My Best Card Magic 2008-2016 by Raphael Czaja
A compilation of easy-to-do card magic (Ace Assembly, transpositions, spelling effects, predictions and more!)
A Penguin Magic exclusivity! For the first time at an unbeatable price, here is a collection of 13 card tricks – some of my best from 2008 to 2016. To realize the huge bargain it represents, just know that most of these tricks were first sold separately for $8 each! They are all easy to do and some of them are basically self-working.

Content:

EASY SIMPLE PREDICTION: From a five-card packet, the spectator selects the only one with an odd back.

FINAL COUNTDOWN (in collaboration with Cameron Francis): Some cards are eliminated from a « prediction packet » through a series of magical transformations, leaving the magician with the one that matches the spectator's selection.

ODD JOKERS: From a packet of four Jokers, one is freely picked by a spectator and takes the identity of a previously selected and lost card (it can even been signed!) while the others vanish, leaving three blank-faced cards. Aldo Colombini marketed it a few years ago through his company. You need to supply two blank-backed Jokers.

IN CASE HOF EMERGENCY: A transposition routine inspired by the « Hofzinser Ace Problem » with an ending bigger than expected!

BIDDLE JUICE: A take on the « Biddle trick » involving two spectators that ends up in a surprising climax. This one is impromptu!

TRIPLE SUCCESS: In a plot based on Jay Sankey's « Hide, Keep and Give Away », the magician correctly predicts the identity and the location of three freely chosen cards. This one is impromptu too!

COLORFUL JOURNEY: An offbeat Ace Assembly with two decks. You need to supply a red/blue double-backer.

SCAMP: A two-deck ACAAN that stands for « Spectator's Card At Magician's Predicted number. » My best-seller!

DO YOU STILL LIKE SCARY MOVIES : A campfire story narrated in a visual and entertaining way thanks to card magic. You need to supply a red/blue double-backer.

ODDPEN PREDICTION: My take on Paul Curry's « Open Prediction ». A spectator touches one card that is left face down in a face-up deck. It happens to match the magician's prediction. You need to supply a red/blue double-backer.

READ, SPELL AND KILL: An extension of Paul Harris' « Overkill » plot. Although he stayed away from the deck during the selection process, the magician divines the card of one spectator and spells its name to find the card of another spectator into it.

FATAL: The magician correctly predicts a made-up playing card.

SPELLBOUND: The spectator spells the name of a thought-of card to pick a second card. The magician is able to divine the thought-of card and to predict the second card.


"EASY SIMPLE PREDICTION is really very good." – Aldo Colombini

"FINAL COUNTDOWN is a really good trick. The gradual elimination - with each having a different surprise to it - is first rate." – Peter Duffie

"I loved IN CASE HOF EMERGENCY. [...] BIDDLE JUICE is fantastic. I was a bit jealous that I hadn't thought of it first![...] SCAMP is killer and super practical. [...] FATAL is very clever." – Cameron Francis

"I tried TRIPLE SUCCESS on my wife, and she was completely baffled. [...] How the aces "move" in COLOFUL JOURNEY seems to confuse the spectator...and they have a weird look on their face, like "how is this possible! " – Mike (MagicCafe review)

"DO YOU STILL LIKE SCARY MOVIES is one of my favorite packet routines." – David Devlin

"ODDPEN PREDICTION is excellent." – Stephen Tucker