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TheGreatRaymondo Special user Manchester, England 969 Posts |
'Three' by Steve Valentine is a new 3 card Monte effect. The trailer is here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXHz0iDVnpA The advert says: THREE is the perfect walk around packet trick: visual, entertaining, modular, no reset, put the cards back in your pocket and you're ready to go again. There's nothing to break during performance and at the very end everything can be examined. here is my review: I have been working with this for around a month now attempting to perfect the moves and routine. Still not quite finished but not far away from hitting the streets.. And I have to say this is one serious heavy weight, highly entertaining 3 Card Monte effect! The effect comes with all of the cards required and 2 gaffed cards are provided (one for practice and one for performance) so it is straight out of the box and into practising. The DVD is genuinely excellent, very comprehensive and thorough in every sense of the word. All of the cards, the set-up, the moves, switches, routines and phases (of which there are 5) are explained in detail and shown from two different camera angles – one angle as the spectator and one angle as the performer. The gaff used is deceptively simple but due to its clever construction it allows you to spread and show far more of the card than is usual or possible in such routines. It also means that no reset is required in any way. Steve's instruction and tuition leaves nothing to be unsure about in any way. He performs multiple demonstration routines (one in close up on the hands) with his truly superb and original patter – which just makes the routine flow by. His patter and timing is just so darn good it is going to be very difficult indeed for anyone not to use it the way he does - In fact he actually encourages you to use it especially ‘Rule number 2 of the 3 Card Club! The majority of the moves are fairly basic and can be mastered with a little practice. A couple of them when additional cards are added are not so basic but again, nothing that can’t be overcome with practice to get down smoothly. As the routine progresses and the gaffed card is switched out (so you end perfectly clean) a little sleight of hand is required but again nothing ridiculously hard. An alternative ‘final flurry’ as Steve calls it is also shown using the gaffed card if you don’t wish to hand the cards out for inspection which gives you a number of additional different moves to finish on also. (I personally prefer to finish clean so you can throw the cards one after another on the table or into the hands of the spectator for inspection which I feel from the spectators view point makes the routine even more amazing) On the DVD Steve talks about this being ‘Jazz magic’ which in other words you can simply make it up as you go along deciding what moves and phases to put in or take out depending how you feel or how the performance is going. This gives the routine a very high degree of versatility so you can do a quick 1 minute performance or a much longer 5 minute performance depending on how you feel. This flexibility allows you to construct your own personal routine(s) so you are not tied down to a strict order of switches, moves or phases as you are with some other Monte routines. The DVD also covers a number of additional and extra things like tuition on an Elmsley count etc if you are not familiar with them. During the DVD Steve gives out numerous and multiple credits and acknowledgments to other performers regarding the origin, source and genesis of the moves and switches which are incorporated into his version of this classic routine. There is no doubt that this will take some practice with both the moves and patter – but then again which good magic worth learning and performing doesn’t? But I can say it will be worth every single minute spent working on it. For me this version of the 3 card Monte by Mr Valentine is a modern classic and I don’t hesitate to give it 10/10 'Three' is available in the USA from the Magic Apple Store: http://themagicapple.com/new-products/7-......alentine And in the UK from: Alakazam on: http://www.alakazam.co.uk/product-3-Card......ine.html Replacement Gaff cards are now also available. Enjoy! TGR.
We are inclined to believe those whom we do not know because they have not yet deceived us...
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Zombie Magic Inner circle I went out for a beer and now have 8733 Posts |
Thanks for taking the time to review this for us.
It's also available on Penguin's site: http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/S14241 |
Bardo New user England 45 Posts |
Excellent review TGR. Thanks for sharing. This one sounds like a winner.
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Savels New user circa 1730 51 Posts |
Check The Lounge Forum - Latest and Greatest which has a long threead on questions related to this effect. "Three" is a quality effect and the dvd is very helpful.
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LeoH Elite user 437 Posts |
Thanks for the extensive review. It is now on my buy list!
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jcrabtree2007 Special user 627 Posts |
I love Monte tricks. Greg Wilson had an excellent one "stand up monte" that is absolutely amazing. mark mason has a version he teaches in his lectures "my favorite card trick" that is also very good as well. and the School for Scoundrels (whit hadyn, gazzo, chef anton) teach the classic handling of the three card monte so well and that is classic magic at its finest.
I think Three by Steve Valentine is the best of the bunch. Unlike the other monte routines, it does use a gaff but what a beautiful thing it is. And you can end clean. Its not too hard to do and it just is one of those mind blowing tricks that just rocks!I carry it in my wallet with me and I'm always ready to put on a little show. Love 3...... |
improver New user 6 Posts |
What totally excellent review very very helpful thank you for posting it, It just got added to my wish list. ;-)
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The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Dvd, Video tape, Audio tape & Compact discs. » » TGR - Reviews 'Three' by Steve Valentine (0 Likes) |
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