Module 5- Part 4: ‘Pivot.’
Benji
‘Pivot.’
Often, over the course of a memorized deck performance, certain…things…will line up quite nicely in your favor.
Sorry I can’t be more specific.
I hope you understand by now that I’m not being purposefully vague. It’s just that, as with all this stuff, it’s different every time.
(but that’s why it’s so much fun.)
Perhaps the best way of explaining what I mean by a ‘two card revelation’ is with some (entirely fictional) performance stories that serve to illustrate this point nicely.
Story 1:
It was a cold and rainy September morning, and, all things considered, it was a bad day to be a magician.
Douglas had been in ‘The City’ for just over a week, and he was just beginning to realize, with an apprehensive feeling, what a huge gamble he’d taken by flying there with nothing but a deck of cards and the clothes on his back.
As a kid, he’d watched as his friends grew up to be engineers, civil servants, restaurant owners, and otherwise respectable citizens.
But he’d always felt like he was destined for something else entirely.
Broadway. The ‘stage’. His name in lights.
Whatever you call it, he wanted it.
But before he could climb that ladder, he had to put his foot on the rung.
That’s why he’d decided to take this gig, last minute as it was.
The pay was decent, and-
I’m sorry?
What do you mean, you don’t need THAT kind of story?
Alright, alright.
I was just getting to that…
Alright, maybe ‘story’ was the wrong word choice.
I just didn’t want to start talking about ‘examples’ again (trust me, after you write out a few hundred, you start to dislike the word.)
Perhaps ‘case studies’ is the way to go.
Case Study 1:
Douglas is performing at a wedding. The date is 09/23/20. The bride is called Katie, and the groom is called Alexander.
In the first trick, Katie picked the QH.
In the 3rd trick, Alexander picked the JS.
Douglas, being a perceptive magician, makes a mental note of both cards.
Douglas, being a magician that does his homework, knows that the numbers in today’s date add up to 34.
Douglas, being a clever magician, knows that 45 (JS) – 11 (QH) = 34 (today’s date.)
As his closer, Douglas opens a deck of cards that has been in its box in full view the entire time. He deals through the cards face up until he reaches the first card—the Queen of Hearts.
He then talks about the importance of today’s date. A special date in their life. One might say…a magical date.
He then deals 9 cards (09). He then deals 23 cards (23). And finally, 2 cards (20).
The card it lands on is the second selection, the JS, symbolising how today’s date is all about the union between the two of them.
I know I made this up for your benefit, but trust me—stuff like this happens.
And when it does, you need to be ready to make the most of it.
I’m not asking you to DO anything. This isn’t a trick you prepare. The key is to have a mind geared for improvisation and finding patterns.
There’s a term in business that I’d like to borrow for our uses here.
The word is ‘pivot.’
A pivot often happens when a business is operating under one strategy, but decides another strategy is better—and so they switch strategy as fast, and as smoothly, as they can.
Now, while businesses often do this because their old strategy was failing, the stakes aren’t quite so high for us.
However, that attitude of being open to switch strategy based on the circumstances that arise is an essential skill for the memorized deck practitioner.
By pivoting, we can perform effects that are truly unique, personal and ‘one of a kind.’
(which, incidentally, makes pivoting a key component of the musical view. Pivoting is perhaps the number one technique to develop if you want to master the musical view.)
The above effect is a great example of pivoting. No doubt Douglas had some other ‘closer’ planned. But he was smart enough to recognise that the stars had aligned and he could create an effect that would be not only astonishing, but personal.
In doing so, he created a memory that they’ll remember for a very long time.
That’s what pivoting can offer us.
So how do we make sure we’re ready to pivot when the opportunity presents itself?
Perhaps it’s best to follow up on one analogy with another. This is another one I first heard in the business world, although I can’t recall who it was that first shared it.
Speaking as a non-American with a limited understanding of how football works over there, I do know ONE thing for sure:
The more times you can get the ball to the other side, the better.
So as a Running Back, each time you get thrown the ball, your job is to run like heck to get to the touchdown zone.
Most of the time, you’re going to run straight into the opposing team’s defensive line.
But that’s no excuse not to try.
The more times you make that run, the more chances you give yourself to break through.
Because eventually, there’s going to be a gap in the line.
And if you’re constantly running and making the play, you’re going to spot that opportunity, break through and score a touchdown.
But if you gave up after the first few times you tried and got blocked, you never would have been able to capitalise on the opportunity the game gave you.
It’s the same with the memorized deck.
When people pick cards and numbers, it’s like they’ve thrown a ball to you, and in your mind, you need to see if you can run with it. Most of the time, you’re going to hit a wall.
But that’s no excuse not to try.
Because eventually, a gap IS going to open up.
Those cards will be separated by a distance equivalent to their age. One named card is located next to the other after a single faro. The second named card is at a number you can spell to by spelling the first card.
The stars are going to align.
And you’ll score—BIG.
And the best part is—this is purely mental, so you lose nothing by making the play. You can only gain.
And gain you will.
Now, I’m not advocating for you to go in ‘blind.’
American Football managers don’t tell their players to ONLY try one thing. They have strategies and plays available to them that they can rely on. But they HAVE to keep trying for the breakthrough, because when the gap opens up, you have to be ready.
You too have effects and routines ready to go. You have an overall strategy. But you have to keep running at that wall of defenders, because that’s how you breakthrough and win big.
That’s how you PIVOT.
I think that’s enough for now.
We’re going to talk more about the relationships and distances between cards later.
For now, the one word takeaway from this section is simply ‘pivot.’
If you can remember what that means and why it’s important, you should be set for some incredible magic.
Next, let’s talk about poker deals…