What if people ask to shuffle the deck?

Aug 14, 2009
8
0
Ann Arbor
Hi,

I hope you guys can help me with this. Say your spectator pick a card and you are supposed to 'lose' the card in the deck. But what if your spectator asks to shuffle even though you have false shuffled it?

One way from what I have seen from another magician was to top palm the selected card. Yes. It may work, but sometimes the angle just ain't correct(esp when you are surrounded etc).

So i thinking whether you guys have any tips to avoid the spectator from asking you in the first place?

thanks.=)
 
Nov 8, 2009
131
0
i normally use a glimpse after its on top, then they can do whatever..

when the time comes, and they give it back, then spread through the deck face up while saying something like "your card is now lost" or "you mixed it up pretty well" When you get to theiry card, just nonchalantly cut the deck.

If done casually, they will think nothing of it...

I use it all the time, hope it helps!!
 
Thats a good idea (spades444) I use that a lot as well as several steals, they may be something you would want to look into. You can steal the card to a pocket and replace it wherever when the spectator gives a card back, works for me. Another thing that may work is to steal the card right off the bat and offer for the spectators to shuffle the cards to avoid them unexpectadly asking, just a little thought.
 
Apr 22, 2009
82
0
Use one of those metal pass trainer decks and tell them to riffle shuffle. :D

Ian

Ha. What I do is I usually shift the routine from what I was going to do to a mentalism trick like someone else has already said by peaking the card. Another thing you might do is say "Wait, I think I already got you card." Do a dl, say dang it. place their real selection on the table. Let em shuffle. Do whatever patter and show the card "changed". This gives them some shuffling even though you controlled the card. Just depends on the situation you're in. Get creative, and you can think of some good cop-outs to get yourself out of uncomfortable situations.
 
Dec 23, 2007
1,579
4
36
Fredonia, NY
the three methods i use most for keeping control of a card even after a deck is shuffled by a spec is first, i like to palm it out. I have a pretty good set of palms and this is my favorite because you can replace it both on bottom and top. second, peek, this is useful sometimes but i dont like having to scan the cards in front of them and then either cull or cut to their card after finding it, it can be anywhere. third, this one is often overlooked, i like to crimp the card, a small crimp isn't noticed by the spec and allows you to find it inconspicuously when you are returned the deck and move it wherever you need. These three are my favorites
 
Jan 31, 2010
86
1
I am going to suggest crimping also. Practice finding it for a bit and you'll soon be able to cut directly to it after a shuffle.
 
Jan 18, 2008
20
0
hey guys, I don't post here very often. But I do enjoy reading the threads. I thought this would be one I could chime in on.

Im not a full time professional, however, I do perform quite a bit as one several times a month for all kinds of events. Stage shows, mainly adults, walk around, bars, formal, you name it.

I actually never let the spectator shuffle the cards. Unless its the very beginning - or its the card to mouth presentation, where I want them to shuffle the deck for over the top misdirection.

I read all your responses, and actually- crimping, glimpsing, copping out - great ideas! Honestly, I tried that.. for a very short amount of time. Turns out, Im just not that ballsy.

When I first started, I got that alot: "let me shuffle." I got alot of.. "hey, its still on top." etc.

As I got more experience, I found those don't come up anymore. Here's why I think that has happened.

Magic is about the experience. So its my job to make sure they get there and have a fun great time. By challenging me, and by heckling me, they don't get there. So right off the bat - i make sure Im in control. I give off confidence, yet, not cockiness. Thats important. I make sure that they respect me and the art, and they will get a great time in return, and Ill make them look like a superstar in front of their friends. The moment I give in to their demands and heckling - I believe it gives them the sense that questioning a performer is ok. I make sure that they know, im doing a job - and its in their best interest to let me handle it, because i have good intentions for them. I hope this makes sense.

Im not saying I walk up to them and demand respect.. or anything like that. Its just in your demeanor. you joke, laugh, and smile, but, i think it comes with experience. Ive been heckled in my day, and drunks would want to shuffle the deck - cause THEY want to control the situation. Ive learned from that.. either i blow past it, or I make a quick remark like: "that won't do you any good, cause OH! its in my .. pocket!" which its not.. but it gets a silly laugh, and in a way, tells em to just relax. "haha, if i was that good, Id be on tv!" Then I continue like they never said it. Usually, they are just saying it to see if you let them have control of the deck. thats my opinion. I establish its my deck, and my art from the get go. Let them touch the deck once (when they ask), they are gonna dance on top of your head. again, my extreme opinion.

Hope this helps...
 
May 15, 2010
493
3
28
With Gerard Way
Here's a good method 4 anyone

Spade444 has a great answer.

(Darn you Spade444 you read my mind and said my answer :mad:)

Just Kidding :p

The way I normally had a card selected 75% of the time is I do a dribble and when they say "Stop" the packet in my right hand still has pressure applied to it and I am able to peak at the bottom card of that pile, which I show to them as their card to memorize, that way whenever I mess up (Pray I don't) I always go into another trick when I used to mess up a couple years ago as an amateur, where I look in the deck and say "The … isn't even in the deck, I show the card is gone in the general way I hide a card and then palm it and give them the deck. Then I say I always keep one card in my back pocket for good luck, it is their card.

So you can use spade444's method or my dribble method I figured out. I kind of started to ramble up there in my paragragh but hey, I ramble.

"Always know the card for luck." -The voice in my head that I can't tell my parents about…
 
Mar 6, 2008
1,483
3
A Land Down Under
I never am with Jimmy on this one, most spectators will not ask to shuffle but if they do you can just say no. However do it in a fun way so it shows they can shuffle but it won't hinder you in anyway. Whilst doing an ACR the whole premise is about the card coming to the top. You can cement the idea that if you move cards in anyway shuffling cutting etc that could be a way to achieve the desired effect.

Paul Brook has an interesting idea about how to never get this question but that is for another day.
 
Jul 14, 2008
936
0
Hi, I would like to add my thoughts.

You can perform the bluff pass and show that the selection is not on top or at the bottom. It works out every time I perform. I hope this helps you!
 
Nov 20, 2007
4,410
6
Sydney, Australia
Easiest ways are just to force every card that's picked, even when not necessary, glimpse it, crimp it, palm it as you mentioned... There are a couple more ways I can think of but they're the easiest.

But the best way is to stop it at its source. If you can avoid the question, you avoid having to come up with a solution.
 
May 8, 2008
1,081
0
Cumbria, UK
Actually, I've recently been playing around with the idea of having a spectator shuffle a deck, but in a controlled way. I'll give you an example: rather than waiting for them to ask to shuffle the deck, you control a card to the top (or bottom). Take the cards and do a standard riffle shuffle, in such a way that the card remains controlled. Keeping the cards interlaced (so without completing the riffle and squaring the pack) spread the deck out on the table in front of your audience and ask them to push the two riffled halves together and square the pack up. They will feel like they have helped thoroughly shuffle the deck, and yet the whole process has been completely controlled. There are plenty of other ways of doing this, and it's an idea you could try tweaking around with, to see if you can get any mileage out of it. Again, it's not a fully developed idea, but you're quite welcome to try and develop it further yourself. :)
 
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