"The Brainwave Deck is so powerful you almost have to play it down so that people can give you that enormous reaction before they are completely blown away!" --Maxwell Murphy, Penguin Magic
The Effect You ask a spectator to name any card in the deck. She tells you which card she has chosen. You remove a deck of cards from its box and fan the cards. There is one card face up in the deck -it is the spectator's freely named card!
Now, for the *second* climax. You prove that you knew the card to be selected in advance by showing that spectator's card has a different colored back than the remainder of the deck!
This is a real Bicycle brand deck that was handmade into a Brainwave deck. The familiar Bicycle look and feel will take the heat off the cards.
What You Get
The Secret (it's a great one)
Detailed Instructions
The equipment
The ability to perform this incredible feat of mentalism.
FREE BONUS: When you purchase this product from Penguin you'll
gain access to a special private discussion forum exclusively for magicians who perform this effect. This is a free feature that can be
very helpful in mastering your new magic. Please visit the Penguins
Only section for more information.
This is very similar to the Invisible Deck, both in terms of the method and the routines you'll end up doing with them. The major difference is, with the Brainwave Deck, aside from showing the spectator that you knew what card they would select by having it reversed in the deck, you also show that it has a different back from every other card.
The problem is, why is it necessary to double-prove it? You've already shown that you "knew" the card because it's the only card in the deck that's face up. That's all the proof you need. By taking it a step further, you're drawing unwanted attention to what was already a good effect. To paraphrase Shakespeare, "The Magician doth prove too much"
This is why I prefer the Invisible Deck. I don't think the "extra" provided by the Brainwave Deck is helpful. If anything, it's detrimental. I also find the Invisible Deck easier to work with, because you're keying off the faces of the cards, rather than looking at the backs trying to find pencil dots that you hope aren't too noticeable.
I'd never say that the Brainwave Deck is bad, but if you can get an Invisible Deck instead, I'd have no reason to want one of these.
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Hi! This is your official PenguinMagic reviewer, B_Magic.
I cannot recommend against this trick enough. I purchased it years ago, and I think I performed it maybe a handful of times before it was shelved, ne'er to return to my arsenal.
The reason is actually interesting. There are certain effects that are almost too powerful. This is one of them. What I mean is that when an effect is THAT powerful you don't want a non-examinable gimmick to be its focus. People will automatically assume it's in the cards, and unfortunately with this trick, there is no real way to end clean. You just got to hope that the spectators don't ask. Even with doing a deck switch, you really can't end completely clean because of the improv nature of the effect. The trick is really awesome, but because you are super dirty at the end of a powerful trick, people are going to be less impressed with you if they can't examine the cards.
Almost the same effect can be done with Invisible Deck, and can be done cleaner and better. Some argue that Invisible Deck is also gimmicked and non-examinable, which is true. But Invisible Deck doesn't lead to the same amount of skepticism due to being "overpowered" the way Brainwave does. Brainwave not only finds the card, but also focuses attention to the back of the card being different from the others. People will question not so much the appearance of the card but if in fact the others are all truly a different color. Invisible Deck doesn't have that problem. It's the same effect, but to the audience they see everything they need to see when you show it. And bonus, Invisible Deck can be easily switched out if needbe. Not so with Brainwave.
I would highly recommend Invisible Deck over this, as it is more versatile, cleaner, and provides the same if not even greater reactions as Brainwave. Brainwave just isn't worth it.
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A new twist on the invisible deck
[Verified buyer] by Akela from PA USA on 04/06/2010 14:54:02
What a great way to perform the invisible deck in a new way. The handling will take some time to practice. Oz does a great job teaching the handling. You will not be able to hand the deck out for examination. The quality of the cards is top-notch.
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Brainwave
by christurchinski from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada on 04/04/2010 17:32:42
Like the invisible deck, this trick is one that people are going to remember a long time after you've shown them it. It is slightly more difficult to master than the invisible deck, but once you have it, you have it. Generally people are pretty amazed and no one has ever figured it out when I've done it. If you use it a lot then pick yourself up some roughing spray because it will wear out after a while.
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Mentalism at it's best
[Verified buyer] by Anonymous from Toronto, Ontario on 04/03/2010 02:07:33
This was the easiest trick you coud learn in a very minimal amount of time. You could literally perform this trick within an hour for a newcomer to magic and probably 15-30 minutes for an intermediate to advanced magician. Add this to cart and you will not be dissapointed.
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