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I have been chatting with a friend from this board about what the best trick for a learner/beginner magician would be.
This would be judged on WOW factor, ease of use, durability of the effect and availability.

I thought it would be interesting to ask the board what their thoughts were on this, so over to you!
The trick would have to be very easy to do yet produce a great reaction, what would you say is your best effect within this scope and why?

I think the answers would be of some use to people new to magic browsing the board and if nothing else keeps me entertained while I'm working

I'll start you off with the Pena Coin, easy to do, great reaction.

Over to you......
BaB

Hmm I agree Pena Coin is just about unbeatable given that criteria, I'd say to add to it would be Disappearing card case.

Very easy to set up and reset.

Has a surprise twist.

Very visual

Easy to do as in easy peasy

and of course like Pena Coin, very cheap

Dynamic coins...

Never fails to amaze people. Also, a decent pen-thru is a good place to start.

Otherwise, it's a deck of cards and a few good un-gaffed tricks.

Problem with using heavily gaffed tricks as a beginner is that people seeing a 'one-trick pony' (not suggesting that your mate is a pony ) will be more likely to suspect, and then more likely to examine.

The all-time favourite (and possibly best-kept secret) is the TT and a silk vanish. People just can't get their minds around this, but it's devastatingly simple.

Another all-time classic, which requires a little more brain-work is the professor's nightmare/cut and restored rope routine... simple, gorgeous.

See, now that's a good, considered and informative answer, thanks
I agree with all of that, NEXT...lol


BaB

... coming back on the subject (sorry) and not so much in regard to a specific trick/effect, I think it's good for beginners to know a few traditional routines, plus a few 'killer' contemporary ones.

For example - being able to perform traditional effects like silk vanish, prof's nightmare and dynamic coins are VERY well complimented by contemporary self-workers, like pene-coin, and a few of the nicer recent brass items.

Magicdiscoman is the man we'll wait for on this subject - his very simple, traditional approach and it's effectiveness is something I envy... I avoid my change-bag like the plague, and yet he's made a living from it!

well with an introduction like that then its back to the usual reteric then.

ok the stripper / wizard and svengali combo cant be beat as you learn slights and double ardvarks.

markwilson's complete course in magic is a great starter book now in reprint and has some great plans for stage props ie tip trunk and some great advice the new version is a tad clearer and has a bit better and more up to date advice for marketing yourself.

then there the classic change bag i here you all cheer, lots of scope for magic and they come in variouse types clear, handled, and flat,
and if you have a plastic i repeat plastic appearing cane then you can say I'm sure i had my big wand here some where, show bag empty and then produce cane, do not do this with a metal cane or your bag will rip to shredds.

other classics are cups and balls, linking rings, rope tricks, and colour changing scarfs.

in conclusion theres all this lovely advice from this forum which will help you along and hopefully stear you clear of any obsticals to you budding hobby / carear, enjoy

Swift mention of Double Back required here. I know it's a gaffed effect but it's a lu-lu and the performer starts/ends looking clean. Plus it gets the sort of reaction which encourages newbies to take their career further. Failing that, Andy Nyman's Diceman is easy to do and has that WOW effect. Add either (or both) of these to some proper sleight of hand card effects plus the non card effects mentioned above and your friend will have a full act to take on tour.

Do you think tricks like double back and cups and balls are for the complete novice?

If they take a deep breath, follow DB method 2, and practice it a bit they can do it. Cups & Balls would need more skill & practice IMHO.

Some great advice


Any more?
I have to say, I LOVE my change bag

As back up, there are many of the 'Three Million Things You Can Do With' type of booklets and they cover Svengali Decks, Stripper Decks, TT's, Change Bags etc. Not everything in them is mindblowing but there are enough worthwhile things in each to keep anyone busy for a month or three. emagictricks certianly do some, cards4magic do the others. At less than £3.00 each (+P&P) they're great stocking fillers!

for the best novice trick effect , and i know this is gonna get flamed for being the wrong thing, but id recommend simply getting a book and a deck of cards. the first book i bought was a little book entitled "card tricks" by Trevor day and the Diagram Group and published by Collins and available from ottakars, waterstones etc for about £7.i actually forgot i had this until the other day when i found it under a pile of stuff, it has maybe 80 effects in it ranging from self working tricks to tricks with props to mathematical effects to stacks (including the si stebbins) to gaffed cards and covers the basic skills needed(shuffling, false shuffles, palming, double lifts etc) to perform the tricks, and advice on how to practice and perform

A very wise member said above:

Add either (or both) of these to some proper sleight of hand card effects plus the non card effects mentioned above and your friend will have a full act to take on tour.

So if you add Mog's suggestion the guy will also be able to do TV specials!

So if you add Mog's suggestion the guy will also be able to do TV specials!

now I know what ive been forgeting to do thanks mandrake.

And don't forget to ask for the money!!