ROYAL ROAD TO CARD MAGIC - A Study Guide - Opie Houston

ROYAL ROAD TO CARD MAGIC - WEEKS 1 AND 2

1. Read the Preface and skim through the contents and whole book to get an idea of what a wonderful text this book is.....It is not just a beginner's primer; it is an advanced text.

NOTE: You should spend the first two weeks learning simply to handle a deck of cards, e.g., how to shuffle a deck of cards in a smooth manner.

2. Chapter I - Read all the instructions, with cards in hand, on how to do and use the Overhand Shuffle, through the false shuffles. DO NOT EVEN BOTHER about the "Tricks with the Overhand Shuffle" until you can smoothly execute the Overhand Shuffle and the Riffle Shuffle in Chapter II.

3. Chapter II - Read all the instructions, with cards in hand, on how to do and use the Riffle Shuffle, through the false shuffles. DO NOT EVEN BOTHER about the "Tricks with the Riffle Shuffle" until you can smoothly execute both the Overhand and Riffle Shuffles.

4. Learn and practice the tricks in Chapters I and II, only after you can handle a deck of cards.

NOTE: DO NOT CONTINUE THE LESSON PLANS UNTIL YOU HAVE MASTERED CHAPTERS I AND II.


ROYAL ROAD TO CARD MAGIC - WEEKS 3 AND 4

NOTE: If you have not mastered Chapters I and II, you might want to continue practicing material in them until you have done so....Also notice that the following assignments skip many of the chapters.

1. Read Chapter XV, The Hindu Shuffle and Other Controls. Master this shuffle and its uses.

2. Read Chapter XVI, The Classic Force. Master this technique and its uses.

FOUR-WEEK EXERCISE:

At the end of four weeks, you should have a working knowledge of and be able to do the following items with at least some skill:

1. Chapter I - Demonstrate a mastery of the Overhand Shuffle, as follows:

a. Top card from top to bottom and back.
b. A rapid smooth run of 10 to 12 cards.
c. An injog shuffle control.
d. Overhand False Shuffle.
e. Two tricks from the chapter.

2. Chapter II - Demonstrate a mastery of the Riffle Shuffle, as follows:

a. Control top and bottom stocks of cards.
b. Smooth shuffles at a table and in the air.
c. Two tricks from the chapter.

3.Chapter XV - Demonstrate a mastery of the Hindu Shuffle and its related controls, as follows:

a. Control of single and stock of cards.
b. Hindu Force.
c. Glimpse.
d. The Step.
e. Jog.
f. "All Change Here

4. Chapter XVI - Demonstrate a mastery of the Classic Force, as follows:

a. One-Hand Force.
b. Bottom Force.
c. Slide-Out Force.
d. Double-Life Force.
e. Cut Force.
f. A couple of force tricks.

NOTE: If you have mastered the items in the exercise above, you are among a very small minority of card magicians, because therein lies the basics of almost all the remaining card tricks you will ever do. Proceed to Weeks 5 and 6 lesson plan when you are ready....

ROYAL ROAD TO CARD MAGIC - WEEKS 5 AND 6

1. Spend week 5 on Chapters III and XVII...Do not become frustrated with or hung up on the flourishes. Just play with them every day and they will come...But do work on the changes in Chapter XVII...The top change is deadly and its mastery will place you in the Card Man/Woman category faster than the cutesy flourishes...

2. Spend week 6 on Chapters IX, X, and XI...

Royal Road to Card Magic is by Hugard and Braue and can be considered one of the card bibles for all card-workers. The guide here for learning from RRTCM is great. I wish i had similar guides when i started off. This comes at a time when i'm thinking of going back to basics to 're-learn' (if there's such a word). Thanks Opie.

Getting back to basics to "re-learn".........

Funny you should say that. One reason I do study guides is to focus and learn what I missed when I first read the books I address.....

opie

Yup! And that is exactly what i meant too. Besides the stuff that i missed out, there were some things that i had skipped ahead then due to impatience, so i have been thinking of going back to the basics. :)

Yes! Finally i got my Royal Road To Card Magic book. Now mastering how to properly handle a deck of cards in this few days i suppose :D

where do you guys get the book from?

Magic shop? Online or otherwise. Or you can try borders or Kinokuniya.

Zi An

ok. i found in in google books..

so whats next after royal road to card magic

One step at a time. When you have learned adequately from RRTCM, you will have a better idea of where you want to go after that. The more you learn, the more you know what you don't know. From there, you will have a clearer idea of what you want to learn. Perhaps it'll be more helpful if you think on your question 2 months later when you've worked on the contents of the book.

I checked one of the magic shops at Chinatown Point and they are selling this for $30 plus. Is this the standard market price here or can I get it anywhere else cheaper? Anyone spotted this at 2nd hand bookstores? :P

Kino @ Taka is selling for only $15-$18

:o wow. Big diff!!

Thks for the lead. I'll pop by to check it out.