Complete Review of The Encyclopedia of Playing Card Flourishes (LONG)

[JDENredden]

Hi this is my complete review of The Encyclopedia of Playing Card Flourishes by Jerry Cestkowski.

Ok I recieved this book for Christmas last year and I loved it, its full of wicked flourishes most of these you have prob never herd of. There really cool and pretty easy to learn. Soo here is my review of every Flourish in the book.

Introduction, Foreword, Philosophy, Tools of the Trade

Here Jerry talks about all of that^^ he teaches you how to tune your deck for XCM.

10/10

One-hand Single Cuts

Charlier Pass: This is the basic one-handed cut, its taught in extreme detail, I already knew the move but for a newbie Iam sure it would only take about 10-15 minute to learn the move. Jerry also teaches a simple double Charlier routine. Very cool. 10/10

Thumb cut: Another very simple one-handed cut. Once again taught to perfection. Very useful move. 10/10

Pinkie cut: This is like the thumb cut but done with the pinkie. Not very practical but still very good. 8/10

Herrmann cut: This cut is like a pass done with one hand. Its a very cool cut. I learnt this from this book, and with all the illustrations it was very easy and clear to learn from. 9/10

Scissor cut: Yet another classic one-handed cut. 10/10

Horizontal Turn cut: This is a weird cut, its allot like the Hot shot cut. 9/10

Vertical Turn cut: This is another weird cut but has lots of potential. 9/10

Vertical Spin cut: This is basically the above cut but a full 360 revolution. 9/10

Roll cut: This is a nice cut that can be used to split the deck in two. 10/10

L-cut: This is probably one of my favorite cuts out of the whole book, its fair easy once you get the hang of it. And it looks very impressive to laymen. 11/10

Extension cut (X-cut): This is allot like the L-cut but it has an extended display. 10/10

Index cut: This is the raw cut for the One-handed over hand Shuffle. Its fair easy. 9/10

Pincer Grip cut: This is a really cool cut, it looks cool and feels soo cool to perform. 10/10

Helicopter Throw cut: This is a cool cut, where you Helicopter half the deck out and catch it again. 9/10

Straight Throw cut: This is much like the previous cut but instead of been Helicoptered out its just shot out straight and then caught again. Its pretty difficult. 8/10

Roll Throw cut: This is like the Roll cut but the packet is launched out the deck and then caught again.

Flip Throw cut: This is sorta a T.G. Murphy Deck flip but only half the deck is fliped so it is a cut. 9/10

Hindu Throw cut: This is a very cool throw cut. The deck is cut then one packet it thrown into the air long wards. 9/10

Aerial cut: This is another favourite of mine, this is the deck flip pass like move in the Virtuso video its very cool and can be used as a pass. 10/10


One-handed Multiple cuts


Charlier Tri-cut: This is sorta a cross between the Charlier pass and the Thumb cut, it can easily be modified to become like a SSS. 10/10

Thumb Tri-cut: This is a Thumb cut but with an extra packet, can also be modified to become the Triangle that De'vo uses in his Dice stacking/XCM Hybrid. 10/10

Turning Tri-cut: This looks like a double Scissor cut. 9/10

Extension Tri-cut: This is the X-cut but with an extra packet to make sorta a mouth for the packet to go in. 9/10

Running Thumb cut: This is a Thumb cut but done over and over and over again. 9/10

Charlier/Thumb Shuffle: This is a cross between the Charlier Pass and the Thumb cut but it is sorta a shuffle looks pretty cool. 10/10

''Five Packet'' cut: A pretty cool, single handed cut its actually a four packet cut but Jerry talks about why he calls it a Five Packet cut. 9/10

L-X Quad cut: This is a combination of the X and L-cut. Its a four packet cut. Looks impressive to laymen. Can be done with both hands to make a very cool 8 packet cut. 10/10

Running L-cut: This is just L-cut after L-cut after L-cut. 10/10

L-X Interpolation: This is basically a way to close a X and L cut routine. 10/10

Six-packet Display cut: This 2 Turning Tri-cuts into a Display. Looks very impressive to magician and laymen. 10/10

Flip-Flop cut: This is basically a double Vertical spin cut. 9/10

Fanning

Pressure fan: This is the basic Pressure fan, Jerry teaches the correct starting grip because this is the thing that most people get wrong and he teaches it correct this should fix most of your fanning problems. 10/10

Thumb fan: Pretty much as the same he teaches the correct starting grip. Best teaching in the world. 10/10

Finger fan: This is the same as the Thumb fan but done with the fingers. 9/10

Side Spring fan: This is like a Pressure fan but done with the small ends of the deck. 9/10

One-handed close: This is a technique of closing a fan with one hand. 10/10

Twirl Close: This is a fan close with a fan twirl. 10/10

Fan Twirl: The Classic Fan Twirl. Very very cool. 10/10

Reverse Pressure fan: This is the Pressure fan done in reverse, thus being a blank fan. 9/10

Reverse Thumb fan: A reverse Thumb fan, also being blank. 9/10

One-handed Reverse Fan Close: A method of closing a Reverse fan One-handed.

Left-hand One-handed Indices fan: The title says it all. Its sorta like the Caraharen(spell) fan. 9/10

Right-hand One-handed Blank fan: Same method as above done with opposite hand. 9/10

Right-hand One-handed Indices fan: Title says it all. This is a different method than the Smear fan. 10/10

Twin fans: Different methods of Two One-handed fans are taught. 10/10

S-fans: Two One-handed fans made into a S shape. 10/10

Card circle: A method of making a fan into a Complete circle of cards. 10/10

Fan with-in a fan: A method of having a fan inside a fan. Very very cool. 10/10

Giant Pressure fan: A Giant Pressure fan, there is a special way of doing this. 10/10

Giant Thumb fan: A Giant Thumb fan, there is a special way of doing this one too. 10/10

Giant Angle fans: Different ways of displaying the Giant fan. 10/10

One-handed Giant fan: A Giant fan done with One-hand. 9/10

Giant Fan Circle: A circle of cards in a Giant fashion. 10/10

Closing Giant fans and Circles: Different ways of closing Giant fans and Circles. 10/10

Flower fan: A weird fan, not done in the conventional way. 10/10

Automatic Flower fan: A method of doing the Flower fan Automatically. 9/10

Springs and Drops

Basic Spring: The Basic Spring, taught in extreme detail. 10/10

Waterfall Drop: The classic Waterfall Drop. 10/10

Flat Drop: This is like the Waterfall Drop but not done one the side. 8/10

Cascade: This is a very cool move, I love it. 10/10

Double Spring: In cartoons the people do several springs at once, this method lets you do this. 9/10

Up-side Down Spring: This is a spring done in the opposite direction. 9/10

Very Long Spring: This is a method of doing a very long Spring. 10/10

Overhead Spring: This uses the Very Long Spring method over your head. 10/10

To be continued ran out of space. Please dont comment back yet.

 

[JDENredden]

Continued

Behind the Back Waterfall Drop: This is just a Waterfall Drop done behind the back. 8/10

One-handed Waterfall Drop/Double Waterfall Drop: This is a very cool move, its Dropped in the same hand as its caught in. Very very cool. 10/10

One-handed Spring: This is a One-handed Spring, a Spring done completely with one hand. 10/10

Virtual Electric Deck: This is a method of making a regular deck look like a Electric Deck. It does ruin your Deck tho. 8/10

Two-handed Single cuts

Pivot cut: This is the basic Pivot cut, very popular move in XCM. 10/10

Paddlewheel cut: This is very cool the deck is cut into two packets and each packet falls on each other like a Paddlewheel or like a gear. 10/10

Inversion ''Cut'': This is a very weird, gravity defying cut. 9/10

Drop cut: This is basically packet flapping. 8/10

Cross Drop cut: This is the Drop cut but done with your hands crossed. 9/10

Forward Tumble cut: This is another weird, packet switching cut. 9/10

Reverse Tumble cut: This is a reversed way of the above cut. 9/10

Twirl cut. This is like a Deck Twirl within a cut. 9/10

Two-handed Helicopter throw cut: This is like the Helicopter cut mentioned before, but thrown into the other hand. 9/10

Two-handed Roll Throw cut: This is the Roll cut but done with two hands. 8/10

Two-handed Flip Throw cut: This is like the Roll Throw cut but done when the hands cross. 9/10

Behind the back Deck Separation: This is a way to separate the Deck behind the back. 8/10

Arm-roll cut: This is a cut where the packet rolls on your arm. 8/10

Two-handed Multiple cut

Running Pivot cut: This is a way of doing Multiple Pivot cut. 9/10

Quick Triple cut: A cool quick cut. 8/10

Butterfly cut: A cut that is done like a mirror image with both hands, making it look like a Butterfly. 9/10

Riffle cut: A cut done with a riffle. 8/10

Thumb Riffle cut: The above cut done with your thumb. 9/10

Charlier Combo cut: This is a combo of the Charlier Pass. 10/10

Paddlewheel Combo cut: A combo done using the Paddlewheel. 10/10

Pincer Combo cut: Once again a combo done using the Pincer cut. 10/10

Juggle cut: This is like a multiple throw cut combo. 9/10

Triple Transfer cut: A complicated cut with lots of packet transfers. 9/10

Twirl Transfer cut: A cut like the above but with some deck twirls. 8/10

Loop Transfer cut: Yet another transfer cut. 8/10

Half Gear-screw cut: A cool looking cut, its fair difficult to do but its satisfying when you get it. 9/10

Full Gear-screw cut: The above cut but bigger. 10/10

Tower cut: This is a crazy cut, its all over the place very cool tho. 10/10

Arm Spreads

Basic Arm-Spread, Turnover and Glide Catch: This is just the basic arm-spread with turn over and just a basic catch. 10/10

Opposite-hand Scoop catch: Another catch technique. 9/10

Same-hand Fall Catch: This is a catch where the cards fly up into the air and caught in the same hand. 10/10

Opposite-hand Fall Catch: The above catch but caught with the other hand. 10/10

No-turnover Down Catch: Another catch. 8/10

Full-deck Cross Catch: A opposite hand catch. 9/10

Half-turnover Down Catch: This is a catch where you turn it over half way then catch it with the opposite hand.

AHHH Mother F***** I just completed the rest of the book then my internet cut out when I pressed submit. Iam almost crying now it took me hours to do this. Oh well I finish this off soon. I need a break.

JDEN

 

[Sleight_of_Hand]

NIce
Work
Dude

 

[Aris.SA]

I wonder how long did it take you to write those posts..

Nice review, btw