Price$30.00
Media TypeTrick
CategoryClose Up, Hypnotism
Date AddedMar 14, 2008
Hypno Aces
David Penn
(Based on 3 reviews)
View ClipEvery magician gets asked if they use their magic to cheat at cards. Imagine the spectators surprise when you prove that you can actually use hypnosis to create a winning hand.
You start by asking the spectator to stare at four hypnotic designs that produce a very strange visual effect in your hands. Is this an optical illusion or are they under your power?
They will have even more doubts when you snap your fingers and the hypnotic cards visually change into four aces which you can show on both sides.
Your spectators will be stunned but you will never get an invitation to their poker nights!
Comes complete with instructional DVD and gimmicked cards on Bicycle stock.
Running Time Approximately 27min
Reviews
(Top ▲)
PROS
The premise of this effect is good. The patter is about how you can use hypnosis to gamble. You show what appears to be four cards with a hypnosis spiral printed on the face. Then two of the hypnosis cards are placed in the participants hands and two are shown in your own hands. All four cards turn into four aces.
The entire routine uses only two sleights, a double lift and a flustration count.
The instruction is very good.
The quality of the props is good. You get two gimmicked cards. You will need to add three more ungimmicked cards.
The entire video is around 20 minutes long.
The product is true to the ad. The ad states is comes with gimmicked cards. It doesn’t say it comes with all the cards you will need.
CONS
The big issue with the routine, in my opinion is the method. The routine uses a couple of flustration counts, one right after the other. I think this method is weak when the flustration count is required back to back. The flustration count is one that can be very easily over-performed. I think that in this routine, it is over-performed.
It was disappointing that all the required cards were not provided. You will need to remove three cards from a regular matching deck. I suppose you could take the cards out of a deck during your performance, but the nature of the effect is that you are showing only hypnosis cards, so that wouldn’t fit with the routine. Given this, you will need to remove three regular Aces from a deck of cards to dedicate to this effect. That leaves the rest of your deck pretty much useless. If you are a working professional, then sacrificing a deck is no big deal. However, if you are a working professional, you will need to repurchase refills for this effect pretty frequently if you like performing it. Some gimmicked card effects can be used quite a bit, even when worn out a bit. With this routine, not so much.
It was also disappointing that it didn’t come with a vinyl packet trick card wallet. These things cost pennies to make and it sure would be nice if one was included. This has become more and more common. See the suggestions section for an idea.
The cards aren’t examinable after the effect. There was no discussion about how to get out of this routine or how to segue to another effect. See the Suggestions section for an idea.
VERDICT
A very nice routine with a great premise. On the downside, if you perform this often, you will need to repurchase the gimmicks quite often.
Another alternative is to come out and show the four aces on top, then do a faro shuffle, a false overhand shuffle, and a cut and do a four ace production much like Bill Malone’s. I believe he explains it in one of his “Here I go Again” DVDs. I do a similar one, but use a key card to make it a bit easier.
Card wallet idea. So many times, packet tricks don’t come with that handy little cheap vinyl card wallet. So, here is an idea: With just a roll of thick packing see-through tape and a piece of newspaper, you can easily make a card wallet. All you need to do is cut a piece of newspaper the size of a vinyl card holder, or just a bit larger than two playing cards set side by side. Place a piece of tape, sticky side up on one side and run tape around the newspaper and over the sticky side up tape. Do this on both sides and use enough tape to make the whole thing relatively sturdy. You will have two clear pockets on the inside and newspaper on the outside. For this effect you could use a regular 8 ½ by 11 sheet of white paper and either write or print something like “Hypnosis cards” or have a drawing or print of a spiral as is on the cards.
The premise of this effect is good. The patter is about how you can use hypnosis to gamble. You show what appears to be four cards with a hypnosis spiral printed on the face. Then two of the hypnosis cards are placed in the participants hands and two are shown in your own hands. All four cards turn into four aces.
The entire routine uses only two sleights, a double lift and a flustration count.
The instruction is very good.
The quality of the props is good. You get two gimmicked cards. You will need to add three more ungimmicked cards.
The entire video is around 20 minutes long.
The product is true to the ad. The ad states is comes with gimmicked cards. It doesn’t say it comes with all the cards you will need.
CONS
The big issue with the routine, in my opinion is the method. The routine uses a couple of flustration counts, one right after the other. I think this method is weak when the flustration count is required back to back. The flustration count is one that can be very easily over-performed. I think that in this routine, it is over-performed.
It was disappointing that all the required cards were not provided. You will need to remove three cards from a regular matching deck. I suppose you could take the cards out of a deck during your performance, but the nature of the effect is that you are showing only hypnosis cards, so that wouldn’t fit with the routine. Given this, you will need to remove three regular Aces from a deck of cards to dedicate to this effect. That leaves the rest of your deck pretty much useless. If you are a working professional, then sacrificing a deck is no big deal. However, if you are a working professional, you will need to repurchase refills for this effect pretty frequently if you like performing it. Some gimmicked card effects can be used quite a bit, even when worn out a bit. With this routine, not so much.
It was also disappointing that it didn’t come with a vinyl packet trick card wallet. These things cost pennies to make and it sure would be nice if one was included. This has become more and more common. See the suggestions section for an idea.
The cards aren’t examinable after the effect. There was no discussion about how to get out of this routine or how to segue to another effect. See the Suggestions section for an idea.
VERDICT
A very nice routine with a great premise. On the downside, if you perform this often, you will need to repurchase the gimmicks quite often.
Suggestions
The DVD did not cover any way to segue from this effect to something else. What really makes an effect like this strong is if the participant feels like they could examine the cards before, but especially afterward. I like to have all of my routines end very clean and I think that some routines are strengthened by examination. I like to present a sort of examination as part of a next effect. So, for this routine, I would have the fourth ace on top of the rest of the deck and the rest of the deck in my pocket. At the end of the routine, I would say I would like to show them another card effect, but I’m going to need the entire deck. I would pat my pockets trying to find the rest of the deck and go into jacket pockets with both hands. One hand would ditch the gimmicks and come out with just the regular aces. The other hand would go into the other jacket pocket and come out with the rest of the deck. The three aces would go on top of the regular deck and that deck would be handed out to a participant to shuffle the aces into the deck. This invites them to examine the deck.Another alternative is to come out and show the four aces on top, then do a faro shuffle, a false overhand shuffle, and a cut and do a four ace production much like Bill Malone’s. I believe he explains it in one of his “Here I go Again” DVDs. I do a similar one, but use a key card to make it a bit easier.
Card wallet idea. So many times, packet tricks don’t come with that handy little cheap vinyl card wallet. So, here is an idea: With just a roll of thick packing see-through tape and a piece of newspaper, you can easily make a card wallet. All you need to do is cut a piece of newspaper the size of a vinyl card holder, or just a bit larger than two playing cards set side by side. Place a piece of tape, sticky side up on one side and run tape around the newspaper and over the sticky side up tape. Do this on both sides and use enough tape to make the whole thing relatively sturdy. You will have two clear pockets on the inside and newspaper on the outside. For this effect you could use a regular 8 ½ by 11 sheet of white paper and either write or print something like “Hypnosis cards” or have a drawing or print of a spiral as is on the cards.
(Top ▲)
This is the review I wrote for the Linking Ring magazine.
"Hypno Aces" is a visual, simple packet trick that is likely to stun audiences. The audience sees both sides of four poker cards with Bicycle backs and unusual "hypnotic" spirals printed on the faces. After talking about how card cheats use hypnosis, the spiral faces change into four Aces, which are shown on both sides.
I knew this trick was a winner before I ever performed it. How? Because the same plot, with more logical cards and a far superior method, was released many years ago. You probably have it in your pocket right now. It's called "NFW."
I really don't know from where David Penn gets the nerve to release a slightly altered and inferior version of a hit trick and expects no one to notice!
This is really unfortunate, because the trick is a good one, and the gaffs are well-made. The reset is simple. The DVD is fine and teaches the necessary sleights, which are well within the reach of beginning card magi. The plot is probably best suited to beginners and hardened pros.
But they should not buy it, and neither should you.
This is not innovation; it's blatant copying, with just enough changes to avoid violating the originators' copyright. It may be legal; but I believe it is unethical, and for that reason alone, the author should not be encouraged.
Not recommended.
"Hypno Aces" is a visual, simple packet trick that is likely to stun audiences. The audience sees both sides of four poker cards with Bicycle backs and unusual "hypnotic" spirals printed on the faces. After talking about how card cheats use hypnosis, the spiral faces change into four Aces, which are shown on both sides.
I knew this trick was a winner before I ever performed it. How? Because the same plot, with more logical cards and a far superior method, was released many years ago. You probably have it in your pocket right now. It's called "NFW."
I really don't know from where David Penn gets the nerve to release a slightly altered and inferior version of a hit trick and expects no one to notice!
This is really unfortunate, because the trick is a good one, and the gaffs are well-made. The reset is simple. The DVD is fine and teaches the necessary sleights, which are well within the reach of beginning card magi. The plot is probably best suited to beginners and hardened pros.
But they should not buy it, and neither should you.
This is not innovation; it's blatant copying, with just enough changes to avoid violating the originators' copyright. It may be legal; but I believe it is unethical, and for that reason alone, the author should not be encouraged.
Not recommended.
(Top ▲)
Do you do Kentonism or any other suggestion or trance based magic? If so “Hypno-Aces” by David Penn might be a good addition for you. In fact, if you are a packet trick junkie you may like this too.
David Penn’s mediocre performance doesn’t do justice for the effect. Basically four Bicycle cards with a hypnotic design on the front are shown. As they are displayed one is placed in each hand of the spectator. A snap of the fingers breaks the trance or hypnotic state and all four cards are cleanly shown to be the four aces.
If you like quick visual magic in packet trick form it is definitely worth looking into. As I said earlier if you do pseudo trance or hypnotic states, you may have fun with this one. It may be too much on the magic side for some, but I think fans of Kentonism will like it.
The effect is very easy to do and very visual. The DVD gives good enough explanations with somewhat uninspiring performances.
David Penn’s mediocre performance doesn’t do justice for the effect. Basically four Bicycle cards with a hypnotic design on the front are shown. As they are displayed one is placed in each hand of the spectator. A snap of the fingers breaks the trance or hypnotic state and all four cards are cleanly shown to be the four aces.
If you like quick visual magic in packet trick form it is definitely worth looking into. As I said earlier if you do pseudo trance or hypnotic states, you may have fun with this one. It may be too much on the magic side for some, but I think fans of Kentonism will like it.
The effect is very easy to do and very visual. The DVD gives good enough explanations with somewhat uninspiring performances.