talkmagic.co.uk

Does anyone have any tips or material i could look at to help me learn to effectively spread a packet of 5 cards to look like 4. I am trying to keep the final two together but it never works right!

Give us more information.
How are you holding the cards?
And how do you spread them?

sorry.

i am using the standard dealing grip in the left hand and pushing away with the left thumb. I am holding the cards in the right hand when pushed off.

im not sure but isnt sensible to push the 3rd and 4th off as two rather than the last 2.

What do you do with the last two cards?

I'd have thought that you could just push off the first three, and hold a double in your right hand.
Or do they need to go into your right hand?

Jon's suggestion is also good - bit like a 5-card Elmsley count.

Give us more info.

well i keep the final two in the right hand but they are the two that need to be kept together for a number of tricks i am performing. the problem is that they just seem to come slightly apart when i push the thrid card off and sometimes people notice the fifth card.

that help?

A little magician's wax (the hard kind) rubbed between the cards near where you hold them will keep them together but they will easily come apart when required.

Using this 'method' you can do an Elmsley count so slow it's obvious to the spec you're not doing anyhing funny to the cards.

Now we know what the 'G' stands for in AndyG...


- GENIUS! -


That's a brilliant idea. I've never been confident with my EC, that's going to help loads!

For an impromptu and short lived 'wax' effect as above, just wet one of the cards a little. I leave the choice of 'liquid' to the individual but a licked finger and/or thumb is usually enough. If there's a glass of water available then just get some of the condensation from the outside of the glass on a finger or two whilst taking a sip. This tends to make the cards stick together enough to count two as one but probably only once or twice before the cards dry out.

Slightly bending the cards will help keep them together.

I happen to have some cards with me today and I've been able to try my intended suggestion. Get a little finger break above the bottom two cards, and make sure they are squared. I was able to deal off the other three without disturbing the bottom two, but they had to be perfectly aligned in the first place.

However, I have to say that I tried it without the break and it worked fine, anyway. Try pressing slightly with your little finger, pushing the packet of cards into the crook of your left hand. As you push off a crad, slide your other left fingers under it and press, to keep the remaining cards squared. If need be, use your left thumb and left index finger to realign the packet, as you push off the cards.

The initial question talks about spreading the cards, rather than dealing, or counting.
I suspect that you need to look into ascannio's work on the ascanio spread. This is a move specifically created to do what you are trying to do. Card Coledge will help, as will Metzners cuts, moves, and subtlties.

daleshrimpton wrote:The initial question talks about spreading the cards, rather than dealing, or counting.
I suspect that you need to look into ascannio's work on the ascanio spread. This is a move specifically created to do what you are trying to do. Card Coledge will help, as will Metzners cuts, moves, and subtlties.

Luker21 wrote:i am using the standard dealing grip in the left hand and pushing away with the left thumb. I am holding the cards in the right hand when pushed off.

I would say that pushing off one card at a time was 'dealing' and the reference to spreading was a slight misnomer.

However, reading it again, maybe it is a spread, but my suggestions work even better in that case, as the remaining cards help to provide cover for squaring up and you van involve the right fingers too.

Don't think Ascanio will work - he wants to keep the BOTTOM two cards together. Ascanio always spreads the bottom two.

I would say that pushing off one card at a time was 'dealing' and the reference to spreading was a slight misnomer.

However, reading it again, maybe it is a spread, but my suggestions work even better in that case, as the remaining cards help to provide cover for squaring up and you van involve the right fingers too.

I was initially referring to a spread, for example in the beginning of NFW. A deal in this fashion would also be useful as i can think of some tricks that could use it.

I am more concerned with the spread though.

Thanks for the help so far everyone!