Magic & Conjuring: page 101

Aus dem Vorwort:

• Vorwort
• Die neunte Karte
• Die Karte in der Tasche
• Die verräterische...

Aus dem Vorwort:

In many mentalistic effects, the spectator answers the performer's questions in a sincere way or not, without the performer knowing the choice made.

The concept of "lie or truth" makes the effect stronger and the idea that the illusionist guesses however reinforces the memory of an effect as an exceptional event, almost a miracle.

In the effect presented here, a further degree of freedom has been added: after the first response, the viewer can decide whether to maintain the same behavior (lie / truth) or if he prefers to change it.

In practice, the two answers can be LIE / LIE, TRUTH...

Honestly, I have not been able to trace the author of this principle, which I think is lost in the mists of time. My Master of Mentalism Valerio Bovolenta taught me, and I want to give credit to him. I have done nothing but study it and try to indicate a method to be able to propose it with any number of cards.

The procedure is very simple: the spectator chooses how many cards he wants to use, puts away the remaining cards (they will not be used further), shuffles the cards he chose and, on the instruction of the performer, chooses a number, looks at a card, and reassembles the deck; even...

During the first lockdown period, we lived separated from the world, connected to friends only with the phone; to please my friends I started looking for effects to be presented remotely to people connected, without phone videoconferencing, so that they can use their deck of cards or objects at their disposal, without my possibility to operate, except by checking the game instructions.

I searched for automatic effects and found principles that in some cases were a few centuries old; others, more recent, often conceived by famous and illustrious names; many of these, when they were published...

Due to the "fault" of the lockdown, I began to collect effects to present on the phone to my friends, using their deck of cards or the objects at their disposal, without any possibility for me to intervene, except by carefully checking the game instructions. Many are the mathematical principles used, some "old" of a few centuries, others revised over time, others, contemporary, just as original. I tried, for each of them, to invent a story, a suitable setting, which was unique and original, fantasy, and which was consistent with the operations that performer and spectator were going to perform,...

The effect on the phone has always intrigued me: you cannot arrange the cards, nor do you see them, the deck is that of the spectator, you cannot touch it or see it. Then there is an insurmountable difficulty: you have to explain each operation in a simple, step-by-step way and, not being able to visually check, you are forced to prepare, in the presentation, control "stakes"; all this, however, provided that your description is perfect and, at the same time, flawless, without danger of misunderstanding.

And then there is the "revelation" mode: it can only be presented as an effect of mentalism,...

"Tarot is a deck of cards but the Tarot represents a person. We are the Tarot and we use the Tarot because we live." (Andrea Mecchia)

I don't know if it happens to you too ... when I particularly love a project, I start to collect elements, I work on it a bit, but it always seems that something is missing ... you leave and resume the project, but that something is always missing ... then, one day, it arrives like that in one fell swoop, and makes everything good.

This is the story of this project, which I finally want to share, with the hope that it will also satisfy your desire to present...

The effects on the phone have become, for me, almost an obsession. I have, for now, collected more than 100 and, slowly, I am proposing them with these publications. Some draw inspiration from real "pearls" of great artists, which I allowed myself to face, with extreme humility, developing them with a new setting, sometimes adding some interesting details. Others are a little older, even centuries, maybe even well known, but they are often "disruptive" as never before. I share them with pleasure.

In this booklet you will find:

I WILL FIND YOUR CARD
It is said that the cards think to...

Numbers have tremendous power. They rule life and the universe. There is no living being, molecule, event, evolution that cannot be described with an algorithm, a mathematical formula. Numbers, everywhere. From the speed of light to the circumference of the earth, to the inhabitants of the world, to the ATM pin. And then your lucky number, the number of destiny, bad luck, infinity ...

In my methodical (and obstinate) search for effects to be proposed on the phone, numbers are the absolute protagonist. Except for a few small tricks, they are all a consequence of one or more mathematical...

It is not easy to define, in a few words, Mariano Tomatis, but I want to try: he is a "Curiosity Generator". Because his books, his conferences, and, above all, his "pills" on Youtube (Mesmer in pills) are for me an inexhaustible source of information, culture (magical or otherwise), ideas, and, above all, a continuous stimulus to know, to seek, to try, to create, to "go upstairs".

Two pills, in particular, struck me and interested me (n ° 92: Coin, pen and cell phone, and n ° 228: Seeing with the third eye): once seen, I tried to analyze possible developments, discovering Masters, authors,...

The content of this publication collects the notes of a conference held some time ago to friends and colleagues, dedicated to the problem of "truth / lie". The book, published in Italy, has had a flattering success in bookstores: I think it is right to share the content also in the English language.

A good mentalist must necessarily acquire a good knowledge of the messages of the body and interpret the moods of the viewer to best conduct the effect. An excellent mentalist is always able to understand if the viewer is sincere or if he is lying, often leaving him the possibility to choose...

Ask the spectator to take any deck of cards, and to shuffle it well (it is useless, but it is very "magician"). Get a few cards, as many as the spectator wants, and then make another packet of the same size next to this one. You will ask the spectator to move, as desired, cards from one pile to the other, to divide one pile into two unequal packets, to look at a card of a certain number down the middle pack, and then collect the packets one on top of the other. Before concluding, remind the spectator that he made all the choices independently, he chose the number of cards to move from one...

An unexplored "classic": this has been for me, for many years, the "Australian shuffle". I learned it as a young man from Aldo Colombini, who often included it in his impromptu effects; later I studied John Scarne (and his wonderful idea in Phone Miracle, which we will comment on together later) and Max Maven.

Then I read Nick Conticello, and a new world opened up: I discovered that all the greats of card magic have tried their hand at the Australian deal; Nick, however, made me wonder a bit more: today I don't think there is more space to invent, but a lot to develop new routines, putting together various principles.

In my...

The effects of "remote" mentalism (with the performer blindfolded, in another room, or, even, on the phone, with only the audio connection) generally use mathematical principles. Often, with a little pack of cards (or billets) real miracles can be performed: if the cards are to be shuffled by the spectator, it is necessary that the shuffle appears as random as possible, even if it must necessarily be a mathematical one.

With this publication I have addressed some well-known moves, used in different ways, alone or in conjunction with other shuffles or other principles; once the principle...

Water and oil is an effect that has always fascinated me, but the principle is so simple that I think it is impossible to invent something more effective; moreover, the effect requires a secret manipulation that is impossible to replicate, if everything is expected to be done in the hands of the spectator, "on the other end of the line" (of the telephone).

I, therefore, followed a different path: to try to replicate, in the spectator, the amazement of finding the separated cards, when they were arranged alternately by his hands, in front of his eyes.

Also in this publication I propose,...

I saw the first spelling effects a long time ago, studying Aldo Colombini's DVDs; they were in English and I gave up almost immediately, due to the great difference in seed letters and numbers: from diamonds to diamonds there was an ocean. I saw, I appreciated them ... and then I gave up. Some time later, trying and trying again, a light bulb came on: I thought I had invented my spelling in Italian; beautiful exceptional. Later I discovered that I had not really invented anything, there were dozens and hundreds of similar and ... almost the same. Then, continuing to study the great masters, I began to collect...

I love the mentalism effects on the phone, and I often use them in close-up and sometimes - appropriately modified - stage performances. I have collected more than 100, in the last 2 years and, slowly, I am proposing them with these publications. Some draw inspiration from real "pearls" of great artists, which I allowed myself to face, with extreme humility, developing them with a new setting, sometimes adding some interesting details. Others are a little older, even centuries, maybe even well known, but they are often "disruptive" as never before! Still, others are mine or, better said, by...

Conducting effects on the telephone presents some "structural" difficulties:

You have to prepare a meticulous presentation and review it in detail; in close-up or on stage you have the viewer in your presence and you can check at any time if they are following your instructions correctly. On the phone no! You must therefore try to write simple, unique instructions and you must check periodically (if not almost every time) that these have been carried out as you expected.

You must prepare (as with all performances) an introduction that describes the purpose of the game, where you start...

THE ABBOTT'S TEN PRINCIPLE: The principle, generally called Abbott's Ten by the Americans, actually dates back to an Italian manuscript about five hundred years ago (Mariano Tomatis - Messmer in pills - La Lollins and the magic of the sixteenth century - Episode 206).

This publication first describes the standard 10-card routine; I then analyzed the possibility of doing it with a different number of cards, even with tarot cards, and I studied the possibility of doing it in all conditions: in close up, on stage (two versions, one with billets and the other with the Tarot) and even on the...

This routine was presented some time ago and now, after having faced various situations, both on stage, in the parlor and in the living room, the time has come to apply some modifications which simplify the conduction of the effect, which can be proposed in close up, in person, on the phone (audio only) or on stage: three different and interesting ways for the same effect.

The method used is explained in detail, so that the effect can be modeled by the performer and repeated immediately afterward, making it difficult to immediately understand the method used.

The principle is interesting! ...

The presentation of a magic effect is linked to many aspects, from the personality of the performer to the type of audience, to the type of show to be staged. Mentalism is only a pretext, it lends itself better than other spells to the discussion, especially on the definition of the character, the construction of the story, on the revelation. What we will analyze is not only useful for those who want to be a mentalist, but it is a stimulus to the realization of any magical effect and to improve one's communication process, with anyone on any subject. It's a mini-course in communication/NLP...

A very effective parlor or stage effect. Cards or tickets can be used, or ESP cards or even tickets were drawn on the spot by the spectator on which to carry out an effective act of reading in the final revealing phase.

The spectator receives 4 cards, and shuffles them several times, at his discretion, while the mentalist has his back turned: at the end, he will be able to describe the correct position of all the cards.

To simplify the final phase for the performer, we propose the use of an ingenious "homemade" gimmick, which allows you to operate calmly, without fear of forgetfulness...

Synchro is a mentalism effect that can be achieved (in person or on the phone, with audio connection only) with playing cards, or with ESP cards or with tickets: this latest version also allows you to develop the final revelation in cold-reading.

The secret used in this routine is a combination of unique methods, amalgamated for an amazing finish. It can be done remotely, with cards borrowed from the spectator, or with tickets written "on the spot"; the mentalist does not need to see the cards in any way. While using various methods, it is easy to memorize, as it is based on simple patterns. ...