Push-off vs Strike second deal.

Nov 26, 2013
207
2
Hey everybody!

I'm practicing both of the second deals the strike one and rhe push-off one but I wanted to know when to use each of them ? and what do you prefer ?
I don't know if this answers your question, but, I Private Messaged Mr. Jason England a similar question. He said he preferred the Strike second deal. He said the Strike second deal can do everything the Push-Off deal can do, and some.
 

Joey144

Elite Member
Oct 14, 2007
296
111
Bavaria, Germany
He said he preferred the Strike second deal. He said the Strike second deal can do everything the Push-Off deal can do, and some.
I'm suprised by this answer as I thought he didn't have a preference for one, thanks for sharing. Personally I like the strike second for demonstrating the concept of a second deal. If you need the second deal as a secret move, I prefer the push off. Push-off seconds look a bit more natural to me.
 
Sep 2, 2007
1,186
16
42
London
Push-off seconds look a bit more natural to me.

Seconded! (Ha ha ha...)

If you want spectators to be able to burn your hands during a gambling demo, then a push-off second can look deceptive even with a face-up top card. When performed well, the second card looks like it just melts through the top one. Check out Richard Turner's work for the best example that I'm aware of.

Having said that, though, the strike second is probably a bit more reliable, as there's less that can go wrong with it. So, if you aren't feeling completely on top of your game but you need to deal a second, a strike might help you get the job done a bit more securely.
 
Jul 13, 2010
526
34
First of all I have to say I don't think any method is more deceptive than the other. I've seen PS and SS which both look absolutely convincing.
However for general magic purposes I'm with Roberto Giobbi and find the pushoff second a bit more useful. I don't do any routines with rapid and long dealing procedures, where the strike second would be better (for me).
I can hit a pushoff second every time (I prefer Andi Gladwins/Ed Marlos Master pushoff technique) but it's not as reliable for fast dealing as a Strike for me.
However the most important part is conformity of actions. My pushoff second looks excactly as my single and multiple turnovers.
Another reason is that my skin is very, very, very dry and if I don`t do something about it a strike becomes more difficult than a pushoff second. I can do a pushoff regardless of my skin condition.
There are also some things I cannot do with a strike.
A (one-handed) move where you pushover two cards, rotate the palm, and deal the second card face-up on the table (can't remember the name). I really can't see how you can do that with a strike second.
 
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JasonEngland

theory11 artist / card mechanic
Nov 7, 2008
158
25
Las Vegas, NV
To be clear, I didn't say I "preferred" the strike. I said that if you were only going to learn one, I feel the strike is the one to learn. It's the better choice for magicians (for most gambling demos as well). The push-off only outperforms the strike in a very few niche applications.

Jason
 
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