talkmagic.co.uk

After stumbling across this site a few weeks ago I have quietly been reading reviews from the wings, picking out, based on reviews, which tricks I would like to learn. I was worried however that perhaps the reviews were being made from the point of view of someone who has some skill in Magic. Since I have no such skill to speak of, over the next little while I’ll be putting forth a series of “Rookie Reviews” from the point of view of someone just starting out so that perhaps others in my situation will feel well informed. So without further ado, my first post on the site:

The Effect
Ask a spectator to select a card, you then remove their selected card and the other three cards in that group (i.e. 7 of clubs, spades, hearts, diamonds). You then hand the four cards to the spectator and ask them to shuffle them and place them face down on the table, then using only the power of your mind you select their card AND turn the other three over to reveal that they’re blank, not only that but upon inspection the entire deck is shown to be blank, save for the selected card.
Cost

$12.78 (us) + $4.00 shipping

Difficulty
(1=easy to do, 2=No sleights, but not so easy, 3=Some sleights used,
4=Advanced sleights used, 5=Suitable for experienced magicians only)

1.
This is the FIRST trick I’ve ever performed, minus a simple yet effective card trick I learned when I was a child. I found this trick to be a breeze, within perhaps 15 minutes of learning the details and having a few practice runs I was able to smoothly perform the trick for someone.

Review

Is the first always the best? This being my first successful foray into the world of magic I am, of course, quite enamored with it. I’ve only had ONE crummy reaction to this trick and that was due to the person who viewed it, most people are blown away, As mentioned in other reviews it can be a bit risky to perform it more that once in a short period of time because there is a move that requires some confidence to pull off. This move made me feel a bit cheated when I first learned it because I thought “there’s no way that will ever work” as it turns out once you perform it a few times it becomes so second-nature that you won’t even worry about it. I’ve had the effect be discovered ONCE and that was because something went wrong after the trick and not due to someone picking up on the move.


Overall

10/10 Great trick, easy to do, wonderful reaction.

UMMM.... i love blizzard, but it is not SO EASY like you can think at first wiev of explainations.... some misdirection and psicological capabilities are necessary IMO.

Godd rewiev in any case

Hi. Firstly I must confess I worked out the method for Blizzard from watching a demo clip. I like this trick a LOT. It reminds me of ID & Brainwave Deck insofar as the spectator randomly selects a card & their card is unique in the deck. (Face up/down, different colour, or the only non-blank one). These are ALL very powerful effects for that reason.

But Brainwave & ID decks cannot be examined afterwards whereas Blizzard can!!! For me that makes it the best of the three.
The reason this is possible is because the method is totally different. I LOVE the fact that the trick ends with all the cards clean.

BUT the weakness a lot of people mention is the bold switch required. I know there are probably lots of better ways to achieve this. Like maybe just put it in your pocket. But since the trick as sold includes a gimmick, has anyone got ideas for a better one. The drawback is that after the trick you are a bit stuck in terms of tidying up, because the gimmick is not ready to serve its apparent purpose. Maybe the answer is simply to have another pack of normal cards on the table ready for your "next" trick?
Anybody got any great ideas to tidy it up just that little bit?

I suppose in the 'olden days' the magician would probably have used his top hat

careful the gimmick isn't very sturdy

careful the gimmick isn't very sturdy

True, but a better strudier gimmick is available from chazpro. It should also be pointed out that the gimmick can be used for other things.

Hi

[edited by mods] (please correct this if you think it's exposure). Thanks

Blizzard is a superb card trick. Like many of us, I felt the required move would be spotted immediately as it seemed so blatantly obvious. However, I have yet to be caught out on this as spectators simply do not see it. Can't see the wood for the trees, I guess.

Has anyone had the spec shuffle face up before, if you get my meaning? I'll say no more but I'm sure you know what I'm getting at.

Trickyfied wrote:Has anyone had the spec shuffle face up before, if you get my meaning? I'll say no more but I'm sure you know what I'm getting at.

It should be fine if you demonstrate how to shuffle (Do it almost like an elmsley count, inbetween the fingertips) and then tell them to do the same so neither of you know the positions.

If you just pass it to them and say "Mix them up" they have much more of a chance of doing it wrong.

Great trick but the damn move is very risky.

I have been spotted once as there were about 3 people at the table and they didn't all want to watch someone mix the cards up. They looked over to me and bam....i was caught deck-handed.

Any suggestions on how to secure their sight of vision on those 4 cards?

dimabbq wrote:Any suggestions on how to secure their sight of vision on those 4 cards?

If you flash them the card they choose and then ask them to mix them face down and challenge everyone to keep the eye on the card as they are mixing it. Make out you are doing exactly the same and you are able to follow the card due to your superior skills !!
Should focus attention on the cards to help with the move.