Card Magic

The Ambitious Card is visual, impossible, and engaging. It breaks the old “never repeat a trick” rule—in fact, it becomes stronger when repeated, especially as the conditions become more stringent along the way.

This book teaches Scott's Ambitious Card routine (no surprise there, eh?). He explains not only what he does, but why he does it--why each phase goes where it does, etc. A lot of you will be adding the finale to your own routines. It’s free, quickly constructed, easy to use, and it creates the same illusion as some pretty expensive marketed gaffs. It is also much cleaner and easier to ring in and ring out than those marketed items.

Great Scott's Ambitious Card routine is strong, with plenty of variety and audience involvement. It builds as it progresses, culminating in a powerful finale that is sure to garner applause and repeat bookings!

37 pages, 39 photos

Only $10!

This is a wonderful routine. It gets everyone involved which is really important for me when doing table hopping. Scott even explains the best way to have the person select their card. It has 7 phases to it and each one is cooler than the last. It ends with a totally impossible Houdini-esque rise to the top where the spectator removes their card. I loved phases 3, 4 and 5, which are immediately going into my routine. Thanks Scott, for another fun and amazing piece. - Alec "Slyhand" Negri

If you're a fan of the Oil & Water Plot, feast your eyes on this release, containing three takes on Oil & Water!

Ed Marlo's Oil & Water plot is a modern classic of card magic, and contrary to what some magicians say, the effect can absolutely ROCK laymen!

Great Scott's Oil & Water Routines is a 43-page ebook with 49 photos, in which Scott teaches the following in his famously clear writing style:

1. ELMER'S SOW - A very simple yet very magical and clean one-phase routine.

2. SIMON'S COW - An exceptionally clean and convincing O&W routine.

3. THE "X" ON VAL DEES - A much more technically demanding but mind-blowing multi-phase O&W, this one has it all! A strong magical build to a powerful conclusion that will fry their brains!

In addition, Scott teaches a very old, very bold swindle that, when used with discretion, makes a great final phase to an O&W routine. And of course, he also gives you everything you need in the way of sleight explanations, along with his now-famous sleight index.

Get this ebook today, and you'll be wowing them in no time!

Only $15.00

The “X” on VAL DEES by Scott Guinn is an excellent oil and water routine. It’s a three part routine and you can do any part separately or combine them. Very visual magic! - Leo Reynolds, Jr

The 1st installment of the "Sit-Down card Magic" Series, "Quicker than the Eye!" is Scott's award-winning card to purse routine, with his full, professional script!

"The hand is quicker than the eye." This old axiom is still widely believed to be true, and most people associate it with magicians. In "Quicker than the Eye!", you offer to prove this expression is true in a contest with the participant. You put up money (in the form of a silver dollar in a coin purse) that the participant gets if you lose, but you keep if you win. You fail to provide the proof, so the participant gets the dollar. But when she opens the purse to get her winnings, instead of a dollar there is a folded playing card--HER SIGNED card! PROVING that the hand is, indeed, "Quicker than the Eye!"

This routine helped garner Scott a first place prize in the close up competition at a magic convention in 1996. It is strong, engaging, funny, and magical, and Scott gives you every detail, including the motivation behind the structure, some alternate handlings, and his complete, entertaining script!

Like all of Scott's ebooks, this one is clearly written with lots of accompanying photos.

All for a pittance of ten dollars!

Jean Boucher's "The Dark Card" is one of the greatest utility card gimmicks ever--you can do MIRACLES with it! In Dark Thoughts, Scott teaches seven incredible routines using the Dark Card.

PART ONE: ALONE WITH THE DARK

• Olympic Champion: Two spectators' signed cards (with different colored backs) transpose!


• Red & Blue Times Two: The Alex Elmsley classic, with an impossible instant repeat!


• The Legend of Scott Star:
A tale of the Old West, with lawmen, card cheats, killers, and a hangin' judge. There is magic all the way, including a poker deal, and a finish that they never see coming that leaves them in shock!

• Dark Shellshock: After Scott did this for a lady at a restaurant, she asked to keep her signed card and then put it in her wallet--OVER HER ONLY SON'S PHOTO!


• Dark Mirage: A blue-backed card is shown in your wallet. Your participant selects a card from a red-backed deck and signs its face. This card is lost in the deck. The blue card is removed from the wallet and turned face up--it is the signed selection!


• Dark Mystery and The Emergency Card:
Two routines featuring a signed card to impossible location--plus, the back color of the selection changes!

What do you get when you mix Red Hot Mama with a killer presentational twist and a powerful finish! A great card routine, that's what--Scott's most performed card routine! "The Guinn Touch" to this Al Leech classic means an audience-pleasing presentation, motivated moves, and ease of performance with a complete script. Everything you need to put this signature piece from Scott's professional repertoire into yours!

22 pages, 18 photos, sleights fully explained.

Level: Intermediate

"I am adding your version of the 'Chicago Opener' (Red Hot Mama's Lips) to my bag of tricks. There is NO DOUBT in my mind that this is playing BIG-TIME for you--this is one heck of a trick! YOUR version is OUTSTANDING! It is now in my repertoire." - John Luka

"Red Hot Mama's Lips is a very powerful card effect.This one has it all, a selected card's back changes color, transposition of two chosen cards, and a great kicker ending that leaves your spectator with a great souvenir. This is a great routine--it allows for lots of spectator participation, lets you put tons of your personality into it, and has some seriously strong visual magical moments. It gives you those 'magic snapshots' that all good close-up effects have. What I mean by that is there are several moments in the routine that if you snapped a photo with a camera, you would capture the visual magic perfectly. When you have those moments in an effect, the minds of your spectators mentally snap those photos, creating a strong memory of the effect they just saw. Well done Scott!" - Hank Morfin

Dai Vernon's "The Travelers" plot has always been one of Scott's favorites. In this eBook, Scott has compiled several of his streamlined handlings for this plot. All of them are very easy to do, and one of them is almost self-working!

In addition, Scott has included "A Visit to Boise," a routine inspired by Larry Jennings' "The Visitor" that makes a great follow-up to "The Idaho Travelers" (the first routine in the book, and performed in the video below). This book ends with "Sun Valley Serenade," Scott's super-easy handling of Jack Carpenter's "Multiplex Reset."

5 routines, 50 pages, with 52 photos

Level: Intermediate




"Idaho Travelers" is a GREAT routine that plays very strongly. - Paul Preston

Scott's "Idaho Travelers" is a masterpiece of construction, with every move motivated, and with the work done before the audience knows what the effect is, featuring 4 cards to 4 pockets with so little work. - Darrin Cook

“Wild Card” is an icon of card magic. Most close up magicians have purchased some version of it somewhere along the way in their journey through magic. And yet, you almost never see it performed. Why? It can’t be because it is “hackneyed”--as just stated, one almost never sees it performed, so how could that be the case?

Flip Hallema said it best:

“Most Wild Card routines are nice to do for magicians, but too drawn out for a genuine party-audience; too much repetition of the same move, slow tempo, and no climax, while the trick cries for [a] crescendo. In my opinion, [it] should build several little effects into an applause getting climax.”

“McCall of the Wild” is Scott’s refreshing take on this old chestnut. It is easy to do, you start and end clean, it moves quickly, it has an obvious “build”, and it ends in a definite applause-getting climax--usually, THUNDEROUS applause!

Here is a bare-bones description of McCall of the Wild's effect:

Your spectator has a free choice of any number from 1-52. She deals down to that number in the deck, and that is the card that is used. You introduce a packet of eight jokers. Her card is put in the middle of the packet. Before you know it, the whole packet is now composed of duplicates of her selected card--not a joker in sight! There is one more kicker (you'll have to buy the routine), and then you leave the packet with your participant as a gift, making a gasp-getting routine that much more memorable!

As Michael Ammar has said, some of the very strongest magic is to alter something and then leave it with the spectator in its permanently altered state. This routine does just that, in spades!

Clearly explained in Scott’s now-famous easy to understand and conversational writing style, with plenty of clear photos to help you along, you’ll add this to your repertoire in no time. And your audiences will be begging you to see it!

At only ten clams for this beauty, it's a tremendous value. Do this one effect at an interview, and you're virtually assured of getting the gig! You’re in for a treat!

4 cards turn face up one at a time, then all at once, and then magically... each of the four cards has a different back!

This is a powerful, professional routine that builds to a mind-blowing climax. Written in Scott's crystal clear, conversational style, this is a 12 page manuscript with 15 photos.

Level: Easy

To see a video clip of Treasure Valley Twist performed by Scott, click play below:

This is the 10-card poker deal that is getting raves from the magic community. This routine is lots of fun, has a strong presentation, and it takes the "sting" out of things for the audience participant.

Scott's full professional script is included. This is a very funny, entertaining routine that will endear you to the audience and make the participant look like a hero. EVERYBODY wins! 15 pages of Scott's now famous crystal clear instruction, complete with the thinking behind the routine.

Yep, this is definitely a real winner!


Level: EASY!

Dear Scott, Thank you very much for your "World's Worst 10 Card Poker Deal"! At once you impressed me with your mature handling of the Jonah Card, and naturally with your "world’s worst card player" plot, to which I completely agree! So you leave the spectator(s) with a pleasurable feeling. Your routine reveals your wide experience in dealing with spectators, no wonder, as a successful pro. Thanks again for this performance suggestion, which I really will use, in particular as I like to work with Jumbo cards. Kindest regards, Reinhard - Reinhard Mueller


Scott's is the best routine I have found to make the spec the winner. I have a few different versions but I will be using Scott's. It also handles problems like who shuffles and mixes, etc. I like it. It's nice because you allow the spec to win--even when you win you lose! - John Cesta

I purchased Scott Guinn's routine. Very nice. I like it. It makes the spectator the winner, and is all around entertaining. Great deal! Thanks Scott! - rowdymagi5 (The Magic Cafe)

Very nice, well scripted routine that can be used with just about any 10 card handling you like. - David VanVranken

Guys, take a look at this routine by Scott F. Guinn. A great routine, excellent. He didn't really need to but he even took the time to go over the method and not just the presentation. Value for money = Excellent. Actual content = Awesome. For an entertaining and fair routine check this out. - Peter David Harrison

I too got Scott's version and think it's great. I highly recommend it. - Paul Churken

I got Scott's routine for Ten Card Poker deal. It's a nice touch on getting out of making the spectator the loser. It's easy to track the Jonah and there's lots of room to add more phases if you'd like. It's a pretty good deal for the price. - Greg Arce

I love this trick. It's simple, entertaining and most of all it takes the sting out of some magic performances. I have never liked the "magic boy never loses" idea. If you are an arrogant, pompas pain in ass type performer (and sadly none of you know who you are) you should pass on this one. But, if you enjoy entertaining people and making them feel like they would like to see more of your tricks then this is the perfect effect. - Brett Bauscher

I think every magician should read this. All too often our magic is about ego gratification. A problem is that we carry this into plots, particularly game plots, where we win and the spectator loses. Face it, the game is rigged in our favor. I think Great Scott asks a vital question, "Can you laugh at yourself?" If the answer is yes, you just might transform some of your routines into powerhouses, like Scott's effortless, engaging, packs-small-plays-big 10 Card Poker Deal. - Darrin Cook

"The World's WORST Card Player" is very nicely done. It's been revamped and at a steal for a great take on the 10 Card Poker deal. This is not difficult at all and plays big and is very interactive. It's a wonderful effect, very entertaining and quite easy to do, and with it you really can't lose. I'm mostly a coin guy but Scott's brilliance with a variety of close-up magic is addicting and gets me every time to increase my repetoire. I highly recommend this. Man, it's just 10 cards but so much more. - Marion Boykin

I am really enjoying TWWCP. It's made for laughs and you get them. I do it table-hopping, and I bet them a One Million Dollar bill to their bill. More Guinn goodness. - Alec Negri

I had to check this out. I usually stay away from these kinds of routines, they feel flat to me, but I love Scott's magic so I had to check it out and for $7.50 it's hard to pass up. Anyway, what I really like about this is how you make yourself the loser and not the spectator. You have tons of jokes just in that concept, but if you can't think of any, no big deal because Scott gives you his script with the routine. BONUS! That way you can start right away and try this out and see how it works for you, then start changing the script as you get more comfortable with the routine. Having a script in my mind is the biggest help and worth every penny spent. Plus this routine gives you plenty of time to get to know your audience better, interact and just have fun. To make a long story short I've come to the dark side--I have never done this type of routine, but will now. This routine is low stress, you don't have to worry about any sleights, just sit back and enjoy the ride. It's a keeper. - Tim Feher

Fifteen of Scott F. Guinn’s best card effects from his out of print books, edited, expanded, and updated. Unique plots and twisted classics, all audience tested in the real world!


BOXING A JOKER
OPEN FLIPPIN’ PREDICTION
A COUPLE OF BANDITS
RANSOMED BACK
WHAT THE DEVIL
WHAT IN THE WORLD
FACE-OFF
KINGS’ NITE OUT
UNPREDICTABLE
WAKE ME AT TEN
BACK TO THE FUTURE
UNIVERSAL APPEAL (performed in video below)
COLOR MY WORLD
A TRIUMPH IN PLASTIC

As always, profusely photo-illustrated, written in the clear, conversational style Scott is known for. A Steal at only $22.50!

"If you want real workable routines that play strong for both magicians and lay people, this is the best of the best, picked from all of Scotts now Out Of Print manuscripts. You won't go wrong with My Best to You, Volume 1: Cards by Scott Guinn." - Jeff Pierce


"This is a book by a professional offering real material, practical magic in real life situations. Every effect and every patter is written to get an extremely strong magical (not skill) impact. All the presentations are audience-oriented rather than performer-complacent. This reminds me of the magic I loved from late masters like Tommy Wonder or Fred Kaps and I sometimes found the script possibly superior to such masters. Don't hesitate; buy it!" - Etienne Lorenceau (Lawrence O)

Scott has been holding this close to the vest for more than a decade. A small part of his do-it-yourself marked deck system was published in his long out of print book "Never Miss a Trick," but in this manuscript Scott gives you the full meal deal, explaining the entire system. Along with instructions on how to make up your own decks (in just minutes!), Scott gives you memory hooks to make learning the system as quick and painless as possible. Then he gets into the routines--and what routines they are! Killer routines that will slaughter your audience! Stuff that seems absolutely impossible and will leave them gasping for air in a heap! FOURTEEN routines ranging from mentalism to locations to gambling themes. ALL usable, doable, and POWERFUL!


Don't delay! Get Marked for Death today, and you'll have all the other magicians on your block in your sights! Only $20!

Level: Easy-Intermediate

"For those of you who use marked decks of any kind, you owe it to yourself to pick this up. Not only is Scott's marking system very easy and clever, his discussion on marking cards and different types of card backs will help you realize many variations & possibilities on marking cards and marked decks in general. If you don't work with marked decks, I would still suggest picking this up. His discussion on "natural one-way" principals of standard decks (along with some of the effects that use the one-way principle, like "Slaughter at the Border"), is worth the price of the E-Book. This is some great thinking and knowledge to add to your Magic Arsenal. This book is worth way more than the asking price and is absolutely worth adding to your library. Nice job Scott!" - Hank Morfin

""Marked for Death" is 10/10 + 10/10. The first 10/10 is for a top notch book with outstanding killer effects; the second 10/10 is for opening a whole new horizon in card magic by taking me away from my narrow thinking about card marking and being a catalyst for generating a load of new ideas & effects with different combinations and systems of card markings. This book is much more than a book with tricks using a marked deck.“ - George Marczewski

NEW

Are you tired of the same old card tricks? You know what I mean...


“OK, I’ll deal down three rows of seven cards each, and you just tell me which row contains your card...”

or...

“Was this your card? No? How about THIS one?”

or maybe...

“Now, the fifth way I’ll find the four aces is...”

or even...

“Look! For the 22nd time, your card has risen to the top of the deck!”


Sometimes it’s good to get off the beaten path.
Sometimes, you just want to do something different.
Sometimes, you want to take a deck of cards and perform some routines that are not your ordinary card tricks!

Maybe a little something like this:

A blue-backed selection transposes, both face AND back, with a red-backed joker!

or...

A tale of a deadly poker game in the Old West comes true, as the participant’s signed selection turns out to have a bullet hole through its heart and a wanted poster on its back!

or maybe...

The events from the motion picture “The Fly” occur in real-life and in goosebumps-raising detail with a pack of cards!

or even...

The existence of a parallel universe is proven, by demonstrating that whatever happens in a small packet of cards also happens in the rest of the deck, even though it has been sitting in full view on the table!


These four effects and nine others await you in Scott F. Guinn’s latest book, Not Your Ordinary Card Tricks. All of these routines either have offbeat plots or are classic plots that have a unique twist. Your spectators will almost certainly never have seen card tricks like these! All taught in the detailed, friendly style Scott is known for, along with a plethora of photos to make everything crystal clear. You’ll be performing these gems in no time!

Not Your Ordinary Card Tricks is a 124 page book with 194 photographs, teaching thirteen card routines straight out of Scott’s professional performing repertoire. All the required moves are explained and there is a hyperlinked sleight index to make it easy to get a quick refresher for that move that still needs a bit of work. At only $22.50, this book is a real value--less than $1.75 per trick!

Buy this book today, and show everyone that the card routines YOU perform are Not Your Ordinary Card Tricks!

Level: Easy - Intermediate

Just finished reading *Not Yer Ordinary Card Tricks* and am delighted by it! I could say there's a strange, strange variation of the Anniversary Waltz which is delightfully funny at the same time it's strange. I could say that "Parallel Universe" is really a game of Hide-and-Seek with a card - or is it Ghost in the Graveyard? I could say that some of these tricks start out looking like ordinary card tricks - and then take a sudden twist into either the Twilight Zone or a Marx Brothers movie. Sometimes both places at the same time! Instead, I'll say that the price of the book is more than justified by some of the best descriptions and tutorials of 32 sleights, some of which you've never heard, all of which you'll want to use. And the tutorials (well illustrated with clear photographs) are, again, some of the best I've read. Yes, I include Royal Road and Card College as comparisons. - Chet Cox

The most exciting feature of the GUB is that all of these applications are carried out from the same basic move in the same basic position. Therefore, your handling always looks the same. It appears that a card is simply returned to the deck and the deck is squared. There are no changes of grip or any contortions or movements that are drastically different from everything that has come before. In a word, the GUB will give your card handling consistency. And you have the added advantage that you can perform all the above sleights with relative ease once you learn the basic move. In much less time than it would take you to learn the pass, you will be able to perform every function listed above! This is a powerful multipurpose weapon!

Level: Recommended for all skill levels


“When I first read the GUB, I thought it would never work for me. I assumed you were a large man, over six feet tall with very big hands. But with my small hands, I knew I could never get away with it. I decided just to give it a try in front of the mirror—wow! I fooled myself! This is truly an innovative breakthrough. If Marlo had thought of it, I’m sure it would have been a chapter of the Revolutionary card Magic series!” - Roberto Dureza, The Philippines


The GUB Top Change and GUB Reverse are completely invisible. - Allan Ackerman

I'd recommend the Guinn Utility Backslip (GUB) as not only one of the easiest, but also one of the fairest in appearance (easier than a pass or steal and no shuffling involved) card controls. Insert the card in the front of the deck (you can even show the face of the selection to prove that it is fairly going into the deck), square up, and the card is on the top, bottom, reversed, copped, etc. Just like that (sort of). - Paul Menzel

Wow - it is great!!!! I can use this for a ton of effects. Thanks for offering this to the community! It is a wonderful move--love it! - Dr. Spektor

Scott, all your material is very well thought out & practical. The G.U.B. is a great tool to have in your arsenal. It is a very versatile technique. This is a bargain at $15.00. I highly recommend this! - Michael Peterson

I just received Scott's ebook describing his Utility Backslip. The method is straightforward and fiendishly clever. (I have always wanted to use the phrase "fiendishly clever" in a sentence!) The ad copy for this ebook does not exaggerate the move's versatility. I expect that I will use this sleight in several effects that I currently practice. Thank you, Scott, for a great description of a very useful move. - Angelo R