That's what's weird in the demo - as the spec goes to 'they say scratch' the cards

I think that's what makes me want to wait for reviews

Hey guys,
Here is the full performance:



Best regards,
Titanas

Thank you so much Titanus this really look fantastic.
My order is in

MP

That’s made my mind up...my order has been placed. Looks really good

This looks very similar to Intuition by Hondo only the cards are blank instead of a mixed deck showing no duplicates in the finally like Intuition had. Methodologically it looks like it could be identical with a couple extra convincers. How do these two effects compare?

Genius.

This is going to be a long post, but I have to elaborate on the reason behind the question "how examinable is the deck?".

I don't hand out cards to be examined, but this effect has a catch 22 situation that comes with it. 95 to 99% of people have never met a magician before (an estimate but it's a safe one), and we can safely conclude that every single on of those people have NEVER seen a blank deck before (ok in person, you'll find the odd fella who has seen one on P&T fool us, but I digress). By performing this effect, you end with a great kicker that is intended to catch your participants off guard (which it does), but will also inevitably invoke a thought process that we magicians try an avoid at all costs: "that must be a trick deck".

This is really a numbers game, as only a certain percentage will conclude this while you are present(factor in a great performance and script, you will reduce that percentage.. but you cannot reduce that down to 0%), and from the amount of people with that thought process, a certain amount (not all) will act on that thought process while you are there performing, whether it be through impulse, a desperate need to test their theory, or the desire to screw you over. I have encountered many (not a majority, just to be clear) who when confronted with something impossible, will react in a way that requires me to ask you the question "how examinable is the deck?". Some people instinctively grab the cards from the table to confirm how impossible it was (no malice, just a natural human reaction), and I wanted to know whether the deck could accommodate that possiblility.

If you perform in an environment which you can control (for example: on stage, or a parlour setting) then this isn't a worry, as peer pressure and the need to conform to the setting your participants are in, trump the concerns raised in the previous paragraph. Anyone who challenges you in this instance really is an anomaly.

But let's be honest, the majority of people performing this effect will be showing people a bar/restaurant/or any other casual setting that I'm too lazy to list. I am one of those people, and I get the chance to perform on stage maybe once every 3 months (more than most), so my question was really an accessment of whether price matches the amount of use I'll get out of it. These unintended reactions happen once a while, and the vast majority are just impulse based. We all like to think that people just sit there wanting to be entertained, soaking in the fake reality we create for them for a few minutes... but unfortunately that's not the case.

This is where I get to my original point about it being a catch 22 situation. If the rest of the cards were normal, then the amount of people suspecting the "trick deck" will be dramatically reduced. 99% of people you perform for have never seen a magician in person, but 100% know what a pack of playing cards are. The question "how examinable is the deck?" Would become rather redundant, as they handled the deck, dealt the cards, and could see they were all different, any further need you have for showing your audience how real the deck is would be overproving. This simply isn't the case with a blank deck. A blank deck is inherently not normal. You are going to get those unwanted thoughts and reactions.

The effect looks great, and the handling is extremely fair, but the kicker ending seems to be a band aid over what should be performance and an understanding theatrical structure instead. You can easily have the same "kicker ending" feel, just by altering the structure of the routine, tweaking the reveal of the prediction, or by discovering an interesting premise that pairs well with the effect.

This leads me to the following questions:

Is there a gimmicked deck that doesn't come with blanks, but the 51 other playing cards?
Does the gimmick have a lifespan?
Can you make your own when the deck is unusable?

Indeed.

I've just figured this out. In fact, the method is really obvious to me. I am really surprised MAGICIANS on here cannot work this out... it took me 20 seconds, but then again I am very experienced with the principle involved.

I've just made up a 1/2 deck myself and it works, exactly as in the trailer.

If it's what I'm thinking, and I am 99 percent certain it is, this principle is certainly not new, but I do not remember it being used in an CAAN before. Trailer is exact, cards can't be examined at the end. And, I see absolutely no reason why you couldn't make up your own version... instead of blank cards, they can be regular cards, or cards that say 'F U' - whatever your taste.

It is a good idea as a CAAN, cetainly, and the trailer is 100 percent correct.

Can't believe I never thought of this.

But i;m still not convinced this is any better than using a reverse Svengali.... and, you will require a TABLE to spread the cards PROPERLY at the end... this is a bit of a draw back.

Yes I too can make this up with decks I currently have ( many) so I do not see a huge difference with this compared to many other versions- of course the biggest difference is there is only one Card in entire Deck - looks promising tho

I believe Intuition by Hondo, which is an underrated effect, doesn't urge people to examine the deck because it looks like a regular deck. With a blank deck you should show it more openly and not just a tight ribbon spread to be effective.

I tend to use jokers instead of blanks only because it does not imply ‘trick deck’

I like this idea. I would prefer this over blank cards.

The way they handle the cards I don't think it will imply trick deck to them.
I prefer the blank version over Hondos not only because of the climax but also
because it makes more sense to have a dedicated deck and why you need to switch deck after
performing this.

MP

I would show the blank deck before the card reveal personally.

I prefer Jokers as well, and like to add something I saw in an old Mike Close video...

Set up the prediction so that its folded in quarters (use a folded bill, offer it as payment if your prediction is wrong). When you open it once, the reveal says, 'I predict you WON'T pick a joker." Of course, this gets a groan from the audience. Then, after a few beats, open the prediction completely to reveal the rest of the message... 'but you will pick the (correct prediction card.' Let them think the trick is over, and then mention off handedly, "Oh-by the way...you didn't seem too impressed that I knew you wouldn't pick a joker...." Then reveal the rest of the deck.

I use this with a Paul Harris effect (name escapes me, and it never fails to amaze/delight.

Great idea, Calvin.

Adrian Vega will Present his Lecture Program here in May-2018 so I will wait to see it Live.

And good one CALVIN826.

100 % Agree bang on bish bash bosh as we say in london !!!

yes we are talking about the new release but we all see things and say it in a different way and that's a magic democracy isn't it ??