Presentation Ideas for Bich's "Little House"

[Big_Hoos]

Hey guys.

I really love this effect, from Mathieu Bich's "Bich on PDF" notes. If you're unfamiliar, here's what the spectator sees:

Three cards are removed from the performer's pocket. There is a large hole in each of the cards: two of them have holes shaped like houses, and one has a diamond-shaped hole. The performer puts the packet into the spectator's hand, then removes the single diamond-hole card. The spectator opens her hand, expecting to find two cards with house-shaped holes, instead finding the holes have changed into diamond-shapes!

---

I'm thinking of presenting this like a monte: "I'll make it reaaaaally easy: just keep track of the giant holes in these cards." Also considering throwing in a kicker where the two cards left in hand have a different colored back, but I wonder if that might scream "SWITCH"?

Any thoughts? Does anyone else perform this? Everyone should get this set of notes, they really get your wheels turning.

 

[Medifro]

I don't have the PDF, I thought about it for a little bit, here ya go.

I don't think the odd backs ending supports the effect by any way unless you got a good reason to change the color ( maybe to match a deck you have, so you could continue with an effect. Jon Racherbeumer got an sandwich effect with "holed" cards somewhere ). Even if you choose to go this way, its better off to be a second phase of the trick. You don't want them to see the new holes with the new backs at the same time, I think its plain confusing, and it does scream "switch" for some spectators.

A solution to this is to construct the effect so when the spectator opens her hand, the cards are face up, so they'd react to the holes. Now, you can notice the blue deck you have, so as if its an afterthought, ask them to close their hands again, do the magical gesture, they see the cards with odd backs. So its like a second phase, with the magic happening the mind of the spectator, which is sure fun. That is what I thought of at spur of the moment if you're using an odd back climax.

For a presentation, I recommend steering away from "I got a diamond hole, which holes did you get" kind of thing. A monte theme would work, especially if you end it with "and this is why you'll never win .. open your hand", thought its a bit too short as one phase. If you could work it out as multiple phases, it would be better.

You may do a theme of "I missed up .. darn it". For example, after they have all the cards in their hand, take the one you want, say that you'll make it a house-hole, then twist it 2 times as a magical gesture, saying "now, I'll leave it for 3 seconds for the change to happen", accidanlty twist it a third time, say something like " OH MAN THATS BAD, I'm supposed to do it twice, darn .. don't tell me that .... ", point to their hand, let them open it and let the effect sink in.

Hope this helps, good luck