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“Scoundrels Touch” S4S Shell Game video available as download!

“Scoundrels Touch” S4S Shell Game video available as download!

Apr 7

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Scoundrels Touch

Chef Anton, Whit “Pop” Haydn, and Bob Sheets outline their advanced system for the shell game and teach routines complete with patter and alternate endings for walk around, as well as demo the methods used by hustlers to work the scam for money. The psychology and philosophy of the game are explained and demonstrated. The advanced system for working the shells that was briefly outlined on Volume I, is here explained in full and seen in operation in live performance videos.

On Disc I, Bob’s complete original instructions for handling his Sheets Acquitment and his system for working the shells (Absolutely Nuts) is here amplified and expanded, with new and more detailed explanations and a live performance of the routine for a regular audience in theMagic Castle’s Close-Up Gallery. Bob has added a number of new ideas and deceptive ruses, but more importantly, you see the whole thing up and running. Whit adds some maneuvers and moves, along with some new devices that make they system unassailable.

On Disc II, Chef Anton performs and explains his own routine. Whit discusses psychological outs while contrasting two very different live performances in the Magic Castle’s Close-Up Gallery of is shell routine. Incredible video of a street hustler working his craft at a music festival is shown and explained, with Scoundrel Member Giuseppe Aliotta discussing the props and betting cycles used by the contemporary street hustler. Pop shows how the Maneuvers can be very useful for working with a hand held board. New shells and props for the game are demonstrated.Pop and Chef discuss the idea of “Thinking like a Scoundrel” and how it is applied to magic performances. The Escobar Move is demonstrated along with some variations by Chanin. Several versions of the Kick Steal are demonstrated.

Included in this download are a number of pdf and other files that can be used as a further resource and several training aids that make learning the moves easier. These are enclosed in a .zip file. All the moves and maneuvers from Introduction to the Shell Game are briefly taught here.

For More Info or to Buy: Pop’s Magic

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S4S Three Card Monte video available as Download!

S4S Three Card Monte video available as Download!

Apr 4

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Three Card Monte Case

Whit “Pop” Haydn and Chef Anton Riniti have taught a course at the Magic Castle every year since 1996 as part of the Magic University. 2015 will be our 20th year of School for Scoundrels at the Magic Castle. This eight hour course covers the history, moves, ruses, psychology and application to magic of the three classic street swindles: Three-Card Monte, Fast and Loose, and the Shell Game.

This is the complete School for Scoundrels DVD on Three-Card Monte in downloadable mp4 format.

This download contains close to three hours of video in mp4 format, including fine-point instruction in all the major moves, psychology, and misdirection used in the monte, plus a three-camera shoot on the street of a reenactment of Cracker Parker’s London mob scam, an interview with Gazzo discussing the methods of the London Mob, and actual footage of three-card monte being played on the streets in Khiva, Uzbekistan.

Includes Chef Anton’s complete presentation and explanation of Three-Card Gold, an excellent, unique exhibition routine created by Chef and Whit Haydn.

BUT THERE’S MORE!

This download also includes the 160 page book School for Scoundrels Notes on Three-Card Monte in pdf form.

Over 160 pages with authentic photographs and illustrations! This is by far the most comprehensive book ever written on the history, psychology, and moves of this classic swindle.

We explore its application to magic and include the School for Scoundrels complete three-card monte routine called Three-Card Gold. We also feature some of the most clever endings ever devised and are proud to introduce Bob Kohler’s Knifed and Gazzo’s Creased Lightning, and many other ruses which have never previously appeared in print.

Get it NOW!

ONLY $20!

To purchase, or for more information, click HERE

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Highlights of School for Scoundrels

Highlights of School for Scoundrels

Dec 1

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Pop Haydn, Bob Sheets and Chef Anton teach the 19th annual School for Scoundrels at the world-famous Magic Castle in Hollywood.

The class teaches the history, psychology, moves and ruses, and application to magic of the classic street swindles Three-Card Monte, the Shell Game and Fast and Loose.

Here are some highlights of the class:

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School for Scoundrels, our 18th Year!


s4s

School for Scoundrels, 2012
Photo by Billy Baque

 

Pop Haydn and Chef Anton will be teaching their eight-hour course on street scams at the Magic Castle again this November. This course has been taught every year at the Magic Castle since 1996.

The course covers the history, psychology, moves, ruses and application to magic of the three major street scams–Fast and Loose, Three-Card Monte, and the Shell Game–hands on instruction from two experts.

This class is open to anyone over 21, whether they are members of the Magic Castle or not.

We have had historians, magicians, police officers, lawyers and many others take the course over these many years.

It is a great class for steampunk writers and characters, as these games are easy ways to make local money when in a different culture or time period.

No prior knowledge or skill is required. All necessary props will be available for the students during class, and can be purchased from School for Scoundrels.

We have complete notes available in print and DVD.

The course is taught on four consecutive Sunday nights, and a second class is offered on Monday nights, beginning on Sunday, Nov 3rd, and Monday, Nov 4th. The course is taught at the Magic Castle in Hollywood in the Classroom which is next to our library.

It is $160 per person for the class, to be paid at the first class.

We accept up to fifteen people in each class.

If you would like to register, e-mail Nancy Magill at magill@pophaydn.com

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Photos of Soapy Smith Night at the Magic Castle


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Soapy Smith Night at the Magic Castle in Hollywood this year will be on Sunday, July 8th, beginning at 6:00 pm.

It is a costume party celebrating the gunfight at the wharf in Skagway, Alaska on July 8, 1898 during the height of the Gold Rush in which Jefferson Randolph “Soapy” Smith was killed.

Soapy Smith was the con man and gangster that ran the town of Skagway with his gang of 100 trained con men and hustlers. He had the fix in with the law and the government of Alaska, and stripped almost everyone going into or out of Skagway with some kind of scheme or other. He had previously controlled Denver and then Creede, Colorado during the Silver Rush of the 1880’s.

After his death, members of his gang later scattered around the country, and included famous playwright and aphorist Wilson Mizner, Alexander Pantages who founded the Pantages theater chain, and Alexander “The Man Who Knows” Conlin who made over twenty million dollars as a fake psychic in vaudeville.

We have live Old Time Music by Dave Bourne and the Medicine Show band, a trickshot demonstration by 2 time world champion Chef Anton, a toast by great-grandson Jeff Smith and family, and gambling at old time gambling games like Faro and Chuck a Luck on antique equipment provided by Phil Gessert of Tombstone, Arizona. Nick Lewin will demonstrate his amazing linking finger ring routine, and John Reynolds will demonstrate bi-labial fricatation.

There will also be three-card monte, shell game, lotteries and other swindles designed to take your Soapy Money all around the Castle.

People dress up in Gay Nineties, Old West, Gold Rush and Steampunk attire for the event. There are prizes for most authentic, sexiest, and funniest costumes.

Proceeds of the event go to the Vernon Fund.

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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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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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