If I saw anything resembling the "fancy cuts" in a game, I'd gather my money and exit immediately. Erdnase's comments about their usage holds no weight with me.

Regarding the DL, I don't think having knowledge of the move AUTOMATICALLY makes you immune to its deceptiveness. Depends on the technique. Yes, if someone does an obvious get-ready, you'll see it coming, but a hit DL or the Stuart Gordon technique can still fly when they are done with no hesitation.

Erdnase may not have been a very competent gambler, so I take what he shares in the book with a large pinch of salt. If he were a successful advantage player, he surely wouldn't have needed to write a book because he needed the money! However, from his comments about these cuts, I assume he knew several professional card cheats that did use these fancy cuts at the card table. There's a good chance that, as they became more popular, cheats stopped using them to avoid detection.

If a DL is part of a sequence with regular turnovers that simulate the same style, I might miss it. But, I still think that the move is very easy to spot. A good shift, on the other hand, can go by undetected, even if you understand the mechanics of the move. The Stuart Gordon technique is distinctive, similar to the Fancy Blind Cut. This makes it less deceptive than other DLs when performing for knowledgeable magicians.

This is old but good. I don't necessarily agree with everything they say but the parts about it being best viewed as a total system rather than a "moves" reference are spot on to me. Their approach is a good one, though I stand by my belief that Erdnase can be a good first book specifically BECAUSE it gives you a total system and philosophy to be personalized after absorbing it. If you start with this book then almost everything you learn after will have context. The worst I've heard anyone be able to say about it for beginners is that it's hard.

https://youtu.be/vhCoO1bkiS0

Thanks for the link to the Ricky Smith video. I've just published the next update to the Exploring Erdnase Book Club (again, a little late!). In it, I take a look at Erdnase's System of Blind Riffles and Cuts:

Erdnase's System of Blind Riffles and Cuts

Tomorrow, I'll briefly discuss the two Fancy Blind Cuts and the One-Handed True Cut.

Marty

Here's today's update on the fancy cuts in Erdnase:

Fancy Cuts

These cuts are a lot of fun to learn and are not as difficult as they first appear.

Marty

I like your plan for the Hofzinser style show. That's the kind of classy stuff that I think elevates magic as an art.

Thanks. I've wanted to create a parlour show for a while now. The show I'm planning is a cross between a magic show and an interactive murder mystery. The tricks will provide clues to help the audience to solve the murder. Setting it in a hotel is also essential for the narrative of the piece.

Marty

Sounds fun! Will it be a "period" piece, with costume, etc.? If you are going to go, go all in!

Yes, the hotel I hope to perform in was built in 1759, so it has a colourful history. I'm writing a few short stories set during different periods that align with the significant eras of magic history. I'll be playing a magical character in costume in each (well, that's the plan, at least). The shows are an excuse for me to dress up, perform magic and have fun!

The first show will be based on the English Witch Trials and feature The Discovery of Witchcraft by Reginald Scot. Another story will be set in the hotel during the Victorian period and will feature the gruesome murder of a magician's assistant.

Marty

Sounds awesome. I've always wanted to do a haunted city tour with magic. Maybe one day.

Yes, I'd love to do something like that, too. I'm sure such a tour would be successful if it took place in the right location. Noel Britton, a comedian in the UK, does a "Bizarre Bath" city tour that involves magical stunts (I think). I remember him talking about an effect using a ring tied onto a balloon at a magic convention I attended years ago. I think it was a version of Ring Flight in which a spectator believes that their ring is accidentally lost to the atmosphere!

Marty

I made a bit of a blunder recently when I generously donated a whole shelf of my magic books to the local magic club, presuming I wouldn't have much use for them anymore. It has proved foolish because I am now reviving my interest. When looking for a replacement for my copy of Erdnase, I was shocked to find books looking just like my 1953 edition are listed on ebay for over £100. Had I known it was so valuable I should not have let it go! Are old editions really so prized? The current Dover edition does look rather less impressive.

My first study of Erdnase was as a child and teenager in the 50-60s. I remember learning all those stacking algorithms for dealing out 3, 4, 5 hands, with the overhand shuffle and finding them fascinating.

Hi Richard,

Some later editions, when in good condition, still command pretty high prices. Jason England is the man to ask about this, as he owns just about every edition available.

Which edition did you have? Maybe one by Charles Powner?

Marty

The high eBay prices for later editions is primarily based on confusion. The seller finds a copy in his/her holdings, does 30 seconds of research and finds out that some copies sell for hundreds or even thousands of dollars. They then post their copy on eBay for a silly amount, like $200 - 300 for a Frost or Powner paperback. Eventually a buyer who has also done next to no research comes along and actually pays that price. Meanwhile, amongst serious magic booksellers, a Frost or Powner goes for $20 - 40 depending on condition.

Reach out to Andy Greget and I bet you anything he has a paperback Frost or Powner for sale for far less than $100.

Jason

PS: 1953 would have been a Powner for sure.

Thanks, Jason. I knew you'd know!