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The New Diminishing Returns by Mike Powers


Mike Powers' Diminishing Returns is one of the most amazing (and best-selling) close-up tricks ever released, and now it's back and better than ever!
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Mike Powers' Diminishing Returns is one of the most amazing (and bestselling) close-up tricks ever released. And now it's back and better than ever with VIDEO instruction.

EFFECT: You display the fronts and backs of a deck of cards to the audience. A spectator simply names any card they like. You remove the named card and set it aside face-up. You now spread the deck on the table. Somehow all the cards have shrunk to mini size (half as big)! The selected card is still normal size. Then, just when the audience catches their breath, the entire deck grows back to normal size. But, amazingly, the selected card has now shrunk to mini-size! To finish, the selected (named) card visibly grows back to normal size.

Comes complete with a very special deck, printed by U.S. Playing Card Co. in Bicycle design. A free BONUS trick is included - The amBIGuous Card. Video instruction for both Diminishing Returns and The amBIGuous Card is provided for easy mastery.

The only skill needed to perform Diminishing Returns is the ability to spread the cards on the table. It's virtually sleight free. The deck does all the work for you.

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Customer Reviews (showing 1 - 10 of 16)
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Hard to Handle Report this review
Pro Privacy ON (login to see reviewer names) on December 14th, 2011
This is a good trick when properly performed but the cards are hard to handle in a realistic way. if you are not careful you will get caught turning the cards.....I also had some difficulty spreading the cards evenly, even on a pro close up pad.......this is not for beginners...
5 of 6 magicians found this helpful.
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The bonus is even better! Report this review
Verified buyer Pro Privacy ON (login to see reviewer names) on April 2nd, 2010
his is a bonus routine that comes with Diminishing Returns.

Effect- In The Defective Deck, the magician fixes a variety of "defective cards" in increasingly visual ways. The trick ends with Doug Conn's incredible PIP TRIP in which pips are slid around the card to different locations.

Method- The method is just some color changes and some easy sleight of hand.

Gimmicks- This comes with four really cool gimmick cards. If you don't like the routine you can use the Pip Trip trick like E does in its Gaff Deck.
The other gimmicks you can't do much with.

Setup- You have to setup this trick after every performance. Most people will probable be able to complete the setup in less than a minute if the remember the order of the cards.

Reset- After the trick, you can end clean. All you have to do is put the Joker away inside your pocket and if people want to examine it, you can take it out again cleanly.

Pros-
End clean
Bonus effect
Normal deck of cards
Cards are examinal
Easy sleight of hand

Cons-
Gimmicked cards

Overall- I love this trick. I will do it all of the time after I master it. I will use it with David Regal's color changing deck which is also great.

I give it a 10/10
3 of 3 magicians found this helpful.
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Missing Something ... Report this review
Pro Privacy ON (login to see reviewer names) on December 23rd, 2005
The effect is good and the gaffs are well-made. The written instructions and the video are done well and easy to understand. The handling's not really that tricky. The cards I received were standard Bicycle "Rider-Back", and the bonus effect you receive with it ("Defective Deck") is very nice.

What's missing is one card that helps out quite a bit with the trick (easy to find, though), a box for the cards to go in (mine are currently in a Zip-Lock bag), the teaching video for "Defective Deck" (of course, it's covered in the printed instructions), and a prop needed for the "amBIGuous Card Trick" (a bonus included in the written instructions).

Overall, not bad, though.
3 of 3 magicians found this helpful.
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Card stock is rough and does not fan Report this review
Pro Privacy ON (login to see reviewer names) on November 14th, 2021
Initially, the cards out of the box were rough, clumpy, and didn't spread well unless you prepare them like the video says. Well that did work for about a day or less. But I've been playing with this deck for a year now and even after preparing them numerous times by rubbing them on a silk or close up mat and the video says to do, they revert back to their rough nature in days and therefore they do not spread well at all. They may have bicycle backs, but they are in no way using the standard bicycle stock.
This would be a stellar trick if these cards would spread well. I hope Mike Powers will re-release this on normal Bicycle stock that actually spreads.
2 of 2 magicians found this helpful.
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Cards are extremely rough and sticky Report this review
Verified buyer Pro Privacy ON (login to see reviewer names) on July 6th, 2019
Bought the original years ago from Penguin and was very happy with the quality of the Bicycle style deck. Received this and extremely disappointed. The cards won't even spread properly. So rough. Avoid
2 of 2 magicians found this helpful.
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Read the description thoroughly! Report this review
Verified buyer Pro Privacy ON (login to see reviewer names) on June 16th, 2020
I was all excited from reading the reviews thinking I was getting the Defective deck as the bonus trick along with the Diminishing Returns, which to be honest was the only reason I ordered it to begin with. instead it came with the trick in the description so that's my fault, so please read it thoroughly. my search continues for the defective deck!

The Diminishing Returns is a nice little gimmick and easily done, you do need to break the cards in a bit as they clump together at first. Overall I'm not disappointed in the trick, the price could be a little bit better.
1 of 1 magicians found this helpful.
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TOO EASY TO LEARN! Report this review
Pro Privacy ON (login to see reviewer names) on September 24th, 2005
This trick is great. The cards quality is top notch. The learning curve is almost non-existant. And the public reaction is just unforgettable! GET IT NOW. GET IT NOW. GET IT NOW. And, oh, my God, the bonuses! Please, please, don't miss this deck!
1 of 1 magicians found this helpful.
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This is an AWESOME trick Report this review
Verified buyer Pro Privacy ON (login to see reviewer names) on May 17th, 2005
I dont know WHHHHHHHAAAAAAT those people above me are talking about DIMINISHING RETURNS is an INCREDIBLY EASY trick to do!!! It does take a little practice!!! I got it in like 5 minutes. IT'S INCREDIBLY easy to do. :) :D
1 of 1 magicians found this helpful.
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Great trick! Just follow the instructions Report this review
Pro Privacy ON (login to see reviewer names) on August 13th, 2023
The whole technique of this one requires you to be fairly good at misdirection and spreading cards on a flat surface.
Otherwise very easy. Showed it to a well practiced magician friend and he thought the gimmick as very clever.
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Strong visual effect under controlled setting Report this review
Verified buyer Pro Privacy ON (login to see reviewer names) on January 8th, 2023
Discovered this through a Patrick Kun video (Magic or Camera Trick) that combined with a Shrinking Card Case for a natural multi-phase effect.
Has an extremely strong visual punch.
Works very well over Zoom/video settings. Maybe in a controlled table / close-up setting, but don't think I'd risk this in a casual in-person setting where spectators might start getting grabby.
The basic moves are fairly easy to learn (though I hadn't learned a proper thumb fan before so I just did a crude spread fan that still worked), though still requires practice, as it's very easy to fool yourself with the illusion and lose track of where things are and how to contain the illusion without flashing.
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