Memorized Breakthrough Card System (MBCS) by Richard Osterlind - Review
Bought mine from : http://www.osterlindmysteries.com/
Price : $10 as a downloadable e-book.
Difficulty : This is a subjective view. The potential is immense. But there is a pay off, such that quite a bit of learning of words is required. After all, it is a memory system. So I’ll give it a 4/5 for preparation, and a 2/5 for use.
They Say :
The best of both worlds!
For over 20 years, magicians and mentalists have been using the Breakthrough Card System with outstanding success.
Now, with this new e-book and the help of Harry Lorayne and his wonderful memory systems, Richard Osterlind now divulges the exact method he uses to memorize his Breakthrough Card System. This e-book will enable you to memorize the system in just one evening! Now, you'll be able to perform all the wonderful effects possible with a memorized deck such as those by Tamariz, Aronson, Joyal, Nikola, etc., and still use your favorite card system!
The advantages of having a deck that is both mathematical and memorized are obvious. A slight lapse in memory can be corrected by using the system you already know. No crib sheets are ever necessary. On the other hand, the mnemonic principles reinforce the basic secret of the Breakthrough Card System! You will find that, like Richard, your mind will combine both principles to give you lighting-like mastery of the deck!
There is no mathematical stack as perfect as the Breakthrough Card System. It is, by far, the most random looking stack in existence and there's no better teacher of memory training than Harry Lorayne. His work in the field of mnemonics is legendary! It's an unbeatable combination - the best of both worlds!
(Please note that this manuscript does not teach the Breakthrough Card System. It is an add-on tool for those already fascile with the system.
I say :
If you know the Breakthrough Card System (BCS), you know you are onto a good thing. The BCS is a method for divining a card in a stack. The very random looking, stack can be cut and false shuffled, but with a minor peek and quick calculation, you know a participants card value. Highly recommended.
The MBCS adds the ability to know the card in the stack at a given position. So, if your participant chooses the number 33, you can count to that card, and reveal its value, before you show the card !
For your money you get, almost instantly, a 15 page downloaded PDF booklet, well produced, that describes the method.
The divination of a card is cunning and VERY effective, but there’s no such thing as a free lunch, and you will need to invest time and effort to learn the ‘memory words’ used to support Richard’s system. The payoff however, is a strong one. The method is well presented and the text follows a logical flow. Hints, tips and helpers are provided, so this is probably as good as it gets. The rest is down to you, to learn and practise.
So once you have learnt the system, all you need are your cards using the BCS method, and your brain. That’s it !
The final section of the e-book gives a couple of routines. In the examples they both use the deck set at a particular point. It would have been nice to include some thinking on how to work the system at any point, but with a little thought, this can be achieved.
More routines would have made for interesting reading, but perhaps it’s best to let your imagination create routines to your personal liking ?!
( Note : For those unhappy with too much mental calculation, it would be easy to incorporate a writing pad into a routine, such that you could scribble your ‘thoughts’ as you determined the appropriate card ).
Overall :
The e-book is as clear and well set out as it can be. Combine the MBCS with Osterlind’s BCS, and prepare to amazed. You’ll amaze yourself and will dazzle others. Again, effort IS required, but the payoff is immense !
Rating : 9/10, because nothing is perfect.
But if you are prepared to put in the time effort to ‘learn’ the method, this investment is probably as good as it gets, and all for $10 !