In your opinion, is Up the Ante the best trick that uses this principle?

I don't personally have Up the Ante, but if you are interested in the Gilbreath Principle I would recommend Woody Aragon's book "A Book in English." It has some great effects.

Yes.......but I might be considered biased!!!

It gets the best reactions of any card trick I do. The spectator doing all the work after THEY shuffled the deck blows them (and me too) away. I love it.
David

Another excellent use of the Gilbreath principle is Red & Black by Asi Wind which can be found in his book/DVD combo Chapter One.

Mike

I think Sal's Memory Opener by Sal Piacente (originally by Steve Forte) on "Sal Piacente – Expert Card Magic Lecture Notes Volume 1" is fantastic.

S = Spectator, M = Magician

EFFECT: S shuffles deck. Deals down 13 cards. M briefly looks at 13 cards as though memorizing them and hands them back to S, then:
Phase 1: S mixes 13 cards & removes 1. M looks at remaining cards and names value.
Phase 2: S deals another 13 cards from balance of deck. M briefly looks at cards. S removes 2 cards for blackjack hand. M looks at remaining cards and names hand.
Phase 3: Finally, S shuffles remainder of deck as much as they want and removes 5 card poker hand and M looks through balance and names 5 cards.

John

Up the Ante is an amazing little miracle. I really like Doth by Max Maven too. Also Bob Kings Order Please is great and you don't need to set the pack up before hand.

Where can one find Bob Kings Order Please?

I have it in magician foolers. But I think Its in a couple of other places.

Many of the other great Gilbreath principle based tricks I used to perform have since been replaced with something more direct.
Mockingbird for instance - a great effect with very challenging conditions. It was fun to perform. Fooled magicians like crazy! But my lay audiences would give a stronger reaction to a simple card peek reveal (which is essentially the same effect - I reveal a thought of card). I believe this is because it is more direct. All of the procedure involved could be perceived as your way of doing "something sneaky". But with a card peek I put the deck into their hands as soon as the card has been selected.

Up The Ante is the only Gilbreath trick I still perform. It is perfectly clear. And I think it is very direct. I can't think of a more direct way of performing this effect. After the spectator shuffles the deck you demonstrate a crazy level of card control without ever touching the cards again. You seemingly control all 52 cards.


captainsmiffy - did you mention an updated version of this being released at some point?

It had been mooted that I should author a compendium of variations on this effect.....to this end, I did write to a few people on here about their versions and ideas of Up The Ante. I had a response or two but am still waiting on others. If I get sufficient material then it may prove worthwhile, so am open to variations please! I could also put in all of the various ideas that have occurred over the years that have improved the original version. May be interesting to do. Especially whilst I am on this enforced medical break from flying!!

Sharpen your pencil and get to work!!
David

Anything happen with this.

Best

Steve

Where can I find a description of Up The Ante? And where can I find the effect?

Oh I found the description. It seems to be a very basic application of the Gilbreath principle that anyone knowing the principle could make up the details of having seen the description.

Sal Piacente has a certain routine that I have found to be the best Gilbreath principle trick I've ever used and hits so *** hard. Don't want to say which one since it really isn't apparent that it uses it. PMs welcome

'The Hawk' by Max Maven is another good choice to consider. It uses the Gilbreath Principle and also a one way system for the cards which when combined make for a very clever methodology. I prefer it to 'The Mockingbird'.

The Gilbreath Principle can also be used with tarot cards. Use sixteen minor arcana personality/court cards, the female pages (many tarot decks are gender balanced) the male knights, the female queens and the male kings. Instead of the four playing card suits we of course have Staffs/Clubs, Cups, Swords and Pentacles/Coins. Instead of red and black we simply use male and female.

It is subtle but effective and opens the door to a number of possibilities.

Both of my books have Gilbreath effects in them, in case you're looking for more.

-Ben

Does anyone know if there is a definative book on this powerful tool?

There are many tricks using the Gilbreath Principle that are real foolers. Probably the one I perform most often is Memo Fry by Woody Aragon using the Siamese Deck.



"Breath" by Mat Parrott and "Gilbreath's Prinzipien" for example.