Pages from precursor no 27 39137

A MAGAZINE OF INNOVATION EDITED BY

WILLIAM P. MIBSEL

PUBLISHED BY

unikorn

P R E C U R S O R

X X V I I

This is PRECURSOR XXVII and is published in June 1990. The editorial offices are at 2215 Myrtle Street, Erie, Pennsylvania 16502. PRECURSOR will be published at least three times a year, and i t w i l l be sold for $16.00 (U.S.) for three issues. Outside the United States and Canada, three issues will be sent Airmail for $19.00 (U.S.).

In PRECURSOR XXVI, I published Bob King's "Gambler's Touch". Ed Mario thought that this was an excellent effect, but he felt that the use of the "Gilbreath" caused the effect to be too long, and he came up with a method using a "Stay Stack" that is much shorter and to the point, thus the t i t l e , "Gilbreath Can Be A Bore". Actually, the "Gilbreath" and the "Stay Stack" are very closely related, and what can be done with one can usually be accomplished in some way with the other. A second version, "You Shuffle - I Shuffle", which arrives from a completely different direction, is also included here.

Warren Stephens is not known as a cardman, but whenever we get together, he has something i n t e r e s t i n g to show me. He is simply a great idea man. Here he offers an interesting "Ambitious Card Routine". Most routines just seem to go on and on with no clear ending. This routine has a great climax, and that is mainly what I'm offering here. The rest of the routine is more or less standard. It should be pointed out that Warren devised t h i s routine before Ed Mario's T i l t was published in 1962 and that the o r i g i n a l second phase was performed using a Side Steal, but the "Tilt" is much more in keeping with this routine.

Michael De Marco's "Decamerone" is an adaptation of an old puzzle commonly known as "The Ten Travellers In Nine Rooms". A reprint of the original doggerel

c a n be found

i n THE SCIENTIFIC AMERICAS BOOK OF MATHEMATICAL PUZZLES &

DIVERSIONS by Martin Gardner. Another version of this puzzle being performed as a trick is Peter Kane's "Rooms And Traveller" from KANE. "The Upwardly Mobile Magician" by Norman Houghton is an i n t e r e s t i n g routine that s t a r t s with a single card, and gradually other cards are added to i t , causing the routine to build up. This is an interesting concept.

At one point back in the '50's, I wanted to do a routine just the reverse of this. After a couple of effects with a full deck, I would go down to ten cards and perform "Ambitious Ten" from the Ibidem. Then down to the Ace, Nine, and Ten of Spades to perform the "Three Card Monte". The Nine of Spades would be eliminated, and a Transposition would be performed between the Ace and the Ten. Finally, the Ace of Spades would change to a King of Hearts and then vanish completely, leaving nothing left. The theme, of course: "You are being fooled because there are too many cards." A lot of d e t a i l s were never fully worked out to my satisfaction, but this is the nucleus of the idea.

I want to welcome Geoffrey Green back into the fold of PRECURSOR subscribers and thank him for "Faro Triumph". This is the type of trick that I cannot perform; I can't get a flat deck of cards. I blame it on the high humidity we have here along the shores of Lake Erie, but it's probably just me. Back when I was using "Angel Back Squeezers" almost exclusively, I could have done it, but since they are no longer being made by U. S. Playing Card Company, according to Betty Winzig of Haines House of Cards and to George and Company of Buffalo, I have eliminated these types of tricks from my sphere of knowledge.

Thank goodness I am still hoarding a couple of decks of "Angel Backs" so I was at least able to try this out, and it does work as described.

Bob King's "Weight Guess Plus" is the type of trick that makes it appear as if you have tremendous skill, but yet it is accomplished with the easiest means possible. Bob must have performed this effect at least a dozen times in the "PRECURSOR Suite" at the latest FFFF Convention, and it never failed to fool.

"Looks Like Math" is an effect that was designed to lead the magicians in the audience right down the garden path until he runs into the usual brick wall.

At this point, it's too late to try and retrace his steps and find the correct path.

Apologies Last Fall at Close Encounters of the Magic Kind, someone showed me a trick based on a Father Foy move for PRECURSOR. I took notes on this in the "PRECURSOR Suite" on Saturday night and got just about everything, but I failed to write down your name.

I now have a mental block and cannot visualize the scene and see your face.

Would you please drop me a note. I committed the worst sin of a reporter — "get the name right!"

William P. Miesel

REVIEWS At the collector's Weekend in Chicago, Craige Snader gave me a copy of his latest book, MENTALISH INNER SECRETS I by Stanton Carlisle. This is a book that I wish I had back in the late 50's when I was putting together a Mental Act. To be honest, there is not too much that is terribly new, but the way the material is presented is terrific. I especially appreciate "An Opener", and if I had it back then, I would definitely have used it, and if I ever get my "Act" back together, I will still use it.

This book of over 80 pages is especially recommended to those who are interested in putting together a mental act for the f i r s t time.

MENTALISM INHER SECRETS I is available from Craige Snader, Jr. at Post Office Box 12-655, Mexico D.F., 03020, Mexico for $15.00 (U.S.) plus e i t h e r $3.00 for Surface Mail or $6.00 for Air Mail.

William P. Miesel

While we were in Buffalo for the FFFF Convention this year, Bob King came over from Rochester on Saturday night and posted himself back in the corner of the "PRECURSOR Suite" and proceeded to work until he was hoarse.

Bob has a new book, MORE MAGICIAN FOOLERS, which was published in conjunction with his second l e c t u r e tour. I t contains a baker's dozen of effects in the i n i m i t a b l e King Style. A sample of t h i s m a t e r i a l is in t h i s issue, "Weight Guess Plus". This was t o t a l l y unintended; Bob gave me t h i s routine about a year ago, and I guess I didn't get it into print quick enough to have i t f i r s t , but this will give you a good idea of what you will receive.

Of course, most of the material is card magic, but there are a fine silk effect and a coin routine. This book is highly recommended, and at $10.00 plus $1.00 postage, i t is also a tremendous bargain. Write to Bob King at 304 Suburban Court, Rochester, NY 14620.

William P. Miesel

There are parts of PRECURSOR XXVI which deserve an explanation, and an apology, too, from me. As I noted at one point, I had p r o c r a s t i n a t e d up u n t i l the moment of PANIC. There were a l l too many typos which had b u l l i e d t h e i r way into the t e x t , and I did not catch them. "Fie upon t h e e , Ed!" I sense going through your minds. Yes, I agree, but this issue should be much better. I've given myself an extra hour, don't you know. Anyhow, the big problem was that I tried to proof-read on the screen instead of on a printout.

I ' l l never pass a screen t e s t , that's for certain.

Hopefully, this issue will be out before the beginning of July, and William is planning a late September mailing of PRECURSOR XXVIII. If we publish many more issues, I ' l l have to take lessons in Advanced Roman Numerals! This time schedule depends a lot on the weather up here in Massatushits, because Ellie refuses to work on the very hot days.

I ' l l leave this page by saying that one of the maladies from which I suffer

is

TAEDIUM VITAE. Ed E c k l