I received a PM on my messenger by a friend telling me Penguin Magic had released a monte effect. I headed over to the site, and I watched the video. This one is the EXACT same thing as Michael Skinner's Ultimate 3 Card Monte. They give credit to him for this, but what really %%%%%% me off is they didn't add ANYTHING new to it, and the presentation is basically the same. This is really getting old, and I think it is time for the magic community to do something about their actions.. Can anyone say boycott?

James Watkins

Ok, buy Skinners Monte for routine, and buy this for extra set of cards. The routine is different, I have it and what it says in the instruction booklet is different than what they are showing. There are a billion versions of this, it doesn't really matter.

Is this the MILLION DOLLAR MONTE released by Magic Makers Inc a few weeks ago?

Daryl also has a version of Skinner's 3 card monte. It has one or two small but significant improvements.

If Penguin's routine is different and has some improvement on Skinner's, I think it's legitimate.

The point I was making is that the presentation is basically the same as the Skinner one, not all the way, but close, in the demo video. If they are going to sell this, I think they should at least used a presentation of theirs.

James

Is this the MILLION DOLLAR MONTE released by Magic Makers Inc a few weeks ago?

No, on this dvd - Oz Pearlman performs the routine.

Tim, remember the Frank Garcia lesson you learned before you go bonkers about this effect.

Skinner's effect was not original to him.

Yeah, almost none of new items are "original" enough nowadays. One might say that everything has already been invented...well, it depends on how you interpret that. I'd say 99% of all new tricks in magic are improvements to something old, or even almost exact duplicates of effects published decades ago in books.
And while inventors may not purposely try to improve an old effect, it usually happens that when you think of a new idea it has already been thought of - 50 years ago lol

Where to draw the line then? Very difficult to answer that. I have not seen Penguin's new monte effect yet, but if it is the same as Magicmakers' and Skinner's version, then that's too much in a short time imo.

The telling thing is that Penguin have added the Penguin Monte, and removed the Skinner trick from their website: http://www.penguinmagic.com/product.php?ID=208

I thought Maxwell Murphy's policy was to offer the original "side-by-side with the less expensive item. That way our customers could decide which version of the effect best fits their needs/budget." - Maxwell Murphy

Hi,
I don't want to tip the method, but the gimmicks involved have been around long before Michael Skinner and used by many in various Monte routines.

A clear distinction in the routine I performed is that it can be performed standing up and fully in the hands of the spectator. One of the clips shows me on the streets of Las Vegas performing this. I was out in front of the Bellagio for an entire evening performing this in the hands of spectators, with crowds in excess of 40-50 people easily being able to witness the effect. The final phase occurs with 2 of the cards FACE UP in the spec's hand, and the ace appearing right in their hands visually. To be very clear, this is NOT Michael Skinner's routine.

Regards,
Oz

Thank you for clearing that up Oz.

With Million Dollar Monte appearing and Skinners routine vanishing, it was looking bad there for a moment.

It's good to hear it straight from the source.

TIM

By the way, who is Anthony Miller?

Anthony Miller is usually known as "Tony Miller" and publishses Channel One magazine.

You can see video footage of him on Penguin's site under the video demo of any of his effects. He is the big guy with the fez on.

Thanks for clearing that up Oz. That was one of the main reasons I posted this because of Million Dollar Knot and U3CM being gone, but thanks again.

James Watkins

Another monte!
When will the madness end?
Oz, thanks for clearing up the confusion.

Can these be examined?

Not everything is examinable I think.

Correct, the cards are not examinable unless you do a simple packet switch.

Well to me the gaffed cards look just like Skinner`s cards, except they are different suits. I am pretty sure I can do the same with Skinner´s cards.

This is about a different presentation. I believe the gimmicks involved in this trick are the same but the handeling of them is different.

Mike Rogers had a similar effect called "Unconquered Card". This effect has been around for a long time, way before Michael Skinners Ultimate Monte.