Choosing a memorized deck

Discuss your favorite close-up tricks and methods.
Steve Mills
Posts: 374
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Saint Charles, IL

Choosing a memorized deck

Postby Steve Mills » July 6th, 2012, 6:13 pm

With my few remaining brain cells, I'm going to try and learn a memorized deck. I don't mind putting in the work, but get confused with the various alternatives. I've considered Aronson, Tamariz and DaOrtiz etc.

Anyone willing to share their thoughts?

Thanks.....
Steve

Ian Kendall
Posts: 2631
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Edinburgh
Contact:

Re: Choosing a memorized deck

Postby Ian Kendall » July 6th, 2012, 6:20 pm

Aronson said shuffle a deck, and when it's in Aronson stack, learn it. His rationale was that if you are going to learn a stack, you might as well have one that had routines built in.

Personally, I just made my own, based on two routines that I wanted to blend together.

Bob Farmer
Posts: 3306
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Short card above selection.

Re: Choosing a memorized deck

Postby Bob Farmer » July 6th, 2012, 7:46 pm

Get a copy of Martin Joyal's book;

http://www.joyalstack.com/index.php?p=mdsh

It has a wonderful summary of all the alternatives. Also, no matter what system you use, Mnemonica is a book you need.

I came up with a memorized deck I call "Nomonica" because it's easy to learn and it's different from any other memorized deck/stacked deck: it's designed for fishing.

Evan Shuster
Posts: 983
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Seattle
Contact:

Re: Choosing a memorized deck

Postby Evan Shuster » July 6th, 2012, 9:57 pm

Not exactly a Mem Deck system, but you might want to look into Michael Weber's "Memorease."

Ted M
Posts: 1187
Joined: January 24th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Dani DaOrtiz
Location: Madison, WI

Re: Choosing a memorized deck

Postby Ted M » July 6th, 2012, 10:49 pm

When can we buy a big fat book of Bob Farmer's collected coolness?

M Petersen
Posts: 23
Joined: October 2nd, 2010, 11:56 am

Re: Choosing a memorized deck

Postby M Petersen » July 6th, 2012, 11:26 pm

I'm looking for a stack from which I can get into Si Stebbins order easily. I know Tim Conover's stack had this feature, but I realize that isn't in print. I don't want to just use Stebbins as my memorized stack, as there are some routines I would like to do, where the Stebbins order would become apparent. There are some routines I would like to use where the Si Stebbins order itself is used though. Any ideas?

Tom Gilbert
Posts: 946
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: NH
Contact:

Re: Choosing a memorized deck

Postby Tom Gilbert » July 7th, 2012, 3:30 am

Here's a run down from Doug Dyment. Some good info. By the way I had my best luck with the 6 Hour (one month) system. Also Dani DaOrtiz has his work available in English. I haven't seen it but it's math based from what I hear.

http://www.deceptionary.com/aboutstacks.html

Bob Farmer
Posts: 3306
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Short card above selection.

Re: Choosing a memorized deck

Postby Bob Farmer » July 7th, 2012, 11:19 am

Ted:

No such book exists.

Bob

pduffie
Posts: 383
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: UK
Contact:

Re: Choosing a memorized deck

Postby pduffie » July 7th, 2012, 11:21 am

Bob Farmer wrote:Ted:

No such book exists.

Bob


Not a bad title though ...

Harry Lorayne

Re: Choosing a memorized deck

Postby Harry Lorayne » July 7th, 2012, 10:58 pm

I've written about 17 books just for you!! Amazing.

El Harvey Oswald
Posts: 304
Joined: June 21st, 2011, 11:37 pm

Re: Choosing a memorized deck

Postby El Harvey Oswald » July 8th, 2012, 11:44 am

Do a couple of anti-faros from Si Stebbins; then you'll have a stack that's two faros from Si Stebbins

User avatar
erdnasephile
Posts: 4768
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm

Re: Choosing a memorized deck

Postby erdnasephile » July 8th, 2012, 12:46 pm

M Peterson: It doesn't directly address your question, but for a practical way to get in SiStebbins order from a new deck, you might check out Darwin Ortiz at the Card Table.

S Mills: Each of the stacks has it's strengths, but IMHO, it doesn't matter all that much which one you choose as there are plenty of outstanding non-stack specific routines out there. Many favor Aaronson since so many US pros seem to use it. There are some pretty cool stack specific routines for it's use in the English literature.

Really, though, the key is just to pick one and memorize it. (That, however, is just the first step, as it doesn't become really useful until you are so comfortable with it, it's like breathing. Plus, you need to stay in trim both in your memorization and estimation, which can be tough if you infrequently perform.)

Bill Mullins
Posts: 5913
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Huntsville, AL
Contact:

Re: Choosing a memorized deck

Postby Bill Mullins » July 8th, 2012, 3:30 pm

Can anyone recommend an Android phone app to learn a stack? I see that there are a couple out there -- has anyone used one?

Nathan Ernest
Posts: 15
Joined: April 18th, 2012, 11:15 pm

Re: Choosing a memorized deck

Postby Nathan Ernest » July 17th, 2012, 1:56 am

Bill Mullins wrote:Can anyone recommend an Android phone app to learn a stack? I see that there are a couple out there -- has anyone used one?


You've just given me my next Android project :-) Cheers!

Bill Mullins
Posts: 5913
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Huntsville, AL
Contact:

Re: Choosing a memorized deck

Postby Bill Mullins » July 17th, 2012, 11:35 am

Nathan -- do shoot me an email if you put an app together.
Bill

User avatar
Corneilius Jay
Posts: 90
Joined: January 14th, 2012, 3:43 pm
Location: Republic of Ireland

Re: Choosing a memorized deck

Postby Corneilius Jay » August 31st, 2012, 10:44 pm

For me i went with mnemonica coupled with Harry Loraynes "Super Power Memory" I cant reccomend that book enough! never thought i could remember 100 random things but now i can and a deck only has 52 cards in it! perfect for memorising any deck order, in fact you can memorise a new deck order every day if you so wish.

Hope this helped.
Regards.
Neil.

Ray Eden
Posts: 352
Joined: May 25th, 2009, 8:57 am
Location: Lake Worth, Florida
Contact:

Re: Choosing a memorized deck

Postby Ray Eden » September 1st, 2012, 1:29 am

I've been using the Aronson Stack for a couple years now.

User avatar
Tom Frame
Posts: 1344
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Del Ray
Location: San Francisco
Contact:

Re: Choosing a memorized deck

Postby Tom Frame » September 1st, 2012, 11:26 am

The Aronson stack is my choice. I love it for the built-in features. With minimal manipulation of the deck, the interlocked sub-stacks allow you to perform a spelling effect, deal a perfect hand of Bridge, deal winning hands of Draw, Stud, Ten Card Poker, and Any Poker Hand Called For.

Though Simon didn't intend to do it, and was pleased to hear that my crack staff and I made this discovery, his wonderful stack allows you to perform numerous frightening Texas Hold 'Em effects. I included four of them by me, Sterling Dare, John Born and Norman Beck in my book, Hold 'Em Magic.

User avatar
Corneilius Jay
Posts: 90
Joined: January 14th, 2012, 3:43 pm
Location: Republic of Ireland

Re: Choosing a memorized deck

Postby Corneilius Jay » September 1st, 2012, 5:44 pm

I believe Dai Vernon used to memorise a new deck order every night before going to bed as practice using Harry Lorayne's methods in super power memory.
Regards.

Neil.


Return to “Close-Up Magic”