Hello, all!

Just ordered this effect from dananddave.com. I was surprised when I couldn't find a single review of this effect prior to ordering, but went ahead anyhow.

The method is great and essentially self-working. Jack thoroughly breaks down each move and goes into presentation touches with great detail. I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves poker-style routines.

Has anyone used this effect? I would love to hear what other's think of it!

CPZ

I think it's a great trick.

The classic poker routines (Marlo/Gardner etc) seem dated and less relevant these days as most of us play Hold'em.

Ultimate Hold'em seems very fair. The spectator is allowed to riffle shuffle and cut the deck.
He can freely choose any one of the five pairs of cards that he has dealt facedown.

I do have a suggestion to simplify the trick and make it smoother and more consistent.
Why even bother with overhand jog shuffles at the start? I don't think it's a good idea to introduce two different types of shuffle.
And you might make a mistake when you run the cards.

You could eliminate the first jog shuffle any case from the original trick.

But I prefer to eliminate both jog shuffles

Instead I do a false cut then cut the deck at a precise point with the cards prearranged in the required order , half on top of the deck, half in the centre of the deck.
(This cut can be achieved with a crimp or a breather.)

The spectator then takes over as in the original trick.

That's an interesting comment. When I did this trick for a magician, after the initial deal I told him to give the pack another shuffle and he asked -- I think in a passive-aggressive-detect-the-method-be-a-dick way -- if it had to be a riffle or he could overhand. I answered in kind: "Whatever you want."

I prefer it if the second shuffle by the spectator is an overhand because if it's a riffle, then the spectator should cut to avoid being dealt two suited hole cards. Although it's hair-splitting, I find it annoying to have the spectator cut after the second shuffle but not the first.



I, too, have a slight modification. I eliminate the J, Q, and K from the set-up. It's not necessary to use thirteen cards (as mentioned in the notes), and even though a Royal Flush is technically a Straight Flush, in the public imagination, and even official hand-rankings, it's classified as something of other.

Anyway, I think it's a pretty great trick, but I haven't done it more than five times (for real people).

I like that it is played out just like a real Texas Hold'em game with the burning of cards. The shuffle after the first cards are dealt to the 5 players doesn't happen in a real game but it is this part that makes the ending seem more impossible. Excellent trick that isn't hard to do.

Just got the manuscript today. Fantastic effect! Easy to do, and high impact. Thank you Jack!

I enjoyed reading this informative thread and will certainly purchase this now. Would I be correct in assuming it's available as a download? I'd like to see it in action. Cheers.

Bad Jelly, this link is exactly what you're looking for: a video demo, a download PDF booklet as well as a video explanation by Jack Carpenter.

https://www.artofmagic.com/products/ultimate-hold-em

This is a fantastic effect. Btw, I sent you a pm. Might be of interest to you.

Mor

Greetings from London ImpromtuBoy, many thanks for the Link and taking the time to share it. Really appreciate it. Be well

The Link seems to be dead now. But this one works: https://www.vanishingincmagic.com/card-m......ownload/

Does the method work with any borrowed deck (if I have the opportunity to stack the odds in my favor, of course)? Thanx

Yes, any deck will do.