold standard and works well in practically all performing situations, but probably better in walk-around than any of the others. I find that Barrie’s version needs a table to work well (for me at least). I haven’t seen Barrie’s version mentioned yet, so I will add that it can be found in his wonderful book “Theatre of the Mind”. His version is open to having any card in the deck selected, but it does have a trade-off with the number range available for the spectator to choose from. This can be covered well with patter, but it is a trade-off nonetheless. I should also add that it isn’t advisable to have the spectator deal to the selected card, for reasons known to those who know the method. None of these restrictions apply to AWACAAN, hence the gold standard rating.

Both of the versions I perform utilise a memorised deck, which I think ticks the random order box, allows for dealing face up, thus preparing the deck for a fairly simple reset. As an aside, Barrie also teaches a very good impromptu (FASDIU) version in his book, which I have tucked away for a suitable time (spectator driven). It is far easier than any mem-deck versions, albeit with compromises that may eliminate it from your list.

The main challenge that accompanies AWACAAN is the required math on the fly, quite apart from the absolute need to know your mem-deck stone cold. This is what turns many away from this effect, however, with practice the math does become much easier, one could even say second nature. As with almost any effect, mastery of the component parts, making them look smooth and natural, belies the complexity and occasional madness that is really the case. I have been using an App that has been ideal for practicing Asi’s method, as it replicates the key piece of math within the method perfectly. It is called Stack Guru (I use an iPhone).

Finally, I would like to add my encouragement for you to share the results of your ‘experiment’ on here. I can already tell that it would make for an excellent read on a topic of genuine interest. If you are concerned about the sheer size of the treatise, there are alternatives. For example, you could either post a link, or offer it by PM. That way only those who are interested would follow up.

Either way, thank you for raising well thought out questions and thanks also to those who have engaged so helpfully.

I just re-read my previous post and realised that I “mis-spoke”. I indicated that Barrie’s impromptu version was in his book “Theatre of the Mind”. This is not the case. It was outlined in a separate “pamphlet”, released much later. My copy of TotM is dated 1999 and the Impromptu ACAAN document is dated somewhere around 2005 (as far as I could find). I know for sure that it is still available on Penguin.

I am not necessarily recommending that anyone purchase this, I just wanted to correct my post above.

Cheers!

<Taps the microphone>

Is this thing on? Anyone still here?
Paging Mr. smithart...

Ouch!

Okay, okay, I'm writing now, will post within the next 12 hours.