When your Classic Force fails

[Arnianor]

Hello lads,

At the moment, I'm practicing my Classic Force. As I'm at the very beginning, I have to admit I'm real bad at it, and often find myself with the spectator picking another card than the one I wish to force.

I know a couple of effects I can do when the force succeeded, and some others when the force failed. However, as for now, with the classic force, I fail more often than I succeed, I sometimes find my repertory of tricks to be a bit thin when I already did a few trick in front of an audience. In addition, as my trick are more mind-reading oriented, when my repository grows thin, I feel very handicapped, and I think my audience can feel it.

So would you guys share some ideas about trick to perform when a card was selected and you have really no idea at all what is that card ?

So, here are two of my usual moves when I really wanted that force to work and another card is picked:

• Ambitious card. I usually save this routine for this moment, as it can be done with any card picked by the spectator.
• Have a peak at the bottom card. Have the picked card put on top of deck and the deck cut by the spectator. Do a couple of false cut/shuffles, turn the deck face up, and go from there as you know their card will be just after the card you peaked before-hand. It looks very simple, but with a good presentation, it works really well and the spectator has no idea what just happened.

A link to a fitting video, on this site or somewhere else, is also welcomed.

Thanks!

 

[Ibimania]

if you do not mention the prediction you prepared and the classic force fails (provided u r using one), you can do literally ANY card trick that is based on card control. ANY card trick that actually involves the spectator making a free choice. I perform card to pocket.

If you have mentioned a prediction and THEN the card force fails, the best thing to do is get ready for a top change. Ask them to open the prediction. they say it is wrong, confidently change their card into the one you predicted.

 

[Magic swag]

JoeIR1, I don't even use a classic force, I'd rather not "hope" that they go for the forced card. I mainly use a riffle force. If you want to use a force that looks like a classic force, but works 100% (if done correctly), I'd recommend the cull force.

 

[Sky92]

I agree, the underspread cull is my preferred force, you should practice it!
It usually looks more fair than riffle, glide or whatever common force, because of the spreading action.

 

[Jay Adra]

If you're doing a trick where you need to know the card they chose (and that's why you're forcing one), you could substitue a peek.

Otherwise, you could look into sleights/switches which can be used to display "the card they chose", where really you're just turning over the force card.

 

[Arnianor]

Thanks for the idea about the top change.
About the use of other forces: Sure , I usually use Cull, Riffle, Balducci, and some more. However, I wish to add the classic force as I feel it will help for even stronger effects, this is why I'm training it.

 

[TeeDee]

There are two parts to my preferred solution to this problem:

1. Execute the classic force so many times that you never miss. Sure, you'll miss a few at the beginning, but the more you try it, the quicker you'll get those misses out of the way.

2. Don't care whether you hit the force or not. If you seem tense when you offer the cards for a selection, then this conveys that the process is in some way important. So, your participant will take their time over making the selection and you're more likely to miss. Bear in mind, they're probably not doing this to be awkward, it's just that you're non-verbally telling them that their choice matters, so they're just following your lead.

It's the second point of this which you might find difficult. How do you not care? Well, you can realise that it doesn't matter. Your audience don't know what you were going to do, so you're free to do whatever you want.

When you miss the force, immediately close the spread and hand the deck to the participant, saying, "Shuffle these, I don't want you to think I'm doing anything suspicious. This isn't one of those tricks where you don't tell me what card you chose but I find it anyway. This is more interesting than that. That's a good shuffle, by the way, are you a card player? And what card did you choose?" Now you know the identity of the card, there are several possibilities. One is that they've shuffled the card to the top or the bottom, so you get a quick peek of these cards as the deck is returned to you. If they have, that becomes the effect. Another possibility is that you might have the mate of the chosen card on the top or the bottom. Or, they might have named a card of which you have a duplicate loaded in your wallet or somewhere else. Or, failing all that, you just run through the deck, pointing out how well they shuffled and culling their card to the top in the process.

You'll find that you won't usually need these outs. Just knowing that they're available to you is often enough to help you relax, and therefore make your classic force more surefire.

 

[Randy]

Learn a routine that doesn't require the classic force. Like when doing the ACR try to classic force the card on the person and if they don't take it. Just shrug it off continue the routine as usual. Also, I would suggest learning to pay attention to the speed of the persons hand coming over to take the card. Paul Gertner mentioned that everybody has a constant speed that they will reach for a card. If you pay attention to that and spread the cards at that persons speed, there will be a better chance of them taking the card you want.

Also, remember to continue spreading the cards between their fingers and when you come to the force card, have them take it, and at that moment. Pull the deck AWAY from them. Other than that, it's just a timing thing that you are going to have to learn to develop and try to learn a few routines that don't rely 100% of the force, but will help you develop it.

 

[Mike.Hankins]

Great question!

I didn't read any other responses, so I hope my suggestion isn't already mentioned...

But I would say ONLY attempt the Classic Force when the selection could really be ANY card. Have the card that you want to force, then give it a try. Worst case scenario, you miss the CF and you flow into something else.

 

[FormlessMars22]

To reiterate what Mike said, have two effects, one with the force and one without an try the Classic Force so if you miss you're good, also try and use the Classic Force every time you ask someone to pick a card i.e do it when you don't need it, this will help get used to the feel of the force and increase your chances of hitting.

 

[krab]

Max Maven said when asked what happens if he misses. He said "It's my job not to miss."

 

[RedbeardThePink]

ACR is a good one. Another option is to do a key-card effect or a biddle trick. Those are usually my go-to impromptu pick-a-card tricks. The rest of my card work is mostly packet tricks or ace tricks.

As for your classic force, there are a number of subtleties that can be used to make it work more often. I don't really use forces in my card work much because I find that anything where the cards don't spread feels like a force to the spectator and the classic force is pretty hit or miss, but there was an effect I worked out that required a force and the classic force is the only one I was willing to use because I felt anything else would weaken the effect. Here are the things that worked for me when performing it.

One trick is to leave the card you're trying to force slightly to the left-hand side of the spread (your left). This puts the force card on the right which puts it within easier reach of most people. It also seems less fishy if the chosen card didn't come from the center of the spread. If you are certain that the spectator is left handed, you'll probably want to hang it more toward the middle or right if possible.

The rest of the classic force, in my opinion, isn't in the move but the language that surrounds it. NEVER use words like "pick," "choose," or "select" when attempting to use this force. Always say either "take" or "grab." Making a choice requires thought and saying choose will prompt the brain to stop and think, whereas "grab" more likely prompts them to reach out and grab something without thinking about it.

Make it seem like the choice isn't a big deal, but do it subtly! DON'T say it doesn't matter what card they pick or anything of the kind. Magicians are known liars, so much of what you say will be assumed to be false. A subtle verbal convincer I use is to say "Just grab a card real quick." The word "just" makes it seem like the choice isn't a big deal, the word "grab" prompts them to reach out and take a card without much thought, and "real quick" subtly prompts them to spend little if any time making a choice.

That also brings me to my last point: you want to encourage them to make the choice quickly. The above phrase helps, but it can also help to act like you're running out of time and can only show them one more quick trick. This adds a sense of urgency that will increase the likelihood that your spectator will make a snap decision and take the forced card.

 

[JButterfield]

Pop Haydn's Chicago Surprise (a Chicago Opener variant) is a great trick to work on your classic force. It has an out built into it that strengthens the trick if you miss the force - so much so that I rarely force the card at all anymore.

Any trick where the card selected doesn't matter is a great place to practice the force without fear of failure - any pick-a-card trick where you'll control the selection is a fine place to practice. If you miss, no big deal. If you hit, so much the better.