Charles H. Hopkins - Outs, Precautions & Challenges

product description:



This is truly a hidden gem - a lost treasure. Very few know of its existence and you will encounter almost no references to it. When you read this you will ask yourself: "Why isn't this work known by every cardician?" Some of those who have read it value it as much as they value Erdnase. Others would not trade all card books published in the last 10 years for it.
It is an immensely practical work dealing with situations when something goes wrong, or you face difficult spectators. You'll never again be afraid to try out a new trick, even if they literally see what you do, even if they really catch you, you can finish successfully, entertainingly, and leave them baffled.
It is divided into three parts
Outs - what to do when things go wrong
Precautions - avoiding disasters by forethought
Challenges - dealing with spectators that challenge you
If you study this ebook you will never need to be worried that one of your card tricks fails, or a spectator messes it up. You will be prepared for any situation. No problems anymore...ever!

This is a resource every magician, beginner or advanced, pro or amateur, skilled or unskilled, can use to his advantage. On the surface it deals with card magic, but many of the ideas and a lot of the information contained does apply across the spectrum of magic from close-up to stage.
1st edition 1940; original 80 pages; PDF 57 pages.
Table of Contents
page
PREFACE...
Contents
Introduction
- When Asked To Do The Impossible
- School Yourself For All Emergencies
- Experience Still the Best Teacher
PART I: "OUTS"
Chapter 1 - Facing The Music
Whose Fault When Things Go Wrong?
The Psychology of Failure
Use of "Sucker Gag" Technique
Chapter 2 - Organizing For Victory
Secret And Open Outs
When Error Is Still Under Cover
1 - Card correctly identified, but slips out of control.
2 - Identification correct, but placement for climax is wrong.
When Error May Be Visible
3 - Incorrect identification of selected card.
4 - Card lost before identification.
5 - The selector forgets what his card was.
Either You Know You Are Wrong - Or Else . . .
Chapter 3 - Information-Getting Subtleties
This Time You MUST Be Right
Attitudes That Get Co-operation
6 - When they refuse to tell.
7 - For the extreme "hold out."
8 - Use a thumb writer.
9 - Impression methods.
10 - Pencil reading.
11 - Friendly mirrors.
12 - To meet an absolute refusal to tell.
Chapter 4 - Some Handy Sleights
Old Ideas Brought Up To Date; Also, A Few New Ones
13 - The "Top Peek."
14 - Fan Crimp.
15 - The "Deck Crimp."
16 - The "Crimp" as a Locator.
17 - Fan jog.
18 - The quarter-bridge.
19 - Gambler's Bridge.
20 - The "Change" Throw.
Other Useful Standard Sleights.
Chapter 5 - "Outs" To The Rescue
Fit The Weapon To The Needs
Getting Down To Brass Tacks ... And The Selected Card
Quick Switches And Other Fast Closers
21 - Just a gag.
22 - Out-in-the-open changes.
23 - Forced replacement of wrong card.
24 - Using "locators" for "outs."
Methods For Counting And Spelling Effects
25 - The "Pilot Card."
26 - New start from wrong turn-up.
27 - The "220 Count" as an "out."
"Outs" Productions From Pockets And Other Places
28 - In performer's pocket.
29 - Pocket index.
30 - Card in wallet.
31 - Use of spectators for "outs."
32 - The "Eveready Life Saver."
Apparatus Alibis
33 - When force is missed.
First Aid For Feeble Memories
34 - Confusion as to suits and values.
35 - Spectator's mind a complete blank.
PART II: CHALLENGES
Chapter 6 - Taking On All Comers
"Outs" Compared With Challenges
A Word of Caution
Chapter 7 - Before Card Gets Lost In Shuffle
Try To Keep As Much Control As Possible
36 - Controlled returns.
37 - Use of "Locators."
38 - The "Gimmicked Cut."
39 - The "Cut Break."
40 - Estimating the cut.
41 - The "Cut Force."
Astonishing Simplicity
42 - "Blindman's 'Bluff'."
43 - The "220 Count."
44 - Pre-Arrangements.
Chapter 8 - When They "Give You The Works"
How "Plenty of Rein" Trips Them
45 - Look for informal "readers."
46 - Scrapes and nicks.
47 - Daubs.
The Magician's Little Helpers
48 - Secret reflectors.
49 - Wide and narrow decks.
50 - The indexed pocket deck again.
Chapter 9 - Bordering On The Mental
When Information-Getting Becomes Ticklish
They Commit Themselves In Writing
51 - Pencil reading.
52 - Billet switching.
53 - Billet index.
54 - Pad impressions.
55 - Trick notebooks.
56 - A "Case of Hambuggery."
A Prophet In His Own Land
57 - Thumb writers.
Special Decks On Taps
58 - "Brain Wave Deck."
59 - "New Era Instanto Deck."
Chapter 10 - Trickery Conquers All
What Makes Audiences Get That Way
Circumstances That Lead Up To Challenges
Specific Handling of Various Situations
The Heckler ... Ding Bust His Buttons!
For The Intelligent Analyst Type
Troubles Arising Out Of Pure Friendship
More To Come? ... Well, Maybe!

word count: 23501 which is equivalent to 94 standard pages of text