I'll start by saying that I don't like to do mentalism or self-working card tricks. But I did one self-working mentalism card routine impromptu a week ago, and it hit so hard that I have kept doing it. And every single time I do it, my volunteer winds up moved to tears. So I'm posting this in New to Magic because I think it would be a great routine for new magicians.

It's an old Dai Vernon trick called Emotional Reaction, from his book, Inner Secrets of Card Magic. I came across it on Steve Valentine's website, in a video showing Chris Philpott's wonderful handling of it, which incorporates some excellent improvements on Vernon's routine.

So last week I was vacationing in Washington State, and had to do some impromptu card magic while out to dinner with friends. Since I'm not a card magician per se, I ran out of impromptu material fairly quickly, and in a pinch gave Emotional Reaction a try, even though I had never practiced it and had only watched the video that morning. Since it's self-working and the method seemed obvious to me, I thought it would be a terrible trick. But I was absolutely blown away to see my very first volunteer in tears over it. Her reaction stunned me. I was as affected by her reaction as she was by the trick. And every time I have done it since, the volunteer has been deeply moved by it, and has been left in tears.

I don't get it. But there is no denying its power.

Thus, I'm suggesting it as something new magicians might want to try. It's a little bit of mentalism in a self-working card trick.

What makes it powerful is your performance of it. It's intimate. It's personal. So far, I've only used female volunteers for this. I invite the volunteer to think of the moment in her life that made her the happiest, where she felt the most joy, love, or comfort, and I have her focus on that moment as we do the trick together. I invoke the metaphor of the Patronus Charm in Harry Potter. I hold her wrist and tell her I'm feeling subtle changes to her heartbeat as her finger moves above the face-up deck, looking for her card. And when we find it, every single volunteer has cried. Then I sign the card and give it to her with the inscription, "In difficult times, may this card always remind you of your happiness." And that elicits another emotional reaction.

All my other card tricks rely either on pure sleight of hand or gimmicks like breathers, crimps or shorts. I've never done anything self-working. But I may add this one to my show as a contrast piece, since most of my routines are very "up" and employ humor. This routine is quiet, personal and intimate, and it hits surprisingly hard.

Anyone else who has performed it have a similar experience with Emotional Reaction?

And for all new magicians, I recommend signing up for Steve Valentine's "Magic On The Go" website. It's a video on demand subscription service, kind of like Netflix for learning magic, and I think it costs less than ten bucks a month. I'm not sure because I was one of the initial users, which I did simply as a favor to Steve to support his project. He's got some great stuff, from easy to very difficult, and there is tons of history and many methods for several tricks. Very informative, a great resource for newish and experienced magicians alike.

Here's a link to it: https://magiconthego.vhx.tv/videos/emotional-reaction. You probably have to sign up for the service to see it.

One of the best ways to learn Emotional Reaction is from Roberto Giobbi's video "Favorites".

See a detailed review on The Magic Café right here.



You can pick it up as a digital download for $10 here, as part of a package in which Giobbi teaches three routines from Vernon:

https://www.vanishingincmagic.com/magic-......n-vernon

I highly recommend Emotional Reaction, and especially the Giobbi video that teaches it.

EndersGame, is there a video somewhere of Giobbi's handling of Emotional Reaction? I did a quick search but couldn't find anything.

Yes, it's available at the link I provided as part of the $10 download in which Giobbi teaches three Dai Vernon tricks.

If you're looking for a free video, the answer is no. But it's well worth the $10; just look at what the other reviews listed there have to say about it.

Thanks, but I already know the effect. I was just curious about his handling.

Well if you want to see Giobbi's handling, I guess you'll have to get the video - sorry I can't help more!

The video is 70 minutes long in total, and includes Emotional Reaction as well as Vernon's Four of a Kind and his Slow Motion Aces.

Giobbi does a lot more than teach the method, and there's a lot of things I learned that have application to card magic generally, so I found it well worth while.

Cheers, Ender

Hi Danaruns, when you say it’s self-working are they any sleights to use, if so are they beginner level (like DL ) or more advanced?

Hi Enders, great review, thank you. Same question on the whole series, how difficult are the sleights?

Reason for asking, I started and stopped progressing thru the various books that teach card sleights and have realized it isn’t something I have the time or desire to commit. Would rather self working or gimmick card magic for my needs it’s more than enough. Audience = family and they are entertained by basic book tests (for example) and not so much by tricks in royal road.

See the paragraph under the heading "Difficulty" in my review here - that should answer your question satisfactorily.

Thank you EndersGame, I missed that.

I feel this is a thread about card tricks (rather than only one trick which has been talked about) for beginners, I would recommend Do-as-I-do because it's simple and practically self working. I still use it, although I could do more advanced tricks. I just think that no card trick should be overlooked at only because it's simple or self working. Those are IMO way better actually because you don't need any preparation thus can be done impromptu. At least in Finland laymen are more baffled after showing a card trick with their own pack, whenever I have done a trick with my own (or even just pulled my own pack), some of them are immediately calling out prepared deck etc

Which I've written/screamed for decades --- I use ONLY borrowed decks. And 99.9% of all the card effects and routines and ideas I've published over the decades are impromptu/any deck/any time routines (as are the 70 or so items in my upcoming, last, book - AND FINALLY! - thanks for the plug opportunity!)

Ya' gotta' start reading the good stuff, folks!

Long sigh. Dana suggested a particular card trick. I don't think it was meant to be an invite for advertising.

http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewtopic.php?topic=45842

-Patrick

I love performing the classic Triumph. It's impromptu and almost self working too. Plus it has 2 magic moments