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Zeitoun New user Rennes, France 16 Posts |
This one could appear like a stupid tip, but I spent more than six month without even thinking about it when I started to practice cards sleights, and because of this, I think I lost six month of efficient practice.
So, if sometimes, when you are verifying if your controls were successful, one of this thoughts comes to your mind: - Oh, no... Did I forgot to watch the card I selected at the beginning ? - Oh, no... Did I just forgot which card I selected at the beginning ? - Ok, let's find where this card is, as it's not where I wanted it to be... - etc... then just put a red backed joker card in a blue deck and a blue backed joker in a red deck and make this card your definitive selection ! The two first sentences will definitively disappear from your mind, and you'll be able to quickly know if you messed up just a little bit or completely by spreading your deck on the table. And yes... Just an other tip for lazy people: Just open as many decks as you have rooms in your apartment !!! Like that, you'll not be able to say the following sentence anymore: "Well... I'm sitting on my most comfortable couch and my deck of card is in my room which is really, really far away... I'll practice tomorrow" ;) Hope this will help someone... Olivier. |
Mr. Ed Veteran user California 337 Posts |
Zeitnoun very good tip. You could also just turn the selection over and leave it reversed in the deck. One problem you may encounter is that knowing which card is the selected card may make you adjust what you are doing to ensure it arrives where you want it. When you are performing you will not have this ability. I like to practice like I perform so I do not develop bad habits. Just a thought.
He who laughs, lasts.
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Zeitoun New user Rennes, France 16 Posts |
Thanks Ed !
I had this warning in mind before posting the tip, but I forgot to talk about it Personally, I try not to look at my hands when I practice, and use this tip just to quickly check the final result. But it true that in a riffle shuffle, for example, you can know immediately if everything was ok or not, and it's not really a good thing as it will not be the case in a real performance. So, people have to use the best way they can Olivier. |
deuces New user Toronto, Ontario 63 Posts |
I used to reverse my chosen card in the deck as well for practicing but always seemed to have run into the problem that it was bent differently. So then when I did the trick for real, everything felt different!!
So I suggest the different colored back card for that situation if possible.
"Hockey eh?"
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Dave Egleston Special user Ceres, Ca 632 Posts |
Not a bad suggestion -
Re: Lazy people, that one caught my eye actually after you talked about opened decks throughout the house. I have 8 opened decks all over the house and cars and these are usually replaced every three or four weeks. It actually is a very good suggestion. No matter where I go (or sit) in the house, I grab the deck and start shuffling. Dave |
Steve Friedberg Inner circle 1402 Posts |
Olivier:
One other thing you may try is to look in the mirror as you practice. It succeeds in helping you not look at your hands, per se; in fact, it actually helps, since you're seeing the cards as your spectators will see them. It forces you to truly memorize your moves...I recommend it.
Cheers,
Steve "A trick does not fool the eyes, but fools the brain." -- John Mulholland |
MarkFarrar Veteran user U.S.A. 376 Posts |
These tips work fine for many card effects, but not necessarily when practicing memorized deck effects.
This is because, when you are finding cards by "mechanical means" (i.e. sleight of hand), it doesn't really matter if you see the card. However, with memorized deck work, it is sometimes important that you don't know what card you are trying to find, since knowing it could invalidate the method used to locate it. The only practicable solution I have found is to stick something to the card that you cannot see or feel (short of taking a photo with a digital camera!).
Mark S. Farrar
Email: [email]MarkFarrar@TheMagicCircle.co.uk[/email] Web: www.MagicSquaresBook.com, www.RandMPublishing.com, www.TheDailyGoalMachine.com, www.ParvoBuster.com |
M. Perk Loyal user Hilton Head Island 292 Posts |
A lot of people suggest using a camcorder to video tape yourself. But if you don't have a camcorder, an alternative is to buy an inexpensive web cam that does snapshots and short videos. You dont have to save the video either unless you want to.
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ruiefe Regular user Lisbon 131 Posts |
I save the publicity cards that come with most decks (the cards written on the two sides). That way, I don't ruin my decks - even a red backed joker it's needed sometimes - and I don't have to turn a card (I used to have the problem Deuces refers to).
I don't think this will work for all situations (e.g., Mark Farrar's post) but it has saved me time. About the decks around the house, I can't do that because I am too disorganized (?) to afford that and my kids would be applying some home roughing fluid (chocolate, dust, ...) to all decks.
Rui Fernandes
"Carpe diem" - Horatius |
Just4Fun New user Dallas 49 Posts |
Talking about decks all around the house, Sam's club here in Dallas has 6 Bicycle decks, 3 red and 3 blue, for $6.75. I bought 4 boxes and they're everywhere. I'm practicing every trick that destroys cards all over the house - with no qualms.
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Chimp New user 28 Posts |
Thanks for the tip, great idea!
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dynamiteassasin Inner circle Naval Air Facility, Atsugi, Japan 1158 Posts |
Thanks for the tip! very useful information to all cardicians out there.
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stuper1 New user California 100 Posts |
Yes, thanks for the tip. It's not stupid at all. I never thought of it.
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Robert52 New user 23 Posts |
Great idea!!! I have tried it and it really helped. Now if I can just remember to quit looking at my hands. Thanks.
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Mark Martinez Inner circle Wisconsin 1276 Posts |
Practice with your eyes closed, that why all you have to do is open them and the card should be on top... Or if you want to keep you eyes open and make sure you don't look, keep you hands under the table!
This eyes closed practice also helps if it is dark, like a bar area...
Magically,
Mark Success comes before work only in the dictionary. - Anonymous |
mattisdx Inner circle 1614 Posts |
Thanks buddy, great tips !
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stephen secret New user mpls. 67 Posts |
I just turn the card over in the deck. I'am working on a shuffle keeping said card under control. Also, I don't look at the cards during the shuffle. When I look down or in my case count down to the card I can see easily I'v got the correct card.
sincerely, secret
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Ollie1235 Special user England 533 Posts |
If when you turn a card the opposite way it stands out then as soon as you open the pack , turn one card over and because it hasnt been used yet it wont stand out and will bend the same way as the rest of the cards
ollie |
TheCaffeinator Regular user Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada 126 Posts |
Quote:
On 2002-12-27 13:23, deuces wrote: I find the same bent-card problems when I use the reversal method, especially when I break open a new deck. As well, both the reversed card method and the off-color method can, as has been mentioned, cause you to alter your handling on the fly as you can identify the selection from the back and can "train" you to look at the deck while you handle the cards. There's no need to overcomplicate this, though. Just control the same card(s) when you practice, since random selection isn't necessarily an issue...something obvious like an ace of spades. Or, if you must, grab a Sharpie and write "This is the card I am controlling" across the face of the card. For multiple card controls, if you really are having difficulty remembering the cards or remembering if you looked at them , number them on the face...1...2...3...or just use a sequence of cards in the same suit. Quote:
On 2004-08-02 12:49, Mark Martinez wrote: Or in a dark room while you watch TV. "Ambient darkness" hides the cards from your peripheral vision, and your primary visual attention is focused on the screen. Don't try this at the movies, though. I can imagine the sound of riffle shuffling being more annoying than a cell phone going off. ;) |
Mitchum New user 59 Posts |
Great tips. I plan on implementing the odd colored joker and practicing the sleights with my eyes closed.
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