The Pass - Left finger out or curled in?

[[R.C]]

I see a lot of placing saying different things about this, a lot of mroe recent ones saying to keep the finger curled under.
What do you do and why do you do it? Is it habit or does it serve a specific purpose?

Personally, I leave it extended. It gives me more control and balance over the packet that's being pulled under. Oftentimes when I try curling it, the packet doesn't go all the way under, or falls out of my hands.

 

[Fieldininio]

I tried curling it in for a while, but it gives less stability for the transposing packet, the top one, whereas the extended method gives more stability and looks more natural, in my opinion,
tom field

 

[SKSleighofHand]

Extending allows you to execute the pass easily. I tried curling it, but it does not work for me. It really depends on the people's style.

 

[conjurer77]

Extended index finger is NOT the way to do a pass. Think about what your spectators see when you extend your index. THE INDEX FINGER SUSPICIOUSLY MOVES! Thus tipping the fact that "something is happening"!

Every time i see someone do a pass in person and they extend their index, I immediately SLAP their finger hard. I tell them to NOT do that. You can see a pass a MILE away if you extend your finger.

 

[tomohamano]

I personally like doiing it curled since that's the way i first learned it...but I think the extended one provided more cover of the packet and is a bit less angle sensitive. But I like it curled

 

[MaGiK Man]

the index finger!?? It definitely looks more natrual extended, having it curled under the deck makes absolutely no sense...not to me anyway, i just tried it and i dont understand how it works or why someone would do it...but honestly, i dont think it makes a difference, just do it fast and silent, and no motions to cover it up or anything, and laymen wont catch it. i hate when people do those ridiculous motions to "cover up" the pass. but whatever haha its all about personal preference.
P.S i am talking about the classic pass, not the herman pass!!!! (that's probably obvious but i was just making sure haha =P)

~Nate

 

[CaseyC]

I don't think peolpe realize how unnatural it looks when your index extends. When i see people do a pass and their finger suddenly points straight out, it doesn't look normal! Simple as that!
It is completely different if you mean your finger is always in the same postion and doesn't move (on the outer edge of the deck). I prefer to avoid all this and just curl the finger in. I don't know why people think this gives you less control (you have more grip on the upper packet) unless your technique is off. Just read a book, yes that's right a book, that teaches the pass and pay attention to the details.
In Royal Road to Card Magic it specifically says (paraphrasing) "do not extend your index finger while executing the pass. This is a very common error" hmmmmmmmm

Sorry if this sounds harsh, just want to provide some insight.

 

[Jupiter]

I have my index finger out and it doesn't extened at all. It just stays in a natural position the whole time

 

[CaseyC]

I have my index finger out and it doesn't extened at all. It just stays in a natural position the whole time

Yeah if it doesn't point out or move it's fine because it looks natural.
I think some of us(including me at first) were just unclear by what R.C meant by "pointed out". That's all...

 

[[R.C]]

Extended index finger is NOT the way to do a pass. Think about what your spectators see when you extend your index. THE INDEX FINGER SUSPICIOUSLY MOVES! Thus tipping the fact that "something is happening"!

Every time i see someone do a pass in person and they extend their index, I immediately SLAP their finger hard. I tell them to NOT do that. You can see a pass a MILE away if you extend your finger.

Thats very true, the pass can spotted a mile away then, from the magician. If you cover the motion with other natural motions, such as a riffle, or a dribble, it flies right by a layman.
Why would you give up stability for something that is invisible to a spectator?

 

[[R.C]]

Yeah if it doesn't point out or move it's fine because it looks natural.
I think some of us(including me at first) were just unclear by what R.C meant by "pointed out". That's all...

I didn't mean like pointing straight out, lik pointing at the spectator =P
I mean in a natural position throughout the pass.

 

[CaseyC]

I didn't mean like pointing straight out, lik pointing at the spectator =P
I mean in a natural position throughout the pass.

Yeah that's what i figured. Still curled though...

 

[RDChopper]

I used to have the finger curled, But I began extending it some weeks ago...why? It provides more cover for the move.

Unnatural? not necesarily, if you blend it with some natural moves like squaring the deck with all four fingers before doing the trick, well there you have some misdirection, you look like you are just playing with the deck, and even if they are staring at your hands,you could still pull it through

Also, if you just do the "move" and that's all, well they could suspect something, but if you blend that tiny sleight with other movements like squaring the deck, or a riffle etc, well they just don't know when the sleight happened, besides I usually use patter with my tricks, so the attention is rarely on my hands during a sleight.

Have a nice day.