Description

The meaning of Kabbala, translated from Hebrew, means something received and handed down. This definition resonates. Knowledge of magic, after all, is handed down from generation to generation, from magician to magician, and from teacher to disciple. Prior to xerography and personal computers, most magical knowledge was transmitted in this primitive, semi-private, and intimate means. Word-of-mouth reigned supreme and to a certain extent still does.

The magic scene in the Seventies was a blooming, buzzing place, atwitter with contentiousness and creativity. Close-up magic, particularly with cards, was becoming better. Tricks were becoming more interesting, finessed, and sophisticated. Many magicians became knowledgeable and expert: Fast-Company Men, too hip for each other, too hip for most rooms, and too hip for their own good. Magic for magicians took hold and had to be magician-proof. Card problems were subjected to new and stringent conditions and restrictions and strategies of misdirection-within-misdirection were the order of the day. This was the world Kabbala wanted to explore, exploit, and harvest.

The Kabbala (1971-81) was part of the information pipe-line, a supplement, complement, and co-conspirator. Although it did not start out to be an alternative voice, it became combative counterpoint to Pallbearers Review and Epilogue.

Most of the material collected in this book is still vital, interesting, and useful. Certain routines are prototypal members of a special class, not masterpieces or blockbusters in the hyperbolic sense, but solid, practical, thought-provoking effects.

CARDSTUFF TECHNIQUES

FORCESFarcical ForceOriginal Christ ForceVariations of K.M. ForceSWITCHES – CHANGESBold AtfusCoin Kick and Card ChangeConvincing Jogged ChangeEidetic ChangeKick-Off SwitchPush-In ChangeFinn ChangeJelly Roll ChangeSpinnerMarlo’s Curry CurveNo WayDeal SwitchScoop ChangeMechanical ChangeNew Card AddP.S. Move – Secret Subtraction FinesseSlow-Motion Marnase ChangeRuffle ShufflePALMSBottom Palm ReplacementMarlo On The Longitudinal PalmCOUNTS, CUTS, SHUFFLESExpert’s Elmsley CountSpirit CountRepeat Code 345Marnase False CutOverhand Cull ShortsCRIMPS, DEALS, AND STEALSOne-Hand CrimpMultiple Minus BottomPASSESMarlo Half PassSPREADINGPartial AscanioPivot Spread VariationRuse CullSide-Jog CullSide-Jog GlideSpread NotesARSENAL ADDITIONSNew Quick Three-WayOne-Hand TiltTilt Throw-off ITilt Throw-Off IIMarlo’s Screening ActionPropelled Lapping IdeasOut Of The Rut Reverse

CARDSTUFF APPLICATIONS

BLIND AMBITIONAmbitious SwindleDual AmbitiousFor The UnambitiousStill AvidFOUR ACESNo Trace AcesGourmet Slide AcesSawing A Lady In Half?FOUR-ACE MUSTER-CLUSTERAll-Fair Four-Ace EffectElmsley AssemblyMagician’s Sleeper AcesZap AcesZap VariantBACK-TRACKINGDisassembling JokersTechnicolor Disassembling JokersGather And Scatter Ye Colorful JokersROUNDABOUT ACESBlended SuccessionSuccessful SuccessionSuccession Aces Of A Different ColorPyramid of the KingsTHINK ACECased-In Technicolor ThoughtSpread Think AceTabled Think AceMore Technicolor ThoughtsACE-CUTTINGLead-In Ace-CuttingTo Set UpSpectator Cuts Off More Than He Can ChooseSpectator Cuts To And Turns Over The AcesCASTING SPELLSSwindle SpellerSpell MellSpellbinderShift SpellTaking Further Than That Too FarTHE RAW AND THE COOKEDCanned CannibalsCannibal CardsCannibals French-StyleColorful CannibalsReal-Gone MissionariesUncanny CannibalsDessertDELI DECEPTIONSColor-Changing Eidetic SandwichSlap jackPressed BetweenCLOCK-WORKAtomic ClockPredetermined HourImpromptu Predetermined HourMENTAL CASESAnother EncoreBlankwaveGroup ShuffleCard ClairvoyancyChrist-Crossed ClairvoyanceDoubly OpenThink As I ThinkSome People ThinkStill VisitingTotally TelepathicTurning On An Audience21 Plus SubtletyLie SleuthMa Bell Ringers”Card Thirteen” In SpadesHo-Hum HumdingerHumming With HummerThird ThotWired Hidden PowerImpromptu X-ray DeckRiding The WavePhantom DeckPRIME-TIME PLOTSAnother ElevatorBetween Elmsley, Brown, and HimberMore!Complot Wallet RoutineCastillon’s ConnectionElusive JacksFantasy Torn And Restored CardJumping JacksQuick ReflexWALK ON THE WILD SIDEFlip’s Wild CardHand-Out Wild CardImpromptu Wild CardOIL AND WATEREarly Oil And WaterFloating PhaseVeeser PhaseOil Slick And Water WonderfulFARO FOOLERYEasy-Way Faro-FoolerFaro Riffle ShuffleIncomplete Faro TranspositionLOCUS-POCUSConditional FindS-D LocationCountdown DisclosuresO. Henry FindTen Paces To The RightReversal TrackTossed-TimatedYore FinderInconclusive ClimaxCard NumberCovert CoinEthnic Card TrickX Marks The SpotFor The Color BlindCOLLECTORSCervon’s AmbushTaking FlightMIRRORINGBlind DateMatch-A-MaticMatching PredictionRight NumberTRANSPOTENTIALBack And ForthColorful Cased-In TranspoSignature RushUnderground TranspositionBridgeVise Versa 1Vise Versa 2PACKET PRESTIDIGITATIONBlushing JokersPartial AscanioJackpotInversionInversion Follow-upHerb’s VariantMORE ARCH TRIUMPHSCount-Down TriumphFlip-Flop TriumphSpade Shuffle TriumphsZen TriumphTRANSFORMATIONAL ANALYSISDeck In ParvoMicro-Macro HandlingSpirit Production and TranspositionTWISTSPineapple TwistPineapple PreserveTwist’InTurning UpROUND-UP FOR ROUNDERSSecond Power Poker And Lead InSloppy Drunk PokerSuper Stoned Poker DealThe StingUp The Sleeve AgainVernon’s Aces Plus KingsMagician vs. GamblerMonte Mingle MoveDeal DodgeNODS TO HOFZINSEROne Spectator D.M.Mini-Observation TestLast-Minute DepartureKung-Fu CardYork’s Surprise StabThe Lady StretchesThey’re All AlikeTabled Riffle Shuffle ControlRecall and NeglectDouble SpellerMore Mental ReversesCliff Green’s Return FlightUnpublished Handling of Cliff GreenStull-Less Watch StunnerUnexpected Signed Card To WalletCosmic CardWorking Against TimeRouge En NoirFlightHAUNTEDZany GaffVeiled TosheroonImpromptu Multiple Haunted PackTosheroon TwoSeven-Up Float Treatise

COINS

OKITO NEATOAnother Tabled TranspoTabled Transpo PlusUngaffed Tabled TranspositionO-Korto Box Rides AgainMagnetic Marlo Meets OkitoCLASSICSCap and Pence HandlingCopper and Silver: Cupped and CozyNew Theory Coins AcrossMidas TouchEasy ThieveryUNCLASSIFIEDGypsy SwitchDematerializing CoinsKneet!Six To OneSilent GypsyPursed Coins Of IshtarExtinguished SmokerCoin And TipVariationTipRING-AND-ROPERingerRight On!Afterword

1st edition 1998, 486 pages.
word count: 232101 which is equivalent to 928 standard pages of text