I have been trying to learn the side steal. I know the moves, but cannot yet do them fast enough. The main issue is my inability to coordinate, quickly enough, the left hand's squaring actions of the sides of the deck with the right hands squaring the ends of the deck; the latter loading the card on top of the deck.

My question is whether it would be OK to just hold the cards a couple of seconds and skip a beat or two, which by then would allow me to neatly coordinate the squaring actions and placement of the stolen card.

I understand it would be better to be immediate, but until I get there, is it so bad to wait a couple of seconds before "smoothly" loading the card during a squaring action. Of course, I am assuming the stolen card remains hidden at all times.

Paul Cummins has some nice work on the Side Steal. His technique covers the angle from the left where someone burning the deck might see what's going on. I think it may have been in Genii or maybe MAGIC.

Mike

Hi Teddy. Can I ask how you learned the Side Teal and how you've studied its execution?

Mike and Magicfish, I have (1) Looked at Paul Cummins's DVD; (2) read Marlo's write up in Revolutionary Card Technique; (3) watched Jason England's video; and (4) and read the relevant chapter in Roberto Giobbi's Card College. So Mike I have learned a bit from Cummins via his DVD. Each source reinforced a similar 90% of the move. I have smallish 74 yo hands which may not be suitable for certain sleights, such as doing the side steal at maximum speed. My original question hoped that adding 1 or 2 extra seconds wouldn't just kill the effect.

So, instructionally I think I've been diligent. I have tried to execute properly--retreated--tried again, etc. I am finally trying to put together a little repertoire that opens with Cummins's version of A La Anemann from his DVD; a nice quick and clean effect.

I don't think the side steal should be executed quickly. You don't want to draw attention to the hands. Paul Cummins used the side steal in his multiple selection routine. He'd execute the move smoothly and relatively slowly to control each new selection. That's about 8 to 10 side steals in a row. To be honest, I don't think that repeated side steals are a good idea. There's something a little "cozy" about the move. Spectators might begin to think, "Why is his right hand moving to the right and then back to the left every time someone selects a card???"

My very dry hands make moves like the side steal difficult. My skin won't grab the card and move it to the right. So I often look for other methods to control a selection.

What is your application? If it's just to get a selection to the top, there are tons of alternatives that might be better.

Mike

Getting to the top is my goal. I guess I also liked the challenge of doing a good side steal. I'm glad that at least you don't think slowing it down is inherently bad.
Also, suggestions of other methods to achieve this would be welcome.

Thanks for your comments.

I learnt the Side Steal way back as a teenager, from one of my favourite books - the much-overlooked Expert Card Technique. There's a section (from the 3rd Edition onwards) titled 'The Side Steal and some of it's finer points' by Dr. Jacob Daley.

I've also revisited the sleight in some depth this year, as I've been studying Nate Leipzig's work - a great deal of Nate's effects incorporated this sleight.

Having average-sized hands, I personally find Bridge Size Cards make life much easier to perform a Side Steal - but as I'm in England, that's the usual size of card used anyway. I can get away with Poker-size but tend to get an unwanted 'click' as the card exits the Side of the pack. Not a major problem, as we don't work in absolute silence - but a tad annoying nevertheless.

Just seeing this post, and the side steal is something I really like and have done for decades now. I still think it’s about one of the very best ways to control a selected card to the top of the deck. I learned it quite a long time ago but it took a bit longer to really get comfortable with it. With all the many times I’ve done it for real and just practicing, it has become a real part of me. Once you better understand what & how people see things you become very confident doing the move. I would say that you hit the nail on the nose in asking if it would be good to “take a beat or two” as you do it. And that’s exactly the way I have always done it. Moving immediately into the move can be much more telling than taking that moment in between. I have played greatly with this and even though I can pretty smoothly do it in one action, I find that that’s not quite the best way to do it. It really is better to take the moment in between and then continue on with the action. I like to pause and ask the spec can you remember the card, that it’s important you do. Also it is good to finish it up with an action like turning the deck, riffling the cards or going into a shuffle. It all works to deceptively hide what you’ve done behind a more casual manner. The brief misdirection allows for the better deception of it all. So, youre on the right track with that, and good practice will make it all work better for you, as it did me. Good journey to you.

I've never managed to perform the side steal from a regular deck consistantly enough to use it in the real world as more often than not I end up getting more than a single card, however I use it regularly in the real world when just using a small packet of cards.

Warren, thank you. I found your comments very encouraging and edifying. Much appreciated.

Mb217, thank you. I found your comments very encouraging and edifying. Much appreciated.

I am sorry for the mix-up. Warren, the use of bridge cards sometimes crosses my mind. But not there yet. Thanks.

John Carney is the modern master of the Side Steal.

I think I first learned the side steal about 44 years ago at age 7 from The Amateurs Magician's Handbook by Henry Hay, and from countless other books as well. I believe it is in Tarbell Lesson 13, (also on video with Dan Harlan's Tarbell Course In Magic, every trick in the book) and Greater Magic I remember specifically. I also remember seeing it on Daryl's Encyclopedia of Card Sleights, which is the best overall work on card sleights you can get, especially DVD.

I have used it many times although it is not a sleight I use all the time, as there are many other more practical ways to control a card that looks less suspicious. Kinda like some magicians like to show off doing a pass when it is not necessary, even the audience is supposed to see nothing. Unless you are doing a riffle pass as a color change, like my buddy Jamy Ian Swiss does so well.

But it depends on the trick also. It was a lot harder to do as a kid with smaller hands, and dry hands, with the long PA winters. B as an adult in the Summer time it was a lot easier. It is just another sleight that the more you practice it the better it gets over time. Everyone's hands and skill levels vary also. Some can do certain sleights very well but struggle with others.

Thank you for those citations. I have a few of them and will check them out; Amateur Magician's Handbook, Daryl's DVD and Greater Magic. Thanks again.

Cool, those are great sources and there are many others as well. As you said sometimes pausing and misdirection can help as well until you get a move down. I also remember it from "Expert Card Technique" and "Card College" as well which I see has already been mentioned.

I also just remembered that you can look up a sleight on the "conjuring archive" site, and it will show you a vast array of resources on the sleight and when it is mentioned in books. https://www.conjuringarchive.com/list/se......de+steal

It's in The Card Magic of Paul LePaul as well. A couple of methods.

I haven't had much luck with LePaul's book. The explanations are quite brief and the photos too dark. But, I will take your advice and give it another shot. Thanks.

I love LePaul's book but I agree that the photo quality is garbage. It would be better supplemented with line drawings.
I wouldn't recommend it as a first book but as a supplement to an existing base of knowledge. He has some refinements and applications once you've learned the techniques from a better source.

The Le Paul book is close to impossible to follow. The photos are useless.

Giobbi demonstrates the instruction on CC 3&4 instruction DVD. It is perfect. He has studied this forever.