1 review for Cardshark (Deluxe Edition) by Darwin Ortiz
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Cardshark (Deluxe Edition) by Darwin Ortiz
(c. 1995) (Submit Review) (Submit Update)Details: Illustrated by Ton Onosaka. A modern classic on close up with cards. Covers quick tricks, longer routines and gambling demonstrations. Highly recommended for the serious card worker. Darwin Ortiz is unquestionably one of the top card men in the world today. In this book, he offers you the chance to learn the routines that have earned him his living and his reputation. He discusses and explains all of the psychological insights, presentational angles and performing tips that could only have been gained from years of professional performance.
Contents:
9 Introduction (Paul Gertner)
11 Foreword
14 Part One: Impromptu Miracles
14 The Psychotronic Card
16 James/Ellis Loading Move
20 Against All Odds
21 Bill Simon’s “Business Card Prophesy” Move
23 Signature Effect
25 Kurtz’s Pivot Double Lift
26 L.J. Move
28 MC Spread Double Lift
30 Krenzel’s Drag Double Lift
31 K.M. Move
33 Four To One
37 Erdnase Top Palm
39 The Unholy Three
40 Underspread Control
42 Vernon Transfer
44 Beyond Sleight of Hand
45 Jennings’ Open Control
46 Ribbonspread Hideout
49 Blockbuster
50 Half-pass
51 Ortiz Biased Pressure Fan
54 Nulda’s Revenge
55 Erdnase Palm Change (Adrian Plate Change)
56 Norman Houghton’s Pocket Load
58 New Hitchcock Aces
61 Carney’s Versa Switch
65 Kartenkunste
70 Part Two: Presentational Showpieces
70 Pickup On South Street
76 The Marker
77 Underspread Force
80 Elliott Change
86 Time And Again
90 Ortiz Tabled Reverse Double Undercut
95 Blind Aces
96 Gamblers’ Cop
99 Hartman’s Uppercut Move
103 Museum Piece
104 Zarrow Addition Move
106 Stuart Gordon Double Turnover
108 Marlo’s Visual Retention Switch
113 Harry In Your Pocket
116 Time Piece
120 Tamariz’s Crossing-the-gaze Switch
124 The Phantom Card
128 The Showdown
131 Scarne Card Fold
133 Ken Beale’s Double-cut Substitute
134 Art Altman’s Double Undercut Palm
139 Bold Fusion
140 Lorayne force
146 Part Three: Gambling Routines
146 Beat The Dealer
147 Gamblers’ Double Deal
149 The One-Handed Poker Deal
149 Ortiz Corner Crimp Handling
151 Neal Elias’ One-handed Cut
151 One-handed Riffle Shuffle
153 Chinese Deal
155 Face-Up Centers
159 Darwin’s Poker Deal
160 Braue Reversal Variation
161 Stripper Switch
164 Ose’s false cut
167 Mr. Lucky
172 Pick-A-Card Poker
175 From The Cellar
178 Darwin’s Bottom Runup System
180 The Cross
184 The Sting
184 Slip Triple Cut
- Publisher: Kaufman and Greenberg
- Pages: 189
- Location: Washington DC, USA
- Dimensions: 9″x11″
- Date: 1995
- Binding: hardbound
Contents: magicref.net – click for details
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Approx. Price: $65.00 (2003) ***
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Anonymous –
Review of Cardshark
I had the benefit to see the reaction from a fellow magician. What shocked me is that he appeared rather less than enthusiastic about the tricks – commenting that its way too long and too difficult.
I believe the large majority of magicians will feel the same. However, I contend that the materials contained within these pages are not for the average magic hobbyist – nor is it intended for the intermediate card performer. It’s only for those very special few who have what it takes to bring the art of magic to a professional level. If you are advance in sleight of hand (particularly gambling techniques explained in "Expert Card Technique" and "Expert at the Card Table" / "Revelations" / "The Annotated Erdnase") or willing to put in the effort here you have Mr. Ortiz to provide excellent routines that will maximize their usage.
They are not easy. I can tell you right now that one sleight requires over 700 hours of practice before mastery – which Darwin Ortiz claims that 1 in 10,000 people can do. But the dividend it pays back more than suffices for your time spent. These are genuine card miracles for the close-up conjuror.
As the title suggests, this book consists mainly of routines regarding gambling themes such as the Scarne effect (cutting to four aces after spectator shuffles the deck). However, it also contain routines with magical themes – such as Mr. Ortiz’s construction on a Card-to-Wallet effect and Mr. Ortiz’s version of Brother John Hamman’s famous signed card. But what a student will find most valuable is the performance tip that the author gives from his experience through performing his creations over hundreds of time. He offers his rather sharp insights and observations. Everything he discusses has been performed before being in print.
I wish I could write more on the book but I need to get offline and pay attention to my wife. You’ll have to just check it out to know what I mean. I remember being nonplussed (and that’s an understatement!) when I first saw Darwin Ortiz’s performance. My mind was racing for an explanation when I saw him perform One-Handed Poker Deal; I was wondering if it was real magic because intellectually I could not understand it. But even if you don’t plan on using his routines, it is worth reading to see how he thinks. He has a very special mind thats worth looking at. When he describes other people’s sleight like Mike Close’s Spread Control, he changes the handling in such a subtle way. Alright, I got to go. I hope the review was useful.
Strong presentation, readable, reread value, and great illustrations. I must give the book an A+.