Hello again -- thanks for the great responses to my posts -- extremely helpful and informative. I realize that this topic has probably come up before -- the MC search engine is a little confusing to me -- but I would like some thoughts on the best "self-working" effects (if any) that "pros" use in their performances. Obviously I am new to all of this (and from what I have read at Magic Café I have already learned "loads"), but I have managed to find a few really impressive effects: Harry Lorayne's Stop and Out of This Universe, for example, from Classic Collection 1. Of course, I am still working on some of the classic sleights -- however, based on some of the videos that you have shared I know I have a very long way to go. Anyway, respond if you can -- it is very much appreciated!

Hello Magicwanabe,

To be honest, I do not know much about this subject, so I did a search for you and.....

The most talked about books on the subject are Self Working Card Tricks by Carl Fulves (3 book series I think), which is cheap and includes simple and strong material, and Semi-automatic card tricks.....buy as many of these as you can..

Here are a few threads on the subject:

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

About Carl Fulves book:
http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......orum=110

In my experience, my favorites are:
-Shufflecutdeal by Jay Sankey
-A bunch of stuff in Dear Mr. Fantasy by John Bannon (A Must have for any card magician)
-Untouched by Daryl
-Marlo's Ace cutting routine (not self working but very easy & impressive)
-Triple Coincidence

Also, Harry Lorayne probably has created countless self working card tricks, so if I were you I would hope that he chimes in....I have heard a lot about his Out of This Universe (I see that you already have that).

In addition, I remember that most of Mick Ayres's published work is easy card mentalism that is basically self working and is astonishing (his Decipiatur is the one of the few I have, and most everything in it is self working & astonishing).

CW

Scarne on Card Tricks is an excellent source of self-working card magic. There are over 150 effects and many of them are so subtle you may even fool other magicians! You can probably buy it for less than $10 from Amazon.

Some of my favorite self-working effects are Miriskill and Further Than That both of which can be found in The Essential Stewart James.

Card College Light and Card College Lighter.

Aldo Colombini's 10 card poker deal.

Geoff Williams' Devastation is a particular self-worker I use every single day. All the magic takes place in the spectator's hands and it looks and feels like the performer has no control over the deck. It's a great card mentalism piece that never fails to invoke a great, animated response from a crowd. In effect, a mentally selected card is found at a randomly assigned number after the cards were shuffled, cut, and handled by the spectator. You can learn this effect in Volume II of his Miracles for Mortals DVD set. In fact, I believe these DVDs were actually aimed at 'skillfully-challenged' individuals and are packed with simple, hard-hitting magic of great diversity if you're interested in more than just card magic.

Another self-working effect I use regularly is Ramjollock by Benjamin Earl. It's self-working in that you don't have to touch the cards at all, but there's a very simple set-up required. In effect, a spectator randomly glimpses a card by cutting to it himself, and proceeds to shuffle and cut it repeatedly into the deck. It's a very fair sequence resulting in the magician instantly knowing what card the spectator chose without any forces or card control at all. It's based off a much older concept, but it was nice to see it revitalized and streamlined.

These are two of the most powerful, self-working card effects I do. In fact, I was ale to close a pretty big deal with an important client using Romjollock when I was working in Philadelphia.

RS.

I'm not sure how sleight-free something must be to be considered "self-working." But Barrie Richardson's Impromptu Card at Any Number is one of the strongest card effects I know. If you can do a riffle force and cut cards, you can perform an absolute miracle with this effect.


Note: Although I stated a riffle force as a requirement, the effect does not use a force. The card selection is totally free and in the spectator's hands.

I second Impromptu card at any number....it is one of my favorite card effects.

CW

The top 5 cannot be the same for everyone, it's obvious.
Like a templar searching for the Grail, you have to find your top 5 deep inside yourself !

Agree, Card College Light and Card College Lighter have wonderful effects. Though not totally self working but require no sleights. A few false shuffles and cuts will help any of these effects.

"Likelihood" Stewat James and "Quadruple Prediction" Steve Beam

You need to buy Verbal Magic. You will entertain yourself and others for HOURS!

Brilliant material too!

J

...and the small matter of memorising a deck!

I second 'Quadruple Prediction' (In Steve Beam's book but by John Riggs if my memory is right). I'd also say Karl Fulves' 'Gemini Twins' (and its variations), along with John Bannon's 'Degrees of Freedom' and Jim Steinmeyer's 'Nine Card Effect'. And my fifth would be "Package Deal' by Stewart James. But there are lots of great ones, these are just personal favourites

Huh? Noooo! Not with this one. Nothing to remember at all.

Really? There must be two then? Just read one version (Theater of the Mind) which defo referred to said mem deck. Happy to be corrected - especially as it was the Mem thing that made me put it down. Do I need to go and stand in the corner?

No need to stand in the corner. I forgot about that version from Theater. This one was an individual manuscript, if I'm remembering correctly. I can't believe more people don't talk about it all the time. I consider it THE card effect. Everything else just seems to pale in comparison.

Wow. What is it called and where can it be obtained? I need to visit that if it is as you say. Cheers!

Ed Marlo published about two thousand effects in journals and magazines, and a few dozen books. More than a couple of those tricks were ace cutting routines. Could you narrow it down a bit?

Mr. Fulves spells his name Karl.

it is on a CD called '43 routines, tricks & devices' by Barrie Richardson. There is no need to memorise anything regarding the deck order. The spectator shuffles the deck at the start, and no card or number are forced. It's one of my favourites too, a great trick.