You can do this trick without a full deck! You can do this trick with an alphabet deck or an animal
deck or an old maid deck or a with a Briscola deck! (You just need to know in advance how many cards
you have.)
As with most self working card tricks there's counting to be done. It helps to
have an easy going, Rick Laxian personality but there's enough bits of business given in the
presentation even someone such as me can hold the audience.
As a heads up, the
presentation shown by Penguin isn't the actual presentation. There's a round of counting, done by
the spectator, where the magi needs to be clearly (and really) not looking. You can turn your head
or step away but you need to convince people that you are not seeing that part. I only mention this
because it adds a bit of necessary dead air to the presentation. However, that will be long
forgotten when you finally get to the denouement, a word which here and just about every place else
means ending. Also, just before the spectator does their counting they get to shuffle the deck so
that's a plus.
Also, there is one "move" that really isn't a move (if you can hold cards
then you have it down pat) and it will sail by any spectators that don't already know the effect.
Finally, there are enough things (cards, card boxes, bits of paper with numbers on them)
floating around that a performing surface is almost a necessity.
Bottom line is the
effect is bulletproof (with sober/cooperative spectators), is provided with a great presentation,
and produces a good deal of impact.
I really appreciate your review. It was apparent there was "something" missing in the presentation and your description of it was very helpful. When I see this kind of thing done especially if it's something I would like to get, I have to ask myself... just why is it they're not showing the entire presentation? I have bought magic before when this was the case and have always been disappointed, not that I would be here, but I've just made it my policy to never again buy a piece of magic that didn't include a live demonstration. I miss brick and mortar magic shops... ;)
I really appreciate your review too and agree with katmaul that we should not be sold tricks without some clarity around the presentation. Of course Penguin will try and use the excuse that a live demo gives the trick away... but they could at least not omit crucial stages of a trick - it's downright deceitful, especially in the written description. The description for this makes it sound like there are just two steps 'name and think' then the reveal, not true really, that omits all the selection processs...
I don't know goldeneddie, if the trick is as advertised , being so deceptive even the magician is surprised when it works... chances are the majority of viewers wouldn't see the secret. But I guess it could be likened to watching the trick more than once... which as we all know can reveal how it's done easier than having only one chance. Still, I have seen where that can be worked around so that a much more accurate presentation can be shown without exposing too much. You know, like when we used to go to the brick and mortar shops and say "show me what's new"... if it fooled me I usually bought it.
I am glad I opened and read the extra comments. I am disappointed with the omission of the whole effect and it's working. As mentioned... I feel that the omission is deceitful. Now, maybe it is a wonderful effect, but in view of the omission, I won't be purchasing it.
Having spent lots of money in the past with Penguin, I'm going to re-think my trust issues in the future.
About the "missing segment," I completely agree that the video demonstration should take the place of seeing an effect live and therefor include what you would see at that time. Back in the days of real magic stores it would be impossible to leave a chunk out and that should be the case here as well.
However, in this case, without considering the motives behind the omission, I do not believe the significantly detracts from the overall value of the effect. That, along with the ease of performance, high level of spectator participation, and considerable impact is why I gave this five stars. That got even better once I realized the deck doesn't even need to be complete or in good condition.
What you see in the vid is probably all that the spectator will remember from the presentation. The rest involves (perhaps in their mind) generating a random number. Actually that is what the rest of the actions do. What Penguin/Rick did in the blurb for this trick is to go the extra mile and give you some of the credits for the mechanics. If you wanted you could look at Marlo's tips, or Bannon's, there's even a free demo of Ouelette's version easily found online (not under this name). Some or most will complain that they don't have those resources but folks should start assembling a library. Rick's got all the other versions beat with motivation, plot (vs. plod) and drama, however.
I hear what your all saying about omitting crucial parts to avoid exposure being nothing like the brick and mortars demonstrations , but you have to consider for a moment with most effects in a brick and mortar shop you usually see it performed one time , it happens really fast , and were left with our memories to try and reconstruct . With Penguins video demonstrations they almost have to leave out certain parts otherwise many would know how its done , recreate it at home , and cut the creator out completely . I don't think that's fair either . I know because ive done it before when they've over exposed their trailers .
omz40, yep... that's why my comment above. There is a happy medium between what they are doing here and what you would have to reconstruct from memory seeing an effect only once. Again, as I said before there are ways to do this that many creators of magic have used here on penguin, just not in this instance, where more of the effect can be shown without exposing too much of the secret.
I think I would have been upset if I would have read the description and then bought this trick .....if they're not going to put the full presentation into the video, they at least should put the full presentation into the description!!!.......it's truly sad that I have to read the comments and the reviews to learn the whole routine before I buy it! .... (just my opinion)
Mr. Lax's trailers are more and more leaving moves out. Unacceptable, Penguin Magic.
With magic. All old tricks are new again. If you go on ebay , you see alot of effects that were in print decade's ago.yet being sold as latest and greatest. I swear even this effect. Makes me want to bring out my books.cuz i know its an old method. I swear these guys dig up old books.make the trick have a cool little change and up beat theme and bam.its there new idea ! Im going to dig thru all my books when i find this.i will post it on here. Cuz leaving a huge gap out of the video really is cruel. Bad enough we pay top frickin dollar for magic supplys. We have to be duped by penguin and mr lax !
Can a deaf person do this trick?
This has one serious downside and MANY times a spectator will ask the question. You must show a specific number of cards to the spectator, however, when that number exceeds the number of cards put in the box it is often asked why more cards had to be shown that were put in the box.
@mrvanish: That question shouldn’t bother you. For instance...
“Why did you count ## cards? You told me ## before.”
“Oh, whoops! Guess I just get carried away when I count. Too much fun, and all.”
@Robert Tobias: Perfoming this standup is easy peasy and doesn’t even require any real modifications. I’ll put it in the discussion section.
To be fair to Penguin, I saw the credit on the blurb and realised I have Destination Zero but I had missed the credited effect.
I have now found another hidden gem in a book and don't feel the need to purchase this as I have my own ideas on how I want to present this.
:)
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borrowed, Shuffled, and INCOMPLETE
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