Angles when using Bobo utility switch & Kaps subtlety

[Nathan]

I mostly do card magic but I'm trying to get more educated about coin magic so please forgive me if this question is somewhat elementary.

I'm working on Standing Three Eagles from The Classic Magic of Larry Jennings. (for those who don't know, this is an in the hands 3 coins across routine)

I'm concerned about flashing hidden coins to people either on my right or left when doing the Kaps subtlety. Perhaps I'm confused about how this subtlety works, but it seems that if I'm doing it with my right hand then all the spectators on my left have a perfect view of the coin and vice-versa for the left hand.

I guess one could argue this is just a matter of managing to have spectators pretty much directly in front of me. However the routine also makes use of the Bobo utility switch. It is my understanding that the motivation for this switch is so that the coins can be displayed to the spectators on both the right and on the left.

What can I do to help improve the angles on the Kaps subtlety and/or to help justify the Bobo switch to spectators located directly in front of me?

thanks in advance,
Nathan

[Bill Duncan]

Originally posted by Nathan Becker:
I guess one could argue this is just a matter of managing to have spectators pretty much directly in front of me. However the routine also makes use of the Bobo utility switch. It is my understanding that the motivation for this switch is so that the coins can be displayed to the spectators on both the right and on the left.

You are right that the most common justification for the utility switch it to show coins to both sides of the room but it's not the only justification. Any reason you can come up with to apparently move the coins from one hand to the other is fine. It can be something as obvious as hiking up your sleeve(s).

The Kaps/Malini subtlety is bad on the open side. You can shade it by blocking that view with the other hand which gestures at object displayed on the fingers. This will hide the palmed coin from the bad angle but it also hides what is on the fingers so it's important to remember that this display position isn't a static pose.

Both the Malini and Ramsay displays should be only a moment that reflects in the unconcious mind of viewers that they have seen the hand empty. In practice you'll move coins and hands about so that the hand(s) are seen from various angles and the coin is not.