Tag: bob sheets

The Classic Force

A couple of decades ago I was at Bob Fitch‘s first performance workshop up in Canada. One of the people there was Bob Sheets. One night at dinner I got to see Bob Sheets do his classic force and he told me his thinking behind that. Sheet’s classic force is the basis of the one that I do. I’ve added some bits to it, like turning cards face up and offering the cards one at a time.

Here’s the second half of my multiple classic force routine:

@louiefoxx Stop taking that! #magictrick #volunteer #magic #fair #countyfair #louiefoxx #cardtrick #stopit ♬ original sound – Louie Foxx

If you don’t know how to do the classic force, you really should learn it. It’s a solid skill to have in your tool box. I initially started learning it when I was a teenager from the book Forcing a Card in the Classical Manner by Paul Gertner. I think he’s got an updated version of it out, but that’s the one that was my first real introduction to the Classic Force.

-Louie

Magician’s Choice….

I think it’s time we need to accept the fact that most kids that know a card trick no longer do the 21 card trick. This is mostly due to YouTube tutorials, and that’s great, that’s one place where YouTube “exposure” has moved magic forward. There’s a lot more variety in what’s kids do now!

The trick above, wasn’t a really good trick. It was a very clunky verbal magician’s choice style force to make me think of a face card, then a very clunky physical magician’s choice force to make me select a card. For a kid that only does one trick, it’s a fine gateway trick to your second trick and they’re actively involved in making the trick work, not just doing math.

A few weeks ago someone had asked in a magician’s social media group about how to practice equivoque, and I used to do a card trick that was inspired by something I saw Bob Sheets do. Basically you are forcing a pile, it’s not too crazy. I haven’t done it in many, many years, but I made a quick video to help that person out.

It’s fun to do and a great way to practice making the decisions feel like actual decisions. Go out and give it a try!

-Louie

Nothing New Under The Sun…

One of the things that frustrates me is when people say that they aren’t creative, or that all the good ideas have been had (for a specific trick). Those are both excuses for being lazy. Creativity takes work, it’s not something that magically pops into your head. Here’s a good example of something new within … Continue reading “Nothing New Under The Sun…”

One of the things that frustrates me is when people say that they aren’t creative, or that all the good ideas have been had (for a specific trick). Those are both excuses for being lazy. Creativity takes work, it’s not something that magically pops into your head.


Here’s a good example of something new within something old. Bob Sheets has a great move he uses in the Three Shell Game. That’s a trick that’s virtually unchanged since it was created. However, Bob created the “Sheets Aquitment” which I think is revolutionary.


Many years ago I came up with a move for the shell game that uses a finger ring:

While not as earthshaking as Bob’s move, it is still something new for the shell game. My advice is to keep plugging away with whatever trick you love and you’ll eventually leave your mark on it!