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I think if you're looking for some guidelines to choosing card magic some good tips would be to learn a stack of impromptu ones as if you really impress people you'll usually find people asking you to do 'that trick' with their cards. That said, gimmicks and gaffs can produce astonishing results, but I'd suggest that you first:

1 Choose some quality impromptu card magic (try Alakazam) which can stand up to repetition (i.e. different results each time)
2 Ring in some gimmicks if you like the sound of an effect but try and look for ways of reproducing them in a similar way so that if you're caught without your 'special cards' you can satisfy their want to see 'that trick'

Some nice effects I've come across:

Gaffs & Gimmicks

Joker, Joker
The Pinned Card
Lips
B'Wave Deck
Mind Power Deck
Subtle Miracles by Peter Duffie (Book)

Above all though it should be impressive, entertaining magic that you enjoy performing and your audience enjoys watching.

Hey

Thakns cardza for those suggestions. But as I said before I am strongly against gimmick tricks. So I will never do them as long as I can impress people with all my impromtu tricks.

Also zach the reason I say I think all gaff tricks involve no skill even if I know its not true is because it just how I feel, so maybe i should change what i say, but meh. I do knowfor a fact that there are a bunch of gaff tricks that don't require any skill, at the same time I do realize that some do require some sort of skill. I also feel that if you are using a gaffed deck you are cheating the audience, now I understand that you could say the same about stacked decks too.

Again thank you all for you advice and suggestions
kemo

Kemo wrote:I am strongly against gimmick tricks.

Ah, yes, sorry, should've taken that in to consideration. Well, in that case, Guy Hollingworth's 'Drawing Room Deceptions' has some fantastic stuff, especially if you're looking to really push your sleight of hand. If you're looking for some simple, self-working card material then you might like to try 'My Best Self-Working Card Tricks by Carl Fulves' (http://www.alakazam.co.uk/acatalog/Books_23.html) - I don't have it but from what I've seen he does have some good card material; I know it's another beginner's book but 'Giant Book of Card Tricks by Bob Longe' (reviewed by me here http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic7249.php has some nice stuff, 'Counthesaurus by Jon Racherbaumer' covers loads of false counts and the like with a few effects (see first link above) and then there are the classics such as the Card College series, RRTCM, etc. As far as stacked decks go, there's loads of options, Richard Osterlind's Breakthrough Card System has been critically aclaimed.

Kemo.....

I pm'd you a couple of suggestions to help with the snap change as well!


This is a link to a video of "jumping jacks" by Rune Carlson.....it is simply twisting the aces, but done with jacks, not aces.....otherwise, same routine, etc.....have a look!

http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic6815.php

I will also try to find you a clip of "Cardwarp"

the twisting aces(jumping jakes) looks awesome any clue what dvd that is on?

kemo

Hi Kemo,

I'm new here myself, but I'd just like to say don't limit yourself. You are performing street magic, or as someone else put, hit and run - leaving no real time to 'check the pack'. I'm with you, I'm not hugely into gimmicks, but gimmicks come in all shapes and sizes, and as you perform the two card monte, I can only assume you have at least given in to the odd dodgy card.

There are many great tricks out there that require a normal pack and 1 or 2 extra 'gimmicked' cards. (sorry, I'm not up on the actual names of tricks) Combined with a number of 'straight' tricks, this can have a devestating effect. Other examples of combining gimmicks and straight tricks are using such things as the 'Screwed deck' - a deck of bicycles in two parts that you remove from your pocket, screw together (like a pool cue) then remove a real deck of cards from the pack to perform the next trick. I don't even draw attention to it, and it adds one extra dimension to a trick.

Also, don't underestermate your audience, they already know you're doing something sneaky, sometimes the odd gimmick can create a good laugh (I like using the credit card to playing card to finish some tricks, it's totally unexpected, particularly if you've already performed non-gimmicked tricks)

In terms of commercial gimmicks that don't affect your card tricks, try the screwed deck or sudden deck (a flattened bicycle deck that you fold into a box and remove a deck of cards). In terms of throwing in a gimmicked trick, something like NFW amongst a series of straight tricks is also a nice effect.

Hope this has been food for thought. Good luck on future hit and runs.

Cheers

Tony

the closest I come to using a gimick deck is a deck with a double. But I will never buy a gaffed/gimmick deck, I just don't like them. That is my choice and to each their own. Some people see the avantages and decide that they are worth the money. Me, I know that I have tricks that impress people with out a gaffed deck so I'll stick with my normal decks till I stop impressing people.

kemo

Kemo wrote:the twisting aces(jumping jakes) looks awesome any clue what dvd that is on?

kemo

If you watch the vid, it is easy enough to figure out, If you know the counts.

Kemo wrote:oh and I am strongly agaisnt any gaff/gimmiked decks only because I feel that they lack any skill(I know thats not true) and a I feel impromtu trick require the most skill so I like to do mainly them but I will do stacked decked trick from time to time(such as out of this world). I also enojy being able to give my card to who ever i show the trick to and let them examine them. I find it builds their belief that it was just magic.

kemo

i think this is also true, but you can make so much more powerful magic with gaffed and gimmiked cards. im about to buy alot of gaffed doubled sided cards, you could always make up your own tricks too

Cardza, you forgot one more great gaffed card trick. NFW



also starry eyed suprise is a pretty good one, execpt the move in that takes A LONG TIME to learn, a less than a week to learn it well, but once you learn that move, you can use it anytime

I wouldn't go so far as to say gaffed tricks are more powerful, Zero - but I see the point you are making.

Cardza - I'm not sure if it's been mentioned here already - but the entire Ammar Easy To Master Card Miracles series is an excellent resource for card effects.

I respect your opinion on the gimmick/gaff - but I'm just wondering if there's a particular reason for not using them.

Demitri wrote:I respect your opinion on the gimmick/gaff - but I'm just wondering if there's a particular reason for not using them.

personally, i dont like hiding them and orgizing them in the deck

I can understand that. However, for some street magic, the gaffs/gimmicks aren't that difficult to work with.

I don't really use gimmicks or gaffs that are really unusualy (3 1/2 of clubs, shattered pips, etc.) If I use gaffs, they appear normal in every sense of the word - and in a street-style performance, it's easy to get in - hit them with a killer effect that can use a gaff, and move on. The nature of street magic gives you excellent cover, since you can do one-shot tricks and keep moving.

But, I can still understand and appreciate the purist approach. There is a lot to say about being able to perform a miracle and hand the cards out for instant examination. However, there's also something to say for some of the really powerful gimmick effects out there.

Agreed.

I mentioned a few gaffs, but they are mainly PRE trick. I also like things to be examinable at the end. The odd DF, double backed or multi faced card can be secreted. When I use a gaff I make no bones about it (like the credit card to card, or the odd exploding card, rubber spider...). But then, I don't take magic seriously...I mean I keep it very light hearted. Obviously a very serious performer doesn't want a rubber chicken appearing instead of the ace of spades...

Cheers

Tony

Zero000 wrote:Cardza, you forgot one more great gaffed card trick. NFW

You can do that Ungimmicked

ace of kev wrote:

Zero000 wrote:Cardza, you forgot one more great gaffed card trick. NFW

You can do that Ungimmicked

yeah, but it looks a little better with it ungimmicked. IMO