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Winners All

By Luke Jermay - Tuesday, December 15, 2020

When it comes to gambling routines, there are two main approaches we see in performance material. The first, I think of as demonstrations of skill. The types of routines that showcase the performers technique, skill and sleight of hand abilities. The second, are those routines in which you engage the spectator in direct play of a game and win.

In my experience those routines that allow for the direct engagement of play, offer a more compelling experience for the audience. If you take a moment or two to contrast in your mind routines such as Fast and Loose or Three Card Monte with demonstrations such as riffle stacking or bottom dealing, the potential within direct engagement of play becomes clear.

However, there is a very real concern with demonstrations of direct play. If not carefully handled, they can come off as mean spirited. After all, the entire demonstration hinges on the performer ‘beating’ the spectator. In my own work, I have used these style routines and choose to lean as heavily as possible into the notion that I will do everything I can to beat the spectator. Instead of trying to soften this, I make it hard. I make it mean spirited but I frame the experience as being exactly this prior to it beginning. I believe in this regard I was deeply inspired by Ricky Jay’s masterful performance of the 10 card poker deal which appeared on his BBC Special “Hustlers, Hoaxsters, Jokesters and Ricky Jay.” When this approach is taken, for the right person at the right time, it can be sensational, dramatic and compelling.

The key words here are, at the right time, for the right person. For other times, there are other ways!

Thanks to the freedom of the method within “Hit” you are able to turn the tables and rather than beating the spectator time after time, you can magically empower the spectator to win, time after time. In my own presentation along these lines, I have the spectator think about times in their life where they were happy, content and confident. I then have them relive these feelings as they use their intuition to pick cards to form their hand. Amazingly, time after time, when the spectator is in a good frame of mind they find the cards that win. Amazingly, when not in a good frame of mind when making choices, they lose. The routine is transformed from a gambling routine into something that leads us to consider the nature of our thoughts affecting our choices.

Best of all, with this simple reframing, all are winners!

Reader comments:

Scott

Wednesday, 16 December 2020 01:16 AM - Reply to this comment

I love this, you have complete control how you impact your spectator. Right now in 2020, anything we can do to bring positive vibes during a performance is a win for everyone

Matthew

Thursday, 17 December 2020 14:57 PM - Reply to this comment

I am playing with the idea of allowing the spectator to win most of the rounds and declaring them the overall winner, but having only one specific round I win in the order of the routine -- then revealing a prediction that shows I knew how the whole routine would play out.

Even though they are the winner and they feel good for a moment in trusting their intuition, there's a moment of mystery because how could I know exactly how this would play out and how did I know what specific round I would win? Who's the real winner if I was playing the game, but with an entirely different secret goal?

Still playing around with this idea and it's other nuances and scripting, but overall -- I love this trick and I love this post!

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