The Genii Forum

"Halo Aces" is one of my favorites, too, Harry. I use the ending you tought me at Tannens once. This is where I "miss" the last ace with an indicator card. This card, a five, finds the last ace five cards down! When the five cards are turned over, they are a royal flush!!! Multiple endings are powerfully effective to an audience! The effect establishes both apparent skill and magic at the same time, which convinces the audience that I am a magician. Another favorite of mine is "The Lazy Man's Card Trick" from the "Unique Card Tricks" section of your "Close-up Card Magic Book." I fooled Steve Dusheck with this effect! If you do any card magic, Harry's "Close-up Card Magic Book" is an absolute must.

Except that LORAYNE: THE CLASSIC COLLECTION is much, much, better and much more of "an absolute must." Because Close-Up Card Magic is re-written and updated - PLUS four others of my early (1960s) books. What a bargain! Working on Vol. 2 as we "speak." Paul, that variation of HaLo Aces is a definite "killer." Best - HARRY L.

Still, you can't beat the original Close-Up Card Magic for value. You can get it 2nd hand from a number of places for next to nothing. A huge bargain.

It is still in print for just $20 new, a real bargain for a substantial hardback magic book!

Thanks Cugel and Richard - but I'm trying to sell LORAYNE: THE CLASSIC COLLECTION, which is A MUCH BETTER BARGAIN!! So, you're not helping me OR THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE C-UCM. HL

Harry, I don't have Classic Collection. Are you selling it and how much is it?

Paul Mellan,

I agree with Cugel and Richard Hatch that Close Up Card Magic is quite the bargain these days.

I know that my copy is well worn from much use over the years. As one of the first "real" card magic books I ever purchased and one that contains material that has influenced some of the best card magicians out there, it's a book I do not hesitate to recommend. (Especially as it can be picked up for a song from dealers like like Hank Lee for only $18.50!)

Harry: the thread is asking for opinions.

You're books are always fun and have a large following, so I'm sure you'll move them out the door even if I note that CUCM is one of the best books in my collection.

Paul: email me at my personal email address (harrylorayne@earthlink.net) and I'll reply with all info, plus I'll email you a copy of the full-page ad for the book, if you like.

Thank you ever so much, Chris, and you're absolutely right about C-UCM, but the BEST BARGAIN is still LORAYNE: THE CLASSIC COLLECTION - there is ABSOLUTELY NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.

Just think about it - a complete re-write, upgrading, updating of not only C-UCM, but also of PERSONAL SECRETS, MY FAVORITE CARD TRICKS, DECK-STERITY, THE EPITOME LOCATION, plus a bonus of 16 all-new impromptu card routines. C'mon, listen to those who KNOW. Working on THE CLASSIC COLLECTION, Vol. 2 as we "speak." Best - HARRY LORAYNE.

Cugel: Just saw your post. You're absolutely right, my books do "move out the door." And, don't misunderstand, C-UCM became a classic for good reasons - and your opinion is valid, BUT - it's not necessarily good advice!! Much better to purchase LORAYNE: THE CLASSIC COLLECTION

- that is the BEST BARGAIN OF ALL. I have no idea why my one message is in two parts! No matter, perhaps it will be more effective that way! HL

The "Lazy Man's Card Trick" is still my most popular and favorite.

HP

Interesting choice, not that it isn't a great effect. It's just that it's "among" so many others. HL

I mentioned this in a post elsewhere, but mine has to be "Gambler vs. Magician". Fantastic effect!

Here's a question for ya, Harry: what's YOUR personal favorite to do if asked to perform at a moment's notice?

I most always start with HaLo Aces. It sure does grasp and hold attention. HL

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't HaLo Aces begin with a prepped deck? What trick do you do if using a borrowed deck?

Here is my handling of Harry's Foursome:

http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=_2mNc44LykA

That's a nice handling.

Brandon: You are so wrong. I work with borrowed decks ONLY. How could you not know HaLo Aces? It's way back out of RIM SHOTS, on my DVD set (I think), and so on. 99.999% of the stuff I teach is IMPROMPTU. I'm in the throes, right now, as we speak, of doing LORAYNE; THE CLASSIC COLLECTION, Vol. 2, which will contain my re-write, update, etc. of RIM SHOTS, and two others of my early books.


Nice handling by Philippe. But, I still prefer my original handling. Except for that one nice quick color change, it's more logical, and stronger. Hey, my opinion, folks. But excellent thinking by Philippe. HL (And, Philippe, thanks for crediting; most do not.)

Harry, I think Brandon was referring to the fact that the Aces need to be preset for HaLo Aces. Of course, a simple Faro Shuffle will do it, but many folks can't do a Faro, which makes the setting up more cumbersome.

You guys are losing me. What faro? There's HaLo Aces and HaLo Again (these two titles were inverted in the original book; I'm straightening that out in CLASSIC COLLECTION, Vol. 2). For HaLo Aces, the four aces need to be on top of the deck. That's all! Are you calling that "preset"? And in HaLo Again, a really shuffled deck is fanned face up and the four aces are openly inserted to separate areas. That's it. There are no faro shuffles involved in either. HL (Richie, I think you and Brendan are thinking of other effects/routines; certainly no the two above-mentioned.)

Harry, I was just thinking of the position the Aces have to be in prior to the cutting, but I could be mistaken. Very busy lately and my brain is a scrambled egg.

No, Richie; as noted above, for the straight cutting to the aces (HaLo Aces) the aces are on top of the deck. That's it, nothing else needed, except the ability to do my HaLo Cut. HARRY L.

Harry, what kind of a handling would you get if, ala Marlo's Miracle Ace Cutting, the Aces were 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 8th from the bottom?

Don't know. Forgot his effect a long time ago, but - just not necessary. Aces on top - easy enough; no "presetting" and into my HaLo Aces. Simple, easy, DIRECT, a killer.

Yes, I was referring to the aces being on top at the beginning. You can't use a borrowed deck without some re-arranging of the cards, somehow.

Brandon Hall wrote:You can't use a borrowed deck without some re-arranging of the cards, somehow.

Sure you can! At least from the audiences perspective.

Listen - if you can't get the four aces to the top of the deck when a shuffled deck is handed to you without anyone being the wiser, suggest you use your own deck, gaffed cards, etc. I'm not trying to be a wiseguy, I really mean it. Getting the four aces, or any cards, to top, without your spectators thinking that you "did something" is something any cardman, or anyone who calls himself a cardman, should be able to do WITHOUT THINKING. HL

For example, you could borrow a deck and spread the cards facing you from your left hand to the right hand under the excuse of looking for the Jokers to discard. During this action you cull the aces (spot an ace and down jog with the block of cards you have already spread. Continue to spread and down jog the next three aces (only) and then strip out the face up block with the aces below with a cut or a running cut to the table). Aces will be on top if the deck is placed face down.

You could also hide the action while openly looking for specific cards for a different trick. An effective lead in trick is Lorayne's One Eyed Jack Sandwich which coincidentally uses the Halo cut - where you search for the two Jacks to place face up on the table (while secretly culling the aces to top when deck is face down). Do the one eyed jack sandwich trick and the aces will remain undisturbed next to the jack sandwich.

I've just recently been doing The Card Sharp and The Four Gamblers, this is an impromptu and the kind of card trick that will get you a standing ovation.

You can see The Card Sharp & The Four Gamblers performed on one of my "Best Ever" DVD volumes. I'm just in the throes of re-writing the routine for LORAYNE: THE CLASSIC COLLECTION, Vol. 2. It sure is an "ovation elicitor." Best - HL.

MY favorite trick by Harry Lorayne that I perform is still the "way too simple to perform" Lorayne Poker Deal.

My favorite to watch Harry perform is The Card Sharp and The Four Gamblers.

Regards,
Gary

I never called myself a "cardman" (NEVER in THIS company) I was just pointing out a fact...you have to pre-arrange the cards, that's all. No offense meant, Harry.
Gordon, Thanks for your friendly advice.
By the way, I ALWAYS start with Halo Aces also (and yes, I usually use my own deck)

Using your own deck to go into HaLo Aces is fine; I'm assuming you shuffle first, keeping them there, then into the effect. Right? Best - HARRY L. (I've had a few people tell me that after doing HaLo Aces with their own decks, a member of the audience would immediately pick up the cards and "examine" them.)

Certainly...and those block hindus are a great convincer

Just a basic overhand jog shuffle suffices.

What differentiates the bottom slip cut from the halo cut?

Gee, rage, you've got me.

Particularly since my original title of the move is THE HaLo BOTTOM SLIP CUT.

As Harry wrote in the original intro "There are many ways of doing, or preparing for, a bottom slip cut. The main difference between all of these and this one is that there is absolutely no get-ready necessary with mine"