Your Favorite Way to Control a Card to the Top

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RealityOne

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Nov 1, 2009
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I'm looking at a variety controls to bring a selected and returned card to the top of the deck to expand my knowledge and repertoire.

I typically just catch a break while folding the spread, talk a bit and then do a riffle shuffle. I've played with using a short key card and then a riffle shuffle. I don't have sources for either of those -- they are just stuff I've come up with because a riffle shuffle seems natural. I like Lee Asher's Losing Control. I really don't like an Overhand Shuffle control.

So my question is what control is your favorite? If you can, provide a source.
 
Feb 18, 2015
145
96
Cherry Control by Ricky Smith (Look up "Artofmagic" ricky smith cherry control)
Classic pass/Hermann pass (you know what I am talking about)
Hofzinzer Cull Control (
, or "Hofzinser's Card Tricks" by Fulves). Though the hofzinser cull cannot pull it to the top, I still love it. You can control it anywhere but the top (E.G 26 cards down)
Diagonal Palm Shift Control (Expert at Card Table, or just look it up lol)
Ernest Earick's Control ("By Forces Unseen") (P.S MY FAVORITE BOOK after TEATCT)
Transferring Pinkie break to thumb break then cutting multiple packets to the table until I hit the thumb break.
:) All I got right now.
 
Jan 21, 2017
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it
I'm looking at a variety controls to bring a selected and returned card to the top of the deck to expand my knowledge and repertoire.

I typically just catch a break while folding the spread, talk a bit and then do a riffle shuffle. I've played with using a short key card and then a riffle shuffle. I don't have sources for either of those -- they are just stuff I've come up with because a riffle shuffle seems natural. I like Lee Asher's Losing Control. I really don't like an Overhand Shuffle control.

So my question is what control is your favorite? If you can, provide a source.
it seems very cliche, but double-undercut, with misdirection is my favorite during performance, practice-wise, is the classic pass, or variations
 

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
5,877
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"Death to the Double Undercut" by Joel Pascal, PPP by Alan Rorrison, or a very cheeky move I "invented" (I'm certain it's been done before) where I use a rather bold version of a Hermann pass.
 
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Tower of Lunatic Meat

Elite Member
Sep 27, 2014
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If I understand the question correctly...'Raise Rise'. =runs=

Ray Kosby's Impossible Card Magic DVD.


I know you're into books and literature; and RR has been translated into print (I believe Genii Magazine. Don't remember which issue). But I have been told it's damn near impossible if you go off of text only.
 

DavidL11229

Elite Member
Jul 25, 2015
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Seattle
Classic pass (Tarbell version! vol. 1 I believe). It suits me because it provides good cover and does not rely on ultra speed to be effective.

Double undercut as a plan B.

Depending on the circumstance (if the deck is face up and spectators in the proper spots etc) then the Single Card Straddle Pass (Jason England version) is also good.

Working on the Top Card Cover Pass, but not there yet.
 

JPS

Dec 21, 2016
75
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For basic lay people I never found any reason to not simply use the double undercut and a few false shuffles. Misdirection and sheer ignorance to the art really makes it hard to get caught. However, my sure fire backup for whatever reason is luke dancy's under control. That thing is crazy good
 
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Apr 2, 2010
23
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Louisiana
I enjoy doing a side steal from a peek. It's quick and efficient. Nestor Hato put out a control a while back called "The Perception Control," which I quite like. And last, but not least, I almost always have a breather crimp in my deck, so I use a control by Vernon and Al Flosso detailed in Paul Lelekis's "Let's Take a Breather!"
 

Dean Magic

Elite Member
Jun 13, 2013
452
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I tend to do a turnover pass as I think it provides more cover than the classic pass. The only other controls I use in actual performances would be the Marlo Tilt and classic pass in an ACR routine.
 
99% of the time it's a Double Undercut and Jog Shuffle. Works for me and works for layman so I see no reason to use anything more complicated. Also works for controlling a card to the bottom or 2nd, 3rd etc from the top.

I have one trick where I need a card controlled to the bottom but two face-up cards on top of the deck need to stay in place, so for that I use a single card cull.

Also, I've had a bit of a soft spot for the Bluff Pass ever since I learned it from Bob Longe's '101 Amazing Card Tricks' 16 years ago, so if I need a card somewhere within the top five cards I'll use that. I much prefer the Bluff Pass to the Marlo Tilt as it's way more 'open' looking and, in my opinion, less angle sensitive as all the attention is in the 'wrong' place (or right place depending on your view of misdirection).

Rev
 
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ProAma

Elite Member
Jun 13, 2013
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You do a Classic pass or Hermann pass when they are not paying attention. Professionally known as the off beat which few magicians grasp.
 

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
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The pass is a sledge hammer, regardless of which particular pass one is doing. Unless you need blocks preserved, there's no need to move that many cards just to move one to position. A side steal and palm placement is far more subtle.

The pass became the "king" of card moves because when it was popular, cards were just painted and varnished cardboard. They did not slide like modern cards did. One had to move whole blocks of cards, because it was not possible to slip one card out and palm it very easily.
 

RealityOne

Elite Member
Nov 1, 2009
3,744
4,076
New Jersey
Thanks for all the responses. Keep them comming. I'm actually spending some time this weekend researching all of them as well as others.

The Cherry Control looks really good. The spread cull type controls don't work for me because the card doesn't come to the top. I agree with Christopher that the pass is not an effective control for a single card and agree with all those that said the double undercut is a "go to" control that works. I'm working on the diagonal palm shift (which isn't reall a shift) and variations. The LeCool control just makes it too evident that you are doing something -- I prefer it to look like you are doing nothing.

Ernest Earick's Control ("By Forces Unseen")

I don't have that book, but from what I've seen and heard, the moves are amazing but really difficult.

"Death to the Double Undercut" by Joel Pascal, PPP by Alan Rorrison, or a very cheeky move I "invented" (I'm certain it's been done before) where I use a rather bold version of a Hermann pass.

I like Death to the Double Undercut. Do you have a source for PPP? It frustrates me when I can't find a source for a magic move. You will have to show me your variation on the Hermann pass next time we meet up.

If I understand the question correctly...'Raise Rise'. =runs

I guess I should have specified a control that is not apparant to the spectators.
 
You do a Classic pass or Hermann pass when they are not paying attention. Professionally known as the off beat which few magicians grasp.

Thank god you're here to point out what we're all doing wrong...

Question though: If they're not looking anyway, why bother with a classic pass? Why not just cut the deck? Blantant actions are total invisible if done when no one is looking, the top change proves this theory.

The classic pass is an invisible control in that no visible cutting/shuffling occurs. Why bother with an invisible action when no one is looking?

Rev
 
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