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This page contains Opie Houston's recommended study guide for the Assembly 206 Programs in 2005.  Archives of previous years can be found here:  2006  2004 

January -Cody Fisher Lecture  & A Look Back And  Ahead

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February  - Favorite Tricks

So, there are some favorite tricks/routines from the late 1940s.....

For a few years now, I have been collecting "favorites" that have been mentioned on various forums around the internet.  Unfortunately, I have only collected close-up and impromptu effects, but I am listing them with the hope that we all might be inspired to pick a few and make them our new favorites.  (I have provided this list before, but we have a lot of new members who might find it helpful or at least interesting.)

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March  - Las Vegas Magic

I have been told that the best way to practice Las Vegas Magic is NOT to gamble.  Well, I love to dare fate, and Lady Luck is one of my favorite companions.  Wish I had gone with the Assembly 206 group.

Surely,  our delegation to the World Magic Seminar brought back some tips about what's happening in the "glit" city, what are the best shows to see while visiting there, and some new magic routines, learned at the seminar. In the meantime, those of us who stayed home can prepare for the March Las Vegas meeting night by learning a few "gambling-theme" tricks or maybe just playing a little on-line Blackjack.

Check out the links below for some Poker Chip Tricks, a few quickie table/bar tricks, and a place to play Blackjack, which does not bombard you with pop-ups:

http://www.homepokergames.com/chiptricks.php

http://pokerchiptricks.com/2004/09/23/thumb-flip/

http://goodtricks.net/quicktricks.html

http://www.bartricks.com/tricks.shtml

http://hitorstand.net/game_bot_m.html

I hope all the links work for you.  I have had a good time with them.  Just keep in mind a couple of things:  There are no bad tricks, but some need a lot of practice and/or some inventive presentation.  Don't get hooked on any on-line gambling games; the one I have given you is safe to play FREE, and it will improve your Blackjack game, without any chance of loss.  (Do not play for money on line.)

Learn a couple of tricks, with a "gambling" theme/patter, to share at the March  meeting.............opie   

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April - Classic Magic

• http://magicref.tripod.com/books/elliotclassic.htm

• http://magicshopm.com/catalog/thompson.html

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May – Contesting

SAM Assembly 206 is once again sponsoring the Annual Magic Competition, to encourage members to improve their skills and to contribute to the advancement of magic as an art. Hull Youngblood is putting the program together and can be thanked for suggesting the links provided below. So, whether or not you are entering the competition, it should be beneficial for everyone to look over the Rules of the Competition and the criteria by which contestants will be judged.  See (link to page 11 of the February 2005 SAM Sala Bim) for the details.  A brief overview of the judging criteria is provided below:

• Stage Setting – 0 to 10 points:  General appearance, eye appeal, attractiveness, and appropriateness of dress, props, tables, and equipment.
• Stage Presence – 0 to 15 points:  Poise and confidence, intelligible speech, direct and understandable theme.
• Entertainment Value – 0 to 30 points:  Indicated by audience reaction, appreciation, and overall enjoyment.
• Presentation and Overall Performance – 0 to 30 points:  Personality, projection, routining and continuity, professional presentation, and technical ability.
• Originality – 0 to 15 points: Original material, inventive presentation or routining, to include new presentations of standard effects…”something different”.

All members are encouraged to check out some available resources regarding contesting and putting together routines.  As a minimum, you might look at our rules and criteria on page 11 of the February SAM Sala Bim. Once you have an idea of the rules and criteria, check out the Fitzkee Trilogy, for an in-depth study of putting things together:  http://www.angelfire.com/musicals/fitzkee

A very good recap of contesting ideas is on the following web:  http://www.downloadingmagic.com/winning_magic_contests.htm

If you have a lot of time on your hands, look over the posts on the Magic Café, regarding contests. Just keep in mind that many of the posts there are made by inexperienced people, but you may find some interesting topics to think about:  http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewforum.php?forum=48&936

So, to all I wish a happy reading and, to those competing, “Break a leg!!”………opie

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June – Mentalism

Hay’s essay consists of classic mental magic effects/secrets, which he condenses for us from Annemann’s PRACTICAL MENTAL EFFECTS.  (This book is available in a low-cost Dover edition and should be in everyone’s library.)  Here are the classic mental effects/secrets that probably should at least be known by every magician.  Our task should probably be to learn and play around a bit with each one:  (1) Mind Reader, (2) Psychic Slate Test, (3) Extra-Sensory Perception, (4) Stolen Center Ruse/Center Tear, (5) Question and Answer Effects, (6) Stuart Robson’s Newspaper Tear, (7) Sid Lorraine’s Forty Thousand Words Book Test, (8) One-Ahead Reading, (9) A Day of Your Life, (10) More Alive than Dead, (11) A Mentalist with Money, (12) Lyon’s Bill Switch, (13) Dr. Daley’s Slates, (14) The Mystery of the Blackboard, (15) Taps (Spirit Taps).

Well, there you have some recommended research and readings.  Keep in mind that they only scratch the surface of a fairly large field of Mentalism and Mental Magic.  The following is a short list of additional recommended readings for those who wish to make a more in-depth study.   Corinda’s 13 STEPS TO MENTALISM,   T.A. Waters’ Mind Myth & Magick, Maximum Entertainment – Director’s Notes for Magicians and Mentalists by Ken Weber, Paramiracles by Ted Lesslie, and The Mental Mysteries and Other Writings of William W. Larsen, Sr.

On Line, The Learned Pig Project offers many excellent books that you may read free; just sign up for free membership, and enjoy the following Mentalism and Mental Magic books (and about 50 additional general magic books):  Annemann’s 202 METHODS OF FORCING, Annemann’s BURIED TREASURE, Annemann’s CARD MIRACLES, Annemann’s MENTAL MYSTERIES, Abbott’s BEHIND THE SCENES WITH THE MEDIUMS, Read’s ONE-MAN MIND READING SECRETS, Knight’s PRACTICAL MINDREADING, Si Stebbins’ CARD TRICKS, Houdini’s MIRACLE MONGERS AND THEIR METHODS.  Once again, just sign in at the Pig free, and enjoy:

http://thelearnedpig.com.pa/register/forms/form1.html

Thanks to David Luther who helped compile the recommended readings above.  And that  ought to keep you busy…..Until next month……opie

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July – Card Magic

What can be said about card magic that has not already been said?  I asked John DiPalma, our forthcoming moderator for July, what he would like for me to provide in a study guide.  He responded that the post from last year would be fine, so I am posting it as the first link below.  Use the Royal Road to Card Magic checklist there, as a checklist of skills you already have or perhaps to find something you might want to learn.  In addition to last-year’s study guide, I have posted below several additional on-line links to card magic.

• http://austinmagic.org/sam/studyguide2004.html#April
• http://www.online-visions.com/effects/index-cards.html
• http://www.lybrary.com/mlp/itemlist.php?category=move
• http://www.youpie.com/forum/index.php?c=2&sid=22de9a8465e00ebdb305ed4c89c0345d
• http://members.aol.com/MagicDan/docs/trick_index.html#Cards
• http://magicmax.com/freetricks.php3
• http://www.card-magic.com/index/id1.html
• http://web.superb.net/cardtric/sleights/

That should keep you busy for a month, and while you are reading, select one or two effects to share at the meeting….Seriously, perfect ONE really-good card routine to help make John’s program a huge success…

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August – Parlor Magic

Parlor Magic, according to several sources I found, is that magic which is performed in a small group, such as in a living room, a club meeting, or perhaps on a slightly-raised platform. That covers an awful lot of magic, so I decided to ask our projected August Moderator, Bertil Fredstrom, what Parlor Magic is.  His response was that Parlor Magic, is not Close-Up, and it is not Stage Illusions; it is just about everything in between.  Bertil’s task is not in finding material; his task is to put together a program of people who can do the type of stand-up magic that can be done in a living-room kid show or on a trade-show floor.  It will be interesting to see what he plans to do. 

So, that all leaves me with the task of suggesting something to study or do before the Parlor Magic meeting. My first look was at the Table of Contents of the Mark Wilson book for inspiration, and guess what?  There is a chapter, which I have not addressed, called “Make at Home Magic”.  What a good complementary topic that is for a general discussion of Parlor Magic! Make something to put in your show!!!  Further searches produced the following recommended actions/readings:

1.      Read the chapter on “Make at Home Magic” from Mark Wilson’s Complete Course in Magic, pp. 345-389.  Select a trick to make.
2.      Review the lists of tricks in the February 2005 (Favorites) and April 2005 (Classics) guides above, and think about how many could be used at almost ANY venue.  You might want to make a list of a few to consider working on, and you might want to use the list of “effects” from Fitzkee’s Trick Brain to help with your brainstorming:  http://angelfire.com/musicals/fitzkee
3.      If that is not enough for you, check out last year’s study guides on Children’s Magic and Rope, Ring and String Magic.
4.      If you are into Bizarre Magic, you might want to make up some of these effects:  http://www.online-visions.com/effects/index-bizarre.html  (I especially like the Witchboard).
5.      And for the card guys in the Assembly, here is some Stand-Up card juggling that should be of interest:  http://www.geocities.com/mvvenrooij/cardshooting.html#single
6.      And for the Coin Exhibitionists, here is some tough stuff:  http://www.coinmanipulation.com/

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September - Teaching Youth

October – Austin Magic

I am really looking forward to John Maverick’s take on the Austin magic scene.  He and I have touched on some possible topics he may address, but I have an idea that they will not be limited to things that keep Austin weird.   Hints from him are that he might have an answer to what one needs to perform on the streets of Austin and, of course, his personal views of strange and interesting venues of magic.

Not wanting to pre-empt anything special that he might address at the meeting, I thought I would take a look at just two topics and provide what hopefully will be entertaining, if not educational.  Those topics are NOSTALGIA (old comic-book ads, museum pieces, etc.) and some LINKS which offer advice and lessons about various venues of magic.

Many of you are not old enough to remember the 10-cent magic catalog from Douglas Magicland in Dallas. Oh, what a day that was when I sent my dime, carefully taped to the letter requesting all of those miracles. I was about 7 or 8 years old, and I waited impatiently for that catalog……My first order was for a 35-cent Okito Coin Box, which is still one of my favorite “toys”, although I no longer have the original box received….but I digress!  So, let me begin some links with a nostalgic breeze through some comic pages.  Please use the menu on the first link to view other wonderful mysteries, such as a little skeleton which rises out of one’s pocket, climbs up one’s arm, and…well….you know…..Also, please do enjoy a run through the other nostalgic posts:

November - New Member Nite

It already looks like Hull Youngblood is lining up a good program of "new members" to perform at the next SAM meeting.  I asked him and Doc Seaton what I might contribute, and they agreed that we need a sort of new-member orientation checklist.  Something Doc said prompted me to think  that our orientation might also include something to get new members to help in recruiting other new members.  That prompted the question of, "Just who is to be considered a new member?"

Since we are about to complete a survey that will help the board to plan activities and themes for next year, let us just take a look at what we ALL might do, to either orient or re-orient US about how we might help ourselves and the Assembly to improve and grow.
You might want to take another look at the list of Magic Club Meeting Ideas, which was posted on our Yahoo SAM 206 Group.  (If you have trouble logging into it, see item 4 below; then just look for message #591):  http://groups.yahoo.com/SAM206/message/591

The checklist below is not at all inclusive of everything we might do, but it hits the highlights of everything we probably should do, as part of our on-going training, and the Board promises that training and grooming will be the main goals for next year.

1. Bring in a new member and help orient him/her, regarding the following items.  Oh, and do not overlook the fact that we have an SYM group, which can use members and help.

2. Look over or review the Assembly Study Guide at:  http://austinmagic.org/sam/studyguide.html

3. As a minimum, obtain a basic study text, such as Wilson's Complete Course in Magic.  Other helpful recommended books and other materials are on the study guide.

4. Contact our webmaster, and get signed up for the SAM 206 Yahoo Discussion Group.  Unless you are a member of that group, you may miss  Assembly notices and important news items.  See or contact Chris Walden:  chris@waldenmagic.com

5. Assess your knowledge and skills, and set some learning goals.  Use the Assembly planned-monthly- program themes as resources for study, and do contribute to the monthly programs.  VOLUNTEER to be on the programs, especially on those, about which you may have special knowledge or skills.

6. Send Opie Houston any new-found links to free magic essays and tricks (by theme) on the internet, so that he can add them to the study guide.  (I always try to send out a compiled list as a Christmas present in December, so any contributions that you do not see on the study guide would be appreciated for that list and/or future study guides.)

7. Be a GREAT SAM member by attending all meetings; by bringing in prospective members; by grooming yourself and other members to be better performers; by attending lectures and other Assembly-sponsored activities; and by contributing ideas and help in the planning and implementation of Assembly programs and activities.

8. <><>Finally, do participate in new-member orientation activities and do become a mentor in those areas where you might help.
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Here are some on-line sites where I have enjoyed spending some time lately.  The Stevens site is really outstanding, since it has some FREE essays and tricks by some really great people.  The Deceptionary is a good read for those interested in mentalism.  Finally, the Superhandz site contains some of the most amazing videos of pen/wand spinning and card handling that I have ever seen.  These should keep you busy for a while, whether you are a "new member" or not:

• http://www.stevensmagic.com/gemini/index.htm
• http://www.deceptionary.com/
• http://superhandz.com/videos.html

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December 2005 - BOBO STUDY GUIDE

This is a general study guide of Bobo's MODERN COIN MAGIC.  The book, reprinted in paperback by Dover Press, is available from most book stores, for less than $10.00 and is considered to be the basic manual of coin work.

OBJECTIVE:  Participants will learn selected sleights and tricks from Bobo's classic.  The selected readings, of course, are subjective and represent what I consider to be the essentials. The more-serious student of magic may want to seek supplemental sources of material related to his or her own interests.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN:  Dig out or order a paper-back copy of Bobo's MODERN COIN MAGIC (Dover).  I recommend an inexpensive paperback so you can jot notes in the margins and underline key passages.
     Gather the following materials to start:  A few American half-dollar-size coins; a few American dollar-size coins; two half-dollar size copper coins; other assorted coins; and a handkerchief.

WEEK ONE – Basics

1. Read the Preface, Braun's Introduction, Acknowledgments, and the Prologue.
2. Skim Chapters 1 and 2.  Read every word, and do not stop reading to try some of the sleights.  It is very important that you understand Bobo's theories and philosophy, before you tackle the hard stuff.
3. Review Chapter 1, Coin Concealments, and practice all the sleights, with emphasis on the following:
   1. Classic Palm
   2. Edge Palm
   3. Downs Palm
   4. Finger Palm.

(NOTE:  Give the various Clips and Front/Back Palms a look, but concentrate on the sleights listed above.  Carry a coin at all times for practice.)

4. Review Chapter II, Basic Technique, and learn the following techniques:
   1. Bobo Switch
   2. Utility Switch
   3. Click Pass
   4. Bottom Steal
   5. "Fumble" suggestions.

TEST YOURSELF ON CHAPTERS 1 & 2

WEEKS II & III - More Basics

1. Read Chapter III, Coin Vanishes.  Read every word before beginning a re-read and emphasis of the following effects:
   1. a.  Standard Vanish
   2. b.  Thumb Palm Vanish
   3. Illusive Coin Pass
   4. A Coin Vanish
   5. Gone
   6. Flyaway Coin
   7. Vanish for Several Coins.

(NOTE:  Play around with all the material in the Chapter, but concentrate most of your efforts on the items listed above and the basics from the previous chapters.)

2. Read Chapter IV only after your have at least a working knowledge of the material in the first three chapters.

(NOTE:  If, at the end of three weeks, you have not gained a working knowledge of Chapters 1 through 3, it would probably be best to continue practice and review of those chapters.  But, do not become frustrated, because all of us have or have had problems with some of the material.  JUST PLAY WITH IT.  It is not life-essential material, but it does form the important basic foundation for more advanced coin work.)

TEST YOURSELF ON CHAPTERS I – III

WEEKS IV & V - Putting it Together

1. Read Chapters IV, V, and XVI.  Wow!  There is a lot there, isn't there?  And we haven't even scratched the surface yet.  So, it is time to start putting it together, so to speak, and begin tailoring our own performances, complete with compatible routining and personalized patter.  But, before we do that, let us do a little self appraisal.

2. Rate yourself on the following more-or-less desired skills, using three grading levels:  Excellent, Good, Needs Work.  Make a list of the "Needs Work" items and practice them before proceding to the next week's level.
   1. Chap I, Coin Concealments:  Classic Palm, Edge Palm, Thumb Palm, Finger Palm.
   2. Chap II, Basic Technique:  Bobo Switch, Utility Switch, One Hand Switch, Click Pass, Bottom Steal, "Fumbles"
   3. Chap III, Coin Vanishes:  Standard Vanish, Simple Vanish, Thumb Palm Vanish, Illusive Coin Pass, A Coin Vanish, Pinch Vanish, Gone, Flyaway Coin, French Drop, Handkerchief Coin Vanish, Vanish for Several Coins.

3. Using all the knowledge you know and information from Chapters I through V and Chapter XVI, put together a Single-Coin Routine, using the first three suggested routines in Chapter XVI.  If you do not know the effects suggested in those routines, look them up or substitute an effect you already know.

(NOTE:  When you have organized and perfected a good Walkaround/Standup routine, per 3 above, you will be ready to proceed to the Conquering Bobo Checklist which will take you to the remainder of the text.)

CONQUERING BOBO

1. If you have completed the "Weeks IV & V", you are ready to plan your own personalized advanced study through the remainder of the Bobo text.  This checklist will assist you by suggesting some short cuts, and, most importantly, it will point toward the classic coin tricks you should know.

2. Week VI -
   1. Read Chapters VI and VII.
   2. Play around with the material in those chapters.
3. Weeks VII and VIII -
   1. Read Chapter VIII.
   2. Spend two weeks on this Chapter, and, as a minimum, learn four effects.  (Some may require you to visit a magic shop.)
4. Week IX and X -
   1. Read Chapter IX.
   2. Spend at least two weeks on this chapter and learn at least three of these classics.
5. Week XI -
   1. Read the remaining chapters that you have not read.  JUST READ!
   2. Now, go back and make a list of effects you wish to learn from those new chapters.
6. Week XII - and forever thereafter...
   1. Begin on page 1 and Re-Read the whole book.  Stop and play whenever you like.
   2. While you are playing, however, make a list of the tricks you really like, and play around with different patter/presentations of each one.

That is the secret to learning magic----constant evaluation and improvement... opie

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