Which version is your favourite?

Oct 25, 2008
35
5
Norway
There are many classics in card magic, and there have been made countless different versions over the years of everyone of them. Just to mention a few of them: Cards Across, Poker Demonstration, Underground Transposition (also known as "Reset"), Invisible Palms, Card Warp, Torn & Restored card, Ambitious Card Routine, Color Changing Deck, Oil & Water, The Homing Card, Ace Assembly, Collectors and Out Of This World.

So the questions are:
# Which version of one of the classics is your favourite? And why?

Gimmicked or non-gimmicked, impromptu or non-impromptu. Doesn't matter. You can even write down an impromptu version and a non-impromptu version, if you got two different versions of a trick for different occasions (like stand-up or and at the table). If I've forgotten a trick, please feel free to ad it to the list :) And of course, if you don't do a trick, just skip it :)

Also, if you could write down the name of the creator and where to find the resource to the trick, it would be nice. You don't have to do it, but it would be nice for others who might find it interesting and want to learn it :)

I'll start!

# Cards Across: Probably Bill Malone's version from his DVD-series "On The Loose". Don't remember which dvd. It's simple and relatively easy to pull off, and it is totally impromptu. Michael Close also got a nice version on his dvd "Signature Effects Michael Close", which, by the way, is a great resource for how to learn palming!

# Poker Demonstration: The version I like is originally a Marlo-trick, but Bill Malone has done his own handling of it, which I prefer. You can find it on Bill Malone's second dvd-series "Here I Go Again". I think you can find it on volume 2, not sure. There is a setup, but it can be done in front of the spectators.

# Underground Transposition (also known as "Reset"): I'll have to go with Earl Nelson's "Reset reset", which can be found in his book "Variations Revisited". To me this version is the most visual and most practical one.

# Invisible Palms: I'm not sure which version I do. I think I've mixed it up from several artists. The closest one I can refer to is Bill Malone's vesion, which can be found on "On The Loose" dvd-series. Impromptu.

# Card Warp: I have yet to find a version that I like. Not impromptu, although someone might know of a version which is.

# Torn & Restored Card: Never done the trick, but I really like Daniel Garcia's version. He has an own dvd for this trick, which is called "Torn". Kind of impromptu. You'll know what I mean when you buy the dvd.

# Ambitious Card Routine: Again, I've kind of developed my own version of it, but I've been inspired by Oz Pearlman's version on his excellent dvd for beginners "Born To Perform", Bill Malone's version on "On The Loose" dvd's and David Williamson's "Magic Farm"-dvd. Another great resource is Daryls excellent dvd on the ambitious card routine, "Daryl's Ambitious Card".

# Color-Changing Deck: I really like Ed Marlo's color-changing deck. Really practical and uses only one card! Great. Not impromptu. You can find it on Bill Malone's "Here I Go Again" dvd's or in "Bill Malone meets Marlo", don't remember which volumes. I want to ad two versions performed by Oz Pearlman too, "Blindsided" and "Nemesis". Blindsided is a more standup-friendly, since it's done all in the hands. Both "Nemesis" and Marlo's Color-Changing Deck has to be done at a table.

# Oil & Water: "Ultimate Oil & Water by Anthony Owen" is the most visual one I've ever seen. It's gimmicked, but again, hands off the most beautiful version I've ever come across. Have yet to find a good impromptu or non-gimmicked version of this one. Although John Carney has a nice version of it in his excellent book "Carneycopia". Think it's called "Troubled Oil & Water".

# The Homing Card: I've been looking for a good version of this since I saw a YouTube-clip where Fred Kaps performing it. Yet to find his version which I don't believe is ever published. Guy Hollingworth has a version of it on his "London Collection" dvd, but I've never taken the time to learn it properly. Looks great though.

# Ace Assembly: I never perform it. Just not for me. Maybe I'm wrong?

# Collectors: Same as above.

# Out Of This World: Never performed it, but realized that I'll have to have it in my reportoire. Recently found a nice on Michael Ammar's dvd-series "Easy To Master Card Miracles". I believe you can find it on either volume 8 or 9.

Hoping for some great feedbacks! :)
 
Jun 6, 2010
796
0
Nashville, TN
# Oil & Water: "Ultimate Oil & Water by Anthony Owen" is the most visual one I've ever seen. It's gimmicked, but again, hands off the most beautiful version I've ever come across. Have yet to find a good impromptu or non-gimmicked version of this one. Although John Carney has a nice version of it in his excellent book "Carneycopia". Think it's called "Troubled Oil & Water".

Hoping for some great feedbacks! :)

I hate gimmicked Oil and Water routines so I came up with an impromptu version that looks good and you can even have spectators deal them out. I might post a video of it.
 
Nov 8, 2007
1,238
3
Good thread.

Cards Across: "Strange Travelers" (Blaine and PH). It's a freely thought of card across that's very clean looking. When the time is right I'm also a fan of PH's "Las Vegas Leaper." Juan Tameriz has a killer version of Cards Across too. Very similar to Strange Travelers.

T&R Card: David Williamson's "T&R Transpo." A whole magical routine that ends with a torn card restoring in the spectator's hand. This might just be my favorite card effect of all time.

Out of This World: I use a combination of Lennart Green's Green Angle separation and the last move of Galaxy by PH. Shuffled deck, very strong.
 
Nice idea, here's my list (I've left out the ones I don't do or have no comment on)


# Poker Demonstration: 'Harry Lorayne's Poker Deal', from 'Close-up Card Magic'. It's also on ETMCM Vol.1 and I believe it's also in RRTCM under a different name. Ok, I know it's simple and not flashy enough to impress any magicians, but laymen love it. Plus the set up is so quick, it is the ideal follow up to a four ace trick and requires no sleights of any kind (unless yo want to throw a quick false shuffle in there, which I do).

# Underground Transposition (also known as "Reset"): 'Trost on Reset' from 'Card Magic of Nick Trost.' It's easy to do, doesn't require that awkward hand position and dodgy grips that some versions require, plus just looks great.

# Invisible Palms: I don't perform this trick, but if I did I'd use Wayne Houchin's version as it looks fantastic and isn't that difficult to do.

# Card Warp: Just the traditional Roy Walton Card Warp found on ETMCM. Plus, I would argue this is impromptu. Ok, on the DVD he pre-prepared the card, but I have found you can do the 'thing' required whilst you distract the spectator by getting them to fold the other card. Andrew Gerard's 'Stapled Warp' on TA was a nice idea, but I didn't think the addition of the staples really added much to the trick (plus who carries a stapler around with them?!).

# Torn & Restored Card: Never done the trick, but Daniel Garcia's version is the best I've seen.

# Ambitious Card Routine: Mine was inspired initially by the routine David Blaine did on 'Street Magic' as this is the first time I recall seeing an ACR (even though I have been doing magic about 5 years by that point), which i think is the one Michael Ammar teaches on one of the ETMCM DVDs. Since then however I have added a reversing card phase that I saw Marvin Berglas use, changed the beginning slightly and occasionally I throw card to mouth in the middle if I feel like it. So a bit of a hotch-potch of ideas really.

# Color-Changing Deck: Nick Trost's Colour Changing Deck (think he calls it 'Observation Test'). So easy to do but it slays laymen. No sleights to speak of plus I find the patter (treating it as an observation test) makes a lot of sense, especially if used as a first trick.

# Oil & Water: Either Paul Gordon's 'Fry them with Oil and Water' or Nick Trost's 'Oil and Queens'. Both don't over do the red black separation idea plus both have essentially the same kicker ending. Both are very easy to do, though I would say the Trost version is easier, but not quite a visual.

# Ace Assembly: 'Gathering of the Clan' from Royal Road to Card Magic. Ok, it's an oldie, but I loved it when I first learned it and I love it now. It won't fool many magicians, but it sure works on the speccys.

# Collectors: I never quite worked out what a 'Collectors' routine was.... perhaps someone could enlighten me so I can find out if I do indeed do a collectors routine!

# Out Of This World: An impromptu version I learned off of a Matthew J Dowden DVD that gives (from the speccys view) the exact same effect as the Paul Curry version. Shuffled deck, spectator has a free choice and yet they still end up separated and procedure wise it's just as straight forward and sleight free as the original. Brilliant. I believe Harry Lorayne also likes to take some credit for inventing this, but I take that claim with a pinch of salt...


So there's my list. Nothing amazing from a magicians point of view, but they work for me. As you can tell, I prefer subtlety over difficult sleights, hence the frequent references to Nick Trost (the guy is a legend), plus I try give them all my own twist on the presentation front.


Rev
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Nov 15, 2007
1,106
2
35
Raleigh, NC
# Cards Across: I like two versions, one is from Ted Anneman using envelopes and is very clean, the other is the basic routine where three go across between two spectators, impromptu and entertaining (not sure where to cite it, as I don't recall where I learned it)

# Poker Demonstration: I don't do much in the way of poker demo's but I have to agree with Rev with the Harry Lorayne's Poker Deal -it is phenomenal.


# Underground Transposition (also known as "Reset"):Reset, Reset (learned from Variations, don't own 'revisited') which is clean and ends well. I still want to check out Caleb Wiles version, it's gotten some pretty rave reviews.

# Invisible Palms: I saw this, thought about it, and came up with how it must be done. I'm not 100% sure who/what I'm copying, but I like my version. I'd say it's closest to the one W:H uses.

# Torn & Restored Card: Torn by Daniel Garcia and 'A little more Ultimate than John Mendoza's Ultimate Torn and Restored Card' by Geoff Williams. Torn is better for day to day uses, but if I know I'm going to be performing the second is a great effect.

# Ambitious Card Routine: I draw from everywhere. It's actually in re-development...Maybe I'll update when I'm done.

# Oil & Water: I might pick up Anthony Owen's Ultimate O&W sometime, it looks insane, but I do a mix...I start with Justin Higham's routine found in his e-book I got from Vanishing Inc. (I think I got it free with purchase of his book). My second phase is from Sam Schwartz's "More On Oil and Water" and then I'm still looking for a better third phase...I have a few ideas, none are really 'great'.

# Ace Assembly: I do it with cards other than aces usually, another one of those things where I just messed with it until I got it to work. No DFer's, but I don't perform it often. It's just not something I find myself wanting to perform.

# Out Of This World: In two different spectators hands, a red and black poker chip added for clarity. Paul Curry's version has held true, so I haven't even really looked for another version.

I know a few different versions of some of these tricks, these are the ones I use most often.
 
Jul 13, 2010
526
34
# Cards Across: the versions by Juan Tamariz and Simon Aronson. Both are strong.

# Poker Demonstration: Darwin Ortiz stuff. The finest constructed gambling demonstrations I´ve seen.

# Invisible Palms: Larry Jennings classic 'Open Travelers'

# Torn & Restored Card: Arturo de Ascanio 'Torn and restored card'

# Ambitious Card Routine: Tommy Wonder 'Ambitious Card plus Ringbox' I love the construciton and the way he involves the audience.

# Oil & Water: Darwin Ortiz 'Ultimate Oil and Water'

# Ace Assembly: Michael Vincent 'Vincent`s Aces'

# Out Of This World: Paul Currys classic

# Cannibal Cards: Also Juan Tamariz. Usually I don´t like the CC-plot that much , but his presentation is just funny and entertaining.

# ACAAN: John Born´s version
 
Mar 6, 2008
1,483
3
A Land Down Under
ACAAN the second version (platform) from Theatre of the Mind with the second phase using the updated method from Act Two.

OOTW (stand up) a very personal handling which was inturn inspired from all of Barrie Richardson's different handlings. It came about after reading three or four different methods I had came up with something that was different from every other handling of OOTW.

OOTW the first effect I ever created which involves switching cards in and out it was inspired by Luke Jermay's first phase of Out of (t)his world.

Para-Optic Vision Annemann's with a VST instead of the force Annemann suggests.

Card Calling Osterlinds Stack

The Open Prediction either Brrr... or the handling Derren uses on his tv show. Or my own personal handling again.

Although most of the card work I do perform is peek / force and reveal in interesting ways.
 
Aug 8, 2010
33
0
I hate gimmicked Oil and Water routines so I came up with an impromptu version that looks good and you can even have spectators deal them out. I might post a video of it.
yeah, i really hate gimmicked tricks when there are ones with ordinary deck exist
btw, my all time fav Oil And Water trick is from"Harry Lorayne - Magical Classics (Part II)"
So lovely, first starts as classic oil and water but ends with revelation of royal flush!! Looks like real miracle... perfomed it for laimen several times, only few tricks got better reactions...
 
Searching...
{[{ searchResultsCount }]} Results