Price$10.00
Media TypeVideo Download
CategoryClose Up
Date AddedJul 27, 2014
Blind Square
Bizau, Cristian
(Based on 3 reviews)
The Blind Square download not only teaches the core move, but also teaches two transposition effects in 25 minutes of clear instruction. Blind Square can be done with any borrowed deck of cards and will be an immensely useful part of your arsenal. Learn it today!
Reviews
(Top ▲)
The Artist
Bizau Christian is a young move monkey. He has put out a small handful of amazing material using just a deck of cards and 2 well practiced hands. His contributions are always quick and succinct with a clear direct effect. This control fits that exact description.
The Blind Square Top Control
A card is out jogged, shown and pushed in, without any apparent movement the card apears on the top of the deck. The mechanics aren’t extremely difficult to execute but the movement is fairly bold and a bit angle sensitive. The steller part of this is that you can leave the card outjogged until the last possible moment, giving the illusion that there card was visible, in the middle of the deck the entire time.
Transpo #1
This is a transposition using the top control. A card is out jogged and it trades places with the top card. This control allows you to really prove the conditions and there is no flourishy movement making it change. It really looks hands off.
He shows you how to perform this face up as well. It looks great but requires just a little more setup and clean-up. The only thing that I disliked about this is that there was no performance, live or in studio of either version of the transpo. He jumped right into the explanation.
Bottom Control
The selection is out jogged, the cards are spread in the hands and the selection is controlled to the bottom of the deck. This is more difficult than the top control, it is pretty good on angles and in my opinion is less deceptive.
Transpo #2
This is tough. A selection is made, it is lost in the middle face up. A second selection is made and it is placed on the bottom face up. The magician performs a waterfall flourish and the cards transpose.
This is a flourishy transpo that mixes the bottom control with a way to control a card to a random location in the middle of the deck. There are some angle considerations here but I have to give Biz kudos for creativity. Here too there was no performance for the camera, just explanation.
Applications
He explains that through the bottom control you can control the card to any position in the deck. He shows you how to use one card to find another. He shows a visual elevator sequence where and outjogged card falls visually through the deck, similar to Raise Rise. My Favorite application was that you could have a card selected and returned into the same position that it came from. For this he explains that the deck would be in new deck order they would take a card out and insert it, signed, face-up, into the deck. You could then show that they placed their card in exactly the right spot to complete the new deck order.
Combining
He explains exactly how to perform both controls at the same time. He has 2 selections made and is able to control one to the top and one to the bottom. The way that it is structured you are performing the controls separately one after another, as a spectator though it looks like both happen at the same time. This is an interesting idea.
Overall
I love Bizau’s work. I like that there were a handful of ideas for routines and ways to make the sleight seem bigger than it is, I only wish there was more performance footage. As far as a move, it looks very fair, it could play very big because once you have performed the move it looks to all the world like it is in the middle of the deck. The only 2 things that harm its versatility is its difficulty, which is moderate, and it’s angle sensitivity.
Bizau Christian is a young move monkey. He has put out a small handful of amazing material using just a deck of cards and 2 well practiced hands. His contributions are always quick and succinct with a clear direct effect. This control fits that exact description.
The Blind Square Top Control
A card is out jogged, shown and pushed in, without any apparent movement the card apears on the top of the deck. The mechanics aren’t extremely difficult to execute but the movement is fairly bold and a bit angle sensitive. The steller part of this is that you can leave the card outjogged until the last possible moment, giving the illusion that there card was visible, in the middle of the deck the entire time.
Transpo #1
This is a transposition using the top control. A card is out jogged and it trades places with the top card. This control allows you to really prove the conditions and there is no flourishy movement making it change. It really looks hands off.
He shows you how to perform this face up as well. It looks great but requires just a little more setup and clean-up. The only thing that I disliked about this is that there was no performance, live or in studio of either version of the transpo. He jumped right into the explanation.
Bottom Control
The selection is out jogged, the cards are spread in the hands and the selection is controlled to the bottom of the deck. This is more difficult than the top control, it is pretty good on angles and in my opinion is less deceptive.
Transpo #2
This is tough. A selection is made, it is lost in the middle face up. A second selection is made and it is placed on the bottom face up. The magician performs a waterfall flourish and the cards transpose.
This is a flourishy transpo that mixes the bottom control with a way to control a card to a random location in the middle of the deck. There are some angle considerations here but I have to give Biz kudos for creativity. Here too there was no performance for the camera, just explanation.
Applications
He explains that through the bottom control you can control the card to any position in the deck. He shows you how to use one card to find another. He shows a visual elevator sequence where and outjogged card falls visually through the deck, similar to Raise Rise. My Favorite application was that you could have a card selected and returned into the same position that it came from. For this he explains that the deck would be in new deck order they would take a card out and insert it, signed, face-up, into the deck. You could then show that they placed their card in exactly the right spot to complete the new deck order.
Combining
He explains exactly how to perform both controls at the same time. He has 2 selections made and is able to control one to the top and one to the bottom. The way that it is structured you are performing the controls separately one after another, as a spectator though it looks like both happen at the same time. This is an interesting idea.
Overall
I love Bizau’s work. I like that there were a handful of ideas for routines and ways to make the sleight seem bigger than it is, I only wish there was more performance footage. As far as a move, it looks very fair, it could play very big because once you have performed the move it looks to all the world like it is in the middle of the deck. The only 2 things that harm its versatility is its difficulty, which is moderate, and it’s angle sensitivity.
(Top ▲)
REVIEW: Cristian shows two great controls, one top control and one bottom control. These controls are very versatile, and he teaches different variations, including how to control the card to a specific positions, such as second from the bottom. This is done very easily.
This could be a very nice addition to other controls you may already do, such as the pass. I personally don’t care to learn every single way to control a card. I plan to make this one of about three “go to” card controls. What I like about it is the move is done in the action of very cleanly showing their card is indeed in the middle of the deck. In addition, the move involves bringing the cards up to face level as opposed to the pass with is done with the cards held down. This makes this a very nice addition to other controls you may already use.
In addition, he teaches some very powerful applications for these controls. For example, a selected card is lost into the middle of the deck. A “finder” card is inserted face up toward the top of the deck. Using the blind square control, you make the finder card appear to travel down the deck until it is face to face with their selected card.
In another routine, he combines the blind square control with a couple other methods in a very visual routine that has their selection changing places with an indifferent card. One moves to the middle and turns upside down and the other to the bottom of the deck.
CAUTION: When I first watched Cristian demonstrate and explain the top control, it looked like the move would be extremely angle sensitive. However, I then tried the move in front of a mirror, looking at it from several angles. I found that I could easily hold my hands in a natural position that covered the move from a wide angle of people in front of me. So, if you read that this is angle sensitive on some magic forum, it might be that they haven’t actually tried the moves themselves.
VERDICT: Great instruction on a very nice control you may want to add you your short list of two or three "go to" controls.
This could be a very nice addition to other controls you may already do, such as the pass. I personally don’t care to learn every single way to control a card. I plan to make this one of about three “go to” card controls. What I like about it is the move is done in the action of very cleanly showing their card is indeed in the middle of the deck. In addition, the move involves bringing the cards up to face level as opposed to the pass with is done with the cards held down. This makes this a very nice addition to other controls you may already use.
In addition, he teaches some very powerful applications for these controls. For example, a selected card is lost into the middle of the deck. A “finder” card is inserted face up toward the top of the deck. Using the blind square control, you make the finder card appear to travel down the deck until it is face to face with their selected card.
In another routine, he combines the blind square control with a couple other methods in a very visual routine that has their selection changing places with an indifferent card. One moves to the middle and turns upside down and the other to the bottom of the deck.
CAUTION: When I first watched Cristian demonstrate and explain the top control, it looked like the move would be extremely angle sensitive. However, I then tried the move in front of a mirror, looking at it from several angles. I found that I could easily hold my hands in a natural position that covered the move from a wide angle of people in front of me. So, if you read that this is angle sensitive on some magic forum, it might be that they haven’t actually tried the moves themselves.
VERDICT: Great instruction on a very nice control you may want to add you your short list of two or three "go to" controls.
(Top ▲)
Blind Square is Romanian Magician Bizau “Biz’” Cristian’s 21 minute download that teaches both a top control and a bottom control move of any card that is placed in the middle of the deck. Neither move is particularly difficult to perform and when mastered the moves quickly and directly transport a card to either the top or bottom of the deck. This can be done with any deck with no preparation.
The theory behind this method of moving the card from the middle to the top is not new so the ad copy claim that this is “fresh from the mind of Bizau Cristian” may be a bit of puffing. In any event, the application of the method is executed in a somewhat different way than it is normally used, but I cannot say more without revealing the method. The download also teaches a few tricks with the moves, including two good card transpositions.
The video is shot with only the performer’s point of view only and the moves are never displayed from the spectator’s point of view. This is a drawback to this video since instructional videos should not only have the performer’s POV, but should also have at least a few demonstrations of the move from the spectator’s POV. Also, the audio on the video is not top quality.
Both moves have angle issues and if you choose to use them, your audience should be positioned directly in front of you. If the spectators are on your sides, these moves may be exposed. However, the moves are so quick and fluid that they will impress any audience. Although the download itself does not show a demonstration, the promotional video does.
Anyone looking for a direct and quick download that teaches a top and bottom control move will not be disappointed after purchasing this $10 download.
The theory behind this method of moving the card from the middle to the top is not new so the ad copy claim that this is “fresh from the mind of Bizau Cristian” may be a bit of puffing. In any event, the application of the method is executed in a somewhat different way than it is normally used, but I cannot say more without revealing the method. The download also teaches a few tricks with the moves, including two good card transpositions.
The video is shot with only the performer’s point of view only and the moves are never displayed from the spectator’s point of view. This is a drawback to this video since instructional videos should not only have the performer’s POV, but should also have at least a few demonstrations of the move from the spectator’s POV. Also, the audio on the video is not top quality.
Both moves have angle issues and if you choose to use them, your audience should be positioned directly in front of you. If the spectators are on your sides, these moves may be exposed. However, the moves are so quick and fluid that they will impress any audience. Although the download itself does not show a demonstration, the promotional video does.
Anyone looking for a direct and quick download that teaches a top and bottom control move will not be disappointed after purchasing this $10 download.