Has anybody viewed the first volume of Weapons of the Cardshark by Jeff Wessmiller?

I've just purchased the DVD and was wondering if it were a good resource for a beginner to learn card cheating (for cheating purposes, not conjuring).

Any other recommendations that actually TEACH card table artifice would be fantastic.

Thank you,

Adrian

The DVD is definately very good to start with. The second volume is, I feel, a lot better. But obviously you would have to study both.


O and remember, cheat safely

The guy doesn't show the same skill than masters like Forte, Turner or Nieman but take into account he hasn't got the same experience and practice because his age. After 10 more years of dedication it might be interesting to watch him again.

Nice catalog of moves though.

Cheers guys, was hoping the DVD was solid, so as to not learn and pick up any bad habits.

If only Forte released some instructional DVDs... Perhaps I might have to pick up the Turner ones in the future when I'm done with Wessmiller. Maybe in a years time haha

Adrian

Move on to turner, forte doesn't make stuff to learn from, like the others. do you want to learn how to cheat at cards or do magic tricks? the choice is yours

No... this is not a good DVD to learn from for cheating purposes or for gambling purposes. The spider shuffle in particular is exceptionally bad. The extra features in which Jeff shows what it looks like when a cheat plays in a game is a great way to get shot. For purely informational purposes it is ok, but not for learning. I would avoid this DVD if I were you.

Watch Forte. Watch Turner. Watch Gorgio.

Honestly, you guys are cracked out. Sure he may not be a forte or turner (not that I am all for turner), but to to say no it is no good, metalbender, you're ludacris. obviously you have no knowledge of card cheating... yes I am calling you out.

kcg5, because you didn't get anything out of it hardly does it not make it instructional. I suggest you review it and really pay attention. Forte, by far, is the best instructional video out there. Turner is slick, but I would hardly call him with it by the look of his videos.

... And having watched wessmillers dvd hasn't done anything to improve that.

MetalBenders review was accurate.
All too often, in the attempt to help others with honest opinions, posters will be attacked personally ("cracked out","I am calling you out") and usually such strong responses to respectful posts are cause for suspicion. Is MetalBenders opinion offensive to friends of Wessmiller? Is there a concern that his less than glowing opinion of the dvd will affect sales? We are here to share and get each others input. Textually abusing someone because they think differently than you… now that is "ludicrous"!

I agree with C. Loubard.

There's a lot of material in Wessmiller's videos. Of course, if you are looking for a sleight of hand contest, Jeff won't get the gold medal. So far. Not enough experience or background. Obviously he needs many more years to improve his techniques, details, etc.

But what's wrong with his DVDs? A plenty of techniques available! Watch them, improve them, make them fit to your needs. The guy isn't Forte yet? So what? I know no perfect material, I know no definitive bible about cheating. There's always something to learn from every source. Again, and it's my humble advice, things are not cast in stone for ever. There is more than just Erdnase for books and Forte for videos. Far more.

I was after instructional material on blind riffles, riffle stacking, and bottom dealing, mainly.

I misread the promotional material as saying this DVD included (what I would've assumed to be a thorough demonstration and explanation nuances included of) the Erdnase bottom. My fault there.

Though I will say, I do not with to devote the time to learn how to learn to bottom deal in straddle grip, and if I remember correctly, Wessmiller's push-through and Zarrow didn't look too deceptive. Riffle stacking was explained, though I suspect that the information given isn't too hard to come by (Players minus one! Learn to hold back one, then two, then three cards!)

I heard Wessmiller's strengh was in mucking, though as I have no current interest in it, I didn't watch the section, and therefore cannot make an informed comment (then again, as I said in the first post, I'm a beginner, therefore all of my opinions aren't really informed or educated at all).

In any case, for my purposes, I believe my money could've been better spent elsewhere. I have three Richard Turner DVDs being shipped to me at the moment, (BOTB, TSOSAS, and SHAMP).

Glory times.

The Erdnase bottom is in the second volume of the DVD series. Its also in Erdnase... I'd check there as well.

I never would've guessed it

In all honesty, I'm finding just watching videos of skilled handlers doing the Erdnase bottom very helpful.

I don't think I'll be investing in Weapons of the Card Shark Vol. 2

Dowser, I don't know Wessmiller, and I can hardly call him a friend.The reality is, however, there are things on there that can be used, you know that. Does he have the skill that Forte does? No he doesn't. Is he polished like turner? Hardly. . His finesse with a deck of cards has nothing to do with whether these videos are not good to learn from. One can then argue Forte's GPS sucks as a teaching series (in fact some have said that). I would say WRONG. You just have to change the way you learn. Certainly, there are things on that video he doesn't do well himself, but in the hands of someone else some of those moves could work beautifully.

To say is ignorant. Who made metal bender the authority on all things cheating? Why does he write with such authority on this subject? It is obvious to me, by his comment, he doesn't know. Now, if he/she (I'm assuming metalbender is a guy) would have chosen to phrase his opinion a little different, I would have never replied; instead, he came across as an authority.

By the way, if some authority on the subject said the same thing, I would laugh in their face and tell them they are cracked out as well. Why? Because while Wessmiller may not have had the finesse back then, there are a couple of things in that video that I had/have been using with success well before he ever made that video.

Dowser, didn't you just do some sort of shoot where you mainly give your life's story. I'll put it to you this way. I guarantee your stories are lessons and things can be learned just by listening. And if someone were to say your video sucks as an instructional, I would say "No you suck as a student". Oh, and guess what Dowser? I don't know you from Adam. Makes no difference if we're friends or not. the fact is ya learn something.

by the way, did anyone pick up on the lesson I just gave here. My grammar and spelling might suck, but none the less I gave a lesson. Perhaps not since I'm not Hemingway

Looks like Doc's learned to throw his voice, buahahaha.

For the serious student would you really want to plunk down money on Wessmiller's vids? Personally I'd try to see the very best at this stuff and then work on figuring out what they're doing to make everything look so good.

But it's not as simple as hold your finger here, put this card over there, etc...

Z, that's funny!

As for plunking down money on Wessmiller's stuff, I see it no different than plunking down on Erdnase stuff... if you catch my drift. And for me, Wessmiller's material is better suited than Erdnase's stuff, who personally I found a waste of time. that's not to say others didn't get anything from it.

I do agree with you on

which is why I wrote GPS is a great learning resource if you know how to use it as such

That is really exceptionally disappointing. I guess I'm going to have to sell my copy of Card College.

Z as far as I can see throwing your voice is not as bad as being a puppet. Even though you're good, you know that I know that every move that you've demonstrated on YouTube even though done excellent was taught to you by Steve and your most recent move came from The Hop; this makes you a puppet not an inventor (I can edit my videos and post every one right along side of yours if you like to prove that I'm not lying to my readers).

Where is your originality? What have you invented that you can call your own? Since you have none, you're not qualified to say that Jeff W's DVD's are not worthy of studying because you're wrong. I've invented moves after watching both of Jeff's DVD's that none of you can do; and I mean none of you. His culling work is the answer to a lot of run-up problems that can be done at a table (over-hand shuffling). Jeff has cold deck moves that are excellent that he didn't even put on his last DVD because I asked him not to.

Jeff W., Alan Halcon, Jeremy, Walking Liberty, Rod the Hop, Steve and I invented our own stuff as far as I know, and we are still the best at what we do and no one can take that away from us. We wasn't handed ours on a platter like you, we took the long road and learned bit by bit as we traveled life's highway. Just remember that gambling is not just limited to the casino world and when you learn this, maybe just maybe you'll be able to pop away some of them strings from your puppet master.

Once you get it stuck in your head that if you can learn one good move from a DVD/video that will earn you money, then your money was not wasted. Now if you just want to demonstrate gambling moves and show how good you are then Jeff's DVD's are not the one for you.

Readers: I met up with Jeff at his place of residence a few years back and we had a good time going over things and practicing. Jeff helped me how to beat the Texas Hold'em game and the culling on the fly technique.

Z maybe if you take your head out of Steve's butt you can see the light and invent something on your own.

If I can learned something from his DVD's, why can't ya'll?


Respectfully,

Doc

C.Loubard:
Well we have a difference of opinion. You say you find J.W.'s stuff more valuable than reading erdnase. I guess I consider your opinion to be as ludicrous as you consider metalbenders or mine to be. However, I am not "calling you out"… we just don't agree. I will say that you are equally as guilty as MetalBender for "speaking with authority". I guess you feel you have more of a right for some reason. No skin off mine. I would like to add that, although I've not invested in Jeff's second dvd… I've heard from very respectable guys that it is much better than the first and worth a look.
By the way Doc Jon is the one who just released his story, I am not him.
Doc: I suspect that you could squeeze some learning out of any half decent video or dvd on the subject… you are a true student. This, however, doesn't make that video or dvd the top source for those who have limited funds and are looking for real work. I still think MetalBenders suggestions are on the money.
Tony Giorgios dvd's are far more informative than I expected. You can really learn from those.

I think that from the cheat's point of view the stuff is good or bad if it'll get the money.Jeff can't be compared to Forte,Doc,Z, and the others,but if his moves will get the money(probably with some work on them) to me they're good.

C Loubard: I don't think that people were criticizing the value of the moves on Jeff's dvd more their execution. I don't know what's on the 2nd dvd and only browsed quickly through the first one but lets be honest: even a layman could spot every single move performed on that disc.

Doc vs Z: here we go again...