Magic Review: Royal-T by Gordon Bean

A review of a new three-card-monte inspired packet trick by Gordon Bean and Penguin Magic.

Overall Rating: (4.5 out of 5 or 93%)
Format: Video Download and Props
Difficulty: Easy
Price: $19.95 (approx. £16 or €18 at time of release)
Available From: Penguin Magic or your local magic shop

"Royal-T" is the latest packet trick from Gordon Bean and Penguin Magic. Gordon is a prolific magic trick creator who has released many best-selling packet tricks in the past, including Jinks, Bikers, and Entourage. Most of these tricks were released in the early 2000s through his company MagicLab, which he co-founded with his friend Larry Horowitz, and have been unavailable for many years. 

Luckily, Gordon has decided to team up with Penguin Magic to re-release some of his most popular packet tricks, along with a few new ones. The first one to be released is "Royal-T", a simple three-card monte effect that includes three transpositions, each more impossible than the last.

The trick uses three cards, the Three of Clubs, the Three of Hearts and the Queen of Hearts. Photo Credit: Penguin Magic.

To maintain transparency, it is important to disclose that I have conversed with Gordon Bean regarding the re-release of his packet trick material. As a long-time admirer of his magic, I have also purchased many of his tricks upon their initial release. However, it is important to note that we have not talked about the upcoming launch of "Royal-T," and my review will remain objective despite any personal friendship with Gordon.

So what's the effect? You take out three cards—a Three of Clubs, a Three of Hearts, and a Queen of Hearts—from a small black envelope. You then demonstrate an unusual version of the street hustle known as three-card monte. The cards are mixed, face up and face down, making tracking the "money card" difficult. First, the Queen magically swaps places with the two Threes. Next, the red Three exchanges places with the black Three. Finally, the red Three is set aside on the table, and the black Three is placed back into the envelope. Surprisingly, the black Three appears where the Queen used to be, the red Three is now in the envelope, and the Queen is discovered on the table!

"Royal-T" by Gordon Bean. Image Credit: Penguin Magic.

Here's the ad copy from Penguin Magic:

Can you win a 3-card monte game where the cards are FACE-UP??? Don't be so sure!

The card that they're looking for always ends up in the place they least expect over and OVER AGAIN. Then everything can be handed out for examination. This is a demonstration of Three-Card Monte that features impossible transpositions your audience will have to see to believe. This is Royal-T by Gordon Bean.

Here’s what happens:

The magician shares a game of Three-Card Monte with their audience that uses a pair of threes and the queen of hearts. The first two phases of the routine feature asymmetrical transpositions, where one card turns into two, and blindingly visual transformations, where cards appear to leap from hand to hand as though by magic. The final phase sees the three of hearts fairly placed to the side, and the queen of hearts and the three of clubs openly placed into a small envelope. Impossibly, and with no moves, the three of hearts is discovered in the envelope, and the queen is found to have been sitting in the open on the table from the very beginning.

Royal-T comes complete with everything you need to perform right out of the box, including a special set of cards that makes all of the magic possible. In addition to the included cards, you receive expert instructions from Nick Locapo on how to make this astonishing effect get big reactions. Best of all, this trick instantly resets. Perfect for walkaround and cocktail performers, Royal-T fits in your wallet but lasts in your audience’s memory forever. Elevate your game of Three-Card Monte to nobility with Royal-T by Gordon Bean.

The advertisement is truthful and accurately reflects the audience's perception of the trick, but it implies the presence of two asymmetrical transpositions when there's only one. (An asymmetrical or off-balance transposition involves two uneven groups of cards that magically exchange places.) In the case of "Royal-T", the initial transposition is asymmetrical. The second phase showcases a visual two-card transposition, and, finally, all three cards switch positions instantaneously!

The second phase involves the transposition of the red and black Threes. Photo Credit: Penguin Magic.

You can see Nick Locapo, the official magician of Penguin Magic, perform the trick in the promotional video for "Royal-T". Unfortunately, the trick's final sequence is ambiguous as it is filmed from the performer's viewpoint rather than the audience's. Other than that, Nick performs the trick nicely and, as you can see, gets terrific reactions from his performances.

Promotional video for "Royal-T" by Gordon Bean. Video Credit: Penguin Magic.

"Royal-T" is a well-constructed piece of magic. Gordon has carefully crafted the trick to guarantee that each phase builds on the previous one, leading up to an awe-inspiring finale. This gradual escalation provides a robust three-act structure, amplifying the overall impact of the routine.

During his performance of "Royal-T", Nick warns against being tempted to bet on the correct location of the Queen. You'll hear him say, "But don't be tempted..." a couple of times during his performance; this is a phrase taken from the original script of "Temptation", a packet trick previously released by Gordon Bean. In fact, "Royal-T" most closely resembles a bonus routine in the "Temptation" manuscript called "T3". When I confirmed this with Gordon, he acknowledged that "T3" was likely the most direct antecedent of "Royal-T".

It's crucial to understand that "Royal-T" is simply a demonstration of three-card monte and doesn't provide a genuine opportunity to participate in the game. The trick is what I refer to as a "magician's monte". For this reason, it's more effective to present it as a warning about the risks of gambling with a stranger on the street. I don't see this as a problem, but it might be if you're looking for a three-card monte routine with more direct interaction with your audience, such as the routine made famous by Dai Vernon.

If you're searching for a gambling-themed trick that's perfect for a strolling or cocktail party performance, however, "Royal-T" is an excellent choice. It also includes an instant reset, and the envelope provides you with an opportunity to end completely clean (or transition into the performance of another trick, apparently using the same set of cards).

The teaching quality for this project is exceptional. Nick Locapo puts a lot of effort into demonstrating the precise sequence required to execute the trick successfully. A feature of the video tutorial that I found particularly useful was the silent step-by-step demonstration at the start of the video. It allows experienced magicians to learn the trick much faster. After that, Nick provides an in-depth explanation of the method to ensure you grasp all the intricacies of the routine. Overall, this is one of the best instructional videos I have seen from Penguin Magic.

However, I was disappointed at the lack of credits. Is this gaff unique to "Royal-T", or has it been used in other tricks? As mentioned in my previous review, I was impressed with the pop-up credits in the video tutorial for "Tidal Wave" by Spidey. I do wish that Penguin Magic would be more consistent in how they handle credits for their releases. It's essential to provide accurate references because they allow buyers to explore the techniques and tricks that inspired the creator. By doing so, committed magic students can gain a more profound understanding of the trick and benefit from a deeper learning experience.

Update: Gordon has informed me that the gaff utilised in the trick is his original creation and has only been used in conjunction with his previous releases ("Temptation" and "T3"). The lack of credits was due to a small oversight during the production of the video tutorial. While some may view self-crediting as conceited, it is important to do so to prevent others from falsely claiming credit for other people's work. A lack of credits can also raise concerns about the ethical nature of a release. I also think that this is a very clever gaff, and Gordon Bean deserves the credit for its invention, no matter how modest he might be! Gordon also told me that the final phase was inspired by "Now Look Here" by Chad Long.

Nick Locapo performs "Royal-T" in the video tutorial for the trick. Photo Credit: Penguin Magic.

Although "Royal-T" has many benefits, there are some downsides to consider. One negative is that while it does reset quickly, you do not end up clean. However, this can be easily addressed by having something to say while putting the cards back into the envelope, which will, most likely, prevent people from asking to see them. If this is still a concern, Nick suggests performing a switch at the end of the trick using the duplicate envelope provided. Unfortunately, he does not go into much detail on how to execute this switch, which could be challenging for an inexperienced magician. It would have been helpful if the tutorial included information on a simple pocket switch, especially for those who are new to magic.

It's also possible that you've noticed some inconsistencies in the routine that could make some performers anxious. Nonetheless, these discrepancies are usually not apparent to most people, so there isn't any real cause for concern. If you're still worried that your audience may detect them, Nick offers some simple advice in the video tutorial to obscure the illogical elements of the handling.

During the trick's final phase, several things happen simultaneously. Therefore, it's essential to take your time to ensure that the overall magical effect is clear. It is helpful to give your audience some extra time to fully process the magic, as a lot is happening at once.

It would have been helpful if the package included two gimmicks for the trick, as it relies on an unusual gaffed card. In the event that the gaff wears out, obtaining a replacement will be exceptionally difficult unless Penguin Magic offers refills in the future. Alternatively, you could consider using a custom printing service like Print By Magic to create a replacement for you.

Performing this trick does not require any sleight of hand, but it does involve memorising a simple sequence of moves. If you are not confident in your memory or basic dexterity with playing cards, I would advise against purchasing this trick. However, if you have a basic understanding of gaffed card magic, you should be able to perform the routine relatively quickly. The main challenge of "Royal-T" (and similar packet tricks) is remembering the correct choreography while performing in front of a live audience.

 
Nick Locapo sums up the benefits of "Royal-T". Photo Credit: Penguin Magic.

I'm unsure what Penguin Magic means by "EXPERT LEVEL COACHING". Will the video tutorial make you an expert, or is it expert-level coaching because Nick Locapo is a full-time professional magician? Either way, this sounds like typical magic marketing BS to me! Expert-level coaching implies that an alternative, more advanced handling might be included, which it isn't. 

In general, however, the many positives of the trick outweigh the few negatives. 

Final Thoughts

This is a fun and relatively easy packet trick to perform. I particularly like how the envelope makes the trick more memorable but also aids in the deceptiveness of the method.

If you already perform "Stand Up Monte" by Garrett Thomas, "Royal-T" presents an excellent alternative for strolling or cocktail party performances. Additionally, the two tricks complement each other well. Suppose someone requests to see "Royal-T" again. In that case, you can perform "Stand Up Monte" instead, preventing repetition for the same audience. Since the two tricks are so similar, it is unlikely that anyone would complain (you could incorporate a small black envelope into "Stand Up Monte" to make the tricks more alike). Furthermore, you could also perform "Royal-T" for someone you have previously shown "Stand Up Monte."

Another impressive trick that can be used as a follow-up to "Royal-T" is "Bizzare Twist" by Paul Harris. This can be found in Volume 1 of The Art of Astonishment and can also be learned from the 52Kards YouTube channel (with permission from Paul Harris). By performing "Bizarre Twist," you can amaze your audience by leaving them with three examinable cards, which appear to be the same ones used in your "Royal-T" performance.

A video performance of "Bizarre Twist" by Asad Chaudhry (52Kards). Video Credit: 52Kards via YouTube.

There is also significant potential to create a hybrid routine that utilises the unique gaff supplied with "Royal-T" but borrows concepts from "Stand Up Monte" and other similar routines (by switching out the gaff in "Royal-T" for the one used in "Stand Up Monte", for example). Once I've had the chance to experiment with the cards, I plan to work on an extended routine using the "Royal-T" set of cards.

Rating Breakdown

Effect: (5 out of 5)

As evidenced by the promotional video, the cumulative impact of the three transpositions on an audience is truly remarkable. Each phase surpasses the previous in impressiveness, which gives the trick a strong theatrical structure. The Queen appears to leap around in an unpredictable manner, which makes the final phase, in particular, very surprising.

Presentation: (5 out of 5)

The three-card monte presentation is a great way to grab your audience's attention and make your performance of "Royal-T" more engaging and memorable. I like the repetitive use of the line, "But don't be tempted..." and the reference to three-card monte throughout.

As well as aiding in the method and reset, the envelope adds interest to the final phase of the trick, making it appear more impossible. For instance, you could explain to your audience that three-card monte operators often keep their cards in an envelope in case they are caught by the authorities. If they spot a police officer approaching, they can swiftly stash the cards and any ill-gotten gains in the envelope and mail it to themselves to avoid being arrested. (This concept was influenced by the renowned trick "Ring, Watch, and Wallet" by Tommy Wonder.)

Practicality: (4 out of 5)

The trick is relatively easy (no false counts), self-contained and resets instantly. Additionally, the angles required to perform it are forgiving, making it suitable for performing surrounded. However, I suggest you refrain from having individuals positioned directly behind you, as this can create confusion during the final phase, as previously mentioned in the review. It is worth noting that the trick loses one star in this category due to the use of an uncommon gaff, which may well pose a challenge when attempting to replace it once it has worn out.

Instruction: (4.5 out of 5)

I want to give plenty of credit to Nick Locapo for being an amazing teacher in his video tutorial on "Royal-T". The silent step-by-step walkthrough was an excellent idea and greatly accelerated the learning process for me. I also liked having a separate explanation with the accompanying script so that you can sync your actions to your words.

However, I've deducted half a star from my rating because the video could have included more details on using the envelope to execute a switch during or after the trick. The Penguin Magic team also need to spend a little more time on proofreading as they misspelt the word "taught" in the video's credits.

Props: (4 out of 5)

The three cards are printed by the United States Playing Card Company on Bicycle Rider Back. Ideally, the trick would have been supplied with a spare gimmick along with the extra envelope (although I concede that this would have increased the price of the package).

Overall Rating: (4.5 out of 5)

In my assessment, this packet trick deserves a rating of 4.5 out of 5 or 93%, which means it's worthy of being included in my working repertoire. It's a remarkable trick that will leave a lasting impression on your audience. 

However, the transpositions are so effective that some spectators might suspect the use of trick cards, even if you execute the necessary sequence flawlessly. You can resolve this issue by adding an extra phase with three ordinary cards and then introducing the gaffed cards after your audience inspects them. Another option is to modify the routine to end with three ordinary cards, but doing both is not necessary. The former option is better because it allows you to reset the packet quickly, as demonstrated by Nick in the video tutorial. It's worth noting that Gordon Bean's "Monte 2.0" also used a similar concept to "Royal-T" but transformed all three cards into regular Queens by the end of the routine. This trick was also derived from "Temptation" but used a different type of gaff. I personally prefer the idea of ending the trick that way.

In short, if you love packet tricks as much as I do, and enjoy gambling-themed magic, then "Royal-T" by Gordon Bean is a must-buy!