George McBride is one of Britain's foremost card experts and a highly respected creator of fine magic (see his chapter in Five Times Five, Kaufman). In the mid 1990's George released two manuscripts Osmosis and Osmosis 2. These were on a limited release and there will be many who have not seen these superb books.
For this e-version, George has selected his best routines from the above mentioned books. Over 30 photographs have been added for your further enjoyment.
1st edition, 1995.
Triola: Three cards are selected and lost into the deck. The two Jokers instantly catch one of the selections. Now both Jokers immediately transform into the remaining two selections. One great & simple move does it all.
All From One: Three cards are selected and lost in the deck. The spectator stabs the Joker into the deck at any point - the card next to the Joker proves to be the first selection. Suddenly the second selection appears between these two cards. Finally the Joker transforms into the third selection!
Ambitious Hofzinser: A card is selected and lost into the deck. You show the four Aces and perform a magical sequence, whereby each Ace travels from the bottom of the packet to the top in true "Ambitious-style." The final Ace magically changes into the selection.
Angel Heart: A spectator removes a card from a position in the deck - say 20th. This card is clearly placed on the bottom of the deck. Instantly the card vanishes from the bottom and reappears at its original position from the top - but this time it's face up! Finally the other three matching mates of the selection appears face up in the middle of the deck!
Angel Heart: This is a variation of Melvin LeHare's "Vernon, My Angel, Your Home" that appeared in Abacus. Melvin's trick was based on a Horowitz effect called "Look Homeward Angel."
Blending Bullets: Two Blendomatic cards are placed aside (two black Aces). A card is chosen (e.g. Ten of Hearts), returned to the pack and the pack shuffled. The magician tries to cut the chosen card to the top of the pack but fails, revealing instead, the Six of Hearts. The magician tries again but gets the Four of Hearts this time. Both these cards are placed between the Blendomatic cards and are given a squeeze. The subsequent blend produces the Ten of Hearts.
Campbell's Aces: Four Aces cleanly placed face down into the middle of the face-down deck instantly turn face up - except for one. This Ace happens to be the same suit as a previously selected card. When turned over, it proves to be the selection.
Immediate Ace Spell: You hand out the pack to a spectator for shuffling. You now take back the pack and immediately spell to each of the four Aces, with the spectator spelling to the final Ace.
Imogen: A spectator mentally creates a playing card. When he spells the name of this card he finds the three matching mates. Amazing, as this is, his actual mental selection is now produced from an impossible location!
One Too Many: A spectator selects s card and lose it back into the deck. With the deck in hands, he now gives you three cards, one by one. But, when you count them you have four. "You must have given me one too many," you say, as you toss one aside. Once again you count the cards but you've still got four! This is repeated several more times. Finally, you place the cards on the spectator's hand whereupon they meld into a single card. This is her selection.
Pass the Sandwich: Two Aces visibly vanish from the top of the deck - one by one - and reappear in the middle with a previously selected card trapped between. Cool and clever.
Repulsion: The four Queens are shown and placed on the table. Two cards are selected and lost in the deck. The deck is tapped with the Queens and the first selection rises to the top. This card is then placed among the Queens, whereupon it instantly vanishes and reappears inside your pocket. This is repeated with the second selection. As with most of George's tricks, you finish clean.
Roy Walton's Flight Path: This is Roy's excellent take on the above trick. Here the deck is handled only by the spectator.
Thought Provoked: Two spectators are each given a small packet of cards. They both look at their cards and think of any one. Each of the thought of cards is revealed in a most surprising manner.
Transmutation: There's plenty of magical content in this. It combines "The Ambitious Card" with "Dr. Daley's Last Trick" and concludes with the Classic Roy Walton "Oil & Queens" ending. What more could one ask for?
Transmutation: There's plenty of magical content in this routine. It combines "The Ambitious Card" with "Dr. Daley's Last Trick" and concludes with the Classic Roy Walton "Oil & Queens" ending.
Travelling PDQ: Three selected cards travel to three different pockets. You'll simply love this! George totally fooled me blind with this one.
word count: 8797 which is equivalent to 35 standard pages of text
