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Sorry Guys to pester you all but I would like some advice on different ways to get a break before a DL.

At the moment I use my left thumb as I straighten the deck and my pinkie whilst spreading the top cards. I have tried the snap DL (as explained by Daryl in his ambitious card) but I'm having trouble with the thumb count on this one.

So how do you, more experienced people, get a two card break before a DL. Anyting you could suggest would be very welcome.

Thanks again everyone.. and sorry to be such a simple question pain.

(PS. I learnt a trick in 2 hours yesterday (and to a presentable standard) as I had learnt all the sleights required already.. so at least I'm improving.. nice to realise that all the hours of practice really do make the difference)

Thanks

Slippery

Okayyyy. Now, who can I upset today...? Only joking!

Congratultions on learning a new trick to a good standard. It's a nice feeling of acheivement isn't it? You definitley need moments like that to make all the practice time worth it.

Personally I usually use that thumb-count get-ready. Some people just fumble around with their thumb at the back of the deck and get get the break but I personally think this is a bad thing (but I have been accused of being picky...). There are a few techniques you might want to look at like the buckle-count, the pinkie count and Daley's Instantaneous* DL where the get-ready and the lift are part of one integrated move. All these and more DL techniques are all on Daryl's Encyclopedia of Card Sleights Vol 5 or 6 (can't remember which one - one of them has all the palming stuff, the other has all the multiple lift stuff). Can't really explain the techniques in an open forum (I think?) but this disk/tape is a very good source.
If you're feeling very ambitious there's the push-off technique in Expert Card Technique (book by Hugard and Braue). This is very knacky though and might take a long time to get right - some people never quite get it.

* A lot of people use this one all the time. Jay Sankey always seems to use it. Daryl explains the Jennings Snap Double on the Encyclopedia video says 'It's my favourite' and then seems to spend the rest of disk using the Daley Instant. There's also a good explanation of it on Basic Card Technique.

Thanks Charles..

Looks like I'll be digging into my wallet..

Volume 5 is the one (I just looked at the review here)..

Thank you..

Slippery

I use the strike double...it is usually always pretty reliable. I just can't get to grips with the push off double (which requires a huge amount of practice to get right). ...and as for the Larry Jennings snap double..well...its more like an "exhibition" double and should be used for effect only IMHO.

i just get the thumb break at the rear when I'm straightning the cards nobody seeems to care.

Slippery:
If you're going to buy it then the cheapest place to get it is Wand Magic. I've always had good experiences buying from them but I've heard reports from others who weren't so satisified (but this is probably the case with most dealers).
You might want to try other, cheaper methods first though, to see if you get on with them. Like I said, I may tend towards the overly picky when it comes to technique.

I took to heart the advice in the Royal Road which was to have a timed gap between the preparation and the lift. I find the movement of the left thumb straightening the cards and getting the break is not noticable and appears natural to me and the audience although to start with I did sometimes get 3 rather than 2 cards.

Archie wrote:I took to heart the advice in the Royal Road which was to have a timed gap between the preparation and the lift.

Always use a gap between a move and a set up. This is the best kind of misdirection you can get.

As I'm mindreader, very little of what I do can be described as "moves" but you can bet any "fiddling" happens a very long time before it's effect is seen.

Doug

Have a look at http://www.allmagic.com/magicshow/douge ... ouble.html - it might help!

Thank you Mandrake..

That's excellent.. another variation to add to my growing toolkit.. (and some ideas from it as well)

Thanks

Slippery

magicdiscoman wrote:i just get the thumb break at the rear when I'm straightning the cards nobody seeems to care.

Me too!

Mike.

magicdiscoman wrote:i just get the thumb break at the rear when I'm straightning the cards nobody seeems to care.

Yea, I've managed to pull this off even when somebody was "burning" my hands. They seemed transfixed with looking at my hands on the deck but they didnt catch me. But still I think it is a bit risky and I prefer other more subtle ways of doing it.

Mandrake wrote:Have a look at http://www.allmagic.com/magicshow/douge ... ouble.html - it might help!

With regard to this page explaining an imperceptible double turnover, what exactly is bevel-ing.

I'm confused as I'm meant to bevel the top cardS, do I slide them, squeeze them?

Can someone explain cause at the mo I don't get it. Thanks, excuse my ignorance

At a guess, I'd say this means apply pressure with the thumb so the cards bend downwards in the middle towards your palm. I'm not much of a Cardician and (shame, shame, shame!) I don't have a deck of cards with me at the moment so can't try it out. As the main blurb suggests, all hands are different and you'll find your own way of doing this move in due course. Best of luck and please let us know how you're getting on.

bevelling the cards means they sit in a "slanted" position in the palm... think of the leaning tower of pisa! this makes it easier to lift the double with the right thumb if they are bevelled towards the performer.. easier with the right forefinger if they are bevelled away from the base of the left thumb and easier to pinkie count if they are bevelled towards the left thumb base.



hope that helps?