talkmagic.co.uk

Anthony Blake and David Harber’s “E.S.P. chips”

Cost: $45, includes postage and handling within the USA, $10 outside the US via priority airmail.

Available from www.espchips.com


Catagory: Mentalism utility

Difficulty: 1 out of 5. Not self-working but only basic handling is needed. Routines included vary in difficulty from 1-3 out of 5

They say:

The Breakout "HIT" Of MINDvention 2005!

Mystery Arts Publishing presents Anthony Blake's & David Harber's "E.S.P. Chips" -- as seen in the Dec. 2005 Genii ad and featured in Max Maven's Dec. 05 Magicana Routine "Pentathalon"...

Real 39mm/10gram composite casino chips printed with Rhine/Zener symbols and each chip individually secretly marked for easy detection... ideal for mentalism and mental magic uses...

Featuring routines by Anthony Blake, Jheff, Greg Arce, Max Maven, Rick Maue, Jack Kent Tillar and more to come (future routines available as downloads from a private owners/members only website)...

Limited stock currently available... don't delay...

I say:
At last…someone has provided those of us who perform mentalism effects with a useful alternative to Rhine/Zener cards… chips…as in poker.

Often performers find themselves under suspicion when using ESP cards simply because many people are aware of “card tricks” and “fancy moves”.

“E.S.P. Chips” offer an alternative. One can easily present them as "proper ESP testing" tokens or counters. One could even go so far as to suggest that these “counters” are employed to eliminate any fancy moves, shuffles etc.,... things “tricksters” employ.

Ahhhh but…we know different!

The chips (the size and weight as described in the advertising) feel genuinely hefty and purposeful…almost ceramic. The front is white with a colour ESP symbol on it; circle, cross, wavy lines, square and star patterns are printed, each in their own individual colour. The printing is part of the composite material used to face the chip so there is little chance (if any) of the pattern on the front or back wearing off. The back of each chip is also white. The edges (actually the middle layer of the finished chip) are a rich cream colour. The back sports “The National Institute of Paranormal Studies” printed boldly across it and surrounding this is a repeating circular border of the 5 ESP symbols. All the printing on the back is in black.

Like many esp card sets, the chips are marked so that performers can ascertain the symbol on the face by simply glimpsing the back, The marking system is crystal clear, uncomplicated and integrated more than well enough to assure that spectators could not easily detect the marking method by a casual look. In fact, when face down; the chips will naturally orient themselves in such a way that observers will have a difficult time performing any visual analysis of the backs to begin developing an idea of a marking method.

The package one receives is very impressive. A heavy Ziploc bag containing a full colour cover slip, 10 “E.S.P. Chips” (two sets of the five symbols) in a pocketed sheet of clear vinyl, a velveteen drawstring pouch to keep the chips in during performances and a stapled “booklet” of 10 fully detailed effects produced specially for this product. Contributors include, Anthony Blake, Max Maven, Banachek, Rick Maue, Jack Kent Tillar, Jheff, Greg Arce and others.

The purchaser is also invited to a website devoted to the use of the “E.S.P. Chips” where one can discuss the use of the chips, share performance ideas, get questions answered and download routines written by the good and the great! The site is also the place where future related products would be announced including “gaffed” chips and related items. At the time of writing (December 2005) the site is not yet open but I am told it is merely a matter of a few days away as final details are being ironed out

This new mentalism tool (a TOOL… NOT a one trick pony) is a breath of fresh air. The chips provide an alternative and are substantial both in their construction and in terms of credibility in performance. Like all effects, the manner in which they are presented must be confident and believable but this product will set you on that road in true style and with quality.


Overall: 10/10 A welcome and very convincing departure from standard “ESP testing” materials…beautifully made!
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Tom,

Excellent review. I've been using ESP decks for about 6 months, since I bought Max Mavens close-up DVD and the effects on Joe Public are so strong that I'd rather go out and forget my pack of cards than my ESP packs, AND to say that I've been using cards for 15yrs that's something to say.

Have you tried these out on JP yet ??

Can you do any or all of the effects stood up ? or using peoples hands as a table ?

And the markings ? my eyes are f**k*d, old age I can see the markings on ESP decks when I'm working in mine and the specky hands but when they are on the table I struggle to see the cards, never mind the marks !!

Can you PM me, I really like the sound of these chips

I may endulge myself at some point.
already my creative juices have started to flow.
Having an item that can be switched in and out easier than cards is a very great advantage.
also, these lend themselves more to in their hand effects, since they can close their hand around the chip.

hmmmmmm.

Well, there are some effects that would work "sans table" but some involve all 10 chips, pad and pen etc. The very nature of the objects as 10 individual "bits" can make things a bit fiddly in ones hands I would think.

I havent had a chance to "use them in anger" yet.

As the chips are 39mm in dia you might well have a problem seeing the marks at a small distance if your vision is a serious problem for you.

Well they certainly sound very nice.

Definitely worth having in the "arsenal". I'm not convinced they could be justified if you were already using Zener Cards, but agree they do make a nice alternative if you are going down the Psychic testing route, and nice well made props are always well worth having.

How examinable are they - and the effects supplied with them and ho likely do you feel the spectators would want to examine them? My guess is that with the pedigree of the authors of the effects they probably wouldn't suspect markings anyway.

I love the idea where there is a devoted forum for people who have bought them. It would be nice if theer were more places like that.

Great review. Thanks for posting it.

I guess they are as examinable as any marked card. Given time to study and compare a few of them together people would perhaps identify differences, but singly there is very little to see.

The routines range from dead easy to fairly "involved". They all look pretty cool. Obviously the heat is kept off the chips as much as possible, as with any "semi-clean" effect. With many of the routines supplied you could use ESP cards with very little adaptation.

Basically think of the chips as a direct alternative to marked esp cards...how many people want to see them or suspect them and why? I bet the answer would be the same for the chips.

It's a shame that they aren't from the British Institute of Paranormal studies, and not the National, but I guess that is a minor point.

sighs - and I really didn't want to get anything new so soon before chistmas

any chance of a uk suplier re import tax thread.

I have been told that there are world wide distribution discussions underway.

great i'll look forward to that

These do sound great, and I am really tempted to buy.. but... ESP Chips? What the hell are they used for? Why poker chips with ESP symbols? I cant find the logic...

They are poker chips in name only and the way they are technically made but obviously they have no monetary value nor any of the patterning of poker chips. They are simply disks with the Rhine symbols on them. Think of them more like tiles, counters or tokens.

Also they're sold out!

A new batch is expected by December 19th or so and despatches will carry on as soon as they're received.

Another enjoyable detailed review Tom. I like the idea, i am thinking about creating a mentalism routine but am thinking no cards should be involved. This could be very interesting.

My set arrived this morning, posted December 29th, so quite a good delivery service. The quality is as excellent as Tom mentioned above and have a very solid and authoritive look about them. As someone who wears glasses for reading, I was also a little cautious about reading the items but it really isn't a problem. I won't say much on that topic but reading at arms' length or even slightly further away created no difficulties. I haven't had chance to look through the routines as yet but will be trying them out later on tonight - Mrs.M is usually out Wednesday evenings so it's Magic Night at Mandrake Mansions !