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Name: Rainbow Cascade
Type: Packet Trick
Price: £6.50 from Davenports, London or Tam Sheppards, Glasgow
Difficulty: Some skill required
Angles: Not from below
Examinable: Completely at the end
Reset: Instant

Effect:

You display four cards and proceed in a routine similar to Twisting Of The Aces. One card is reversed. The cards are counted again and all of them are now face down. This continues until they are all face up again. As such that would be the end of twisting of the aces. Card turning face up from face down and vica versa.

Now for the kicker, at the end of the effect you throw the cards on the table the other way up. All the cards now have very bright colored backs -
colors that where not seen durring the perfomance as the cards turned over. Solid colors that glitter RED, BLUE, YELLOW and GREEN a cascade of color!

Comments:

I love this trick, it only requires the knowlege of one sleight, and the instructions for this come with the trick. If you are looking for a fairly cheap, examinable packet trick with a great kicker, this one is for you!

Miko

I brought this in Blackpool and have been practising this for a few weeks and just starting to show it to a few friends...

Wanted to add that this is an absolutely stunning piece of magic.
The cards go face up, face down, the spectators are all over the place trying to follow, and then wham! Rainbow Cascade. The kicker at the end is an absolute shock, what an ending... The coulourful cascade is exactly what the spectators don't expect...

Also, if you display all three, cards/backs at the same time, when counting. Then if the audience does want to examine the cards there gonna be stumped as to why they saw at least three face up cards/backs and now there is only two backs and faces on the other side of the glitter. Does that make sense???

I would finally like to add that this is slightly more difficult than 'some skill required'. It uses the Alex Elmsley Ghost Count, which as mentioned, is well described in the instructions. However, it is still difficult to perfect and much time will be spent watching your hands in the mirror!!
I would suggest though, that you take the time to learn this trick well, it can be done...
Roy Davenport told me he learnt the whole trick in a week... Well, it's taken me a little longer than that but i've got there and it's definately worth it.

The only problem I found with Rainbow Cascade is that the cards get dirty very quickly. If you own it and practice with it you will know what I mean (unless of course they have improved the "rainbow" part).

And oh yes the look on their faces when you show them the them the rainbow finish, marvellous! It is a classic of magic.

I had this trick but the cards were some non bike lame make. Can you get it in bikes? I use very few gaffed tricks but this is one of those good ones but i like to keep to the same style card.

If you like this, it might be worth you checking out Bob Farmers variation, called Mutanz (his spelling, not mine!)

It looks much cleaner, and has a more logical finish (thou less colourful).


Liam.

Don't ruin your cards. practice with some normal cards first. when you've got it perfect... practice with the 'special' cards a few times... more perfect...

Although I am wary of packet tricks - mainly because I don't like the idea of buying the secret to an effect - I was shown the effect in Davenports and was immediately blown away by it. I decided to buy it - the effect was far too impressive not to. I took the trick home, worked through the routine, only to discover that I found the included cards sticky and difficult to work with. Thanks to Jing's tip on here about practising with normal cards, I now use a routine using normal cards with different coloured backs...the effect is awesome.

Another good thing about this trick is that it allows me to practise the EC. I have been doing magic more than four years, but it has only been the last month that I have learnt this move! I find the Rainbow Cascade a great trick to practise the move, and although I paid £7.50 for cards that I will never use, this trick has allowed me to see further into the idea of the EC, and I understand now how many more tricks are done. I would definitely recommend the trick, especially to anyone still learning the EC!

The cards need to be broken in - take them and "sand" them together a few times. I think the mirror backs look great and are worth persevering with. You might need to change your Elmsley Count to the other grip depending on the conditions. I eventually learnt both ways of counting and I often find one way is easier than the other.

If you have access to the Library section on Magic Bunny, you might want to check out my Rainbow Cascade Outdone sequence which has a more gradual assembly handling.

David

Rainbow Cascade is a fantastic trick and is now my signature trick. I knocks people dead everytime. Also angle-proof so great for very close up in bars etc.

I've been doing it now for about 6 years and have got through a fair few sets. Here are my tips:

1. The instructions that ship with the trick explain the Elmsey Count in the 'at finger-tip' grip. I prefer Daryl approach and now do the EC in a deep grip (as for dealing). I think that it looks more natural. (Daryl explains this in his Encyclopedia of Card sleights vol 7)
2. If someone says challenges you on the number of cards. e.g. "there are only 3". Go straight into the Jordan count. This will reset the pack and satisfy them. Another reason for holding in a deep EC grip!
3. The part I find most clumsey is getting out the 3rd card to turn it over. If you are in deep EC grip then you can easily thumb count 2 down. Makes the handling much easier and stops you digging around in the packet.
4. I agree with the other posters who suggest practicing on other cards first. You will save wear on the gimmicked cards.
5. The bought trick tends to come in Bridge-sized cards with non-bicycle backs. I prefer Rider-backs and so make my own now (it is very easy). Today I spent 3.50 pounds on a packet of hologramed sticky-back metallic paper. As I have lots of older and worn packs of Rider-back cards lying around, I was able to make 3 new sets. Much cheaper and better quality than I have managed to get in the shops. But buy the trick first for the secret.


This is one trick that it is well worth practising! The EC is a great utility move to have under your belt anyway.

Regards,

Hey bellm00,
Thanks for the extra tips, I too use a deep hand EC, but will have to find out what this 'Jordon' Count is.
Good first post, (There is an introductions section as well, )
Thanks,

For anyone who is not aware, Rainbow Cascade is available in Bicycle poker sized stock from Davenports for £8.50. This is a superb trick which I would highly recommend. For those of you who have trouble with the EC, just put the practice in and you will get the knack eventually. Sounds obvious, but when I first started out learning this sleight it was taking so long I almost gave up. Now I can do a perfect EC using the more natural looking grip.

bellm00 wrote:3. The part I find most clumsey is getting out the 3rd card to turn it over. If you are in deep EC grip then you can easily thumb count 2 down. Makes the handling much easier and stops you digging around in the packet.

Hi Bellm00,

When I do this I just outjog the third card which makes it very straightforward to pull out. Hope that helps.

James

I bought this from Davenports around 20 years ago - but my cards are jumbo sized. May be worth asking if they still have the jumbo version. I haven't used it all that much but the cards are not sticky at all.

For the Jordan count, look out for a Dover book by Karl Fulves - "Charles Jordan's Best Tricks". Lots of good stuff in there.

Barry

What a great trick. Probably my first 'proper' magic trick, many many moons ago. May I recommend the Jerry Mentzer book, Counts, Cuts Moves & Subtleties as a great resource for teaching all manner of false counts - should stimulate ideas for your own tricks too!