Magic Tricks

I consider Transactions to be one of my better EDC purchases from 2022. Years back I learned Organic Choice by Ryan Stock, which is also a grocery receipt-based effect. I liked it (and still do) but Transaction has more to it in that the list of possibilities is longer and includes the ability to read the mind of a spectator as to thought-of-product PLUS the price of that product. There is a way to do this with no memorization, but the memory work on this is part of a methodology that is very intuitive and well-crafted. Just in learning the basics you will almost have the memory work done. There is one “weak” spot in the presentation (in my opinion) that requires you to fish for (actually: outright ASK for) a single piece of information on which everything else hinges. The tutorial instructs you as how to do this but I never liked the approach suggested. This will all make sense if you get the effect, but in short, it is suggested that this piece of information be obtained during the flow of the presentation (somewhat close to the reveal). I like getting it at the very beginning under the guise of “calibrating my mind” with the spectator. I intentionally make a wrong guess, which leads to getting the correct information. I frame that simply as: "OK - this might be more difficult than I thought but I think I have a clear path into your mind now." In that way what needs to be done is actually dissociated with the rest of the process. Either approach will fly --- it’s just a stylistic choice. Transaction has a very natural feel to it. I use a theme of mental magic being found in the most common of places and things. I like pulling battered-up receipts out of my wallet because so many of us have a stack of crumbled receipts at any given time. Interestingly, there were MANY posts on Magic Cafe bemoaning that these receipts are not Tyvek. People are worried about them wearing out. First: I think you WANT them to look old and wrinkled. Second: When you first get them, scan them or take good photos of them and, when need be, you can just make more prints. In summary, audience response has been very good because the effect does not seem “gimmicky” and because the mindreading is pretty tough to reverse engineer. They advertise this as a book test that fits in your wallet. That’s an accurate assessment!