Close-up Illusion by Larry Jennings. Not your usual packet trick for sure.

Inigmntoya,



I don't know how EndersGame feels about Color Monte, but I love it. Some people dislike the marketed cards and prefer regular cards from a deck, but I like the red and blue diamonds -- they're festive. I've changed the story a bit; I make it a (fictitious) story about my sister and me attending the State Fair when we were kids, and the diamonds suggest the colorful atmosphere of a carnival.

I like the red and blue diamonds as well. The problem I had with them was that spectators couldn't really tell them apart in low light, so that became a problem in the restaurant (or any other low light environment). I also wasn't overly fond of the $14 dollar card. The other issue was that sometimes you didn't have the cards on you but still wanted to do the routine. All things considered, I now do the routine with "two" jokers and the ace of spades. My kicker is the queen of hearts for the line, "he said gambling's not your thing kid, maybe you'll have better luck with the ladies..." (turn over QH).

The other packet routine I do often is Capitulating Queens.

Cute ending, Kalix. I like it. I can see how the red and blue could look similar -- I haven't tried performing in low light.


I don't like the $14 card either. I use a mischievous-looking old fashioned joker. I relate to my audience that this is the one time when I was able to do *real* magic. I told the swindler that no one owed anyone anything. He said, what do you mean it's a joke? I said, with an authority that surprised me, just turn over the card. When he does, he sees the joker and realizes that he joke is on him.


Nice quote, by the way.

Kaliix,

I agree. I've been performing Capitulating Queens for years. That and Aldo Colombini's Come Together are my favorites.

Also, agree with the other poster--great quote.

D.

Every single magician in the world should own this trick. I performed this for my son and then moved on to perform Virginia City shuffle (wich I thought was a better closer out of the 2. My son hands down said "That $14 dollar card came out of no where". And fwiw..... I think my TCC wallet fell out of my pocket with both of those in it and everything was in new condition! Thank God I have several Color Monties bought here on the Café'. Lucky for me I also have an AH + Blank 1 W-F-D***s. I need a new TCC wallet.

Oh and Tommy Wonders "Tamed cards" is awesome.


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yvURE6ueeEk&t=1s

I love Back Flip by Sam Schwartz. It is a great packet trick and the final colour change really catches people off guard. Also with a little thinking it resets automatically.

Also Nightmare Monte from Bob Kings Magician Foolers is a great little packet trick. Very easy very visual with a very funny patter line. I have played around with this routine a lot and come up with some extra bits that can be added if you want to make it a longer routine.

Totally agree with Dollarbill that Color Monte is pretty much mandatory equipment. Always, always goes over big. Lots of magicians don't like the special cards, but the public sure does.

I use John Rogers (woodencigar.com) Sobriety Test all the time and I think it is the ultimate packet trick. The story is engaging, the cards change multiple times and there is a kicker ending. The premise is that you were pulled over for a sobriety test. The officer shows you four aces and asks which is upside down. Naturally you answer none. They are fanned out again and one is face down. You are asked four times and each time you get it wrong. Then for phase two of the test you are asked what the color are the backs, you answer and your are wrong again, they are all different. Finally for phase three you are asked to breath on the cards and when they are shown they all turn into beer signs. That is all but one, which turns into a coca cola sign. The story is engaging and for many of the spectators they take the intro seriously and it takes until the second change until they realize it is a card trick. The only negative, unlike John Bannons packet tricks, the cards cannot be handed out for examination.

lands10,

Thanks for explaining the routine. I've actually never heard of this packet trick, but it sounds like fun! I tried the website you provided, and it leads to a blank page. When I searched a bit more, I found a couple of links:

https://www.johnrogers.com/sobriety.html

https://www.johnrogers.com/sobriety2.html

Thanks again for the recommendation!

D.

Hi dmoriarty1,
That is the trick. It's excellent.

Gr - Eight is great. It’s by Scott F Guinn And it’s in Still Small Still Deadly by Paul Hallas. It’s a comedy routine and a bit different to the usual. You can do it from a normal deck but you really need to get a separate envelope or packet to get it from due to the nature of the thing.

I second the recommendation for Bob Farmer's "Headhunter". It is a terrific trick.

See the Fast n Genious decks for non standard faces

Thanks for all the suggestions and comments everyone. Here's what I ended up going with:

● Nothing But The Truth (Cameron Francis)
● Eye Exam (Danny Archer)
● Capitulating Queens (James Swain and Gary Plants)

BTW, I do love Color Monte, but since it's one of the top packet tricks of all time, it wouldn't quite meet my original criteria for something outside the usual recommendations.

I like David Acer's cheap labor. I do it with odd color backs and that gets a good reaction

I suggest 'i hate David Copperfield' by geoff Williams.
Don't know why it's called that.

Rubber illusion by Aldo Is good also

I carry 4 packet tricks at all times. For unusual, offbeat and fun my selection is Stickman 4 (Richard Sanders).