2 Card Monte: A lesson in simplicity, and showmanship

Oct 21, 2007
302
0
www.hi5.com
Hey guys, while performing today I went through an awesome experience that I feel I should share. Today a neighbor of mine was having a HUGE party\barbecue, and my family was invited. So I go there without the intention of performing too much but I figured if I was up to I might show a few things. So I get there and I'm hanging around, when my neighbor asks me to do some tricks. So I pulled out my deck and went to work. I went off with a 5-10 minute routine, finishing off with Stigmata. I got some pretty good reactions after all that, but then I was asked if I knew how to show them how gamblers cheat. The only thing I know about that is a few ace productions and the two card monte. The two card monte is something I haven't performed for years, but I figured why not. So I went through the effect, and when the spec turned over the two cards, they all went INSANE. I couldn't believe it. Because all that I got with Stigmata that time were some hard laughs, and an omg. But the 2CM FRIED all of them, and made them go wild. I wrote about this because I think beginners starting to perform should know that even the simplest tricks out there can get the biggest reactions with showmanship. I think that a lot of the newcomer magicians should read this and know that in order to get reactions like you want, you NEED to work on patter and presentation to be good, and that spending money on all the newest material isn't the way to go, and good showmanship will get you everywhere.
 
May 3, 2008
858
0
Exactly. For example when they tell their friends which sounds better:

"I saw this magician today who took 4 cards and mixed them around and one by one they all turned face down."

or

"I saw this magician today. HE WAS CRAZY! He had me pick a card and he tore the corner off of my card and it vanished in his hands. He wasn't wearing sleeves or anything. When I asked him where it went he pointed to a mailbox across the street and told me to open my box. THE CORNER WAS IN MY MAILBOX. The corner matched the card and everything. Then when I was texting my friends about it...HE GRABS MY PHONE AND PUTS IT INSIDE OF A BALLOON!"
 
As i have said before. People learn the 'beginner' tricks to start with, then as they get better, they stop performing them, as those tricks are for 'beginners.' The rub is, that how hard a trick is to do has no bearing on how effective it is. I still perform tricks I learnt 10 years ago when i was 13 that are super simple, and I don't see any reason to stop performing purely out of the reason that I am no longer a beginner (i've been doing magic since i was 8 might I add, I'm 23 now.) In fact, if anything, these simple tricks have become more amazing as I've gained confidence. the method hasn't changed at all, just the presentation.

So just remember this. There are no BEGINNERS tricks, only EASIER tricks.


Peace


Rev
 
Sep 1, 2007
457
0
San Diego
First off- Rev- I love you for using "rub" in a post- I haven't seen that in forever, actually since I was memorizing To Be or Not To Be- but I digress.

Maybe divide up the post a little so it's not a huge block of text.

Moving on, I agree with everything that has been said. the 2 card monte is still one of the tricks that gets the best reactions, even on the streets.
 
Oct 21, 2007
302
0
www.hi5.com
First off- Rev- I love you for using "rub" in a post- I haven't seen that in forever, actually since I was memorizing To Be or Not To Be- but I digress.

Maybe divide up the post a little so it's not a huge block of text.

Moving on, I agree with everything that has been said. the 2 card monte is still one of the tricks that gets the best reactions, even on the streets.

Exactly, and I'm still sort of dumb-founded that 2CM got me ten times the reactions than what I got from Stigmata, and reactions from Stigmata are usually huge.
 
Aug 4, 2009
90
0
.. hehe just pray you dont have some idiot, or a heckler who turns over one of the cards and completely ruins your mojo

That's happened to me once or twice.. that really sucks. Since then, I tell them to keep their hand completely still, or it will disrupt the magic.. It gets a small laugh.. and compliance.

Is it cheating to use a stripper deck instead of the lift? I like using the strippers because the whole time I'm talking to them, I can dribble the cards or spring them and hold the deck pretty open, and everything looks on the up-and-up.
 
Aug 2, 2009
96
0
31
Shrewsbury, UK
Since then, I tell them to keep their hand completely still

Im always confused by how to stop them looking at the cards, distraction is probably the best bet, i would never tell them not to look at the cards though, that is just asking for trouble. Still if it works for you, then who am i to tell you otherwise ^^
 
Aug 4, 2009
90
0
Im always confused by how to stop them looking at the cards, distraction is probably the best bet, i would never tell them not to look at the cards though, that is just asking for trouble. Still if it works for you, then who am i to tell you otherwise ^^

I think it works because I never say "don't look at the cards." I just tell them to keep their arm still. Semantics, but no ones gotten suspicious yet..
 
Jul 26, 2009
11
0
last year I also reached the point I just felt that my old tricks got bigger reactins than some tricks I practised for months. and then I knew that I don't do magic for other magicians. I'm doing it for my audience. so I went to my cupboard with my dvds on it and just learnd my complet old stuff just like some of the easyst sandwich effekts and so on. since that day I never go out without two sponge balls, a Thumb tip and a regular deck of bikes.
This is everything I need for street performances.

So it's up to you, if you perform for magicians or usuall spectators.
 
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