Counts, Cuts, Moves and Subtlety Author: Jerry Mentzer
A Book of Basic Card Techniques Description A classic reference book for card magicians wanting to develop a stronger technical foundation. Counts, Cuts, Moves and Subtlety by Jerry Mentzer explores some of the essential tools of card magic — false counts, cuts, reversals, spreads and deceptive handling techniques that allow magicians to create impossible-looking effects. Rather than focusing on complete routines, this book concentrates on the building blocks behind great card magic. It teaches the moves and subtleties that allow performers to create convincing illusions while keeping the method hidden. A practical and highly focused manual, this is the type of book that sits on a magician’s shelf and gets revisited repeatedly. Contents The book covers: Undercuts and Reversals Double Undercut Brave Reversal Concealed Reversal Counts, Moves and Subtlety The Biddle Move Hamman Count Veeser Count Flushtration Move Haback Count Olram Subtlety Downs Change True or False Elmsley, Jordan and Related Techniques Elmsley Count Jordan Count Siva Count Open Count Smile Count Pairs Count Spirit Count Spreads Simple Spread Back Spread Buckle Count Ascanio Spread The Hidden Gem The strength of this book is that it focuses on something every great card magician needs: the secret moves that make magic look impossible. Many beginners chase tricks, but experienced performers know that mastering small details — a convincing count, a deceptive display, a natural-looking action — is what separates ordinary card handling from professional-level magic. This book is also a snapshot of an important period in card magic, when techniques such as the Elmsley Count, Hamman Count and Ascanio Spread were becoming essential parts of the modern card magician’s vocabulary. Why We Like It We love books like this because they represent the real craft behind card magic. There are no flashy gimmicks or shortcuts.. just carefully developed techniques that have become part of the foundation of modern close-up magic. A fantastic addition for anyone building a serious card magic library, improving their technique, or wanting to understand the moves behind some of the most deceptive card miracles ever created.