Here's a review published on The Peek website (www.thepeek.co.uk)

THE CASINO CON

Steve Gore & Gregory Wilson
Available from: www.shop.stevegore.co.uk
Price: £23 inc free UK shipping. £27 inc Worldwide shipping

The Casino Con is the latest creation from Steve Gore and Gregory Wilson. 10 vintage Jokers are shown which have been collected from 10 Las Vegas casinos that no longer exist. Each back is shown to have a different casino logo on them. A lucky poker chip is handed, unseen, to a spectator. The 10 Jokers are spread face up on the table and are mixed by the spectator. The spectator has a free choice (no force) of any of the Jokers. When the card is turned over to reveal which casino it is from it matches the lucky poker chip the spectator has been holding from the start.

For the second phase, the Jokers are gathered back together and mixed. Two hands of poker are dealt. The spectator makes all the choices. When they turn their cards over they have 5 matching Jokers (obviously). When you turn your five cards over you have a Royal Flush in Spades. All the cards can be examined.

The method employed in the first phase is brilliantly simple and not something I have seen before in a card effect. What’s nice about the first phase of the routine is that the spectator really can choose any of the ten Jokers and it will always match your lucky poker chip. Only one poker chip is in play at all times too.

A second different poker chip is supplied should you wish to add in a middle phase to the routine. Any poker chip related effect would fit in here so the sky’s the limit. On the video footage Steve performs a simple change of the poker chip to a higher valued chip. Simple but effective. Gregory’s ‘Chip on Shoulder’ routine could also be performed if you are familiar with it.

The second phase is based upon Paul Gordon’s Head to Head Poker effect. Steve performs it slightly differently (in the hands) but either method works just fine. It is self working so you can concentrate fully on the performance. This alone is a great card effect that I have been doing for years but as part of The Casino Con routine it is brilliant.

A table is needed so this would need to be taken into consideration when performing. I suppose it could be performed in the hands but it would not be ideal working conditions.

You are supplied with everything you need to perform the two/three phase routine – the set of custom made cards and two different poker chips. The cards are well printed and look like genuine casino playing cards and the poker chips are nicely made and also look authentic.

A plastic utility wallet is also supplied which is used part way through the routine. Should you not be keen on the plastic wallet there are other wallets on the market which will achieve the same thing. If you are a card worker you will probably already own one. Personally I think the wallet supplied does the job just fine.

A simple instruction booklet is supplied along with a link to a set of online video clips. No DVD is supplied so internet access is required should you wish to watch and learn through video footage. The footage is fairly raw but more than adequate. Steve does a good job explaining everything that is needed to know. I understand more footage will be added at some stage of Gregory performing the routine too.

I have to say I really do like this effect. As mentioned previously I have already been performing a version of the second phase of the routine for quite a while. Adding in the first phase has now made it into a complete routine.

I highly recommend this and I will be using this a lot!!!

I like the sounds of this and his Vegas Visit. Nothing more natural than cards, chips and Las Vegas in a gambling theme no matter where you are on the planet. Have to give some thought to a good story line to combine them together, and then I'll probably hit the buy button.

I have performed it walkaround in the hands with no table before. The second phase can be dealt on to a volunteers or your own hands by them. The effect I think does seem better with a place to spread out the cards as it shows you're not doing any funny moves. ;-)

2 reviews just posted

Owen Strickland
I've just had this and its great. the cards are lovely and the wallet you get with it means it sits in your pocket using hardly any pocket space. I gave it the " girlfriend" test last night and she loved it ( she doesn't love everything!). The first phase is good but the second phase even better. What I particularly liked is that there are more than one way of doing the second phase, with four various methods taught brilliantly on the video.
For the money, this is a no brainer!!

John Horn
" A very powerful and easy to perform effect, will definitely be going into my set from now on"

I love the routine and the props supplied are very high quality. The first phase gives you a number of options for presentations - it could equally be done as a coincidence type effect, a prediction or as a demonstration of subliminal/psychological influence with this third option also fitting in particularly well with the second phase of the routine.

Wonderful routine!

Superb!!
Great quality specially made props and a very nice routine!
For the second phase, I will be just simply dealing alternately into two piles and asking the participant to place their lucky chip onto either pile. Regardless of which pile they decide and because I secretly know which contains the Royal Flush, I reveal that they have chosen the five Jokers for me and that their winning streak has continued, with a Royal Flush for them
As thepeek mentions in the first post, this will sit nicely alongside Greg Wilson's 'Chip on Shoulder' routine.

Well done Steve, this is something I will be carrying with me at all times.

Paul Mc.

Also recently purchased " Casino con" and can only echo the previous positive comments, the quality of the casino cards and other props are excellent and the whole routine great value for money.
Hope Steve has every success with this effect.

Thanks for your comments. I've had a few messages too commenting about the price of the effect. Whilst it is a bargain in the UK, the dollar/pound price and shipping puts it a little expensive for some. I can't really drop the price as it wouldn't be fair for the people who've already purchased it. So with that in mind I have decided send my PDF lecture notes as a bonus to everyone, including those who have already purchased it. The notes have 6 effects explained in full details and I have prepared a new website and uploaded performances of each effect so you can see the effects from my IBM convention lecture and one from my Magic Castle parlour show. The link is www.lecture.stevegore.co.uk

I hope this will offset the cost barrier by giving you 7 effects for the price of 1!

Kind regards
Steve

I'm tempted to buy this just for the jokers alone.

Fantastic comment from Bill Abbott of Canada! He will be featuring it on his weekly webshow in the future.

"Great Las Vegas gambling theme, with good custom cards, nice poker chips a really well thought out self working effect with two phases."

Click here to view attached image.

I like it!!

Received my set last week from Magic Apple. Quality props and great routine. I will replace the plastic wallet with a leather one, but the wallet supplied is serviceable.

I just received me order from Steve this morning. First, the shipping was very fast and cheap. I live in Québec (Canada) and it took only 3 business days to receive it from England !!! ... Kudos to Steve. I emailed Steve with a couple of questions and he answered very fast, in a very friendly way. The guy is a pleasure to deal with. A real class act. On top of that, you will receive his lecture notes. You just can't go wrong for the deal offered.

As for the effect itself .. this is something that will go directly into my repertoire. Very commercial, a real fooler, and easy to do ... the first phase is diabolical, and yet, almost self working ... if you can hold cards without dropping them, you're fine. There is a little misdirection needed for the transition between the 2 phases, but it is well justified and not hard to do at all, a little timing is all you need. The props (Jokers and casino chips) are top quality ... nothing negative to say here.

For the second phase, Steve offer 4 different variations ... I don't really like options 1,2 and 4 ... in my opinion, they tend to drag the effect a little bit too long for my taste. The 3rd options is VERY direct and everything is very fair for the participant. It goes to the point way faster. I often work in venues where attention span is not always very long, I like my effects to be as direct as possible. For me, it will be the 3rd option for phase 2. The other options (1,2,4) are not bad by any means, but the are, in my opinion, overly complicated and not direct enough. A great trick, put on the market by a great guy. I'll look forward for his next offerings in the future. Highly recommended.

Jack Poulin

Just got this. Great props, great magic, great service. Thank you Steve.

The jokers will wear over a short time, right? are there replacements?

4 days to New Zealand amazing service
Looks like this will be a winner
Quality props and nice routine
Thanks
Steve

Just got mine yesterday and I love it! I'm not 100% in love with the dealing procedure. Has anyone else found a 10 card deal that works?

Use option 3

They should last quite a while, I'm still on my original set...but I can send replacements if necessary.

Cheers everyone for the great comms.
Steve

Got mine a few days ago. Just watched the vids.
Great effect!!! I love casino cards!!! And of course the Chips are excellent!
I'm not worried about the cards wearing out, but that is awesome that Steve will send out replacements if you need them in the future. I like them to be worn out in time... Goes with the story how you got them from the casinos when they closed.

He is very approachable, and willing to help as needed. He assisted me in getting this effect from U.S. (Magic Apple had it).

The deal... I agree that it is confusing. For me at least. I don't have a great memory though, so that's my fault.
Although, I also think Option 3 is best on his explanations (4 versions on video)

I figure out a simple way to do it though, without having to remember too much. I just got way too confused on his methods. But again; my memory is horrible!
PM me and I can explain. If I can remember it... LOL

This is also an excellent effect to use with "Miracle Chip" by Mark Mason/JB Magic.
I have Miracle Chip and I also have a Flipper Chip. I am exited to use these together!

Great effect and I can't wait to try it out in a few days after some practice.

Mike