Britain's brightest independent magic magazine

Issue 22 - September 08

Review

The OCL (One Card Link)

Ben Williams
Supplied by: www.magicshop.co.uk
Price: £19.99 (for the DVD ) or £12.99 (for the download)  

So here we go again with yet another version of the card linking effect. This one is essentially designed, as the title suggests, as a one card link i.e. you tear the centre out of a playing card and then tear the middle out of this removed centre portion so that you are left with two different sized card circles. The two circles are then magically linked one through the other. What makes this rather nice and certainly very strong is that the linked cards can then be immediately given away as a souvenir! Also, the two linked card pieces are both signed by a spectator prior to them being linked, thus proving that no switches or extra cards are used.  

The DVD footage supplied features Ben Williams performing the OCL routine and then going through a careful explanation of the preparation required and the handling to achieve the effect. It also includes several other suggestions for extended or alternative ways to present the effect, but I have to say that the link itself is so strong that in some ways to attempt to add more after the link simply serves to confuse and dilute the impact of the link. The filming is fairly basic with no frills, but everything you need to know is made reasonably clear.  

The most important thing you need to fully understand is exactly how to make the gimmick. This will take some effort and some time, although I suspect that you will get quicker as you make more of them. Obviously you will need one gimmick for each performance, so if you intend to work this walkabout, and you certainly could, then you will need to make up a supply of the cards in advance. The more carefully you make this fake, the more impossible the finished link will appear and the more confidence you will have when you hand it out at the finish.  

The handling is not difficult but will require a little practice to get it smooth. If you decide to try out any of the extra variations you will need some basic sleight of hand and one or two other props such as a thumb tip and small coin purses. If you want to do a card link, this version has plenty to recommend it, especially since the completed link can be kept by the spectators at the finish. ML  

What's Hot : simple clean handling and the linked cards are examinable
What's Not: some quite fiddly preparation of the card gimmick
Star Rating: ****    

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