I, unlike many magicians, am not a fan of Asi's ACAAN. I think the move happens at the wrong time.
These versions of ACAAN require no shifts. Some require no sleights at all. The sleights required to
do every effect in the book are Running cards, Under-spread Cull, False Shuffle, Double lift and top
peek. Besides the double lift, these are all taught in detail.
If you have watched Carl's
channel, you will know some of these methods. But there are also some very good versions of ACAAN
here he has not taught. I would say these are the best effects in the book.
You also get
the explanation for his stack, which is supposed to be easy to memorize. The stack is perfectly
functional for all of the effects in the book, but I would not recommend it for serious memdeck
practitioners. All the memdeck tricks in this book will work with any stack.
Ratings for
all Effects:
“ANY” No sleights required. No complex calculations. You could use a crib for
the memdeck if you wanted a version with no memory work. 4/5
“CHANCE INTRODUCTION” An out
to get the perfect ACAAN. Sometimes. 5/5
“ANY - COURT CARD STACK” Small stack method. This
is the one Carl Says he uses most often. 4/5
“ANY… MORE” A variation of the above trick
with less equivoque and more sleight of hand. 3/5
“GOING HOME” The best effect in this
book. The spectator names any card, and that is the only card in position for new deck order. There
is hardly any sleight of hand. 5/5
“QUARTER TRUTH” A small stack version of ACAAN. The
method here is nothing new, but it definitely works well for spectators. 3/5
“FILING SUIT”
A gambling style presentation makes this one feel different from the others. It uses a small stack
only. 4/5
“CUT IT OUT” This version is pure bluff. I don't like it that much. The reason is
because you have to make the presentation about David Berglas and ACAAN for it to make sense. Carl
says this is his go-to method. 3/5
“LONG DISTANCE CALL” Not a huge fan of this one. Too
much handling of the deck for me. But the effect does work fine. There isn't any thing wrong with it
per se. 3/5
“DEJA VU” A spectator thinks of a number. Then they look at the card at that
number. Then, despite the deck being shuffled, the card is still at that number. This is all from a
shuffled deck. This one will fool some magicians because of the lack of direct control. You never
know their card and number till the end of the trick, when the deck is in their hands. 4.5/5
“HIVE MIND” The method alone is okay, but the presentation is what makes it brilliant. Probably
the most compelling presentation I have seen for ACAAN. It is easy and uses a shuffled deck. The
only con is that you need multiple spectators. 5/5
“ALL IN THE CARDS” This one is designed
for a filmed performance with a spectator there (not zoom). It will look impossible to the people
who watch the video later. 4/5
“ALL IN THE MOMENT” Same as above but Impromptu. Carl does
not prefer this method. 4/5
Totally worth it for all fans of ACAAN, as well as people who
don't do ACAAN want a more compelling but easy version of ACAAN to add to their repertoire.