What do you do if...

[slieghtlyimpossible]

Ok now I've had this problem come up three or four times in the past couple of months...This is what happens. You are somewhere were you don't have your cards or anything on you (aka the gym, sports practices, band practices, etc.). Then someone who you have just shown an effect to, a couple of days/weeks ago, comes over to you and hands you this crappy, chunky, paper thin excuse for playing cards and asks you to do a trick...now you're stuck in a difficult situation because you can't do a stinkin' double lift, control, or color change with these cards....thus all of my most simple tricks are stuck in the mud...

So my question is...What do ya'll do in this situation???

 

[LuseifHo]

hm...
this has never happened to me before
there have been many cases where people handed me decks which were kinda crap but you say that you cant even do a lift or a control? hows that even possible. Isnt it just break, then lift? The decks I was given couldnt spread or fan, but lifts were very possible.
In this situation, i would just do a sandwich effect. These dont require much at all.

 

[blahblah]

Ok now I've had this problem come up three or four times in the past couple of months...This is what happens. You are somewhere were you don't have your cards or anything on you (aka the gym, sports practices, band practices, etc.). Then someone who you have just shown an effect to, a couple of days/weeks ago, comes over to you and hands you this crappy, chunky, paper thin excuse for playing cards and asks you to do a trick...now you're stuck in a difficult situation because you can't do a stinkin' double lift, control, or color change with these cards....thus all of my most simple tricks are stuck in the mud...

So my question is...What do ya'll do in this situation???

do a back palm trick. do a self working trick, I dunno???

 

[louis]

if like you say they can't work for DL witch never happend to me
just say that
'' old cards have no more magic inside of them ''
or say YA B!TCH YA

 

[Squ!rrel]

Ok now I've had this problem come up three or four times in the past couple of months...This is what happens. You are somewhere were you don't have your cards or anything on you (aka the gym, sports practices, band practices, etc.). Then someone who you have just shown an effect to, a couple of days/weeks ago, comes over to you and hands you this crappy, chunky, paper thin excuse for playing cards and asks you to do a trick...now you're stuck in a difficult situation because you can't do a stinkin' double lift, control, or color change with these cards....thus all of my most simple tricks are stuck in the mud...

So my question is...What do ya'll do in this situation???

I've rarely encountered this problem as I carry a deck of cards with me almost everywhere I go. However, people have wanted me to use their own deck of cards instead of mine. I just politely explain that the condition of the cards makes it impossible for me to do anything with them. Also, if somebody came up to me in the gym asking to see tricks then I would refuse, it's simply not an appropriate time to ask me to do magic.

You should do magic on your terms, your under no obligation to perform every time somebody requests to see something, in fact you shouldn't or it quickly gets out of hand. People asking to see tricks at a party is fine, multiple times throughout the day whenever they happen to meet you is not appropriate.

 

[praetoritevong]

It sounds like what you need is to take a break from learning those knuckle busters, and learn some stuff that's presentation based, or for any other reason doesn't require good cards.

For this, self-working tricks are often the way to go. Another avenue is card-related mentalism - predictions, etc. From what I personally know, for example, I would probably perform one of my favourite routines, called Seven, which requires no sleight of hand, or Diplopia, where the quality of the cards don't matter, or something entirely different - maybe Nu Sense, or perform with something other than cards.

It does help to practice every now and again with a battered deck - but if this does happen, make sure you know stuff that doesn't require tricky sleights.

 

[Donald C.]

If I was in this situation I would do a mind reading effect with my trusty classic force.

 

[popchris3]

Ah... Happened to me more times than I would like to remember. As much as you might hate it, you are going to have to take a risk and perform something or else your performers name is down the toilet. So, I just perform the most simple but hard hitting thing I can think of (Alvo Stockman's Route 66) and if it works, Yay! If it doesn't, I just apologize and hand their cards back to them.

You can always make a joke about it not working.

 

[Zeedub81]

1. Spectator picks a card
2. Cut half of the deck and peek at the bottom card (of the packet you lifted)
3. Put the card on the lower packet
4. Close the deck
5. Spread the cards (face up) and the card to the right of your "key card" is their card
6. Reveal however you want

I'm pretty sure any deck of cards can do that.

 

[JJM10]

First, Zeedub81, I would love to assume everyone with an ounce of magic knowledge or a Grandpa that wanted to show them a trick knows this method. It was actually the first card trick I ever learned, but it is blatant exposure and exposure in any way is against the forum rules.

That being said, I once got caught in a similar situation. They found me a deck of cards shaped like carrots...yeah, carrot cards. This was quite a request. No hope for a color change or a double. The cards were longer than my hand, and about half the width of a normal card with some wierd tuft of green on one end and a point on the other. I ended up running to my car and getting a real deck. If I were forced to perform I probably would have just forced a card, or glimpsed their selectin and done a mind-reading type of finish.

 

[Sean_Raf]

"Not right now... I'll make it up to you another time, I'll show you a better one".

You are not their performing monkey, you decide when and when not to perform. Just remember that, and obviously remember to make it up to them.

- Sean

 

[holo]

I call it a turnover pass and a reveal. I am pretty sure any deck can do that

 

[Close-Up Expert]

First, Zeedub81, I would love to assume everyone with an ounce of magic knowledge or a Grandpa that wanted to show them a trick knows this method. It was actually the first card trick I ever learned, but it is blatant exposure and exposure in any way is against the forum rules.

Well, that's why you never assume. You would be very surprised how many people DON'T know about the key card location. I've done that numerous times to success. And really, get over yourself. Blatant exposure?? Are you nuts?!?!

What I would do in this case is simply have them pick a card, control it to the top of the deck, top palm it and reveal it from my pocket. Repeat once more if desired.

Or, grab the four aces and go into Gregory Wilson's 4 ace routine.

Best.
Steve

 

[MaGiK Man]

this has happend...as stated before, if your in a gym, just say no
but if someone hands you a deck of cards i say go for mentalism? just a suggestion, do a simple force, hold a break riffle down cut at the break then just "read their mind" or something to that effect...?
its really up to you...and a key card location is a VERY good idea...ive done a key card location more than enough times with great success.
hope this helped!!! =)

~Nate

 

[toyrobot]

Hand the deck back and then perform something besides card magic.

 

[joshrobarts]

chris kenner's sloppy shuffle triumph. made for this situation. he even mentions that any deck state is fine in the video

 

[Sam Hardy]

"Not right now... I'll make it up to you another time, I'll show you a better one".

You are not their performing monkey, you decide when and when not to perform. Just remember that, and obviously remember to make it up to them.

- Sean

Probably the only answer that genuinely made sense to me.

Exactly the same thing I'd do.

Or, if I was eager to impress, a simple force and reveal.

-Sam H

 

[4757joshua2]

chris kenner's sloppy shuffle triumph. made for this situation. he even mentions that any deck state is fine in the video

Quoted for truth.

Magic is like a water faucet, it's always in the "on" position -aka you are ready to perform-, or the in the "suck" position -aka you suck-. But at the same time you are not people's magic puppet.

In other words: "Always be ready to perform, but don't always perform."

Cheers!

 

[praetoritevong]

They found me a deck of cards shaped like carrots...yeah, carrot cards. This was quite a request. No hope for a color change or a double. The cards were longer than my hand, and about half the width of a normal card with some wierd tuft of green on one end and a point on the other.

LOL. Aww, snap.

 

[Morgan B]

Sean Raf's answer is a good one, but let's just, for arguments sake, say that you DO want to show something. I have not seen an abundance of good answers on this thread...parts of good answers...but nothing really usable.

Here are some solutions:

Consider effects that are self working (this has been said, but no recommendation on where to find the stuff, so...), you can find some great stuff in "Card College Light"...and I haven't read "Card College Lighter", but I would expect the same. The self working effects shouldn't LOOK self working, they should just be moveless.

No matter what the shape of the deck, as you will get decks from dollar stores with holes in them already, shaved edges...apprently shaped like carrots - you should be able to do something. I can think of MANY things that would fit the "dealing only for the effect to work" genre, and would allow you to use ANY deck.

Also, like mentioned, you don't have to use a deck...borrow a coin, keep rubber bands on your wrist...this not only promotes versatility, but allows you to be prepared at all times. You can find impromptu effects from sources like, Gregory Wilson's "On the Spot" and I think Dan Harlan has a set of videos on impromptu stuff as well, just to name a few.

Moreover, the motto is "Always be prepared...or loaded, if you like?" - I keep an effect in my pocket that plays like an invisible deck - I can't remember the name of it, and am too lazy to go look it up for you, but it was just reviewed in December's Mag Magazine as an effect you do from your wallet with "Invisible" cards. Anyhow, there are other effects like this...that you can keep in your wallet. Perhaps a good time to carry packet tricks - or create a trick that is meant to be JUST for when you are put on the spot and don't have cards.

We have all heard it, but a poor worker blames his tools...so you have two choices - make sure you are always prepared to do something - ALWAYS - by (one) keeping something on you at all times that makes it easy to do...or (two) being prepared to do something with what you have around you.

Then again...you can always do what Sean said..."Not right now", as you are off duty, and are not required to do "command performances".

Hope this helps.