Magic Tricks

Pros
A stunner of an effect
Excellent, excellent teaching
Extremely well thought out/choreographed
Clearly refined from experience in the real world
Training video is perfect in terms of time

Cons
Not for beginners/maybe for intermediates
Requires gaffs/not impromptu
Can't be repeated for the same audience
Wardrobe considerations if performed standing

Looking at the trailer for Nemesis, it was clear to me that Nick was doing 'something,' but I still was totally fooled by the trick. That said, it's not like I'm the most experienced or savvy magician and I missed a key component which is why I absolutely couldn't back track the effect. The reactions were great and the price more than reasonable, so I went for it.

I haven't received the trick yet, but have enough of what I might need to work thorough the trick, so I've pretty much been able to practice this, albeit awkwardly.

Without giving anything away, there are some wardrobe considerations that you will need if you are doing this standing up. The deck is examinable before the trick. With a little follow up work, the deck will be examinable afterwards as well. There are minimal sleights at work here, but that which is employed is bold. Experienced magicians will not have a problem with this, but beginning and intermediate magicians may not feel ready for this--you have been warned. That said, the way Nick has choreographed the effect, the heat is off the magician when you do the dirty work. Strangely, when he shows an example of where he should have been caught, he wasn't. Spectators are distracted elsewhere, so if you are going to do this kind of move, this is the best way to do it. Given the method, you could not repeat the effect for the same audience. (You probably shouldn't anyway...)

Suffice it to say that the combination of the sleight and the gaff is what really drives the trick. The fact that you can optionally wring out the gaff at the end of the trick and have the deck fully examinable, makes this virtually untraceable. That said, I totally agree with Nick: unless you are doing this for magicians, no spectator will have any interest in examining the deck afterwards.

The teaching 1 hour 46 minutes and is spot on. It is neither too long or too short--it's just right. Nick covers the script, the choreography, and any sleights used. Nick gives you multiple outs, multiple options for sleights used, extras that can be added in, and how to end clean. There is also a bonus routine 'Nemesis at any number' in the end.

The major criticism seems to be that there is 'nothing new here' or that 'you will be disappointed in the method.' Yes, this is nothing new in terms of the tools or sleights used, but you'd be hard pressed to put this thing together yourself and most magic we read or buy is some kind of rehashing of past plots and methods. The key here is we are being taught a signature piece of magic by an expert teacher, which is already worth the price of admission (which is wholly reasonable, by the way).

As to being disappointed in the method, I'm not sure why anyone would say that. Once you know the 'secret' most effects seems simpler than they should be. They key is whether the effect hits hard (this one does) and if it is doable for most of us in front of an audience (e.g. doesn't require Ernest Earick/Octopus-Can-Palm level sleights). Sure, you are using known gaff principles and sleights, but if I could have put this thing together, I'd be working for Penguin instead of Nick and maybe I would also have a better head of hair... This is an excellent way to use well known tools to get an incredible result. So I think--at least for most of us--it is more than worthwhile.

That said, I'm not sure whether I will use this. I think for for working magicians who do a lot of gigging, traveling with a pack of gaffs and different card decks is a usual thing. This trick is hard hitting and one of those things that would be a 'reputation maker.' For the amateur, such as myself, who does tricks here or there for friends with borrowed decks, this is not something that you'd use very often, as you'd have to think ahead to bring the gaff and it would need to match the cards you are using. Then again, if I were doing a one off for friends and family at home, I can see myself bringing this out because it is such a stunner. As a major side benefit for intermediate magicians, you will learn a lot about constructing a magic effect and will also learn a useful sleight that you may have been neglecting. It is more than worth the price for what I learned so far, even if I never perform this trick.

Hats off to Nick Locapo for a great routine and for incredible teaching. Recommended.