Reset

Dec 22, 2007
629
0
Hey, I've been having a problem. Every time i do reset, the people always turn over the cards on the table and the trick gets ruined. Anyone have an idea on how to prevent this?
 
It's a question of audience management, I'd say.

The positive is that you're doing something right if people jump for the tabled cards...they are probably surprised by what they see and grasp for the one thing that can disprove what just happened. That one thing, in this case, happens to be the tabled cards.

Based on the information given, find ways to control the cards without seeming to control them. The box placement mentioned earlier works well in a lot of situations. If not, maybe place them IN the box.

How do you present the effect? Further, what's happening when you say they turn over the cards? Do you put them in their hands? Are they tabled? Do they say anything before they do?

Pj
 
Dec 22, 2007
629
0
It's a question of audience management, I'd say.

The positive is that you're doing something right if people jump for the tabled cards...they are probably surprised by what they see and grasp for the one thing that can disprove what just happened. That one thing, in this case, happens to be the tabled cards.

Based on the information given, find ways to control the cards without seeming to control them. The box placement mentioned earlier works well in a lot of situations. If not, maybe place them IN the box.

How do you present the effect? Further, what's happening when you say they turn over the cards? Do you put them in their hands? Are they tabled? Do they say anything before they do?

Pj

well, i tell them im gonna try to switch the aces for the jacks. then i wave my hand over an ace and it changes to a jack, and the spectator turns over the tabled cards.
 
Jan 31, 2008
103
1
Brooklyn, NY
Since resets are totally impromptu make sure the cards are examined ahead of time, if you perform a fair looking false count immediately they may not feel the need to check out the tabled cards.

I Perform Punk'd so I immediately go into the count after setting down the jacks, and then I ask them questions with my presentation which distracts them from the tabled cards. Plus the clean up is fluidly covered in this variation
 
May 8, 2008
1,081
0
Cumbria, UK
Just a suggestion (and I've never tried this, it's an idea that sprung to mind so don't kill me if it doesn't work) if instead of a table, you get the spectator to hold their arms out, parallel to each other and at 90 degrees to their body and put the cards on that. You could pass it off as a way of stopping you switching the cards, but in actual fact, they can't turn the cards over albeit dropping them or using their mouth. Might be fun to try some time...
 
Dec 1, 2008
19
0
QC
What could be great is to put a quarter on the card and then, when you "explain" the trick afterwards do Ed Marlo's impossible change.
 
Sep 1, 2007
662
2
Place them halfway down in the deck sticking out...and while you're doing this, switch them for a different four of a kind :D

"I'm going to switch the aces for jacks....see, there goes the first one. Ah, yes, of course I forgot to tell you that to make it even more difficult, the jacks are now tens...oh, there goes another ace!" Mwahaha.

In all seriousness though, asides from the obvious answer about audience management, your fundamental relationship with your audience is what you need to examine here. Most adult audience members faced with an adult professional magician feel a sense of boundary...they may WANT to turn the cards over but they don't because there's a social boundary preventing them - and sometimes even in this situation you get "grabby people". A kid performing for other kids, in a non-professional setting, often has no such social boundary protecting them from grabbers.

If I enounter this kind of person I deal with it in a firm but relaxed manner, making a bit of a joke "hey lady, I'm working here!" or "hey, don't mess with my flow, i'm on a roll" as I place my hand on theirs, preventing the grab. Anyone worth the effort will respect your wishes and leave it - if they get pushy and grab anyway then you shouldn't be wasting your time with them. Of course, the downside to this tactic is that even if it works, you are tacitly admitting that there's something dodgy going on that they can't see, but who believes you're actually magic anyway!

Finally, I would suggest that you may want to re-examine your switch at the beginning of the trick. If the switch is done well, people will NOT suspect the cards on the table, because they KNOW what's down there. What they are much more likely to be concerned with is the cards in your hands - reset is one of those tricks where I get accused of "trick cards" a lot because they assume the cards in my hands are actually changing somehow.

I wasn't joking at the beginning of this post about switching the tabled cards for a different four of a kind either - this makes a great trick and gives you a little more flexibility over the handling.
Cheers,
David.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Nov 10, 2007
1,706
1
How would misdirection help him there? Filth I have never had this problem before but if I do come across I will tell you what I did to fix it
Peace
 
Sep 1, 2007
1,699
1
34
I'd say it's a matter of rhythm. Pay no heed to the tabled cards and move right into the routine so that they are forced to pay attention to what you're doing with your hands.
 
Jan 31, 2008
103
1
Brooklyn, NY
Ask them which four of a kind they'd like to use and then just equivocate them. Leave the cards you need to leave behind way off to the side, as if they are absolutely pointless. I mean like behind you practically, To turn them over they'd have to go around you,
 
May 13, 2008
543
0
St Albans, UK
I sometimes leave them sticking out of my breast pocket. The only problem with this is you have to be wearing a suit/blazer or a shirt.
 
Dec 22, 2007
629
0
I sometimes leave them sticking out of my breast pocket. The only problem with this is you have to be wearing a suit/blazer or a shirt.

hey u just gave me an idea for making reset all in-the-hands. thanks!
 
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