talkmagic.co.uk

Hi guys and girls (yes, both of you!)

I need your wisdom! I don't usually do card cheat/gambling routines because I find them a bit boring to be honest, and more of a skill display than magic.

But...!

There's a possibility I will do a gig themed around "Las Vegas" and so am thinking, perhaps I should have a few of these strings in my bow.

My second deal is coming along slowly but probably won't be ready, and even my basic riffle-stacking is a bit awkward. What I'd really like to know is - does anyone know of any good routines that use more "magic-style" sleight of hand, but give the impression of incredible gambling ability?

I find regular card cheat routines hard to get my head round, you'll secretly do a second deal to accomplish one thing, then reveal the second deal but trick them using a false shuffle instead, then tell them you're riffle stacking, which you do, but you also do a bottom deal... When the explanation comes round on the DVD I never know if it's a move I'm supposed to be using secretly or revealing to increase my apparently gambling abilities!

But what I'd like - if they exist - are any routines that supposedly prove your ability to do a perfect centre deal or riffle stack, when actually you've used false shuffles and cuts etc.

Card cheating, but weighted towards cheating at card cheating!

Also, if anyone knows any strong routines with dice/poker chips, I'd be interested. Pref. not involving me buying a £30 brass poker chip colour monte set! (Although I heard something about some kind of monte with little discs once - what is that routine and where can I find it?!)

Lots of questions, thanks for reading!

Have a look at Past Midnight by Ben Earl. There is a whole DVD devoted to gambling routines. In total there are 3 DVDs which by anyones standards are hard to beat and are first class.

I find gambling routines go down very well due probably to the interest in televised and online Poker.

There are potentially any number of routines that you coud give a gambling twist to. One of my favorites and a very popular one with the specs is the Master Poker deal from the Thirteen DVD (self working too which helps).

Jeopardy is also a great one for gamblers.

I agree with Dat above, gambling routines are very popular. I tend to use them more and more. I did a kids party the other week. They were all either ten or eleven years old and I used a gambling patter. They loved it (even if I say so myself), since it turned out that they were all regular blackjack players.
Yes! Even I had to read that twice.

You see I have two sets of patter for some of my routines. One is 'magic' the other is a gambling patter.
Mechanically the tricks are identical.
This gives me an opportunity to alter the patter as I see fit, according to how I think the specs will react.

It also means that I have, in a sense, twice as any routines.
Actually that's not true at all, really.

Farlsborough, are there any of your routines for which you can simply write a new gambling patter?
It does take a little imagination, although really any prediction or transposition efffect can be adapted.

Ah yes, transposition effects could work very well...

I'm trying to think now... Perhaps a Spectator Cuts the Aces routine would go down well, I also do a shuffling routine which could be adapted I suppose. Thinking about it, OOTW could work ("the hardest skill is being able to read your opponent - we'll try a simplified experiment")... actually, I also do Virginia City Shuffle... thanks guys, that's already helped a lot.

Dat, I'm not familiar with the Jeopardy plot, could you elucidate? Maybe I'll check out that DVD for the master poker deal, sounds good - I generally have avoided routines with lots of dealing out cards, I personally find them a little dry compared to stuff with flash paper, card to impossible location etc, and I'm also often performing without a table, but maybe I should change my tune!

You're very welcome Farlsy.

I have a few ideas of my own that I would be happy to share but the thing is I'm not too keen about putting them on a public forum.

They are my little babies you see.

Going to try a few out tonight actually, a friend of mine is promoting a student night and Hey Presto! I've invited myself along.

In RRTCM, there is an effect called "a poker puzzle" which is perfectly suited to the gambling theme and card cheating. It begins as a method of showing bottom dealing in action (your bottom deal can be hopeless, as you're doing it slowly to show the audience how it works) to deal yourself the 4 kings in a hand. the cards are then gathered up, the deck shuffled and you deal out 5 hands again, whilst asking the audience to watch and see if they can catch you out. you then declare that you have once again dealt yourself the 4 kings. you turn over one hand at a time, to reveal that each of the hands in front of you contains a king. You have failed! But wait! You explain that all gamblers keep the best cards for themselves (or whatever you want to say) and you turn over your hand to reveal the 4 aces!.

Page 129 of RRTCM or under The overhand shuffle II.

I perform this on a regular basis, and it is a really nice effect. Basic sleights so that a lot of time can be left to presentation.

This effect can be coupled with other tricks in RRTCM such as "the obliging aces", "poker player's picnic" and "the good luck card" to create a nice little routine.

Transpositions are very good to use a patter for gambling. I love this video on youtbie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApRzFiT9vKc

The Scarne on card tricks is good for self worker gambling routines but I suppose you need to set the deck up for them.

Anything you can find by Martin Nash, AKA the charming cheat. The man is a legend with good reason. Even though gambling routines bore the tarr out of me. The following is a link to Meir Yedid's web site, but I like the write up on Martin Nash. Just be aware I would not put his stuff in the 'easy' catagory.

Farlsborogh wrote:

OOTW could work

You know what? I was thinking along the very same lines. I think that the routine would suit some patter around statistics etc.

Dat, I'm not familiar with the Jeopardy plot

I Couldn't find a Youtube vid so you'll have to make do with a description.

Jeopardy is a marvelous routine and Lennart Green also has a version of this. Basically, you split the deck in two and give one half to a spec and keep the other. After shuffling the halves you each swap a random number of cards, turn over and shuffle into the cards that you are holding. Change a few more cards and repeat. You can do this a few more times etc. before taking both halves back and riffle shuffle them together.

Paul Green has the prediction printed on a sheet of paper while Lennart write out the prediction after the shuffling, pretending to have counted the cards. You then reveal the exact number of face down cards, how many of them are red and what suit the black ones are with a kicker ending. There's a thread somewhere and it's on his 'In the Trenches' DVD from Penguin.

Master Poker deal - you set up the deck with the four aces on the bottom to demonstrate the bottom deal which you do slowly so the specs can see it. You then place the four aces into the middle of the deck and tell the specs that you will demonstrate a middle deal but will do it as normal so that it looks as if you're dealing from the top.

Deal five hands of 5 cards and turn them over and the specs will pick up that it hasn't worked as the aces are in the other hands. Turn your hand over last to reveal a Royal Flush. Totally self working and slays poker players

Stacked decks are perfect for blackjack 'card-counting' routines. Show how easy it is with only one deck in play. After a few hands start whizzing through the rest of deck without going bust on any hand. Practice the patter and rthymn and keep up a running commentary and the overall effect is quite impressive.

Shuffle Bored by Simon Aronson is another one where the deck is divided and randomly shuffled by two different specs. This appeared in Magic Magazine some years ago - at least four years, possibly longer.

I would stay away from second deals etc. if this slight is usually not on your repertoire.

There are many effect involving poker deals etc. What is possible depends a lot on you shuffles. Lennart Green have some nice poker routines combined with what I think he call table chaos. This type of demonstration is quite entertaining and will keep you in safe waters!

The card college also discuss a number of poker and gambling demonstrations all build into one routine.

Hope this is helpful....

Mandrake wrote:Shuffle Bored by Simon Aronson is another one where the deck is divided and randomly shuffled by two different specs. This appeared in Magic Magazine some years ago - at least four years, possibly longer.

Lenart Green have a version of this affect that is a fantastic opener. It is presented on Green Light. I have used this effect on many occasions, and it has a nice story line and involve quite a number of spectators right from the start. I usually hand out packets of cards and ask various spectators give the cards a shuffle. Minimal care is needed when you collect the cards but if you can hold a b***k you are home and dry!!

The routine should in my view (that this is also how Lennart Green present the effect) be presented as an estimation effect rather than a prediction effect. The final kicker makes the whole effect a sure winner.

any kind of jonah...

i like the basil horwitz routine, with three hands of poker between two people, with free choices thrown in of certain cards...jermay has probably done a version on penguin.com as a download..the horwitz routine though is the best in my opinion...

upping the stakes from a tenner, to twenty, to fifty - with more and more open choices each time...i think derren based an effect on basil's one...