All Out Magic
Steve Shufton
Where it all begins:
After handing her a regular, mixed pack of playing cards, she will deal them one at a time, face-up, and stop whenever she wants...
Where it all leads:
The card she stops on matches your prediction!
Inexplicable Mental Magic!
All Out Magic is a book of hands-off mental card magic you will use!
You will find 42 pages with killer material, complete with some handy props to get the job done.
"This has some genius thinking! Steve masterfully combines two very deceptive principles to create totally impenetrable mysteries that happen in the participant's own hands. This is super strong mentalism with cards that is impossible to back track as the methods cancel each other out to create 'perfect' effects. Everything is so fair, because it is! This is one of the most interesting books on 'hands off' card magic that I've seen in a long time. Highly recommended." - Marc Paul
A deck is examined and mixed. She deals the cards face-up, and stops whenever she wants. A second deck is immediately ribbon-spread. A single card is seen to have an "X" on its edge. It matches the card she freely dealt to!
The performer never touches the deck!
Just you, and two regular decks.
THAT'S ALL!
Or a single face-up card is in the spread. It matches her card!
There is truly a SINGLE face-up card.
IT COULDN'T BE MORE FAIR!
It could be a premonition in an envelope on the table, or in your wallet, or in a participant's hands or pocket the entire time!
Instant reset!
*** AS A BONUS ***
My favorite, the Birthday Card Trick, is fully explained! It can feel so personal to your participant, the experience becomes emotional!
Use this effect for any anniversary - creating an unforgettable moment:
A small, examinable twelve-page booklet lists a different card for each day. She will be shocked when she looks up her own "birthday card," and it is the only one that matches the card she randomly dealt to!
Unique method!
A trick requiring a skill you may already have, it will inspire you to push your mental magic further!
Stunning mental magic.
Ideas to use for a lifetime.
Perform close up, walk-around, groups or one-on-one.
Prepare yourself for a ride into profoundly strong, powerful and entertaining magic you will use!
Available from Steve Shufton Magic
Testimonials
"This is a book that should be in the library of any serious mentalist and magician. Steve has explored, in incredible details, a methodology that will allow you to force a card or multiple cards from a regular deck and in the spectator's hands! Everything has been thoroughly refined and tested with the perfect justification to any single move so that you can concentrate on the presentation and amaze your audience!
You will learn not only beautiful routines, but most importantly, you will have at your disposal a tool that will become your most powerful and useful weapon." - Luca Volpe, The Italian Mentalist
"Steve Shufton's new publication, All Out Magic, gives time tested ways to apply a technique that will bring your magic to a new level. If you're buying this booklet just looking for a 'trick,' that's fine - you'll get a 'trick' out of it - but it's so much more than that. If you're willing to open the door to your imagination, you'll see a system which has endless possibilities to make your magic a reality." – Suzanne
"Steve Shufton has long been known for his lateral thinking, cleverly constructed effects, and real focus on what the audience experiences. This collection offers a fantastic set of routines and ideas for the mentalist and mystery entertainer. He combines principles, constraints, and methods in ways that will delight any performer committed to putting in the dedicated work to achieve inexplicable effects and impact. There are hard hitting and well thought out routines, audience management advice, and concepts that can travel and apply far beyond what is presented in the book. For the first time ever, he shares the truly ingenious explanation for The Birthday Card, which will soon find its way into your repertoire. Hugely recommended!" - Todd Landman, The Academic Magician
"Steve Shufton's All Out Magic is full of magic that I'm certain would have fooled me if I had seen it before reading it. Each trick is a clever blend of principles that work together seamlessly. All of the effects have a similar premise, of predicting a card fairly stopped at by a spectator. And my favorite, by far, is Steve's handling of the 'Birthday' Card trick,' which in this collection he saves for last." - Joshua Jay
"It is more than a book. It is many lessons and approaches toward being a top notch performer and mentalist. You will never be the same after absorbing its content. Bravo, my friends!" – Marc Salem
"Steve's approach is the essence of both clarity and impact, all rolled into a unique and baffling crescendo of wonderment." – Ben Harris
"Whenever I get a new book to review, I try to examine it to understand how the author thinks and how they juggle and interpose existing principles in new ways. Steve Shufton's All Out Magic is a perfect example of this. The book contains a number of effects and methods for doing them. Steve goes into great detail to explain his thoughts and give alternate methods to accomplish the end result.
I found the book to be an interesting read. Because of the multiple ideas presented, it gives the reader the ability to create many unique routines. If Mentalism and Magic with playing cards is your thing, I recommend this book." – Richard Osterlind
"The work put into All Out Magic is rewarding to say the least! Steve's take on this direct plot is a joy to read and the effects are fun to perform too! A great project, which every magician should experience and have in their repertoire." – Angelo Carbone
"If you don't know the name Steve Shufton you should stop reading this and just go get everything he has released. Steve takes classic plots that intrigue him and goes at them like a dog with a bone, making them better and stronger. In All Out Magic, Steve takes two very deceptive ideas, puts them through the wringer, and combines them to create a powerful showstopper.
All Out Magic is an impossible effect for the serious magician. A hands-off, no sleight effect, where you literally don't touch the deck but the impossible happens! It does not use any sleights - it uses a normal deck of cards that can be used for other effects, and there are no complicated procedures. This is not an out-of-the-box effect – it does take some practice and thought. Steve takes you through every detail you need, so you can do a miracle that not everyone will be doing." - Tim Trono
"I was studying Steve Shufton's manuscript: All Out Magic when suddenly my mind was transported back in time, to somewhere in the 1970's. I was attending a Magicians Convention. I walked into the dealer's room and along the back wall I saw an older man with only a few booklets and things on his table. That man turned out to be Jerry Andrus. He proceeded to show me some of his wonderfully unique Magic, including Zone Zero. I will never forget that experience.
I was introduced to Steve and his magic some twenty years ago. I was immediately impressed with his unique approach to the construction of a magical effect. It came as no surprise to me when Steve introduced Portal, what is to my mind an improved version of Jerry Andrus' Zone Zero. These are two very unique minds in the world of magic. In his manuscript: All Out Magic Steve teaches some very powerful routines, including predictions, with playing cards. There is for example, a routine based upon an Ed Marlo effect. Ed Marlo was a powerful creative force in card magic. In doing so Steve demonstrates his knowledge of card magic history and little known - and I might even say forgotten - systems and methods. Layman will certainly be impressed when you do these miracles for them and I'm betting your magician friends will be saying: 'Could you do that again?'" – Dennis Barlotta
Steve Shufton doesn't just teach you several great tricks; he breaks down the thinking, psychology, audience management techniques, and forcing subtleties that you can use to take your performances to a whole new level of mind-blowing. Learn more than just a few new tricks—learn to make your magic brilliant. - Rolando Santos, Asst. Editor, The Linking Ring
Available from Steve Shufton Magic
Reviews
(Top ▲)
Overview
1 book, 42 pages, four special cards, a half-dozen-ish effects, 2 super cleverly combined principles, 1 Steve Shufton, a lot of bragging, and 1 All Out Magic review. Is it gem or is it rubble? Stay tuned to find out.Effect
The basic effect is akin to an open prediction effect. It's definitely a close cousin. If Al Koran's 5 Star Miracle, and the Open Prediction had a love child it would look very much like All Out Magic.A non-gimmicked deck is dealt (by the participant) face up one card at a time until she wants to stop. The card she stops at is revealed to be the prediction that has been sitting on the table the whole time. No switches, and only a single card is used. The envelope containing the single card is not gaffed in any way.
Method
I imagine that the above seems pretty impossible. It's accomplished with an adaptation of an extremely well tested method that has stood the test of time. It appears that this variant is original with Steve. It is, however, very similar to a variant of my own design found in my effect, Inevitability in Stone Cold Mental volume 1.Both were independently conceived.
This variant allows an effect that normally requires a gimmicked deck to be done with a non-gimmicked deck. That covers the selection by the participant.
The second part of the method uses mixtures of a variety of tried and true methods. Depending on which variant you choose - Steve gives you multiple - your prediction card is a single card in view the entire time.
Other variants use "wallets" or "envelopes."
The combination of principles along with Steve's additions allow for 1) a variety of methods to choose from and 2) a solid effect that is pretty much impossible to "track."
There are mulitple effects possible with the basic understanding of both of these methods. Steve offers a handful, plus you'll come up with more.
A teeny bit of mental agility is required for the main technique involved, but it's definitely beginner-level stuff. No calculations, just mental dexterity on the smallest scale.
Product Quality
The book is 42 8.5 x 11 pages comb-bound with a firm transparent plastic covering. It's black and white with no images. However, the images are not needed. The only exception to "no images" is a template you can copy and print out to make a (non-gimmicked) cardboard sleeve to hold your prediction.The was an easy read. There is no filler. The text is clear, and concise, and surprisingly I found no typos, and no grammar errors. That doesn't meant there weren't any, and I never consciously look for them, but they (almost) always stand out. None did in this book.
Steve's writing style is excellent, friendly, and easy to follow / understand.
The included cards are excellent quality (read: Bicycle), and the additional prop is included even though included in the book is the aforementioned template to make this prop. Including one was a nice touch to make it clear how it would be used.
Ad Copy Integrity
Be sure to watch the video review for the "story" of the ad copy. The short version is that there were some issues. I mentioned them to Steve, and he fixed them.Also, note, there are claims like this that you may be suspect of:
"It could be a premonition in an envelope on the table, or in your wallet, or in a participant's hands or pocket the entire time! Instant reset!"
But, this is 100% true.
Additioally, Steve has included as a "bonus" item, if you will, the following:
"My favorite, the Birthday Card Trick, is fully explained! It can feel so personal to your participant, the experience becomes emotional! Use this effect for any anniversary - creating an unforgettable moment: A small, examinable twelve-page booklet lists a different card for each day. She will be shocked when she looks up her own "birthday card," and it is the only one that matches the card she randomly dealt to! Unique method! A trick requiring a skill you may already have, it will inspire you to push your mental magic further!"
This is 100% true. It uses the basics of the effect/method already discussed in this review, and it adds one more thing. That extra "thing" is not for the beginner, but many a magi already have this particular set of skills. My buddy Louis and I both have them.
This will require you to make up a special "thingy" that is pretty easy to do if you know your way around a computer. That said, Steve offers to make a customized version of the "thingy" for you (for a fee of around $60).
Keep in mind, however, that effect is not what you're paying for when you purchase All Out Magic. You are paying for the aforementioned methods/effects. This is just an incredible bonus that comes along for the ride, and is not for the faint of heart, but is totally do-able to those willing to put in the work.
He's also correct in claiming that this method is unique and not like so-called diary effects on the market. In fact, I wouldn't call his a diary effect (and neither would Steve). It's different enough and powerful enough, and is a serious reputation maker. Again, remember that this is a bonus on top of the "easy" concepts you'll learn in the main section of the book.
From the review before Steve updated the site
Overall the ad copy is accurate. There are a couple of places where it felt like slightly poor wording led to a slight lack of clarity that leads to misleading, and there is one case that very much feels like it was misleading and obviously so. I don't believe for a second that Steve was lying, but I think the hype-train derailed a bit, and he got a bit too carried away. My guess is that when he reads this, he'll fix it.
As I suspected, He did. Hence the 100% rating on the ad copy here and the video.
Throughout this book and on the sales page for All Out Magic there is a fair bit of hype and "selling." It is (while not exactly humble) accurate and easy to see why Steve says what he says and feels what he feels.
Final Thoughts
- Effect(s): Solid. Clear. Concise. Commercial.
- Method(s): Solid. Doable. Practical.
- Quality: Solid. Excellent. Clear.
- Advertisement: Solid. Hype-y, but accurate.
I truly believe that if you use playing cards in mentalism this is an effect that you will likely perform. If you like effects like open-prediction or 5 Star Miracle and / or do mental magic or card tricks of this ilk, there is a high probability that you will actually use this.
It is very clever, and extremely baffling.
Final Verdict
5 Stars with a Stone Status of Gem.