Six Card Repeat

Struggling with an effect? Any tips (without giving too much away!) you'd like to share?

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Six Card Repeat

Postby neil_the_newbie » May 27th, '16, 06:19



I was wondering if either of these 2 versions of Six Card Repeat use ungimmicked cards?

Mark Lewis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlN3dR_al7Q

and Randy Wakeman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwtQRkBSg84

I understand the Randy Wakeman one is on Lake Tahoe Bar Magic but not sure if the Mark Lewis one is on DVD anywhere? I have to be honest - I know very little about this trick.

Thanks in advance.

Neil

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Re: Six Card Repeat

Postby Mandrake » May 27th, '16, 09:54

I'm sure Mark will be along soon to tell you all about his method! Most ungaffed versions seem to use the Buckle count which I can't do so I cheat and use home made gaffed cards :oops: !

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Re: Six Card Repeat

Postby bmat » May 27th, '16, 14:01

As stated above, I'm sure Mark Lewis will be around soon enough. So I will let him speak to his performance.

What I can say is that almost all the six card repeats are with gaff cards. That said I don't believe Randy Wakeman is using gimmicks. At least he wasn't when I saw him live and it was the same routine. Did he eventually switch in gimmicks? I can't say. Watching that particular video I know what he has to do to make it work, but I can't see him doing it so I cannot reply with a 100% certain response, only that it can be done without a gimmick.

The only other person I've seen perform the stand up version without a gimmick is Romain. And he has never published it and it is not on any sort of film anywhere. It is not an easy routine and it is all 'by accident' he counts the cards in a drunken type haze. he looses count and puts his arms down in a dramatic huff and cards, unknown to him fall to the ground. He counts six again, looks at the last card confused, throws his hands in the air, more cards come flying out unknown to him. He sighs and counts again. By the end of the routine he is standing in a pool of cards still trying to count six cards.

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Re: Six Card Repeat

Postby Mandrake » May 27th, '16, 19:00

I've seen Michael J Fitch do it with a normal deck and the Buckle count, very slick but, as I said above, out of my skill set!

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Re: Six Card Repeat

Postby magicofthemind » May 28th, '16, 10:01

I've done it (years ago) using the glide; it worked pretty well.

A warning: the routine in The Dai Vernon Book of Magic. At one point Ganson tells you to count x cards as y using the "thumb push-off method" - and he doesn't explain that! (I believe I've found it in Stars of Magic but it isn't specifically given that name.)

Barry

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Re: Six Card Repeat

Postby TonyB » May 29th, '16, 00:41

Most pros would do this ungimmicked. Mark wouldn't dream of using gaffed cards.

When I was in my teens I used the gaffed cards, but discovered it is a lot easier to do it for real. And more satisfying.

The second clip (Randy Wakeman) was not a six card repeat. The method would be different. And again, no gaffed cards.

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Re: Six Card Repeat

Postby Mandrake » May 29th, '16, 13:39

I agree with Tony, using gaffed cards isn't the best way of doing this routine but it works for numbskulls like me. I guess I need to go and practice the necessary sleights...... I may be gone some time..... :D

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Re: Six Card Repeat

Postby magicofthemind » May 30th, '16, 12:09

Mandrake, there are a few alternatives to the standard method in Tarbell vol.3.

I orginally tried to learn the buckle method from Pat Page's Big Book of Magic but failed miserably. Several years ago I saw him explain the buckle at a lecture, and when I got home and tried it I found it very easy. Sadly I've now forgotten how to do it and I can't ask him to explain it again.

Barry

Last edited by magicofthemind on May 31st, '16, 11:35, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Six Card Repeat

Postby neil_the_newbie » May 30th, '16, 12:51

Thank you for your thoughts guys. I think I am going to try and learn an ungaffed version with the Buckle Count. I think Mark Lewis's presentation is brilliant!

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Re: Six Card Repeat

Postby Mandrake » May 30th, '16, 21:43

Thanks Barry, I'll check Tarbell and see if I can master it.

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Re: Six Card Repeat

Postby mark lewis » Jun 6th, '16, 10:47

I only just noticed this thread. I must be slipping. Furthermore I wish to state that I am struck with the utmost horror of all this discussion of methods and secrets to be read willy nilly by the great unwashed public. Well at least unwashed in some of the areas I perform in anyway.

I do not use gaffed cards when I perform. I see enough of the bloody things when I am doing this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3GSItQV6io

I do thank Neal for his complimentary remarks and naturally I agree with every word he says. It is obvious that he is a man of astute and superb judgement.

The answer is no. I do not use trick cards for this although I did when I was a kid just starting out in magic. It is not as good as using pure sleight of hand although you do have to practice a trifle. The method I use is the one mentioned by Barry-that is the Thumb Push Off move. And I would like any laymen who are reading this to push off immediately otherwise I will put a psychic hex on them.

It is true that the move is not described in the Vernon Book Of Magic but it IS described in one of the Vernon card books by Ganson. It is the method I use although I do use the buckle count once only in the routine when I show four cards. I can't say for certain but I am pretty sure that most performers use regular cards for this trick. I really like this superb version by Wayne Dobson. I particularly like the very visual way he throws the cards all over the place and I have been tempted to do it this way but it makes a hell of a mess and besides I like to follow the trick with 3 cards across using the counted cards. Anyway watch the first minute or so of this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAWi15MAOmo

Let me tell you about my history with this trick. I always hated it. I thought it was corny and although, as I mentioned already, I once tried to do it when I started out with fake cards but I had utterly no success with it. I hated the hackneyed story that always goes with it and I decided that I would never do the bloody thing as long as I lived.

But then one day I worked with the late Harry Stanley, the magic dealer, who helped me produce my act. Harry insisted that I open my card act with the 6 card repeat and I protested mightily but he had an answer for everything. I told him there was no climax to the trick but he provided one which I still use. I told him the patter sounded stilted (and I still think it does) but he twisted my arm to do it and he prevailed. I reluctantly went along with it.

Best decision I ever made. It may not be a great mystery (and it certainly won't be after every layman who has ever seen me work reads this thread) but it does have one wonderful advantage. It is a terrific opener and is wonderful for quietening an inattentive audience. I found out accidentally years ago that when you count out loud it either gathers a crowd or in the context we are talking about gets attention immediately and stops chattering audience members very quickly.

When I worked the Northern clubs years ago I would sometimes find inattention and an unpleasant buzz of conversation around the room when I first went on. As soon as I learned 6 card repeat I found the second I started counting the conversation ceased and everyone watched attentively.

I have even performed this trick in the circus ring. It is a great trick to add to your repertoire. I still don't like it though!

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Re: Six Card Repeat

Postby magicofthemind » Jun 7th, '16, 10:49

The best performance I've seen was by Paul Daniels; I think it was in a Royal Variety Performance. I remember him moving from one side of the huge stage to the other between the phases. It was hilarious.

Barry

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Re: Six Card Repeat

Postby mark lewis » Jun 7th, '16, 14:26

I hated the way Paul did it. And bear in mind I am a big fan of Paul Daniels. Above all I hated that dreadful and unnatural glide count which looked like nothing on earth. Mind you, I never saw him moving from one side off the stage to the other. Maybe I missed something somewhere. Still, I think the Dobson version was much better.

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Re: Six Card Repeat

Postby magicofthemind » Jun 8th, '16, 09:30

mark lewis wrote:I hated the way Paul did it. And bear in mind I am a big fan of Paul Daniels. Above all I hated that dreadful and unnatural glide count which looked like nothing on earth.


He didn't use the glide in the performance I'm thinking of. It was a very natural count.

Barry

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Re: Six Card Repeat

Postby mark lewis » Jun 11th, '16, 23:15

He must have been doing it another way on the occasion you mention. I didn't see that. I only saw him do some monstrosity of a version with the glide.

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