Magic Tricks

How many CT or Acidus Novus variations are out there? Many. How many CT or Acidus Novus variations do you really need to be able to do? A couple. That's about it. If you look around on Penguin, you will find a bewildering number of CT/peek technique books, ebooks, and videos. I think that every working mentalist should be able to do this type of billet work. It's absolutely fundamental. (That's why I groan when I read some youngster who says, "Corridna and Annemann are old and boring." Sonny, you are clueless. Go take your self-working card tricks and get away from me.) But you shouldn't get carried away. There is no need to learn every billet tear, peek, or whatever, lest you wind up like those insane card guys--I used to be one--who are always nattering and showing off their 20 different ways to do a classic pass or color change. They can't do any good routines, but they have multiple ways to do the same sleight down pat. That's the magic equivalent of being able to use 50 different types of wrench without actually building anything. Pure technique gets you no gold stars by itself. Entertaining people does.

Anyway, if you have an established, reliable CT/peek, then you probably don't need UBT. But if you are a mentalism newbie or the least bit nervous about your CT/peek skills, then check this out. It's brilliant, seems natural, and, above all, is easy to do. Now Bob Cassidy, the Master, would ask, "Why do you need an instant CT/peek where you are looking at the time an audience is burning your hands? Why not do the classic CT and grab the peek during an offbeat or logical disconnect?" That is a valid question, and one that you need to answer for yourself. It comes down to how comfortable you are with the individual methods. For an instant peek, UBT can't be beaten! Highly recommended.