Whenever I perform a DL to show the audience their chosen card, turn the card over and put the top card back into the middle of the deck and reveal their chosen card was still on the top of the deck. People can always guess that I've lifted up two cards.

With the ambitious card routine, people will keep looking at my hand so I cannot do any funny move to replace the second card in their hand. Are there any suggestions to misdirect their focus when I perform that secret move??

Some people are able to deduce by logic what happened even when they don't see it. One thing is to cover it up with presentation and patter, and not give them too much time to think. Such that when the effect is over, it’s hard to recollect accurately the entire routine and re-construct it.

On the other hand, you may also need more practice on the DL. Show it to some people you can trust and if they think it's a double lift, ask them why they thought it's so. They may be able to provide some constructive comments.

Replacing a card in their hands? For ambitious? I'm not too sure which part of the routine you are talking about, but I think basically all you need is a nice card switch.

Just work on your double-lift. Practice making it smooth, casual, and unhesitant. I can guarantee you it's your DL. If a person once in a while spots it, it could just be an accident or an unusually observant spectator, but if it's ALWAYS happening, it's most definitely your technique.

Keep practice the double-lift. With enough practicing, you should able to lift 1, 2 or 3 cards just by feeling and no get readies. Also you should make a habit of turning over a single card with the same motion and your double-lift. Later you may work on other technique such as push-off double or snap double, but normally you don't need any fancy move, just a casual and natural DL will do.

Something I think that was overlooked, work on your misdirection. My double lift is horrible, but I am never caught because my misdirection is great. If you must wait till they look somewhere else. That being said, of course, as the others said, perfect your double lift also. I am a mentalist and as such spend far too little time working on my sleights. Someday maybe…
Dr. Laney Dale

Alex, I'm sorry... not the ambitious card routine. It's the 'Two Card Monte' trick. You know the last part of the trick. Please advise.

One more thing, any good ways or patter for misdirection?? I've been practicing with my friends all night tonight. They were impressed with some of my tricks but they can spot out how some of my tricks are achieved.

Dr. Dale is right you need to work on misdirection. When you are "pattering" with your audience try looking them right in the eyes as you talk, typically they will also look into to your eyes, so as not to be rude, and then you can do any "funny" moves that you need to. Also keep in mind that 2 card Monte is a trick that should only be done for small groups, or even better, just one person.

My advice is to have a good presentation and work with misdirection at the same time, keeping them entertained is one form of misdirection.

My other is to work on the double lift and you should also be able to use different applications moves.

My third and best advice is to learn the Juan Tamariz end move where he turns the double over but a single card is left on top of the deck to be given out.

Jonatan B, can you please explain a little bit more on Juan Tamariz end move?? I don't quite understand what do you mean by that. Thanks.

====

In some situations, people can guess how the trick was achieved. When I finish doing a trick, they will try to figure out the moves involved and come up with an answer. They will then ask me if it is how it was done (and they are right too.).= They will say something like, "Oh, you control the card back to the top," or, "Oh!!, you have turned 2 cards over" (twisting the Aces trick.)

I usually don't know how to answer them!!! What would you do if you were in this situation?? Please advise.

When people do that to me I say it's magic of course and just change the subject or excuse myself.

In an ambitious card routine, I like to change up the moves I do. If, by some stretch, they think I'm lifting two cards, I show them a different method and achieve the same thing, blowing their minds. Being versatile, focusing on the audience and a good presentation are the best misdirection you can have.

---Malak aka Daniel GreenWolf

A couple pointers:

- On your DL. As has been mentioned, something in your handling is tipping them off. It may be your get-ready. It may be that the cards separate. Whatever it is, practice is the key to resolving the issue. Some practical tips: Work on making the move as fluid and relaxed as possible without being sloppy. Also, when you execute a turn over, tilt the deck so you are exposing the top of the deck, not the edge of the cards. This way you will hide the thickness. Without seeing your DL, it will be difficult for anyone to help correct your specific problems, so if you can, find a local magician who is willing to help you.

- Misdirection is crucial in overcoming situations in which your audience is burning your hands (staring). The most effective ways to learn how to use misdirection are experience and watching experienced magicians perform. Reading about misdirection may give you ideas, but until you put it into practice, you won't really grasp its power.

Some time ago I demo'ed a basic sponge ball routine for a former co-worker. She told me upfront that she was going to watch everything I did and proceeded to lock her eyes on my hands. When I finished she was stumped and said, "I don't know how you did that. I was watching your hands the whole time." I let her believe that, but I knew better. Whenever I needed to make a false transfer, I looked at her. She reacted by looking up at me. In that moment, I executed the move, then looked back at my hands. Her eyes followed and she didn't see a thing, though in her mind she was convinced she never looked away form my hands. That was one of my first experiences in the effectiveness of body language as misdirection and the experience made me a believer.

Chances are you are staring at your hands when you make your moves--top change, DL, whatever. If you are gazing intently at your hands, you are communicating with your body language that that is the point of interest and audience attention will follow. You are doing this because you are not yet fully comfortable with the sleights and your presentation (which is a key element of misdirection, or better, directed attention). Which leads to my final point...

- I think you are performing the wrong effects. This is not a criticism of you, just an assessment based on what you've said so far on this forum. You've chosen good effects, standards for many of the folks here, but they are a bit out of your range at the moment. I'm not suggestion you skip them, just put them on the back-burner for now. Instead, set yourself up for success.

Choose a handful of strong, self-working (or nearly self-working) effects. Avoid anything that involves multiple DLs, false counts (Elmsley, etc.), top changes, passes, etc. This still leaves plenty of wonderful effects for you to choose from. The idea is that in performing self-working effects, you will be able to relax and focus on the presentation. This will give you opportunity to become comfortable with your style and learn how spectator's respond to you and your efforts at misdirection. You will also bolster your confidence with your successes rather than frustrating yourself with being caught when presenting effects that are not yet performance ready.

Armed with these self-working effects, you can gain performance experience while still practicing and rehearsing more technically demanding effects. Once you feel comfortable and competent with one of those effects, add it to your repertoire, preferably somewhere in the middle of your routined effects so that if you do blow it, you are prepared to follow it with a strong, safe effect. When you are able to confidently and deceptively perform that effect consistently, add another.

We aren't born walking. First the muscles have to develop to support our weight. Then we learn balance and body control. We start walking with support and topple over when we venture out for our first unaided steps. Eventually, though we can walk confidently without falling (most of the time). It's a process, and so is learning magic--if you want to learn it well.

Good luck!

(And for those of you who dozed off while reading this post...it's over now, so wake up!)

What Paul just said is very important. I used to do a terrible DL. And since I started attending a magic course, the teacher corrected my technique and now I'm practicing DLs all the time, and haven't performed any tricks requiring that sleight yet since I don't feel I have mastered it.

There is a lot of crucial information in this thread. Read them carefully.

An additional tip our teacher gave us was to casually get a break (without looking of course) and if you can't do with lightning speed (that's my case), you simply hold the break with your left hand and then get your right hand (if you are right handed) away from the deck. After a few seconds, come back and do the DL quickly and smoothly. All this is done casually with patter so it looks very natural. That way, there won't be any hesitation when you do the DL and they won't suspect you are lifting two cards.

As far as what to answer to your spectators if they ask you if it was done the way they think it was, whether they are right or wrong, always casually say yes and smile! I know I felt inclined to deny or let my disappointment show. But after trying this answer, I assure you it is the best way to deal with that situation. It prevents arguments and leaves the audience suspicious as to your answer. All of the sudden, they aren't so sure they are right about the method anymore. Any other way will confirm that they were right.

Keep practicing and yes, get a few easier tricks under your belt to perform until you are ready with the more difficult stuff.

Richard

Practice it with your eyes closed.

Buy some videos or DVDs that show how to do it. It is possible you are doing it wrong.

The “Two Card Monte” is one of the easiest tricks to perform. A lot of members will tell you about a perfect top change and all of that. The real secret is in the misdirection. I have the swap card on the BOTTOM of the deck. I explain that all they have to do is keep their eye on the Queen of Spades (or whatever they think is in their hand). They ALWAYS start to stare at the card in their hand leaving you all the time in the world to swap the card in your hand with the card on the bottom of the deck.

As has already been mentioned, this is a trick for a small audience, otherwise it doesn't matter how good your handling is, someone is going to see your moves.

Whenever I'm looking for their card in the deck, and I put it on top, I always say "I've done this a MILLION times" (look them in the eye and double lift while they're looking at you and say) "It's only worked once..." then show them, put it on the deck, say "okay put out your hands" (put it inside) ask them to hold it tight, do a little cafuufle, and when they open their hand they will scream. Have fun with it!

MagicTY

Funnybusiness

Have you dissected the situation to see why they catch your move? Do you have the habit of telling what is going to happen before it happens, then do the move? Maybe it's better to get ready for the double lift and do it while you are talking about what is going to happen while their focus is on what you say.

Do you have the habit of looking down at the deck when you make the move? Misdirection principles say that what you focus on will be what the spectator focuses on and vice versa. Maybe it's just the nature of the spectators. Are they out to get you or are they interested in being entertained? All things you have to ask yourself and apply to the situation you find yourself in, and maybe you'll find an answer.

Magically

Aus

Aus, what happened was I show them a couple of tricks before the two card Monte. They were gutted and that's why they kept focus at my hand all the way. I should have done it better and use misdirection. I was a beginner then (I still am) but things should go smoothly now.

Well, if this is what happens, then may I recommend that you present the trick that has the DL at the start of your act where their focus is less particular.

Like you say, you could fix the elements of the preceding tricks that develop this focus that is causing your problem. This may be a patter change, as I know that the Two Card Monte (David Blaine style) is presented as a sleight of hand demo in most cases. So if your next effects are sleight heavy this can sort of chop your legs off at the knees in some regards.

Magically

Aus