Controlling a Card

[alfvallarta]

Reading around, I stumbled upon quite an interesting statement. It was about different ways to control a card and what it provided (psychologically) to the spectator. More specifically about the classic pass and an overhand shuffle (but it can apply to several others), here'd be how it went: A classic pass allows ye to prove the card to be in the middle of the deck, whereas an overhand shuffle control allowed the card to go anywhere in the deck; thus one should choose according to how the trick goes. So I started thinking on the Biddle Trick. All references I've seen of it call for a Bluff Pass, but (this is for those who actually perform it) if a Bluff Pass shows the card to be in the middle of the deck and, with no extra movement, it makes the card appear near the top, a spectator might presume he did not truly placed it in the middle; whereas a shuffle control might've made it stumble upon that place. Wouldn't it be better to do this with a shuffle control + false cut or something of the sort? (Used the Biddle Trick, Classic Pass and Overhand Shuffle Control merely as an example, for this would apply to loads of material)

 

[Jack]

I think the control you use depends on the patter and presentation of the trick. I use an overhand suffle to control the card in Biddle Trick rather than a bluff pass because in my patter I tell the specatator that I am going to TRY to bring their card to the top. The action of the overhand shuffle shows that I am TRYING rather than just the bluff pass and a magical gesture which to me seems fishy. The somewhat messy nature of an overhand shuffle also leaves room for you to make an error in the spectators mind. The best thing to do is learn and master as many controls as you can so you can adapt according to the situation.

Cheers!

 

[Slicke]

I believe it depends on the trick you are performing. If you are performing the ACR , it's better to use the bluff pass than to control the card by shuffling because shuffling it would make no sense.

 

[alfvallarta]

So we do agree that the spectator actually percieves the place a card is within the deck and one should take it from there the control he/she does. Thanks a load!

 

[Tricky Nicky]

I totally agree with what you other guys have already said. Use the appropriate control for the appropriate trick. I find it's better a lot of the time to "shuffle" the deck on a down moment, when there's nothing else going on, like when you're between tricks. Nonchalant "shuffling" and "cutting" works wonders on a spectator's frame of mind.

 

[D ICE R]

I agree 100% the type of control is very important in any effect. When I use to perform the biddle trick I would always use a bluff pass and a classic pass cut as a extra action for two reasons. The first is because I know the card is in the right spot for me to achieve the effect and secondly it gave me a rational to give half the deck to the spectator. As I patter about being able to cut the deck at almost the exact location of where the card was return using sheer estimation. As an ACR there should be no noticed movement from the deck after the card is placed in the deck however, if you were doing a gambling demonstration it would make perfect sense to have the cards shuffled.

An aside note if you are shuffling your deck in the middle of a routine make sure you either peeked or palmed the card off as nothing is worse than shuffling the cards only to have the spectator ask if they can for you to say no.