Chess Gambit

THE BLURB:
The effect reads totally impossible, yet it is accurate in
every regard. One of the most unique and baffling magical
effects on stage today. Direct from Devin Knight's own stage
show and a limited release, this is based on a little known
idea that Al Mann shared with Devin.

Devin's original idea has been revised and improved upon to
make it into a real visual showpiece. Read the effect and
ponder how such a thing is possible:

Performer introduces a table containing a chess set. He
tells the audience before the show he gave a copy of the
best-selling book, "Chess Strategy" to an audience member.
She were instructed to secretly take the book out of the
magician's sight and circle a chess piece on any page. She
was also instructed to note the page number containing the
circled piece and seal everything in a large yellow
envelope.

Please note: Once the book is given to the spectator in the
audience before the show, the magician never touches it
again! The person in the audience holding the book chooses
any two people to assist onstage and hands either one of
them the book. She makes the selection (NOT THE MAGICIAN)
and hands the book to either one. The volunteers are not
stooges nor plants; there is no secret cueing or anything of
the sort. There are no offstage assistants. Strictly a
one-man effect!

Magician asks the first volunteer to go over to chess board
and stand in front of it so the second volunteer and
audience cannot see what he does. The first volunteer is
instructed to freely choose any chess piece and place it
inside a paper bag, thus allowing nobody to see it! He is
further instructed to stand in front of the chess set
blocking its view from the audience. The choice is
completely free; there is no force of any kind -- the
volunteer has a free selection of any of the 32 chess
pieces!

Performer then asks the second volunteer to open the
envelope and remove the chess book. There is a note attached
to the book indicating the page that was marked. She turns
to that page in the book and, sure enough, one chess piece
is encircled with a red mark. This is visible to the
audience, and she shows the book to the first volunteer
holding the secret piece to verify it.
(REMEMBER THE PERFORMER HASN'T TOUCHED THE BOOK!)

The second volunteer is then asked to riffle through the
book and to make sure no other pages have been marked. She
does so and assures everyone that all other pages are mark
free. The performer asks her to name the chosen piece within
the book. Suppose she says, "The black bishop!"

Performer states that it would be incredible if the piece
the man secretly selected was indeed the black bishop. The
performer instructs the first volunteer to remove the piece
from the bag, and indeed, it is revealed to be the black
bishop!

Remember this is a one-man effect. There are no forces of
any kind, and the performer never (even secretly) touches
anything. He merely directs the spectators from a distance
as to what they are to do. This is the ultimate in Two
Minds, Single Thought effects; there are no switches nor
sleights. The audience will go home wondering how such a
thing is possible!

You get everything you need to perform this mind-boggling
effect, including a beautiful chess set large enough for
stage. A special carry bag to carry chess pieces, a
specially gimmicked 330-page "Chess Strategy" book, the
necessary gimmicks, envelopes, paper bags and detailed
directions with several alternative handlings, and complete
performance rights.

MY COMMENTS:
The effect plays exactly as it's presented in the blurb.
Like other mentalism routines by Al Mann & Devin Knight,
this is a very creative and impressive routine. The blurb
is certainly accurate in describing the routine, though
there are some variations that are included in the
manuscript.

As to concerns about this routine, the chess theme would
be one, obviously. Due to the props, you must use this
theme. Also, some may know that there are not 32 different
pieces on a chess board. There are 32 pieces on the board,
and the participant does have a free choice of any one of
them, but there are only twelve different pieces - six black
and six white. This ruse, as you may have figured out, is
meant to psychological convince the participants that they
could've chosen one of many. Also, there is a nicely made
8.5" x 11" key to use so that participants know the pieces
and what they look like. The key does indeed show these
twelve different pieces.

The chess pieces that are included are not the most elegant
or fancy, but they have the classic design and are
instantly recognizable. The pieces are not gimmicked so if
one has a better set of chess pieces, it can certainly be
used.

Finally, and this may be obvious, but this is a stage
routine, or at least a parlour one that requires a generous
size audience. One can certainly use less people, but
depending upon that number, the routine can be modified.

The 14-page manuscript, which contains photo illustrations,
details this very strong routine as well as containing
different handlings. The blurb contains a list of
everything you get. I'll also note that if you like this
routine or are interested in the techniques, but would
prefer not to use the chess theme, Devin released a very
similar routine called DOUBLE COICIDENCE, which is my
absolute favorite release of his and which is why I mention
it. It features most of the principles at work in Chess
Gambit, but uses a novel instead of a chess book.