"Flip Shift" booklet by John Born
Suggested Retail USD$22.50
Available from your favorite dealer
In a Blink: 10 Out of 10

"Flip Shift", a booklet by John Born, is one of those techniques that is so good and so wicked and such a fine complement to any memorized or systemic deck work that this is truly a must-have for anyone using such decks.

I won't keep you in suspense: "Flip Shift" is a technique for pulling off a shift at the time you take the cards out of the box. Done with any deck, with a box that is perfectly examinable, with no angle issues or clumsy handling, "Flip Shift" is a perfect tool for those using the aforementioned decks.

Let's talk about that for a second.

The big thing with "Flip Shift" is that it works to make memorized or systemic decks more powerful. Basically, any deck stack which allows you to calculate or somehow arrive at which card lays at which number or what number a card lays at will benefit from "Flip Shift". This means stacks by Aaronson, Tamariz, Joyal, and many, many others will work excellently with "Flip Shift".

How so?

ACAAN. Pure and simple. With "Flip Shift", ACAAN just got extremely easy. A cased deck, the spectator calls out a card and number, you remove the deck from the case, hand it to a spectator and... well, you know the rest. And all without any fumbling or suspicious moves, as direct as you can ask for.

But I'm one of those people who doesn't really care for what some think of as the "Holy Grail" of card work (don't ask why; you'll get an earful and we've much ahead of us). So what do I gain from this?

Born's elegant effect, "Influenced", which is easily worth the price of the booklet and an unforgettable magical event. In it, spectators choose three numbers from 1 to 52, then settle on one number as a group. The cards are removed from the deck and the cards counted by a spectator to that number. The performer reveals a prediction that was in full view all the time as matching the card at that freely chosen number. But then the card is turned over and shown to be the only red-backed card in a blue-backed deck, and on it written a special message written to a spectator by name. I won't hesitate to call this one a masterpiece.

To make the "Flip Shift" booklet even more valuable, Born shows how to perform his already-a-classic "Meant To Be" with an unmarked deck. You'll need his book, "Meant To Be" to get this, but if you do, "Flip Shift" makes it a solid stunner.

And maybe the icing on the cake is that this is easier to pull off than it rightfully should be. It'll take a little bit to make silky smooth, but the basics you'll have done in a few minutes. Give it a little time and you'll have it down pat.

"Flip Shift" belongs on every memorized deck worker's shelf and, more, it'll find its way into many a workers act. It's just that solid a piece.

"Flip Shift" booklet by John Borne
In a Blink: 10 Out of 10

Material: 10
This is a wicked device than anyone working with a memorized decks (or systemic decks) needs and just doesn't know it yet. A breeze to use, completely examinable if need be, and a perfect tool for the "any-card-at-any-number" plot, "Flip Shift" is something that is worth its weight in gold.

Quality: 10
Born's writing style is crisp and concise; you'll have no problem learning the ins-and-outs of "Flip Shift".

Illustrations: 10
There are supposed to be 90+ full color photos in this booklet, but there sure seems to be more and every one perfectly shot and placed, making this all the easier to learn and use.

Presentation: 10
It's all in what you do with it, but just the basic effect Born includes -- "Influenced" -- is a solid winner, which tells you just how much power more fleshed-out routines can pack.


Shane