Hey there,

I have decided to set myself the challenge of learning to deal bottoms. I have used the Walter Scott method for a few years for Magic purposes, but I'd like to learn a deal that will pass at the table, which I don't think my present deal would.
I have acess to four texts that teach bottoms, but which method would you guys recommend?. I have good chops with cards in general so difficulty is not an issue here. The texts I have are:

Expert at the card table
Expert Card Technique
Revoutionary card technique
Card Control

Thanks for your help guys.

Jack

I would have to add Richard Turners SeeSaw bottom deal to your listing, but of course its not written in a book but rather on his Best of the Bottoms DVD.

I found that moving from Marlo methods to refined Turner methods proved most profitable.

SW

Jack Tighe,
in my opinion you have enough resources for now. now just constantly practice to try and mimic your natural dealing action and try to receive feedback from people along the way. then repeat. along the way modify things here and there and analyze the change trying to find pros and cons of the new handling. after mixing and matching and a lot of practice I think it helps to fall into place with something that you can be satisfied with.

Thanks for replying guys, but I think my original post has been misunderstood.
I wasnt asking for better texts to learn from, I was asking which method from the texts I listed do you think is the best for the table?


All the best

Jack

Can't recommend any of them as I haven't read them. I did as papermechanic suggested here and I agree with papermechanic completely. That is the best way to go.

Kim

I don't get it! Walter Scott was a card cheat. What's wrong with his bottom deal for the card table? Your going backwards if ask me. I mean now you want to learn a magicians bottom deal for card table puposes!

Agree with tommy, that I don't understand that Walter Scott part at all. He kinda of was real deal, and if you can do his bottom deal that's all you need.

Mainly it depends on the way you normally deal tops and seconds... For me I got used to deal tops and seconds using the Master grip so I choose the Marlo's bottom deal strike method. But it depends, if you normally deal tops in a loose grip maybe the Marlo's related bottom dela might be best for you.

For me the bototm deal at The Expert at the card table is really hard to do not becouse of the action but the cover of the push off with the ring finger, and this is what you want to avoid in a table, becouse the deck is at eye level.

The bottom deal described in Expert Card Technique is a strike method that for me is best becouse it covers the fact that the fingers push the bottom card, and there's no finger flash or knucle flash but there is a finger drop that is minimal compared to a push off flash, but the grip it uses is hard for me I can't get full control of the deck.

The one in card control I do not know so I cannot say anything about that.

Best Regards
Pablo

Did you take a look at Gene Maze's Art of Bottom Dealing Book.

Any method that you refine and master can work, Walter Scott's method can work, the Erdnase method can work, Marlo's method can work, etc. etc. etc. On the other hand, there are obvious considerations, for example your hand size. I frankly don't employ the straddle grip for two primary reasons, first, simply because I don't find it comfortable, second, because it isn't a great grip for variation.

Doc uses the standard grip partly because it looks totally natural (it's one of the two common methods used by laymen to deal) and he can deal seconds, bottoms, and centers from the same grip.

We could go on and on. The reality is that certain refinements and variations are important and necessary, but you can learn a myriad of methods that will work for you once you refine them.

Jack,

If you've gotten yourself to the point where you can get the bottom card off in even a partially deceptive manner, then those books (and indeed, all books) have probably taught you all you need to know at this point.

Your best friends now are a mirror (or even better, video camera) and a clock. A desert island or a jail cell wouldn't hurt either.

J

Well jail cell wouldn't hurt, but fellas inside it would.

Bottom dealing is not a team sport. It's a "solitary" pursuit.

J

^He discovered this first-hand (left-hand to be exact)...