Hello,
i perform this trick and I'm petty sure we can all agree that it's a modern classic that always gets good reactions, however I'm looking for a better way to present it, David Blaines 3 card monte theme is good but doesn't at all resonate with my audiences and Joshua Jays presentation revolvs around the theme of misdirection which I don't really like,
what do you guys say when performing this trick, any cool themes, scripts, random ideas?
Thanks!

I posted a Perverse Magic presentation of this on the Perverse Magic thread of the Genii Forum on October 1, 2011.

Got a link to it?

Link as requested:

https://forums.geniimagazine.com/viewtop......tart=200

Fantastic, I like this idea!

For the first time in your life, I want you to be honest with me--What's this card?
That's very good, that's very honest. Hold your hand in a fist, lift up your thumb.

Be honest again--What's this card?
That's great! Are you always this honest, or just when the evidence is staring you in the face?

If I turn both cards face down, can you still be honest?
Be honest. Did I switch them or not? So you have the ______ and I have the _______, is that correct?
Turn your card face up. And I have the _______!
Someone around here isn't very honest!
If we go by the evidence, (pulling two original cards out of pockets) it was probably me...

Ooooh Pop I love that!
Direct and to the point, funny, logical and simple, wow so cool

That's great, Pop! You should think about doing magic professionally. I bet you'd be pretty good!

So I created two almost identical first draft scripts, not claiming these to be completely original but I'd like to know which one you prefer and advice for improving.

First one: Test of focus

Now you guys, seem like a pretty observant audience so I wanna try something, a quick test of focus

But since we’re doing magic this is actually a magic test, look, we’ll use these top cards

Here is the queen of spades, could you hold your hand out like this for me, and take that card and hold it like that, perfect.


Second one: Memory test

Now you guys, seem like a pretty observant audience so I wanna try something, a quick simple memory test

But since we’re doing magic this is actually a magic memory test, look, we’ll use these top cards

Here is the queen of spades, could you hold your hand out like this for me, and take that card and hold it like that, perfect.

If I were to ask you what that card was, what would you say?

The queen of spades right, yeah, you can check if you like

Pretty simple, but don’t worry, I’ll make it harder, let’s take this similar card the king of spades and take that one instead, without looking this time, what would you say is in your hand?

And you’d be right!

Here’s where it gets a little hard, I’ll put both the king and queen in your hand… watch closely (switches their positions a few times) what do you think is on bottom

“queen/king”

Nice, if this was a regular memory test you’d be right, but I told you… this is a magic one and what you might not remember was me changing your two cards, turn them over

If I were to ask you what that card was, what would you say?

“queen of spades”

The queen of spades right, yeah, you can check if you like

Pretty simple, but don’t worry, I’ll make it harder, let’s take this similar card the king of spades and take that one instead, without looking this time, what would you say is in your hand?

“king of spades”

And you’d be right! That was just a warm up,
Here’s where it gets a little hard, I’ll put both the king and queen in your hand… watch closely (switches their positions a few times) what do you think is on bottom

“queen/king”

OK, if this was a regular test of focus you’d be right, but I told you… this is a magic one and what you might not have paid attention to was me changing your two cards, turn them over

You shouldn't put both cards in the spectator's hand. It kills the misdirection for the top change.

The best handling and presentation of this effect I've ever seen is from David Williamson. He does it as a memory test but in typical Williamson fashion he does it one better than everyone else I've seen. At the beginning, he puts the 2 jokers in his pocket as he doesn't need them. By the end of the effect the 2 aces the spectator had end up in the pocket and he ends up holding the 2 jokers instead! Far better than the standard effect. There is (or was) video on youtube of him doing this.

It's also performed and explained on his, "Magic Farm" DVD. Great presentation for sure!

Absolutely loved Pop's script! I've also seen some performers here in the Café ask the spectator (after the first card), "what... you don't believe me?" Both make for great interaction. Lynn

Leave out the word: "PERFECT"!

How do you cover the top change? When you put both cards in the spectator's hand, you lose the natural cover for the move.

In Eddie Fechter's original, the top change is made as the spectator turns over the card in his hand and is surprised. When everyone looks up, the facedown card in the magician's hand has been changed.

Hey Pop,
Yeah I have never actually seen the original manuscript for this trick which is a shame, however for the top change: I replace one card for another in their hands look at them and ask them what they have while top changing the card I took from them. Then I put that card in their hand.

Wow,I'm not great at describing this, here's a link to good old David Blaine doing it like I do it so you can see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=095VAvWe_7I

PS, if there is footage of you performing this anywhere direct me too it, I genuinly love your work and it would be great to see your take on this trick

In the original routine by Eddie Fechter, the "switch" move is made and the spectator is asked what card he thinks he is holding. Then he is told to check, and as he and the group are surprised by the color change, the top change is made. Then the magician shows his card and tosses it to the table or hands it to the spectator assistant. Then the two top cards of the pack are palmed and produced.

The surprise of the first revelation completely covers the top change move. The revelation of the second card covers the palming of the original cards for the pocket.

Part of Eddie's genius was to use the natural surprises of the effect to cover the moves that come next.

This method also allows the performer to control the timing of the revelations.

I am working the WC Fields bar next weekend. I will try to shoot video of Eddie's routine.

Thank you

Seems like most of us (myself included) know of "2 card Monte" via Blaine and not the Fechter original. After seeing the Blaine clip, I realize how he could have gotten more milage out of this great trick... but I admit it was fun to watch again. Thanx Pop, for the original description! Lynn