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hi guys! im new here and kinda new in this mystical craft.. im learning card magic now and some mentalism...

just want to get your opinions, for a beginner like me what 3 effects of trick would you suggest for me to master

3 for card magic
3 for mentalism

i hope you could help me thanks guys and more power...

I wish I had been told this as a beginner. Go out and spend 40$ (If your from the UK, I guess 20 of your pound/pence/coins/whatever that symbol stands for) on any of the Art Of Astonishment books form Paul Harris. You will find TONS of tricks to do with cards, mentalism, coins, leaves, moths, EVERYTHING. It is the best 40$ I have spent, and am going to purchase the other 2 shortly. Very good read, and almost unlimited USEABLE material.

Have you read Farlsborough's sticky thread on getting started in magic? There's some very helpful advice in there.

I can echo that advice - check the bookstores and online suppliers for basic magic books such as Mark Wilson's books, Karl Fulves and so on. For very little outlay you can get a wide range of card stuff, rope tricks, mentalist effects, close up and larger scale magic. Once you've played around with those you can decide which areas you'd prefer to concentrate on.

chicago opener doesn't need much skill but is pretty spectacular!

Ah wait young Jedia there are Mentalism effects and there are Mentalism effects. If you buy 3 mentalism effects I feel you are going to feel rather cheated and think is that it?. Of course this depends on what you buy but a lot of it is hype.

If you think you buy a trick in mentalism and become instant master of suggestion then you wont get far. There are certian priciples that mentalism is built on. Basicaly a lot of mentalism makes you look like you can do x y z.

13 steps the way to go my friend, if you haven't already read it!

13 steps indeed pah!

Wild Card wrote:13 steps the way to go my friend, if you haven't already read it!

Except that one does not just "read" 13 steps. This is one of these books you will return to again and again each time with a bit deeper understanding.

If you are a beginner, as you say, I certainly wouldn't recommend Paul Harris Art of Astonishment books as, although these are excellent, are not really for someone just starting out.
As previously mentioned, Mark Wilson's book is excellent for the beginner but for decent card effects, I will not be alone when I tell you that the Royal Road To Card Magic is the book to get. Not only does it teach you from the basics, it teaches you tricks as you go along and these are, in the main, excellent ones.
For mentalism, there are some mental themed effects with cards in Karl Fulves 'Self Working Mental Magic' or you could buy yourself the Beyond ESP 2 deck which is superb.

I second Freddies advice on this matter actually Beyond ESP2 is an effect I told his Lordship to get.

Self working mental magic is worth the money for the first effect and the book test.

Mark Wilson is great.

Yes, I think Royal Road will pop up more that once here. It's inexpensive and not only full of tricks but utilities as well. There is also a DVD you can buy which covers most of it, as the language can be a little, tricky.

And yes 13 Steps to mentalism. It's bible, but also a tricky read.

Don't try and learn tricks. Learn the art. The books can be a struggle (RRTC is over 50 years old), but it does add to the feeling that you are part of a dark and secret art, one which is not, nor should it be, easy to master completely.)

The other thing about buying tricks is that you need to have them with you. Buy RRTCM and all you need really, is a deck of cards.

Get the RRTCM or Mark Wilson's complete course.
Both of these will stand you in good stead regardless of what kind of magic you prefer.
Good Luck

I would recommend Mark Wilson's Complete Course to give you a broad overview of magic, followed by either Royal Road to Card Magic, or a book I have just bought, Card College, if you're specialising in cards.

Mentalism is a tricky one, like others have said, there's plenty of stuff out there that makes you think 'is that it?', and it would be easy to get disheartened or not give it the respect it deserves. Banachek's stuff is very guilty of this, it's genieus, sure, but probably not what you are looking for just now. 13 Steps to Mentalism is good, and very detailed, it would probably be your best starting point, but I would recommend a broad overview of magic via Mark Wilson first, just to get you in the swing of things.

There's plenty mind magic in Mark Wilson, and a few card tricks along those lines in RRtCM.

Card College is great, but very expensive, RRtCM is probably better value for money, but quite a challenging read given its age.

Depending on your age, Peter Eldin's Pocket Book of Magic is great for the beginner too, it is aimed at kids, but it has some very good tricks in it, as well as some nice pictures and a short history of magic, and tips on performance etc. Not anywhere near as comprensive as Mark Wilson, but you can get it for £1 on Amazon here:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Book-Magic-Pete ... 690&sr=8-9

good luck, and if you need any more advice, don't be afraid to ask!

magikmax wrote:Depending on your age, Peter Eldin's Pocket Book of Magic is great for the beginner too, it is aimed at kids, but it has some very good tricks in it, as well as some nice pictures and a short history of magic, and tips on performance etc.

It's nice to see books I know being recommended by WPs; a bit like a sort of literary patriotism. Republished in 1992 under a different title, this was the book that opened my eyes to magic as a creative artform, which accounts for my sentimental attachment to it. The tips on performance etc set it apart from other books for the total beginner.