New Oil & Water Packet Trick Available Soon!

My upcoming new packet trick featuring oil & water effect will be available soon.

Watch this space...

ALSH

New Card Magic Ebook... Coming Soon!

New Ebook coming soon!

I am going to release an exciting eBook that contains 10 delicious card effects with an emphasis on easy and entertaining card magic.

ALSH

Mix Up & Match

In the year of 2006, while I was shopping, I discovered unique rubber bands that have various shapes in them such as fruits, vegetables, animals and others. 

I bought a few of them and started to create some of my favourite routines. I realised that these special rubber bands have been in the market for quite some time and there are many versions available in the market. 

In this version, this routine has two phases and involves two spectators. Basically, it involves a prediction and your spectators will not realise until they come to the final revelation. Best of all, everything can be given out for examination. In addition, it instantly resets. You may carry this little effect in your pocket which it does not take up a lot of space. You can perform this effect at anytime and anywhere.  

I have been performing this little gem ever since I came up with it. I regard this item as one of my pet routines. This routine is very flexible and the prediction can be changed from time to time. 

Comes complete with 20 Bicycle cards, 5 high quality silicone rubber bands and an instruction sheet. 

Available at: http://www.freewebs.com/cardicians

ALSH

My Review - Wave Epic

Here is my review of Wave Epic by John Gelasi. In the pdf, it contains a collection of 8 brainwave (B'Wave) card effects. Ever since Phil Goldstein released B'Wave, the plot appeals to me a lot and many magicians came up with their own versions that you can find in many sources. Some indeed very powerful and highly entertaining. If you have no idea what I am talking about, perhaps John Gelasi's "Wave Epic" may kickstart your new journey to the B'Wave world.

I really like the front page of the pdf is nicely designed, sleek and very professional. The pdf contains 22 pages and as mentioned earlier, it contains 8 card effects all related to B'Wave. Well, not exactly all the effects 100% that relate to B'Wave but you will appreciate the author's thinking and approaches to the plot.

You will find the B'Wave plot fuses with card sandwich, blank facers developed themselves with the image of the spectator's named card, and many other interesting revelations. Each of the effects is provided a video link and you have a chance to watch how the effects look like in real performance. So, allow me to review each of the following effects.

The Royal Wave

This is a very simple and yet a powerful revelation at the end of the routine. One of my favourites and I really like the simplicity of this effect. Excellent!

Another Wave Pun

The only difference in this multi-phase effect with the usual B'Wave plot is instead of revealing the unique selection in a packet of cards, the performer shows "Pick Me!" or "Don't Pick Me!" on the back of the cards. I still prefer the original because the back of the cards provides a striking revelation. Perhaps other readers may find this to their fancy. 

Joker' Wave

This is another interesting effect which emphasises on presentation and patter. The routine is not very difficult to do. However, I personally think that it would be great to reveal the written AH first and after that comes with the revelation of AH. That way, the climax may be great. Just my humble two cents. 

Making Waves

This is a multi-phase effect involves that two packets of cards; the Aces and the Queens. This is a great and powerful routine. In addition, I really like the author's approach in the efficient use of both packets to end the routine with a great climax that stresses on gambling theme. Nice!

iWave

Another interesting item. I like the effect but I will end the routine in a slightly different way with the use of George Sand's Prime Number Principle. Instead of using the AC, AS and AH, I will end them with the 3S, 3H and 3C to match the spectator's selection. The reaction would be much better as you claimed from the beginning you were not sure what cards (perhaps the four Queens) and at the end, you nail the selection along with locating the mates of the selection. 

B'rainteaser

This is one my favourite items. This effect requires careful patter and presentation. The blank cards seem to develop into the named Jack of Diamonds. The whole effect looks very magical. However, in this kind of effect, as usual, at the end of the routine, the cards cannot be given out for examination. But, I like the effect!

Scatterbrain

This is a nice effect with an emphasis on the production of the Aces in a visual manner. Another one of my favourite items. 

Prism Wave

This effect has multiple phases but to be honest, I think it can be improved in terms of the "what if" phase. Please don't get me wrong; this is not a complaint as I like the effect. This routine just reminds me of John Bannon's "Spin Doctors" and I know it's not related to Gelasi's effect. If you are familiar with John Bannon's "Spin Doctors", you know what I am talking about. There is a discrepancy involved I just feel the phase where the production of the AH needs a solid patter to support the revelation. Again, this is just my humble two cents!    

My mind is now full of "Brainwave" juices because of toying around too much with the plot. I am sure John Gelasi's "Wave Epic" may kickstart your journey in exploring the wonderful possibilities of "Brainwave" effects. I quite enjoyed the effects in this collection and you may find some of his approaches in the above effects refreshing and usable. There are few effects that require magician's choice or equivoque. Worry not as the author provides the patter in great detail along with great credits at the end of each effects. I look forward to performing some of the effects above for my next gathering events.  

ALSH

Oil & Royal Flush

"Oil & Royal Flush" is one of my pet routines that I perform regularly in my close-up performance.

If you like Roy Walton's "Oil & Queens", perhaps you will like my handling for this wonderful plot. I should say that this version is an extension to the original routine.  

I designed this particular routine by incorporating the elements of surprise along with a double climax that the spectator will not realise until to the end of the routine.

Your audience will witness one of the cards changes its colour and concludes the unexpected revelation. The good news is that this routine is not very difficult to do. If you are familiar with the Hamman Count and the Elmsley Count, you will entertain your audience in no time with this entertaining routine. 

Here's what a few of them say:

"I like this a lot."
-- Peter Duffie

"Got it! VERY nice effect! I really like this. A lot of magic going on!"
-- Cameron Francis

"I have just tried it out with cards in hand, and it plays very, very nicely!"
-- Liam Montier

Available at: http://www.freewebs.com/cardicians

ALSH

My Review - Emoticon

This is the second item that I received from Andrew Galanter. I was one of the lucky readers to receive a review copy. This is Emoticon and it is a routine that you can do with a packet of cards.

The pdf has 12 pages and the file size is 447 KB. The price of this pdf is $3. This effect requires you to use some different backed cards which I think most readers should not have any problem in obtaining these items. In addition, this routine is not very difficult to do.

In terms of the pdf, the author provides a very detailed explanation on each of the phases with great credits at the end of the explanation. In addition, the author also includes Youtube links on each of the phases so that the reader may grasp or have a clearer picture how the particular phase should look like. So, without further ado, let's examine what Emoticon is all about.

Emoticon is a packet trick that talks about emotions. I think the basic patter line serves as a good starting point. Personally speaking, based on the overall effect, the routine seems very strong because at the end of the routine, the performer shows the cards with different backs and a magical card is produced that shows "Therapist". However, I think the reader must familiarise himself with the overall effect before attempting the routine. The reason is because the routine is not merely "do and show" kind of act. Otherwise, the audience may have the difficulty and confuse what the effect is all about.  

However, the author did provide a very basic patter but I guess the reader still needs to think something that is more suitable and interesting to fit the routine. There are many technical sleights involved in each of the phases but as I mentioned earlier, I think it would be great if there is a great patter to support each of the phases. Or in other words, to make sense of it what you actually going to attempt. 

Overall, I like the routine. As mentioned earlier, if you could provide a good patter line to support those phases, I think the end climax may serve as a killer catalyst and the best part is, you may hand out the cards for examination and it instantly resets. I think $3 is a great deal for this little powerful routine. I couldn't ask for more.       

ALSH

My Review - Principles and Deceptions

Card Magic is a fascinating subject. The fascinating subject that I am referring to is not the experience that I gained from watching television or live performances in this context. The subject I am talking about is card principles.

It is because after reading and trying out some of the card principles, I discovered that card principles are very magical and even though if you know the secrets, still, if you follow each steps precisely, they will work! At times, they are very strong especially the cards can be given out for shuffling or cuts and yet, they still work as miracles!

Loyal readers know that I am a huge fan of Peter Duffie, who seems to spend a good deal of time in writing and publishing numerous wonderful eBooks. Previously, I was too occupied with my studies and I considered that as an inactive period in magic. Recently, with a deck of playing cards in my hands, I spent my spare time in going through Peter Duffie's Principles & Deceptions, which is a truly wonderful and mind-stimulating eBook.

It is an 18-page pdf, the size of the file is 925 KB and there are 6 parts detailing each of the principles. Each parts is hyperlinked and it makes the reader very easy in terms of navigating the whole pdf. In addition, there is a bonus section that explains Dave Campbell's Automatic Speller which is a fantastic routine!  

The card principles covered are not brand new and I am sure if you have been in card magic for long, you may come across the following names before such as "Gilbreath Principle", "Rusduck's Stay Stack", "Hummer Principle", "Finnel's Free Cut Principle" and among others. What makes this pdf stands out is after learning each of the principles, the author provides a test to challenge the reader's understanding.

I find that the tests are some sort of "mind-stimulant" foods which to induce the reader to explore more possibilities after learning a particular card principle. Another interesting side is that I learned quite a number of interesting facts and important bits of history on the creators of the card principles. 

Overall, I really, really enjoyed this eBook and hopefully, this ebook would serve as a progress in terms of my thinking and approaching in card magic principles. In addition, I also believe that this eBook would serve as a stepping stone to those who love card principles. I always find that the author's approaches to card principles are brilliant which not only can be found in this pdf, but also in his other eBooks such as Ulterior Motifs, and Cards in Principles which are commendable. Just do yourself a favour by visiting the author's online shop and you will be surprised with the large varieties of eBooks available.

Available at: http://www.peterduffie.com/

ALSH