Fisher's Seights

[Guest]

I haven't seen much talk about the trick/sleights that Aaron gave to Genii. Did anyone read the material.

[Dave Shepherd]

Yes, I did. I was just working on the Gravity Half Pass while the Genii board was loading up just now. (I know it's not from the magazine article, but rather the book, but oh well...)

I was very intrigued by the Ambitious Graduate, and fooled with it a little bit. The required LH action felt like it would flash big-time, but I haven't seen Aaron do it. (When I did see him do his Outjog Herrmann Pass at a lecture last week--with similar mechanics--there was nothing to see except the results.)

The four-card production is something I think I might use. The final revelation is similar to the effect in the book using the popover move. (I left my book at school before a snow day, so it's not here to look at.)

Three Ways to Leave Your Lover was also interesting to me. Reminded me of Jamy Swiss's Sm'All Backs.

The Covered Back-Slip Force was a good illustration of Aaron's gravity principles, but it felt a bit "movey" to me, a criticism I also have of the basic form of his bluff pass in the book.

[Guest]

I thought the ambitious graduate was gorgeous and not terribly hard,fooled myself a few times.

Noah LEvine

[Guest]

I think the material was very nice. Especially his thoughts behind it. I havent picked up his book since it was described to me as hardcore sleight of hand stuff, the Jennings type of thing. I have nothing against that sort of stuff, and I think it is amazing when someone handles it well, but it is not for me. I have made the decision to chase other virtues than incredibly difficult sleights in my magic.

So boy, was I surprised, when I read the Aaron material in Genii. His inspired idea to let gravity do a lot of the work, combined with very "soft" movements, made it work like a dream. And all movements seemed very natural - dare I say Vernonesque?
This is not severely difficult stuff - just brilliant stuff. It also made me interested to go back to Jennings et al and see if the same principle can be applied there.

I read a review of the book (I think it was in Magic Magazine) which commented that Aaron spends about half of the book to develop a substitute for the bluff pass, only to scrap his own ideas at the end and present something very similar to the original sleight. The reviewer questioner the merit in this, since the book is not very long as it is. Anyone have any comments on this?

[Jeff Eline]

I really enjoyed the book and the article. I've been working on a number of his effects and the slieghts. Seach and Destroy (I think that's the name) is very very nice.

I would have to agree with the comment about the bluff pass variations, but only because I spent a bit of time working through the moves and photos before I got the section where he said "... but now I don't use that method..."

But it's still one of my favorite books of 2002 and his lecture was pretty good as well.

[Guest]

In the display for "Three Ways to Leave Your Lover" I find it easier to not keep a break after the initial three card turnover. This eliminates some handling, and allows an easy block turnover of two cards for the second phase. From here I continue as Aaron describes.

[Pete McCabe]

Jeff Eline:

I love Search and Destroy. If you have a marked card in your deck, try this.

Get the marked card to the bottom.

Have a card selected and controlled to the top or bottom. The convincing control works well here.

Hand the deck to the spectator. Give them the red queens to insert near the top and bottom.

Cut.

Have the spectator go through and hand you just the queens and the cards between. They then put down the rest of the deck.

Spread the packet, commenting on how the spectator has eliminated all but ten (or however many) cards. Spread cull the selection, which is the card below the marked card.

Close up the packet and give it to the spectator for the final cut.

This (obviously) requires a single marked card, but it really loosens up the handling to let the spectator both put the cards in themselves, and to remove all the cards above and below the queens.

Give it a try. Dare I say, it puzzled John Lovick, who wrote the book.

[Jeff Eline]

Pete,

I LIKE IT! Been working on the Versatile Control from Frank Simon's book and that would be perfect for your effect!! Thanks!