Paul Vigil's Diplopia is just simply amazing. If those of you who flipped over his "Sympathy" card routine would give this routine a chance I believe you will enjoy this just as much if not more. It was copywritten by Paul Vigil in 2007. Paul is generous with all the influences used in his presentation.
Here is the description:
A spectators deck is borrowed and shuffled. The spectator and magician both THINK of any card. This is a completely free choice. The spectator is asked to read the magician's mind....and remove the card they feel the magician is thinking of. The spectator removes one card and holds on to it. Then it is the magician's turn. The magician pulls the card out of the deck he feels the spectator is thinking of and holds on to it. With no questions asked....the magician has found the spectators card correctly...and the spectator tunrs over their card to reveal they had freely chose the card the magician was thinking of.

This is impossible and yet...well, possible.
The PDF file is thorough. Complete with detailed and easy to follow instructions. Exact patter if you need it. Paul provides you with everything you will need from start to finish with exception of the cards.

You can borrow any deck of playing cards. Anyone can shuffle the deck any way they want to...as many times as they would like. The spectator's choice of card is just a thought....no force...they can think of ANY card they want to (provided it is in a deck of playing cards...make sure you have a full deck minus Jokers and instruction cards).
You (the magician)think of a card. You instruct them to recieve your thought. They read your mind....they select a card out of the deck they believe you are thinking of. Then....you read their mind....you select a card out of the deck you think they are thinking of. The ending reveal proves you both have made the correct choices. No forces, no switching cards or decks, no gaffs!!!
This effect is most powerful with a borrowed deck. Because it proves without a doubt...there is no cheating...and the best part is...you don't!! This is truely an impendetrable mystery to all on lookers....they expect YOU to get their card...but how amazing it truely is...when you they chose YOUR thought of card.

Angel free.
Perform totally surrounded.
Use any borrowed deck
No set up what so ever.
The more people who witness this, the better.
Genius method.
Any deck, any time....any place.
Hits one hundred percent of the time.

I am so glad to learn that Criss Angel is not involved!

*jeep!
--Grandpa Chet

You got me!!

John, how is the person convinced that the card they chose for the magician is really the card the magician was thinking of? I mean the magician could say that the card was the one he was thinking of but what proof does the spectator have that it actually was the card?

Paul's reveal is this...
You ask the spectator if their card is (insert wrong guess here) they say No....you ask what was the correct answer of THEIR thought of card is and they tell you...as they do so, you turn the only selection you have over to reveal the correct card. You (the magician) then go on to build the climax..."you expected that"..."You expect the magician to get the card correct...but what is amazing is YOU selected a card you THINK is the one I am thinking of....wouldn't it be amazing if you selected the...(fill in the blank with the card you were thinking of)." They turn their only selected card over and it matches your thought.

Full deck of BORROWED cards
no set up
No marked cards
The spectator is not forced to chose any card...
no duplicates
no gaffs
completely shuffled deck
No questioning
works 100% of the time....

AMAZING routine....genius.

can't say enough good things about this effect.

Yes I also rediscovered this effect recently. At first this effect I put aside since I had some other projects but since I have learned it and used it in practice it really is a very strong effect that I always know I have for impromptu settings. This routine rocks!

This is indeed a very strong effect with a fantastic method. But it does require a significant amount of mental work while under fire, which can impair your presentation (I find it difficult to maintain engaging patter throughout the necessary procedure, which can take several minutes) and lead to failure if you make calculation mistakes, which are far more likely in the heat of performance than in practice. The same effect can be accomplished with a m****d deck, appearing much cleaner and allowing the performer to focus on presentation rather than complicated mental gymnastics. If it is critically important to you to use a borrowed deck for this routine, or to be able to perform this anytime anywhere, then Diplopia is the only way to go. But before buying, everyone should be aware of the pros and the cons.

Diplopia is also now available here:

http://www.imentalism.com/index.php/e-books/cards/diplopia

Luke

Hey Lumberjohn...
I do agree there is a certain amount of practice that will come with this however I DISAGREE with the term "significant" amount of mental work. It is a simple method. I also disagree with the fact that it takes several minutes. Yes, some will be faster than others...however, My first attempt only took 45 seconds. With practice you can get it down to half that time or better...it takes commitment, but it is not brain surgery. My ten year old son can work this routine. When you stated your "under fire" I do agree you will FEEL underfire...but it would be no different than any other magic trick. If you are worried about taking to long...you don't even need patter if you set your spectator up for what you are about to do. Here is an example:
Magician: I want you to spread the cards open. * Tap the cards as if you want them to be faced away from you and say " Put them up so I cannot see"...Now I want you to look me in the eyes....then look at the cards..one by one...then look up in my eyes...then look back at the cards...try it....good...now take your time, go through as many cards as you want, go through them all...then go back if you have to..but when you feel you have the card I am thinking of pull it from the deck and do not let me see it. Now don't feel rushed...it takes a little time even for me. Sometimes it is quicker than others, but go with what you believe is your instinct..I will transfer my thought to you. So begin...look in my eyes...look at the cards...."
This way when it is your turn (if you need it)...they will already expect it to possibly take a little longer or even a little quicker than their choice. No memorizing patter...just set your spectator up for the expectations. The best part is if you fumble...you already created a reason to do it again....the thought isn't clear yet.
Now...calculation mistakes on the performer...sure. It can definately happen. It can happen on any trick that is not a gaffed item..even a simple double lift. If you can do simple arithmatic like for example adding to say 12 and subtracting from 12...you can do this. Like I said...to go through what needs to be done...after 2 days of practice it takes 25 seconds.If you need longer it is fine...and it works great...but all the more devient if you work on your speed. That is why I said...it is what you DO NOT have to do that will take you to the next level of performing this.
I performed this right after I read the instructions for three different people...no issues with talking or doing what needs to be done. I practiced for two days just going through the mental motions...and my speed did increase. Just like with anything in magic, the more you practice the better you can become.

This is not a gaffed item routine...This is with a real deck. Impressive, very deceptive and undetectable method that is very simple.

Yes..you are correct it should take a little time investment to be great at this, we just disagree with the term "substantial".

Their description and the testimonials from other magicians like Luke Jermay and Paul Harris say it all.

Diplopia is one of the strongest impromptu mentalism effects that you can do with a borrowed deck of cards.

The magi asks to borrow a deck of cards. The spectator is invited to think of any card. They are asked to verify that the card is in the deck - and it is. The magi also thinks of a card; verifying that it too is in the deck.

The magi challenges the spectator to find the card he was merely thinking of and offers to transfer his powers to the spectator to assist them with the process. With one touch, the spectator gets an image of the card and removes it from the deck - hidden from the magi's sight.

The magi then attempts to find the spectator's thought of card. In the end, he correctly names the spectator's card. But the kicker here is that the spectator also has also found the magi's thought of card!

There is no forcing and no equivoque involved. Additionally, this manuscript details, with permission, the heavily sought after Infinity Principle created by Martin Nash, who used to sell this for $50 alone!


Jeff McBrideOne of the most baffling card effects I have ever experienced! Now it can be in your tool kit.
Chris KennerI spend my life traveling around and believe me I have seen my share of card locations. I have never and I mean never, been so fooled by any other card location...EVER. When Paul finally got tired of me begging to know the method I was even more impressed at how clever it really was.
Paul HarrisImpeccable.
Luke JermayPaul Vigil has fooled me many, many times. Never however has he fooled me as badly as with this effect. It's as clean as you could hope for and even more devious than you could imagine in your wildest dreams. It's a perfect example of construction that elevates a card routine into strong, impactful mentalism. I can not recommend this highly enough as I simply do not think the English language contains words of high enough praise.

You actually take Luke Jermay's word?!

I have talked with Luke. He mentioned Paul. In my opinion Luke has been completely honest with me, there would be no reason to lie to ME, Luke wasn't selling me Paul's material. He likes Paul's contributions and routines very much. In Paul's case it is more than a refrence to sell an item with Luke. Care to share your personal testimonies about Luke? He has bashed plenty of magicians when we talked but Paul was definately not one he talked down about to me.

JD,

I agree with you that Diplopia is a great effect. And I certainly don't dispute that you and your son can pull it off in less than twenty-five seconds. It just takes me a bit longer and ties up quite a bit of my mental machinery to do it consistently. But then, I was never all that great at math to begin with, so that may just be me.

I've just never seen any need to use anything other than the marked deck version of this effect. To me, the presentation is much cleaner than that in Diplopia. I carry my own deck around and use it for performing, so that has never been an issue. I very rarely borrow a deck to perform, and if forced to, there are many other effects I can perform.

Because the method is so clever, I think of Diplopia as a great effect to perform for magicians who are already familiar with the standard method and would be quite fooled by this version. But for laypeople, I'll stick with the marked deck.

Hi there johndraws, I have been a member here for a while now but I have just stayed in the background reading posts. then I read this post about Paul Vigil's Diplopia. I had to write my first post here because I have an effect called (88mph) which I am pretty sure, is the exact same method as in Diplopia, (i don't own Diplopia as yet)
I am a little gutted to find this out now, as I was going to release my effect in a few weeks time. although my effect is different, the method is probably the same. maybe my effect wasn't meant to be shared. I do have other effects that may see the light in the next few weeks, assuming someone doesn't beat me to it.

Myke Phillips

LumberJohn...I got ya. I understand what your saying. We all have our preferences. That is a good thing. That is what makes a message board great. I hope you feel I respect your ideas...and my posts do not seem condescending or "upitty"....I have a tendency to come across that way sometimes and do not mean to. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.



Hi Myke. I cannot expose...however if you think the method is the same...it might be worth the $15 bucks to investigate...or if you PM me with you method I can at least tell you if it is in fact the same. If I were you....I would just buy the PDF download.

Just check this:
http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......&forum=2

There is a similar method by Harry Lorayne. Eventually this older thread is helpful.

Goljo

"Diplopia" is most similar to Paul Cummins' "Tap-a-Lac."

Both Diplopia, and Tap-a-Lac, are my The Epitome Location, folks. Go to the original. I re-wrote and updated my original entire pamphlet - The Epitome Location - as a bonus item - in Lorayne: The Classic Collection, VOL. I - along with four other entire books, and 16 new routines. Go to the original, folks. HARRY LORAYNE.


Goljo: I meant to say that it's not a "similar method", it is the method. HL.

Thanx johndraws, I have considered buying Paul Vigil's Diplopia to investigate and see if it is the same method, but as I am just finalizing my PDF, I don't want to be influenced in anyway so I will wait until my PDF is completed. it is being proof read and pictures added as we speak.

I learned the method (assuming it is the same one)when I was about 10, I'm now 33. my older brother showed me a trick where he gave me a pack of cards and told me to take a card out of the deck and put it in my pocket. I did, then he took the deck back and spent the next 5 minutes going through the deck. after that, he just named my card. not very magical now, but I thought it was amazing at that time.

I have been in magic for 9 years now and only applied this method about 3 years ago.

I have spoken to a friend about this, and asked his advice on what to do regarding this coincidence. he suggests that because the method is an old method and that my effect is completely different from Paul Vigil's Diplopia, that I should go ahead and release my effect (88mph).

I'm not sure if this is the right thing to do and any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

ps, I will buy Diplopia but not just yet, although it's very tempting as the effect sounds awesome

Myke Phillips

"...[S]uggestions would be greatly appreciated."

My first question would be how does your friend know that the effects (and the methods?) are different? And, is your effect unique and different from all existing published methods and effects? If so, publish away; if not, I'd respectfully suggest that you don't.

Best,

Mike