Category Archives: Gambling and Hustling

Silver Shells go to winner on Soapy Night at the Magic Castle!


On Soapy Smith Night at the Magic Castle, coming up on July 8th, the dealer who wins the most Soapy Money wins a set of School for Scoundrels Colorado Silver Shells.
These are made of solid sterling silver by Jurgen Maerz of the Platinum Guild, and the set weighs almost four ounces.
Dealers can work at one of our Faro or dice tables, or set up their own game. They must pay $20 to register as a dealer, and in return they each get $1000 dollars in Soapy money to start their game. They can purchase more money during the evening, but at the regular price–$5 US for 100 Soapy dollars.
The dealer with the most Soapy money by 9:30 pm wins the Silver Shells.
One year it was won by a shell game man, the next by a guy selling tickets to a non-existant lottery.
These beautiful shells are designed by Pop Haydn, and are our “top of the line” shells for the shell game at www.ScoundrelsStore.com. They sell for $450 a set.
These were inspired by the story of Nutshell Jim who won so much money from the silver miners of Creede, Colorado during the 1880’s that he had his favorite shell game shells cast in silver.
The sheen of the silver shells gliding across the table inflamed the avarice of the miners and cowboys who lost everything they had trying to “follow the little pea.”
The player who wins the most Soapy money will also win a great prize.
Players get 100 Soapy Dollars for five dollars US, and can buy more at the same price.
If you are not a member of the Magic Castle, and would like to come, you should private message me, and I will set you up if I can.
There is twenty-five dollar door charge for non-members, and a five dollar charge for members and the guests who are with them. The five dollars gives you $100 in Soapy Money to play with, and goes completely to the Vernon Fund.
People dress up in Gold Rush finery, Old West and Steampunk styles.
The normal Magic Castle dress codes do not apply to costumes, though if you are not in an obvious 19th Century costume, the standard dress code will apply.
Check any guns at the door.

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Soapy Smith Night at the Magic Castle July 8th

Soapy Smith Night at the Magic Castle July 8th

Jun 4

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Posted in Alaskan Gold Rush, Entertainment, Gambling and Hustling, Live Variety, Magic and the Magic Castle, Old Time Music, Performing Arts

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Richard Turner, live at the Magic Castle:


Richard Turner has a new Youtube channel featuring many of his card routines live at the world famous Magic Castle in Hollywood.

To watch Richard Turner live at the Magic Castle visit his new channel here:  WWW.Youtube.com/CatchAThief52

Start with episode 1 above then move on to episode 2, 3 and 4.

Richard is up for “Close-Up Magician of the Year” this year at the Magic Castle. This is the act that won him the nomination. It is well worth checking out.

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Richard Turner at the Magic Castle this week:


Richard Turner

My friend, Richard Turner is working this week at the Magic Castle. He is the foremost card expert in the world today, even though he is legally blind. His discipline and perfection is stunning. These photos show him in 1986 when he received his first black belt, and then in 2012 when he is 58 years old. There is only four ounces difference in his weight.

As a measure of the type of skill Richard displays in his work, let me quote Jon Raucherbaumer, an internationally recognized expert who is writing a biography of Richard Turner:

“The action of perfectly alternating playing cards, 26 and 26, is not easily named if the goal is accuracy. Even the noun “shuffle” seems inexact because it suggests clumsy randomness and asymmetrical mixing. Sure, the relative positions of the cards change, but the changes are cyclically predictable and in this regard, perfect…

“…But there are two types of this kind of Interlace: The Faro Shuffle and what can be called a Volitional Faro Shuffle. The physics of the Volitional Faro Shuffle in terms of what happens with and to the cards is identical, but the means of making this happen is different. The Faro Shuffle is semi-automatic because the two 26-card sections are butted together in precise ways and the cards will then automatically alternate. The Volitional Faro Shuffle depends on the operator’s volition. He must will his thumbs to precisely and alternately release cards until all 52 of them are interlaced. This is not automatic. It is a matter of pure dexterity and unerring timing.

“Richard’s high-lift, soft interlace table Faro Shuffles are done in less than one second. Formerly a fantasy in MacDouggal’s mind, Richard can execute a Volitional Faro Shuffle in 8.1 seconds.  

“If you think this is easy, try making love while standing up in a hammock and juggling seven ice-cream cones.”

Richard Turner, my good friend Johnny Ace Palmer and I were all named in the comic book the Spirit as magic teachers to the Spirit. It was very cool to be included in such incredible company:

Richard Turner is performing in the Close-Up Gallery at the Magic Castle in Hollywood until Sunday.  It is worth your time to make an effort to see this incredible and unique talent.

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School for Scoundrels at Magic Castle Sunday!


Bob Sheets at School for Scoundrels

Despite the recent Halloween fire, the Magic Castle is planning to be open by this weekend, and our School for Scoundrels class will begin on Sunday night, November 6th, as planned.

There is still room for you to join this exciting class, but you must register by Friday.

It is open to both members and non-members of the Magic Castle, and no prior experience, skills or knowledge is required.

This course teaches the basic sleight of hand, psychology, history and importance to magic of the three basic street swindles: Three-Card Monte, the Shell Game, and the various games of Fast and Loose.

We believe that the street hustler makes a better role-model for the modern close-up magician than the card cheat which has been the model since the turn of the century.

We believe that street hustlers have much to teach that is of huge benefit to magicians, especially those who work corporate walk around, trade-shows, or private parties where they need to gather a crowd, hold their attention, control their thinking, and get them to do what they want them to do.

School for Scoundrels at the Magic Castle in Hollywood will begin on Sunday, November 6, and continue on Nov 13, 20, 27, and also on Mondays, November 7, 14, 21, 28. School for Scoundrels is a course taught at the Magic Castle every November since 1996.

Pop Haydn and Chef Anton (two-time national trick-shot champion at pool), teach the class together, with guests such as Bob Sheets and Doc Eason.

The course attracts lawyers and law-enforcement personnel, as well as magicians, students of gambling and history, and many who just find the subject fascinating–you don’t need to be a member of the Magic Castle to sign up for this course, and no previous knowledge or skills are required.

The course is $160 for the eight hours–two hours a night, once a week, for four weeks.

You can switch nights from Monday to Sunday or vice-versa–each week the same lesson is taught on both Sun and Mon at 7:00 pm.

Contact Magic University, and talk to Mark or Nani Wilson at (800) 367-8749 to sign up for the course.

$160 for all four nights.

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School for Scoundrels at the Magic Castle:


Pop Haydn

Pop Haydn

School for Scoundrels at the Magic Castle in Hollywood will begin on Sunday, November 6, and continue on Nov 13, 20, 27, and also on Mondays, November 7, 14, 21, 28. School for Scoundrels is a course taught at the Magic Castle every November since 1996.

Pop Haydn and Chef Anton (two-time national trick-shot champion at pool), teach the class together.

The course attracts lawyers and law-enforcement personnel, as well as magicians, students of gambling and history, and many who just find the subject fascinating–you don’t need to be a member of the Magic Castle to sign up for this course, and no previous knowledge or skills are required.

The course is $160 for the eight hours–two hours a night, once a week, for four weeks.

You can switch nights from Monday to Sunday or vice-versa–each week the same lesson is taught on both Sun and Mon at 7:00 pm.

This course teaches the basic sleight of hand, psychology, history and importance to magic of the three basic street swindles: Three-Card Monte, the Shell Game, and the various games of Fast and Loose.

We believe that the street hustler makes a better role-model for the modern close-up magician than the card cheat which has been the model since the turn of the century.

We believe that street hustlers have much to teach that is of huge benefit to magicians, especially those who work corporate walk around, trade-shows, or private parties where they need to gather a crowd, hold their attention, control their thinking, and get them to do what they want them to do.

Contact Magic University, and talk to Mark or Nani Wilson at (800) 367-8749 to sign up for the course. $160 for all four nights.

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AJ the Unusualist:


Pop Haydn with "AJ the Unusualist"

Had a great time Sunday night at the Magic Castle with my friend Ajit Badrinath,  aka “AJ the Unusualist.” Ajit is joining the ship Paradise for Carnival Cruise Lines in Long Beach this week. He will be doing close-up circulating magic on the ship on a six-month contract. AJ is from  Mysore, Karnataka, India, where the magnificent Mysore Palace is located, and now lives in Bangalore.

AJ does his magic with a theme of the American Old West and gambling.

It was a good week at the Magic Castle. AJ got to see shows in the Palace with Tom Burgoon, Joseph Tran, and Mystina, and David Sandy in the Parlor. We had some interesting discussions with Tony Picasso and Jay Leslie, and AJ did a close-up set to a large group at the Palace Bar Close-Up Table, and was very well-received.

We look forward to seeing AJ when he gets back into Los Angeles.

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A warning from Berlin Police:


Shell Game with Matchboxes. Barcelona

This is an interesting warning for tourists in several languages and cartoons about the dangers of playing the shell game:

Shell Game Berlin Police

 

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The Lummis House:


 

Lummis House

 

Taken at the historic Lummis House (ca 1880), this is a fundraiser for the Historical Society of Southern California, featuring a Medicine Show with Pop Haydn and Phil Van Tee, followed by a casino night in which Phil and Pop suckered the people with the shell game, three card monte and fast and loose.

Photos are here: Lummis House

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The Horn Nut Scam


In the course of a tour de force round of stories and virtuoso performances of a number of entertaining pitches and ballys, Bobby Reynolds explains the Horn Nut Scam, a ruse he used as a child to sell worthless Chinese horn nuts as Chinese Water Lily bulbs.

The scam is evidently very old and has some interesting associated stories.

The nut looks like a water buffalo head, and the horns will float upwards when the nut is placed in water. A hole is drilled between the horns, and a gladiola flower is glued in place. Three or four of these are floated in a bowl of water.

Horn NutHorn Nut

Nancy Magill and I were delighted to participate in both of the Senior Pitchmen Reunions in Las Vegas. This is a gathering of pitchmen over sixty years old, people who sold medicine in the medicine shows, svengali decks in the carnival, puppets on the street corner, and kitchen gadgets, miracle cleaners, dusters and a million other items on television and now on the internet.

We videod four hours of interviews at the convention in 2009, and that became our DVD, “The Senior Pitchman’s Reunion, 2009” from School for Scoundrels (available at www.scoundrelsstore.com)

This video is from volume II, “The Senior Pitchman’s Reunion, 2010.” We should be releasing this volume in the next month or so.

— Pop Haydn

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