Hiatus

Doing a bunch of traveling during April, so I won't be updating the blog. Good news is I'll be coming back April 21st with a new set of eyes so I won't be needing glasses anymore!

Notes to self

If you ever try to hide a palm by holding onto something- don't pick a clear glass of water.

Erdnase One Handed Shift

Dollar Bill Origami 2

Next useless talent is coming along nicely. Now I can do an elephant, a jumping frog, and a heart. Thanks to Marco Fernandez for directing me to the online instructions

Thumbing it

So, after reading a post of one of my biggest fans about my Shifts of Erdnase video, I thought some points he made had substance. I started browsing my sources looking for a better video representation of the shifts without the errors, specifically the thumb popping out when the packets transpose.

Well guess what I found?! A video from the fantom (clever, huh?) himself! So I decided I would return the favor and post a few still frames of him performing the exact same errors:

Excuses of the fantom:

(1) Uh, the video is old, but trust me, since then I have perfected everything ever conceived!

(2) I was rushing, yeah that’s it!

(3) I was testing new video equipment, especially the thumb pop out editing effect.

(4) I pointed out the flaws myself when I posted it. “Here’s my video-it stinks”

(5) It’s still better than yours! Nanny nanny boo boo

(6) I don’t claim to teach anything, just that I know everything.

Here is the difference between our blogs. I do consider this a teaching blog- but I don’t believe for a second I am an ‘expert’ in Erdnase techniques.

I, like Erdnase “do not claim to know it all”

I do feel this blog has something to offer for those starting out with Expert at the Card Table (which is the majority of my readers). Maybe it will evoke thought for some of those more proficient in Erdnase. That's why I really try to break everything down to an elementary level. I'm trying to spread interest in a book that I really enjoy.

If I really thought I was a world class pro at these techniques, I wouldn’t be putting my tips up on a free blog.

Confessions of the Cardshark- Money back guaranteed.

Marlo On Erdnase Review Part 3

Variations of K.M. Move Force

Interesting variation of a slip force, with the riffle being performed from the performers side as opposed to the spectators. I believe the latter to be superior because of the openness it implies.

Art Altman’s Handling

A slight variation of the Backslip force described in the Royal Road to card magic, except this explanation takes a full page and 4 figures.

One-Cut, Double-Control

How to control two selected cards to the top using a slip cut under a block of cover cards. Good thing we have 5 photos to help us grasp it.

More Slip Cuts

Similar to the Marlo slip-cut, except you don’t use the thumb to peel off the top card. Not bad stuff, but nothing to do with Erdnase. Another 5 photos for those who can’t read. With as many page filling photos this book has, it might make a good flip book.

A Variation

Only works when the top card is face up.

Strictly on the Table

With a heading like that, I get the feeling we’re going to learn something practical. Let’s take a peak. Meh, it’s not bad, but it’s nothing new. There are two problems with this method. One is the sloppiness of the apparent bottom half. Friction will do it’s part, and make the cut look funky. The accompanying photo even shows this, but is explained as “exaggerated for explanation purposes”. Ah, what a great phrase for people that can’t do a move justice. Two is the hop of the apparent bottom half when you cut away the apparent top half. It falls to the table, and gives a tell.

Second Method

Ok, so get this. This is apparently the Second method for “Strictly on the Table” and it starts with “The deck is in your left hand in dealing position”.

I like the get-ready concept, but the handling requires you to hold the cards unnaturally. Good for performing an effect where you tell the story of playing poker with a Polar Bear who cut the deck in this manner.

Third Method

Another “strictly on the table” slip cut where the deck starts in your hands(?). Think classic pass false cut with a cover card and you have this method. Remember Erdnase? Man, I sure do miss him.

Shufflers slip cut

The preface justifies this portion of the book by explaining the other slip cuts were made by the ends instead of the sides. I smell a horde of variations and rehash coming up.

Think combination of Erdnase one handed fancy true cut, and tabled slip cut and you’ll get the idea. Bad from the front. If you are performing for the world’s tallest man then you’d be set!

Marlo Technique for the Top and Bottom slip cut

A tabled slip cut that uses a get ready to eliminate the straining first finger clamping down that top card. This is something practical.

Bottom Slip Cut

Do a get ready, a center block pull out, and throw on top simulating a cut. This is a good way to perform the center block pull out in Erdnase’s To Retain Bottom Stock-Riffle 2 and Cut 4. Woo Hoo! Something to use!

First Technique.

Slip cut performed slightly off the table, maintaining just the bottom card while apparently cutting the deck.

Second technique

Same thing, using different fingers.

Third technique

Same as the bottom slip cut, but using different digits.

Side note: Do we really need a variation for using each of the different fingers? I mean, a whole different section heading for each one? Give me a break.

Marlo Double Slip Cut

Ever have two aces on top, two aces on bottom, and want to cut the deck in two halves with an ace on top and bottom of each packet? Neither have I.

Dealing- No-Touch Second Deal

If you don’t know it, you should. This is a good source, but check out Seconds Centers and Bottoms for more detailed explanation.

S.F. Grip

Second Deal- First method

If you think the Erdnase grip is unnatural looking, you haven’t seen the S.F. Grip. Imagine taking the second card from the upper left corner instead of the right. It makes no sense, and is added like so many things in this book, as a variation to fill space.

Second Method

So instead of pushing the top card over to the right as you would in a normal dealing action. Try pulling it to the left to expose the top corner of the second card. What on earth are we talking about here? Most people (including myself) have a problem making the thumb look natural when we push the card the normal way and take the second card. Pulling the top card to the left is insane, and useless.

S.F. Natural Second Deal

No touch theory applied to the SF Grip

S.F Bottom Deal

Want your bottom deal to look like Jiggaboo Jones’ does? Use the S.F Bottom deal and take it from the wrong end! Actually, in this version the right thumb doesn’t even touch the top of the deck so there is no way people will believe you are taking the top card! Better bottom deal goes to Jiggaboo:

Missing Finger Deal

Curl your finger to prevent finger flash. Done and done.

New Bottom Stud

Take the bottom card out exactly as Erdnase describes not to.

Havana Deals

A quick quote: “Students may initially question why he devised six techniques? Why not simply choose the best one?”

Hit the nail on the head here. The real answer is that page numbers sell books that lack real substance. That said, I’m skipping all six techniques because I’m fed up with a page and two photos describing essentially the same thing 6 times.

Greased Bottom Deal

Uses a concealed position of the cards to ease in false deals.

First Application

Use this deal to show your friends that you spent time practicing the useless Greased Bottom Deal. Seriously, if you are going to do a bottom deal in a card trick, you should be good at it and not need to use shortcuts like this one.

Second Application

Bottom deal aces into your hand. These are applications of any bottom deal.

Third Application

Similar to the second application but uses aces AND kings. Gasp! Erdnase explains how to double duke in Expert. Oh, and a point about Vernon making a mistake in Revelations. Speaking of writing mistakes, the previous paragraph seems familiar:

“Erdnase mentions the Stud Deal for turning the trump card but does not recommend attempting it for a bottom deal because ‘the inverted position of the hand makes it more difficult to get the bottom card out noiselessly’ He recommended getting the bottom card free then turning it Stud-fashion.”

pages 95 AND 110 of Marlo on Erdnase.

Was this book compiled of notes on napkins? Did anyone even edit this?

Multiple Minus Bottom Deal

Greek Deals + Erdnase= non existent. This however is a good explanation of how to accomplish a Greek Deal

One Hand-Bottom Deals

Marlo apparently was the one who discovered bottom dealing is easier with a packet then a full deck. Wait, what? That’s in Erdnase?

“Bottom dealing is little used with a full deck. It becomes much easier as the pack grows less, consequently the dealer waits until the last several rounds before resorting to it.”

I’ve never been a fan of dealing one handed to yourself. The swing of the hand to propel the bottom card out looks fishy to me. I prefer using the bottom deal to “spring” a card out to someone, as Erdnase did.

Throw Bottom Deal

Racherbaumer is on point in this preface. He mentions that no top deal really conforms to a one handed bottom and provides his solution.

Outward Deal

Using inertia to shoot a card forward out of a deck

Inward Deal

Using inertia to shoot a card inward out of a deck

Flat Hand Bottom Deals

I’d rather use straddle grip, but this idea works too.

Second Method

Hey look at that, I predicted the future. The Flat Hand Bottom Deal using a straddle grip

Third Method

What is this, ways to deal the cards if you’ve had a stroke? What is it with unnatural handling that had Marlo so fascinated? I seriously would not be surprised if there was a method for dealing bottoms underwater in this book.

Dealing Bottoms Underwater

No way. No friggin way. Yeah, alright I’m just joking. Let’s keep rolling

See my review of the earlier parts of the book here

Dollar Bill Origami

An elephant out of a dollar bill? Yeah, that just happened. Behold the first step in the next useless talent I will attempt!