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Drawing on December 1st, 2024
Details

Price$15.00
Media TypeTrick, Online Instructions, Gimmick(s)
CategoryClose Up
Date AddedJun 20, 2023

My Poker Collection

Martin Braessas

(Based on 2 reviews)
"Finally a packet trick that makes sense. It's easy, practical, and visual. I rarely perform a packet trick but this is an exception!"
- Patrick Kun

From The Mind of Martin Braessas comes My Poker Collection . You show a packet of five 10 of spades and magically one by one start to turn face down. Each card has a different back. But that's not all... when you show them again now they changed into a Royal Flush!

You receive a set of custom designed cards to perform this effect plus a gimmicked card that does the hard work for you.

You can use your own cards if you prefer so. The gimmick will work with any back designed cards you have.

You can use a table or spectator's hands, you can do it live, for your virtual shows or upload it to social media!

Perfect for walkaround, close up and street magic

In the tutorial you will find different handlings and routines. Also you will learn all the details to perform this effect and the theory behind it that makes it so powerful.

Reviews

Elliott Smith

Official Reviewer

Jun 08, 2024

Overview

In this 'Pack Small, Play Big' packet trick, five individually shown 10 of Spades 'magically' transform into a stunning Royal Flush. It's an incredibly visual effect that will leave your spectators baffled and not only scratching their heads and also questioning their own eyesight.

Effect

The Magician shows a packet of five face up 10 of spades then one at a time as they are counted off one by one they turn face down. Each face down 10 of spades is placed down onto the table or your spectators hand. For the finale when the cards are turned over they have now changed into a complete Royal Flush! This packet trick is very visual and mystifying. Depending on your skill level, there are a number of different routines that can be accomplished with these cards.

Method

You receive a set of nicely designed cards with colorful back designs to perform this effect plus a gimmicked card that does the work for you. You will have to already know or learn a certain sleight of hand technique to manipulate the cards. I am sure that most experienced magicians watching the trailer will know what it is. If you want, you can even add the gimmick to any of your own favorite deck of cards no matter their back design to make it more convincing.

Product Quality

The custom cards and gimmick provided are Bicycle quality so with care will last a long time. You will receive a link to the downloadable video tutorial which is just almost 28 minutes. Let’s start with the pros - visual quality is very good and Martin will teach you a variety of handlings and routines. You will also learn a version where you can use the cards in conjunction with your own deck so the backs will all be the same color as the deck you are using. Also, a very nice and useful tip about double sided tape and a marker... Cons - due to Martins accent and him talking a bit quickly, add to that some irritating background music that sometimes overtakes his voice … really! Also for the novice or inexperienced performer who does not know the sleight involved, when watching the first 25+ minutes, you will be completely lost and may give up. Not until 25:36 will you be taught how to do the needed sleight. At that, he only takes just over 2 minutes to teach it. I must mention that Martin says that you will receive 1 card with double sided tape which was not on any of the cards I received. An accidental omission or not? In any case if your does not have it, I’m sure you have or can get some. This taped card is also only used in one of the routines taught.

Ad Copy Integrity

The effect that is depicted in the ad trailer is what you will be able to perform for your spectators, there are no well calculated cuts or edits. The ad copy is also very accurate and true to its testament.

Final Thoughts

It is a very nice effect if you already know the sleight utilized. For those who don’t, I feel the video should have had chapters breaking up the video into well defined segments or at least have shown/taught the sleight at the very beginning. As mentioned, the sleight instruction was only 2 minutes long and he should have spent more time with it. Yes, can you find other sources to learn it but I feel after buying this particular effect it should have included in more depth. So for rating with all my +/- comments I give it a 4.5 for the experienced performer and a 3.5 for the not giving us a 4. Still recommended for the purchase price.

Suggestions

Great for strolling, table hopping and online performances. You will be taught a parlor version in which you will be sitting at a table, please know that angles will be bad as you have to lap some cards.
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Stephan Sloan

Official Reviewer

Aug 11, 2023

Overview

I happen to love packet tricks because are so many advantages to them. First, they take up virtually no space. In addition, they are a great intro to a performance set and contain so much magic in such a small package. Most packet tricks are fixed by design, that is the cards are set up and printed in a way that there really can be only one presentation. My Poker Collection by Martin Braessas not only has all the pluses of a packet trick but has the advantage of being flexible enough to allow three different routines depending on your skill level and presentational style. My Poker Collection is a fusion of Twisting the Aces, NFW and Tommy Wonder’s Tamed Cards.

Effect

You show a collection of yours, which happen to be several 10 of spades. As you cycle through the packet, a card turns face down which is placed on the table. One by one each 10 of spades turns face down and then subsequently placed with its brethren on the table. When all are dealt down they are turned over and instead of five 10 of spades it is a royal flush. This is one of three possible routines that can be performed with My Poker Collection.

Method

The method employs a gimmicked card and a fairly novice sleight called the Elmsley Count. The handling is not much different than many other card tricks of this genre. The gimmicked card is custom made for this trick and cannot be gotten any other way.

Product Quality

The cards are Bicycle playing cards so there are no issues there. The video instructions although thorough, leave a bit to be desired. For most of the instructional video, his voice is a muffled echo which not only makes it hard to hear but the difficulty is compounded because of his accent. If that wasn’t bad enough, he has music playing as well. So not only do you have to suffer through his accent and the echo chamber, but you also have to filter out an incredibly annoying soundtrack which is louder than his speaking voice. I cannot fathom in this day and age why they cannot play the video and see how poor this is before releasing it. One final minor gripe as well, he claims you are provided with double sided tape to use as an option but my set did not come with any. Of course, what self respecting magician does not have double sided tape?

Ad Copy Integrity

The ad copy is accurate and performed as instructed can be a nice effect.
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