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Every now and then, I'll use the Chicago Opener. It's a nice little trick, but for some reason, it seems to me to be lacking something!

I can't help thinking it needs a third phase... A sort of extra kick!

Any ideas?

Cheers

Check out Chicago Surprise by Whit Hayden

Just a short point that you may have already spotted, but I always think that both selections should look the same. I see lots of people having the first card selected from a spread of cards and the next one in a hindu style. That seems to suggest something iffy if you ask me.
Like I said, you might not do it like that, but something to consider anyway.

Presuming the odd card is red, the next step after revealing the second selection to be red, would be to then show that the whole deck was red, (perhaps with the exception of the first selection which is still blue).

You're right Jing, the two selections should be as similar as possible, so yes, its Hindu shuffle all the way.

And you're thinking similar to me for a next step to the routine. Has anyone put a routine like that in to print? Or am I going to have to put my under used thinking cap on???

Bruised by Daniel Martin suggests the Red Hot Mama / Chicago Opener, although it does make sense to do the Bruised reveal last, as the kicker of the odd backed card that they look at post Hindu shuffle seems weaker, although is equally a nice almost throw away moment. Used to love doing Chicago Opener when first doing magic, and had created some patter along the lines of, after having a kiss blown at the deck, for that odd backed card to blush / pretend to be all cool depending on colour choice.

Chicago Opener is a great example of how Magician's Guilt almost overlooks the reaction from the spectator, as you think it seems obvious and that you would be rumbled, but it has a great impact.

artychris wrote:And you're thinking similar to me for a next step to the routine. Has anyone put a routine like that in to print? Or am I going to have to put my under used thinking cap on???

There is something along the lines of Jings suggestion already out there. You'll have to check for it though as I can't remember the name of it. It was released a few years ago by one of the Mentalists - Kenton Knepper perhaps ? I didn't like the method, but the effect is more or less what Jing suggested. Perhaps someone here remembers it ?

Michael Ammars Bluefield Debut is an extension of the Chicago Opener effect, with a few more surprises added. The only problem being that the book can be hard to get hold of.

I've always found the basic plot to be pretty effective as is, but I see no reason why it can't be added to - the "magic 3" so to speak. The phase you add doesn't have to be a new ending - you could add it at the start or middle as well. Try to visualise the actual effect as the spectator sees it and as you would like it to play and take it from there. Be sure anything you add enhances and compliments the overall effect - many "kickers" can be totally leftfield and make no sense whatsoever, or add unwanted chaff which can dampen, rather than enhance the overall effect.
There is an old saying that we should keep in mind when reworking classic plots - "many a trick has been ruined by improvement", or something to that effect.


Jim