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I'm trying to find the name of this trick:

You have 5 or so white balls and 1 black ball in a bag, each person takes a ball out of the bag and hides it from sight. You then proceed to eliminate everyone with a white ball.

Hope that makes sense!

Trying to copy a certain mister Brown, are we?...

I don't know exactly, but I read somewhere that it's very expensive.

I think this is what you are after http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic17226.php

However I am aware that their are more expensive versions as well, but I cannot find any details. Oddball looks great and I am going to get it.

Thanks for that Trickyfied thats what I'm after

I've done it for years with poker chips! I just wanted to get the the proper trick.

There are several variations to this idea... I had one back in the 70s that was sold as "The 6th Sense" that was quite cool but I've seen others. My suggestion is that you just start researching and experimenting with various techniques... you may just find your own method for duplicating the effect that works better than the commercial versions...

Isn't Oddball just a pretty blatant ripoff of Kurotsuke? If you're going to buy something rather than come up with a method yourself, at least buy the original effect or one that gives its creator proper credit.

You can find it in Max Maven's Video Mind series or on a Marc Spelmann vid, though I'm not sure which.

(Not that you can't find it elsewhere, but those are the only two I can think of that give credit where credit is due).

I believe Oddball's method differs from Kurotsuke - but don't quote me on that.

There's also Charles Gaucci's variaton - Body Language

Another variation I've had my eye on is Wayne Dobson's Detectaball - which looks very cool. Here's the gist of the routine:

It's presented as a "bet" 3 balls are placed into a black bag - 1 red/2 white. Balls are selected and you bet $1 that you can divine who is holding the odd ball (the red ball). You choose a spec and you are correct.

The balls are replaced in the bag and you offer to do it again, raising the bet to $5. A spectator is chosen - and they open their hand to reveal a white ball. Just when the spec thinks they've won, the other two open their hands to reveal they are now holding red balls - and the white ball is now the odd ball. It's a nice little variation, with a lot of room for comedy.

However, if you're going strictly "mentalism" with it, oddball or Kurotsuke is a better option.

Oddball is the cheapest option for this, although some people have said it can be a little too subtle to be a 100% hit. I've not had any problems with it so far but I've yet to use it in a walk around situation where people have been having a few drinks.

Another option is Equinox, although It's a lot of money for 1 effect. It is one GREAT effect though, used in the right context!

RobLaughter wrote:Isn't Oddball just a pretty blatant ripoff of Kurotsuke? If you're going to buy something rather than come up with a method yourself, at least buy the original effect or one that gives its creator proper credit.

You can find it in Max Maven's Video Mind series or on a Marc Spelmann vid, though I'm not sure which.

(Not that you can't find it elsewhere, but those are the only two I can think of that give credit where credit is due).

How would one know it was a rip off if one hasnt seen the original? Odd ball is produced by a credible name and seems to be widely available, infact it was the only effect I could find when originally searching. Most effects apear on a dvd or lecture notes somewhere, such as stigmata on banachecks psi series. Banacheck even apeared on the stigmata dvd to give his aproval, dont think by buying stigmata that Banacheck did not benifit. It is admirable to look out for fellow magi but there is a bigger picture when it comes to marketing. With all that said, I do not know the history of odd ball so you could be right but you need to be 100% sure, I am not having ago at your post just questioning it

Trickyfied wrote:How would one know it was a rip off if one hasnt seen the original?

You wouldn't, and you were trying to be helpful. Oddball is indeed a similar effect to the one requested. I don't think Rob was having a go at you, just commenting that he thought Oddball was a rip-off and giving the name of the effect he regarded as the original.

Demitri wrote:I believe Oddball's method differs from Kurotsuke - but don't quote me on that.

I don't own Oddball, but from things that I've seen posted, I think Demitri is correct.

The Marc Spelmann version uses a different method.

Body Language has a different method.

Bob Cassidy has a version and... that too uses a different method.

You get the drift. This is just a plot for an effect. One different item is mixed with several others, and the performer is able to know who is holding the odd item.

It's like, say, sawing a woman in half; there are many different ways to do a similar effect. Original isn't always the best. I'm not sure many people would use the Selbit version nowadays.

I'm pretty certain that Derren Brown used Kurotsuke in his 'Something Wicked This Way Comes' tour.

Demitri wrote:I believe Oddball's method differs from Kurotsuke.

either that or every time i've seen kurotsuke has been a massive coincidence!

the maven one is completely different in method to the oberon one...