Looking for a GOOD ACAAN

[Guest]

I'm looking for an Any Card At Any Number product that doesn't demand an unexpected purchase...[Edited for some content only:DS]. Any suggestions from you readers? Thanks!

[Mark Collier]

Barrie Richardson has a great version.

[Guest]

If you had done any sort of research before buying the farmer trick, you'd know that additional materials were needed. Bob was very upfront about that.

Bob Farmer Wrote:

Think you can make it yourself? True, but the materials will cost you more than $100. I'm selling it all made up for $45 U.S.

One caveat: this is a trick. It is not real magic.

Info at bammomagic@yahoo.com

Bob Farmer Wrote:

Yes, Richard is correct. The ads the magic dealers are using are wrong -- for $18 you get the manuscript only. The dealers kinda jumped the gun and didn;t wait for my ad copy which makes it clear it's a D-I-Y product.

If you need a source, I've found a U.S. dealer (with free shipping) where you can get the materials for less than $35.

[Guest]

Dean

There is an excellent Genii Forum thread on the ACAAN that starts out with a discussion of the Berglas ACAAN but covers a lot more at:

Genii ACAAN Thread

My recommendations are:
(1) John Born's book "Meant to Be"--there are a number of different versions from intermediate to advanced and it's an interesting read.It's available from John's homepage.
(2) Alain Nu's softbound manuscript called "Any Card." A wonderful treatise on the ACAAN with fascinating stories how he developed his method starting with the Berglas plot. And how he got those 4 specials on The Learning Channel using this ACAAN. It's available from David London at:

Alain Nu
(3) Barrie Richardson's ACAAN in his book "Theater of the Mind" and an improved version in his second book called "Act Two."

The best one for you depends on whether you can think quickly on your feet(Nu and Richardson). If not, Born's book has a few simpler ones that require very little mental manipulations. Hope this helps

Arnie

[Ryan Matney]

I think the best card at any number is a svengali deck. You want to work harder and make it seem more impossible then add in a deck switch. I can't think of a more direct and convincing method to perform the effect.

[Richard Kaufman]

The best Any Card at Any Number is presented by David Berglas--it's explained in a superficial manner in his book. Memorized stack, bridge at the center of the deck, and balls of steel. It is the perfect method.

[David Britland]

You could check out the one on my blog: Not The Berglas Effect.

Cardopolis Blog

I'll also be distributing a mss on this type of effect. It's free. See blog for details.

[Ryan Matney]

Mr. Britland,

I just read "The Bogus Effect" on your blog. It's quite clever and has convinced me further than the svengali deck is the best approach for working for laymen. Very nice, subtle, use of the svengali principle.

Berglas's version might be more magicial but as Richard said, you need nerves of steel and knowledge of a memorized stack.

Would a laymen see any difference outwardly between the Berglas version and svengali version?

[Bob Farmer]

Yoiu have to do a cost-benefit analysis for each method. In comparing methods, ask whether the trouble you have to go to results in a significant difference in the impact of the effect.

For example, if a card will be physically chosen -- rather than just named or thought of -- then compare Barrie Richardson's version to any trick deck or stacked deck versions that also requires a card to be removed from the deck.

I'll think you'll conclude the trick or memorized deck version isn't worth the extra trouble because the effect is virtually the same as with the Richardson method.

As soon as other features become important to you, you can do the same analysis. Though I loved the Richardson version, in inventing The Bammo Dekronomicon, I wanted to add some elements to the effect end of the equation to make it more impossible (e.g., a card is thought of).

So, there is no perfect version, you have decide what's important to you and how much trouble you want to go to, and then use the method you like.

[Guest]

My favorite ACAAN efect is the one in Barry Richardson's Theater of the Mind wherein either the queesn of hearts or clubs is chosen in what seems to be the fairest manner, along with a very fair appearing selection of the number.

The limitation of only two cards may seem to be a weakness. However, the method is extremely commercial and entertaining and can involve several persons.

I have taken the 42nd card and turned it face up. With this little change, the queen is face up for either number 42 or face down for 12 (face up deck). It is very startling to the audience when the card they named ends up being the only eversed card, and is at their selected number.

[Larry Horowitz]

I will dispute RK just a little bit. The Berglas effect is not a superficial explaination in the book. It is ALL there. You just have to read the book. Not just the Berglas Effect.

Yes, you have to memorize a deck or two. Balls of Steel? Maybe. More important you have to think on your feet.

I can think of ultimately no better method. That said David Britland has some excellent ideas on the effect.

[Bob Farmer]

David Britland has excellent ideas on everything -- I know, I have a large file of emails he's sent me on a variety of topics.

If Britland is not a subscriber to Genii, I'll pay for his subscripton just so he can post here. In fact, why not simply move David's website here!

[Guest]

I've seen Barrie Richardson do the version in Theater of the Mind and his impromptu version. Both are excellent. I have not seen David Berglas do his version, but I saw Chris Pratt do one of the Berglas versions back in 1986 and was quite impressed.

[Guest]

Which version from Theater of the Mind do you mean?

I use the one that depends on a memdeck, and I like it a lot. I saw him perform the other one (where the card selection must be restricted), and it seemed to work well.

But the most impressive version I saw him do was at the 2001 IBM in Orlando. He borrowed a deck and did ACAN. Looked generally like the procedure for the memdeck version, but the deck was borrowed.

[Arnie Fuoco]

While recommending that the Berglas ACAAN is the best may be correct, reading his book to master it may not be practical. Not because it isn't there but because it will probably cost you over $400.The latest sale on ebay just last week went for over $400.
Click HERE

[David Alexander]

Sold for below its real value. Someone got a bargain.

[Gardini]

I ran across an interesting version called "Autobahn". Requires minimal preparation, uses business cards as part of the trick as well as ACAAN.

[Arnie Fuoco]

Gardini,

Autobahn is another good variation on the ACAAN but is really not "ANY Card at ANY Number" but "ANY Card at Selected number."

[David Britland]

I've published some more material regarding ACAAN on my blog.

Don't expect miracles. But some of you might find it interesting.

Cardopolis Blog

[Lisa Cousins]

Thanks for that, David. I admit that I was about to go to your blog expecting miracles, but fortunately your warning made me not.

You know, during my recent Magic Castle visit I was hanging out with Damien "mrgoat" Jennings, when Neil "Cards By Martin" Lester delivered a reverse Svengali deck to him. I had my immediate Genii-Forum-David-Britland-related suspicions when I witnessed this interaction - suspicions that proved perfectly accurate.

I have to assume that Damien's wowing them back in the U.K. with that one by now, not realizing that he's already got something new to learn.

[Bob Farmer]

I went on David's site and damn if I didn't levitate for a few brief seconds, my arms and legs became twice as long briefly and golf balls kept appearing in my mouth.

I've got a repeat ACAAN where you immediately do the trick again with another card and another number. David's got the notes and so does Mr. Close (I think -- if not let me know). And best of all, it's self-working. It's a gaffed deck, a sort of Gaffus Maximus, if you will.

Earle Oakes thank you, thank you, thank you and you know why.

[jmac]

I do something like acaan, I changed it to more of a stop trick. I have live shot of it on youtube. it has a lot back round noise, but I think you can get the point,
jmac

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMlmeMb3xYg

[Reinhard Mueller]

Sorry, jmac, I did not get the point.
Is it possible to tell us the effect? Thanks in advance.

[jmac]

really? I know its loud, but you couldn't follow it? Spectator shuffles before and after the selection. Another spectator deals as many cards as they want, from anywhere in the deck. They stop on the selection.
jmac

[Reinhard Mueller]

Thanks, jmac,

I could not understand your patter because of that background noise, but now with your explanation it's o.K. I realize the idea.