Price$24.95
Media TypeTrick, Online Instructions, Gimmick(s)
CategoryClose Up, Mentalism
Date AddedJan 05, 2024
Jumping to Conclusions
Harapan Ong
Vanishing Inc.
(Based on 2 reviews)
Harapan has taken Max Maven's beloved "Drawing Conclusions" concept and evolved it to be more direct and fairer than ever. They'll never see the stunning ending coming and the result is different each time.
You have a pack of abstract images mixed and cut by a volunteer. With your head turned, they start dealing the cards to the table until they decide to stop. It's a completely free choice and they can even change their mind if they want.
Once they look at the image (let's say it's a "door"), it is lost back in with the other images. All of this is done while your head is still turned, so it would be impossible for you to know the image they chose or where it's located in the pack.
Even against these impossibly fair odds, you start searching through the images, removing some potential choices and laying them face-up as you do. Once you have a handful of possibilities selected, you start eliminating them one by one.
You don't say a word until just a few images remain. This is when you decide to finally check with your volunteer to see if you're on the right track. You're confused when they say "no" because you've seemingly eliminated their image. That's when you prove that you were actually right the whole time.
Without any funny moves or awkward switches, you re-arrange the remaining images on the table. They now spell out the word "door" (or any other image they chose).
- Free choice of where to stop (no forcing)
- No sleight of hand
- No marked cards
- No rough and smooth
- All of the cards are examinable
You'll be ready to perform this amazing packet trick within minutes of learning it. The fact that the outcome is different each time makes it perfect for everyone from workers to hobbyists. Get your copy of "Jumping to Conclusions" by Harpan Ong today!
Reviews
(Top ▲)
Overview
1 set of Chinese flash cards, 1 set of "psychic" symbols, 45 minutes of instructional video, $25 bucks, 1 Harapan Ong, and 1 Jumping to Conclusions magic review. Is it gem or is it rubble? Stay tuned to find out!Effect
Simply: A spectator thinks of a card. You reveal it in an unexpected, surprise "kicker" sort of way. For details, watch the ad trailer / read the ad copy.Method
Harapan Ong has improved on a Max Maven method. There I said it. Improved. The method involves a reasonable amount of easy memory work. On a scale from Dory to Harry Lorayne, I'd say you need to be at a level 3.This is standard entry-level mnemonics with very little to remember. In fact, if you're brand new to memory work, this is an excellent part of the pool to dip your toe in.
Additionally, there is an extremely clever well-hidden combination of methods to get a secret piece of information you need that I am adding directly into my repertoire.
Product Quality
Overall, the product quality is solid. Let's take a peek at a few details, however.Video
The training video is well-lit, well-mic'd, and well-taught by Harapan Ong himself. The video is a 45 minute downloadable video. It's perfect in the sense that it clearly explains everything you need, and has no bloat. It's not too short like many 7 minute tutorials out there, and it's not too long like many of the 7 hour tutorials on the market. It's the Goldilocks of video tutorials.
Teaching
Overall, Harapan Ong does a great job teaching everything. Clear. Simple. Concise. However, there is a problem that he didn't cover that I think he should have. The psychic flash cards have a bunch of shapes that the spectator can think of. Two of the shapes, however, have a problem. One problem shape is the snowflake card, and the other is the image below.
In the performance, as you'll see in the ad trailer, the ending is that the cards on the table spell out the word they are thinking of. The issue with snowflake is that they'll think of snowflake, but the word that you spell is "snow."
A few minutes to give some tips on how to handle that situation would have been very helpful. This would be particularly useful in the event that they think of the other card (image below). Take a look at that card. If that's the card you picked and were thinking of, what word would you be thinking of?
At first it looks like an octothorpe (the so-called hashtag), or maybe some sort of railroad tracks, tic tac toe, pick up sticks? What the heck is it? A net. What? I would never have guessed "net," so at the end when you spell out "net" the spectator will very likely say, "I wasn't thinking of a net."
Again, I think it was a mistake to not address this in the training video. This "issue" only exists with the psychic flash cards. The Chinese cards actually have the word printed on them, so the participant knows exactly what word to think of.
Cards
The above-mentioned issue could have been easily resolved by printing the words on the shape cards. That aside, both the psychic flash cards, and the Chinese flash cards are well-made, and handle like a packet of Bicycles. Perfect.
Card Boxes
Each set of flash cards comes in its own box. Be careful when you open the boxes. They're super stiff, and getting the flaps out is a bit of a struggle that can cause you to rip the box. This seems to be a trend these days with custom card boxes. Even regular ol' decks of cards are a bit tricky to open due to the cut of the flaps and tabs. You have been warned.
Ad Copy Integrity
The ad copy is perfectly accurate, and there are some bold claims, and impossible-seeming statements, yet they are all true. The only caveat I'll offer is that the last paragraph has a potentially (albeit unintentional) misleading line: "You'll be ready to perform this amazing packet trick within minutes of learning it."This may sound a little nit-picky, but let me add some clarification.
- "Learning it" will take some dedication and won't, likely, be a "I received it today, and I'm performing it tonight" kind of product.
- After learning it, I would argue that you would not (should not) be performing it minutes later. It will take some practice drilling before you're ready to perform this.
Regarding bullet point #2, consider this statement, "you'll be play chess in tournaments minutes after you've learned how to play chess."
If you interpret "learn to play chess" as learning and understanding the rules, then No, you will not be playing in tournaments (at least not without embarrassing yourself) in minutes after learning.
If you interpret "learn to play chess" as having an understanding of tactics and strategies, and you know your way around several popular openings, and you understand endgame theory, then yes, minutes after you've learned that, you can maybe not embarrass yourself in a tournament. But understand that this second interpretation of "learning chess" isn't a hard line; it's a process that gets fine-tuned with drilling, practice, and study.
This metaphor applies almost perfectly to what it takes to be ready to perform Jumping to Conclusions. The only difference is that it won't take you near as much time, but it's definitely more than a minute. :0]
Final Thoughts
Effect: Smart. Clever.Method: Improvement. Excellent.
Product Quality: Solid. Needed Some Clarity.
Ad Copy: Solid. Honest. Needed Some Clarity.
If you like mental magic and / or mentalism, or you want to explore that area of our art, this is an excellent way to go. If you liked the effect based on the trailer, ad copy, or my description. You'll be very happy with your purchase.
Final Verdict:
4.5 Stars with a Stone Status of Gem.
(Top ▲)
Cut to 2023. Harapan Ong released "Jumping to Conclusions".
Harapan, with permission from Mr. Maven, has released "Jumping to Conclusions", a nice extension of Max's effect. In the Maven version the performer used special symbols which revealed one of two choices made by a participant. "Jumping to Conclusions" has two versions - one with Chinese characters and one with ESP-type symbols. In either version one is not restricted to one or two possible outcomes. To the participant it feels like a completely free choice, which it almost is. I can't go into more detail without giving away the secret.
The routine is sleight-free and is taught very well by Mr. Ong. The most difficult part is some minor memorization. You are given some mnemonics to aid in that memorization. It took me about five minutes to get it down.
After some dedicated practice I road-tested it using the Chinese character version. It played very well. I'm really pleased to have this in my arsenal.