The March to Madness Continues

My Least Favorite Card Trick Plots

ICYMI, last week I launched a magic book bracket, pitting books against each other in four key categories. I know it seems like the Instagram battle ground to a halt rather quickly, but it will continue! I ran into a technical issue I’ve since resolved, and I expect to post more epic book battles today and into the weekend to catch up.

The voting will take place on my Instagram stories (if you follow the link, click on the circle around my profile picture to bring up the latest stories), and I’ll post the final results when we’re done. Vote for your favorite books…

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These are All Terrible

A year ago, I shared a list of my five least favorite card magic plots, and what I learned from my dislike of these tricks.

The list was as follows:

1. Ambitious Cards

2. Sandwich Effects

3. Oil & Waters

4. Dealing Locations

5. Story Tricks

I recognize that in the right hands, all of these are highly effective plots in the card magic world. After all, there’s a reason so many of them are classics! However, they leave me cold.

What do you think? What are your least favorite plots, or what are the best versions of my list that you’ve seen? Let’s start a conversation on this.

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Coming This Weekend…

My episode this Sunday is focused around a list of books I wish I owned, but don’t. I’m keenly aware that I have a great library, and I possess more books and tricks than I could possibly hope to use in a lifetime. Buuuuut, that doesn’t change the fact that there are still volumes out there I wish I had on my shelves.

I’m not going to offer any spoilers here about what’s on my list, but I’d love to hear from you: what books do you regret not buying when they were available?

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Don’t Overpay for Books! 💸

Speaking of books you don’t own…

No, this ISN’T a sponsorship message. But I’m letting you know that if you’re thinking of buying a book that *might* be overpriced, don’t do it! Take a deep breath, and recognize that there will be a better deal some other time.

For example, I recently saw a set of the Johnny Thompson books listed on a Facebook group for $750. 😱 Hey, I love Johnny as much as the next person, but it’s hard to fathom any set of books being worth that much.

Plus, you never know when a book is going to be reprinted. Just look at all the reprints in the last couple of years - Williamson’s Wonders, The Definitive Sankey, etc.

If you’re ever wondering if a book is a good deal or not, reach out to your Erudite Magic family. We have a lot of expertise, so someone will be able to help you decide. Patience is a virtue, and it will keep money in your pocket.

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Hidden Gem - The Holey Grail

As promised, here is the first entry into my hidden gems. I’ve performed this trick several times (never in my professional shows), but it’s a worker. I love the shock and awe it creates - it feels very impossible, and stands up to quite a bit of scrutiny.

Even if you don’t end up performing it, hopefully you’ll benefit from the thought process and additions. Let me know how you would tweak this, or if you have ideas you want to share or ask about it.

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