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This is a classis trick i use it in every performance i do. It is not a cheesy weak trick, it is shure to stun or make everyone in the room laugh. An absolute classic trick.
effect: Show your spectator three cards, two with red diamonds printed on the face, the other with blue. Watch as the diamonds turn all red, then all blue. The amusing patter tells a story of a gambler betting 1 dollar at a time, until as a kicker ending, the cards actually have printed what the gambler owes. Only three cards used.

You can watch the video in the card trick section on this site.

This is an absolute must to buy. Your audiance have no idea how its done and using only 3 cards.

It is a wonderful trick, however it does require quite a bit of practice. However, with a week or 2 of practice its great. Another great monte (even better) effect is dollar monte( except that they arent bicycle cards) great gimmick

You are absolutely right about the practising Matt. I bought the trick about a fortnight ago and I am only now just about getting the handling of the cards right.

I think the key is confidence. I am just about getting to the stage where I don't make the obvious blunder and reveal the trick, but I need a hell of a lot more practise until I can work it as smooth as Laurence.

A great trick... even for an absolute beginner, especially since it gets you started with manipulating cards (hope this doesn't give anything away!)

If I had to make a crtisism, it is that the diamonds are slightly shiny. As a result, in darked rooms, the blue can appear slightly red and vice versa.

Tony

I really like the trick. However, in terms of tricks to buy, this is not necessarily one that is worth the money. Half the time I just use two jokers and ace, and do the exact same routine, simply changing the patter to be about how the jokers are wild and can be an ace.

i.e. Show three jokers, then say a joker can be an ace. Show the ace. Show it change back to a joker, and so on. You can run the IDENTICAL series of moves, and it works well.

[Anonymously Posted by: 'GuyKing']

I understand about the cost but I don't see how you can get the same ending effect with jokers and an ace. Unless you use a different third card.

Another suggestion is to get some blank cards and make up your own "third" card.

Still consider it one of the best card effects!

It is important to remember that you are purchasing a routine, not simply 3 cards. Considering how effective this particular routine is, surely it is a bargain at £5.95? Any views?

i worked out the routine after watching the video(many times) and decided to use 2 jokers (a red and a blue) and an ace...
patter goes along the lines of 2 red jokers, one blue...
last card shows how good i am "ace" and you owe me £14

I perform color monte alot because it is so strong and can be done strolling (without a table).

I watched the demo and learned it from Laurence's performance of it. I could not justify buying special cards for this. My kid can eat for a week on that amount of money.

I use the Ace of Hearts, Ace of Spades, and a Joker. I still say "fourteen dollars" but the card is turned and seen to be a joker. Big deal. People fall over when they see it. The fact that the card "changed" into a joker is EXACTLY as strong as "changing" to a "fourteen dollar card."

The routine is a series of sleights that are available in many, many books on the subject of sleights and the only reason I can imagine to buy it is to get the "fourteen dollar card." Unless... you need the instructions.

Then you should pay up.

i agree the when i first got it a found it a bit difficult and unnatural but after a week or so pf practice it is now easy and also one of my favorite tricks

You're paying for the routine AND the foil-printed gaff card. Without giving too much away, the handling can be done better, and I have my own slant on 'the slide' etc. using double lifts and even the excellent one hand 'Cros Twist' detailed in Paul Harris's Art of Astonishment, vol. 1.

The routine gets a laugh - and I think use whatever cards you want. But the final reveal of the I OWE YOU card is a real killer!

As magicians, you should be able to use your imaginations to create new and exciting handlings for tricks like this...

The colour monte is, however, awesome. Recommended.

I only discovered this a short while ago, and I really do find this a very delightful trick. I appreciate that I am regurgitating an old review, for which I apologise, but there is a good reason why I think this should be more popular.

a) It has a really great patter supplied, that makes me very eager to learn more tricks with a good story. I think by telling a story at the same time as showing a trick, makes it easier for the performer (the spectator has something other than just watching cards to concentrate on) and more interesting/memorable for the spectator.

b) This does contain a couple of sleights. Not so long ago that would have put me off, however I am at the stage where I want to learn how to do more tricks that include some of the basic card techniques and I look at this trick almost as a standard alone practice exercise.

Think of it as similar to learning the piano, where you are given annoying repetitive routines to play over and over again, only this isn't annoying - it's an actual delight to practice.

If there was course in magic, then this trick should be given out as homework. If you are at the stage where you want to progress from the svengali/stripper/invisible - then this is a heck of a good place to start.

and it's still only £5.95 from www.emagictricks.co.uk!
http://www.emagictricks.co.uk/product_i ... ts_id=1122

as a footnote, I agree with tony, who mentioned here, that in the wrong light the shinyness of the red and blue cards can cause them to look the same. I think it actually would have been better with matt cards. This is actually evident from the video clip at penguin which I recommend evryone to watch anyway, as I think the penguin magic demo guy is pretty awesome.

http://www.penguinmagic.com/product.php?ID=185

Bananafish,
With regard to the "shinyness" of the cards. This can be used in the final patter (courtesy of Davenport's). When you get to the final revelation, you say (when the card sharp asked you the final colour that you thought the card might be purple and that if you held it at an angle to the light it would sometimes be blue and sometimes be red. Works for me.

I know this is quite an old topic, but since I'm new here, I think you guys will forgive me for that .

The Color Monte truly is a great one. Basic sleights, amazing effect, it really hits the spot. The design cards look good and fit well in the story, but I think the trick is at it's best with regular cards. Especially with the finish, since we don't use dollars here in Finland. Ok, maybe there is a Euro version of the surprise card somewhere...

The actual point of this post is: What kinds of different endings could there be to use with this trick? Finnish is such a lame language, you just can't use any "This is just a trick, you don't owe me a jack" or "I'm an Ace!" type of endings. Well, perhaps "I'm the King of cards!" COULD work, but...

Maybe a previously signed card could appear? Or a business card (with a bicycle back)? I think there are tons of ideas, would anyone like to share his?

Jay Sankey does the routine where the surprise card turns out to be their signed selection.

Instead of diamonds he uses a large 'x' and a large 'o'. If you own color monte you could probably work out the basics on this trick. I think it is much stronger then the usual, as the patter is a bit weak and the diamonds colour are a bit hard to see.

Try it out, its pretty cool.