Richard Osterlind - Mind Mysteries - Volume 2 - The Osterlind Breakthrough Card System
In this volume of Richard Osterlind's landmark video series, he shares perhaps his greatest contribution to magic and mentalism-the Breakthrough Card System, considered by many to be the most ingenious playing card stack ever devised. The spectators could look at the cards for hours and never discover its devilish secret and, for the first time, Richard Osterlind, along with host Jim Sisti, shares twenty years of effects, performance tips, ideas and shortcuts with his inspired creation.
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Vol 1 - The Act - http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic37544.php
Vol 2 - The BCS (Breakthrough Card System) - http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic37627.php
Vol 3 - Assorted Mysteries - http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic37564.php
Vol 4 - More Assorted Mysteries
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Price: Approx £25-£30
Available from: Alakazam Magic, L&L Publishing, WorldMagicShop, & Others
Card Calling - A group of cards are removed from a shuffled jumbo-sized deck and the performer names them all. This effect, one that will play to the largest audience, has been a staple in Osterlind's stage show for over two decades.
My Thoughts: It's card calling, without an obvious stack! It means the clump of cards that the spectator takes seem as random as possible, as well as meaning that they don't have to shuffle their cards. This works just as well with a regular pack of cards, although Osterlind uses it in his stage shows and so uses an Over-sized pack for clarity. Card calling will always be a staple of Mentalism effects as it is the perfect kind of card trick that mind-readers can do, no sleight of hand, performer barely touches the cards, lots of scope for comedy, and extremely easy to do.
(9/10)
Two Cards in Pocket - A spectator places two cards in his pockets from a deck he's been mixing. Not only does the performer name them but also divines which one is in which pocket. This is a true killer!
My Thoughts: This is an absolute KILLER effect, and in my opinion the strongest effect on the disc, imagine a simpler version of the Chan Canasta effect where the spectator says which card is in each pocket, but nowhere near as bold and brazen to perform. This resets almost instantly as well, which makes it quite a good piece for walk-around mentalism, not to mention the fact that you can also do ANY of the other effects on this disc afterwards because the whole deck is reset, as well as a whole host of others, a few of which are explained in the guidebook. The 'Poker Deal' routine from 'No Camera Tricks' is also explained in the guidebook, and seems like a natural add-on or alternative to the blackjack demonstration on the end of the volume.
(10/10)
Challenge Mind Reading - A thought-of card is named without the performer ever touching the deck. Quite possibly the most impossible-looking card trick ever!
My Thoughts: This is a nice hands-off trick, which is also what can be said of nearly all of the tricks and routines in this volume. Benjamin Earl has added a nice subteltie to this on his 'Past Midnight' Collection called the 'Mental Voyage' subteltie, which works wonders when combined with the Osterlind BCS. This trick looks impossible to magicians as well as laymen, as you are being so flippant with the deck the whole time and allowing them full control over their card. What's more every move is logical and makes sense and theres nothing awkward that is added unnecesarilly. A great impromptu effect, which whilst it can be done with any stack, this is the stack to use for performing this routine as it is simply devious in it's apparent 'randomness'.
(10/10)
Corinda Effect - The performer names a card that was reversed in the deck by a spectator while he was holding the deck underneath the table. This is the trick that started it all!
My Thoughts: Wow, even the weakest trick on the DVD is an 8/10, that just goes to show you how good this material, and indeed this whole set is. An effect reminiscent of the ID, and saying that, one that can be easily mixed with an I.D to create one of the most amazing close up effects possible, if I recall Richard talks about this in the e-Book version of this which is where I first learnt about this system a while back. Two randomly turned over cards in two different coloured decks match!. I have only used this particular presentation a few times, but whenever I have it absolutely kills.
(8/10)
Blackjack Demonstration - Your spectators will be convinced that you are the greatest blackjack player ever! You not only know their hole card but also instruct them, quite successfully, on how to play their hands!
My Thoughts: If there was a final Degree Style paper you needed to sit before you could say you can use this system, this is it. Straight of the bat, this is not easy. You are calculating a LOT in your head, and can be difficult and quite frustrating at times. The effect is well worth it however, and if you add in a false shuffle and a 'deck-memorizing' sequence, this will make you look like rainman quite easily. A killer effect which makes sense and is great for gambling demonstrations as well as the aforementioned memory presentation.
(10/10)
OVERALL:
God only knows how Osterlind made the inital Breakthrough, but I am sure glad he did, this is by far and away THE best mathmatical stack to learn and put into use in your own routines and for creating new effects. The MBCS (Memorized Breakthrough Card System) with tips from Harry Lorayne and Osterlind is also highly recomendded, but I personally don't find much of a use for it, because once you are comfortable enough using the maths involved and not going to make a mistake, memorizing the deck is just a little bit more unnecesarry. A good point Richard makes is that if you are having to think in your head, it looks better because theres no acting!, you are genuinely trying to 'get' the card, and to spectators it looks like mind reading! Overall, one of the best volumes in this set, and by far and away the best playing card stack to learn when starting out.
A well earned 9/10
Phillip Northfield 2010
