Svengali Deck

Type: Close-up, Walk-around, Parlor

Skill Level:

Retail Price: $5.99

Effect: The spectator's selected card is lost in the deck then found in a number of different ways... or, the spectator's selected card placed on the bottom of the deck and rises to the top... or, the entire deck changes to the spectator's card...or...

Performance Time: About 2-5 minutes (or more, depending upon the routine)

Reset Time: None

Angles:

Quality: Most of the Svengali decks on the market are okay. It pretty much depends on which back design you like.

Mike Maione: I'm not wild about Svengali (long and short) decks. In the right hands...a pitch man's for instance...they can be very entertaining, but they are not really very practical for most entertainers because so very many people know the principle that using them for any real presentation is nearly impossible. You find that these cards are very often a magic enthusiast's first deck of "trick" cards, but as soon as he learns some sleights with regular cards they wind up at the bottom of the bag of tricks. I always recommend buying a stripper instead for the beginner.

Dr. Mitch: Why are people still manufacturing this?? I thought we had finally gotten rid of this effect. OKAY..I admit, I had a set of Marshall Brodein's TV MAGIC CARDS....and it is a GOOD thing to start kids out with, but any magician who is using one now, just is not practicing enough with other things. With the exception of the final flourish..""Look, now they're ALL Aces"" everything done by a svengali deck can be duplicated with a regualr deck of cards and a little practice.

M&M Magic Review © 1997