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And what method, pray, does the young woman from Yorkshire use to control a card? I tried to follow her explanation of what she does but alas I didn't understand it. It seemed to use an overhand shuffle anyway from what I could gather.

mark lewis wrote:And what method, pray, does the young woman from Yorkshire use to control a card? I tried to follow her explanation of what she does but alas I didn't understand it. It seemed to use an overhand shuffle anyway from what I could gather.

It's an adaptation of the Oz Pearlman complete deck order retention overhand shuffle. To control a selection to the top I just apply the technique to a single packet and not the entire deck. It's really rather nice and it looks exactly like a normal, fair overhand shuffle.

I know nothing about this Pearlman personage except that he is one of these 21st Century hotshots that probably aren't really. I really cannot approve of allegedly hotshot magicians who are younger than 25.

Furthermore I am getting a psychic vibe that this method of card control whatever it is may well be as old as the hills. Please include a more detailed explanation so that I can confirm the matter. Do not worry about exposure since most people who come across this forum cannot read anyway.

mark lewis wrote:I know nothing about this Pearlman personage except that he is one of these 21st Century hotshots that probably aren't really. I really cannot approve of allegedly hotshot magicians who are younger than 25.

Well I turn 25 on the 2nd of December, so I'll have to wait a few months for your approval. It's a shame you know nothing about the excellent Oz Pearlman - you should get with the times, my lovely

Furthermore I am getting a psychic vibe that this method of card control whatever it is may well be as old as the hills. Please include a more detailed explanation so that I can confirm the matter. Do not worry about exposure since most people who come across this forum cannot read anyway.

You're correct. The bare bones technique is old. And quite hard to explain in words only.

Since you've asked, I'll try and explain it. Begin an overhand shuffle and pause when you have around a quarter to a third of the deck run off into your receiving hand. Have the spectator return their card on top of this packet. Then continue the shuffle naturally until all cards are exhausted. But when you come over to continue the shuffle after the selection has been replaced, steal that entire packet under the rest of the deck - it's corner clipped between the main joint of the middle finger and the length of the ring finger and supported by the pad of the thumb. When the cards are exhausted you throw this packet back on top. If you can do this well it is a completely invisible top stock or selection control. The method can also be used to retain complete deck order using a cyclical steal.

Over to you, Rev.

Im pretty sure that is in the Royal Road! The second overhand shuffle chapter.

Dearie me. This is the lift shuffle and has nothing to do with this Pearlman person. It appears that "Lift" is quite an appropriate name for the move where this young hotshot is concerned.

And yes. It IS in the Royal Road as a control. And I suspected that this was what our 24 year old Yorkshirewoman was referring to before she confirmed it. My psychic powers seem to be working.

Since Madam Yorkshire seems averse to a little practice which the vastly superior injog shuffle takes I shall recommend to her another procedure which she will manage easily. It cannot be used more than once in a performance but it is effective nonetheless.

Place a reversed card on the bottom of the deck. Have a card selected and replaced in the pack in the usual way of shuffling overhand and replaced on the left hand portion. Place the right hand portion on the selected card. You now have a reversed card above the selected one. Continue shuffling and this time you will come to the reversed card. You will know the one underneath it is the one you want.

Just say absently, "Oh, one seems to be the wrong way up" Put it the right way up, assemble the deck and the chosen card will be on top.

Easy isn't it?

I bet Pearlman doesn't know that one. Don't tell him about it. He will "lift" that too.

mark lewis wrote:Since Madam Yorkshire seems averse to a little practice which the vastly superior injog shuffle takes

I know you only say these things to try and stir people up, so I won't bite. But rest assured, Mark, my injog shuffle is as good as yours. I just prefer an alternative. As for "averse to a little practice", there's not a day goes by that I don't have a deck of cards in my hand for at least a few hours. Feel free to bite me.

Madam. I shall certainly not bite a woman from Yorkshire. I would be afraid of what I might catch. Besides I gave up my vampire activities some time ago. Even though Halloween is coming I have decided to abstain from those activities.

I am pleased however that you practice your sleight of hand. Female sleight of hand artists are in short supply. The most expert of these in the past ( I am not concerned with the younger ones since they are probably quite dreadful) was a lady called Talma who was terribly wondrous and expert with coins. A terribly good performer by all accounts.

Of course she was not from Yorkshire.

Was her last name Motown?

Duplicity wrote:Was her last name Motown?

You my friend should get a life time ban from TM for that joke

mark lewis wrote:Madam. I shall certainly not bite a woman from Yorkshire. I would be afraid of what I might catch.

I love these erudite discussions. You are of course right Mr Lewis, being from Yorkshire myself I had the good sense to marry a southerner.

Sorry 'last deck on the left' we seem to have gone off topic but it's been an interesting discussion nonetheless.

Is it not fair to say that any decent card magician should know numerous card controls for eithe one or multiple selections, practise these to ensure he/she can perform them consistently and then choose the appropraite control for the situation in hand?......

..... Or maybe use a spectator glimpse, then peek the selection and immediately hand out to shuffle. Take deck back once shuffled and then cull the selection using relevant patter to justify running through the deck.