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ColinB Regular user 129 Posts |
A little while ago, I bought a packet trick called Trans Thought.
The performer shows what appear to be two sets of five Zener ESP cards. One set has red symbols and a red back design. The other set has blue symbols with blue back designs. The cards from one set are spread apart from each other with faces upwards. The other set is held face downwards and shuffled by the performer. A spectator is shown each of these face-down cards one by one and asked to guess which symbol it might have on its face. After each guess has been made, the face-down card is openly placed on top of the chosen symbol. When the five pairs of cards are turned over they are found to match perfectly. I have found that the trick works incredibly well with some people and not so well with others. When it does work, it really blows people away, and I want to keep it in my repertoire. When it doesn't, I wonder whether it's really worth perservering with. It all hinges on the move you perform when you display each "pair" at the end of the trick. I have tried a few different moves, all of which are fairly successful. The problem is, you have to do that move five times in succession, once for each pair of "matched" cards. You could say it's like doing the same sleight trick five times over, hoping the audience never catch on. I'd like to know if anyone else out there has bought this trick, and if so, how they find it fares with the public. |
Paul Inner circle A good lecturer at your service! 4409 Posts |
Actually this is a very old trick, it has been released in this form before, remember it being about when I was a kid. The actual move was used a few times in effects by Paul Curry.
There are better ESP matching effects out there that at least allow the spectators to handle the cards. In fact Doug Dyment recently had one in his new mental book. Spectators might ask to look at the cards afterwards not because they are trying to catch you out or suspect the cards, but simply because they are unusual cards they have not seen before. The method you are using looks very clean initially, cleaner than others, but leave you in the position of having to be very protective of those cards. Derren Brown did the ESP matching effect on his last TV special over here. I thought his presentation was superb, he really sold it, the woman was stunned. Consider saving the method you have for more formal presentations than standard close up use. You may also consider using it for house parties, placing the cards in five glasses for better visibility. No one need come up to assist, someone can call out symbols from where they sit. Paul Hallas. |
ColinB Regular user 129 Posts |
Thanks for your very useful input, Paul. I do remember seeing Derren Brown doing a similar trick before I acquired this one - did his use the same gimmick?
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Greg Arce Inner circle 6732 Posts |
Check out Max Maven's VideoMind series. In video number one he has something called Zen Envelopes which will allow you to do the same effect, but no move is visible.
Greg
One of my favorite quotes: "A critic is a legless man who teaches running."
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Paul Inner circle A good lecturer at your service! 4409 Posts |
Colin, no, Derren did not use the same method, a spectator was able to handle a set of cards.
I never really liked Max's version you refer to Greg, which I saw him do some years ago. It's a mixing of envelopes and a coincidence. As a method it is interesting and achieves a match from which everything is examinable, but doesn't allow for focusing on specific symbols each time or apparent mind play between performer and subject. I think the methods outside envelopes look cleaner and allow for a stronger presentation. There are also good methods for the stand up performer where the cards are displayed in frames. One, where the cards are displayed down each side of a clear plastic frame is marketed under a couple of different names. An older one, off the market for years had a stand divided into five, for each resultant pair. In actual fact the performers five first placed in the stand were, whoops, almost gave that away then. Paul Hallas. |
freaksrock62 New user 70 Posts |
There is a Royal Family trick in the Dai Vernon Volume 2 book that uses the same idea applies quite a clever way to accomplish the "move" to get the suits to match.
La dee frickin' da!
I live in a van down by the river! |
blurr Regular user 143 Posts |
Check into Dr Jakks Supersonic Prediction.
BLurr
"Someday men will look back and say I was the start of the 20th century."
---Jack the Ripper |
Gary Alford Regular user 175 Posts |
Miracle Match by Bob King is quite good. No moves - just good eyesight needed (you'll know what I mean if you do it).
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John Smetana ???? - 2009 499 Posts |
The effect to which Colin refers was, I think, first marketed by Corinda and was titled"Pentaquin" In his version it was done with playing cards rather than ESP cards.It does play very strong and if you have ****s you can give the participant the face down cards and have him/ her mix them, and place them on the the face up cards. For a repeat give them the face up cards and have them place them on the cards that are face down.
Allowing your participant to handle the cards seems to take the heat off..try it and I think you'll find it works rather well. By the way, rather than use 5 cards, use three and repeat the test once or twice. Best thoughts, John Smetana |
Ben Blau Inner circle 1475 Posts |
You could also look into Hen Fetch's "Symbologic." A version of that effect is taught on Jon Tremaine's mentalism tape (perhaps elsewhere, but I don't know of any other references). It's a good starting point to learn about that particular method. You'll probably evolve even better handlings of your own once you learn it. (The gaff is unnecessary, and can be replaced with an easy sleight if you prefer.)
However, I'll second the vote for Zenvelopes as far as an ESP card mathing effect is concerned. I just don't see how it could be improved, from a methodological standpoint. It also gets more people involved, which is almost always a good thing. You could easily do a "pocket" version of this effect, just by using standard size ESP cards and smaller envelopes. Numerous variations are possible, if you don't want to use ESP symbols. for example, you could have little cards with names of states and state captials, with the audience correctly matching them without looking. You could use names of recording artists and their hit songs, actors and their hit movies, etc. You could obviously use playing cards, and have the audience successfully pair up matched cards from a red deck and a blue deck, and so on. Ben Blau
Ben Blau
http://www.benblaumentalism.com |
Decomposed Eternal Order High Desert 12059 Posts |
I'll resurrect this thread please.
Penguin is selling this now as Corinda's Pentaquin. Anyone have this version? Demo looks very good but unknown if it was staged or not.
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markiquark Regular user 185 Posts |
Yep, I own it. It's a pretty good trick, the video on penguin was not staged. But whatelse do you wanna know?
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chanor Regular user New York City 104 Posts |
Pentaquin served me well until a clumsy spectator dropped one of the cards and saw that it was double b****d. Then what?
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