Discover Armando Lucero's Legendary 'The Empanada'

Unlock one of the most coveted secrets in modern card magic: 'The Empanada' by Armando Lucero. This isn't just another card trick; it's a meticulously crafted, professional-level routine that has 'fried the best of the best,' earning its place as a cornerstone of Lucero's own act for years. Armando himself charges a premium of $1000 to teach this routine during his exclusive four-day workshops, a testament to its profound impact and ingenious methodology. Now, for the first time, this remarkable effect is accessible as a digital download, meticulously detailed and written by the excellent Paul Vigil.

The Ultimate 'Think-of-Any-Card' Effect

'The Empanada' takes the classic 'think-of-any-card' plot and elevates it to an unprecedented level of impossibility. Imagine this: You set aside two Jokers. A spectator merely thinks of any one of the fifty-two cards in the deck. The Jokers are then placed face-up at the top and bottom of the deck. With a slow, deliberate motion, they magically melt through the deck, drawing closer and closer until they trap a single card between them. The reveal is astonishing: it's the spectator's thought-of card, located by the Jokers *before* they even utter its name! This entire sequence transpires with such economy of motion and lack of suspicious moves that it defies reconstruction.

A Masterpiece of Card Conjuring

Rooted in historical precedents like 'The Three of Clubs' by Ralph W. Hull, Armando Lucero has transformed this age-old plot into a contemporary marvel. His genius lies in adding the 'progressive sandwich plot,' a subtle layering that makes the method virtually undetectable and amplifies the effect's power exponentially. 'The Empanada' builds tension slowly, drawing your audience into an unfolding mystery that culminates in an unbelievable climax. This routine has been honed through hundreds of professional performances, ensuring every detail, every nuance, and every beat is perfected. It's a true 'coup de grâce' of card magic, a showpiece designed to leave even the most discerning audiences utterly baffled.

Learn a Closely Guarded Secret

Armando Lucero has famously guarded this routine, sharing it with only a select few. The opportunity to learn 'The Empanada' is rare and invaluable. Paul Vigil, a magician of exceptional caliber, has meticulously transcribed every detail, ensuring you receive the exact handling and thought process behind this extraordinary effect. This ebook is your chance to add a powerhouse routine to your repertoire – one that carries the weight of a legendary performer's secret and the impact of a truly impossible piece of magic. Prepare to jealously guard this secret yourself once you experience its power firsthand.

Original Specs

Armando charges $1000 to teach this routine during a 4 days workshop! It's the first time I come across of a video performance of it. It's a truly beautiful effect that holds to the hype that has been surrounding it IMO.

Here is what Paul Vigil has to say about this routine on Lucero's website:

For the first time, Armando will be sharing his think-of-any-card effect, the Empanada. Below, is an excerpt from the notes on the Empanada written by the excellent Paul Vigil.

The eye bewraieth the thought.
Reginald Scot
The Discoverie of Witchcraft (1584)
Tricks dependent on thought foretold
or divined
are unquestionably the most striking
in the whole range of conjuring.
In truth, how is it possible to explain
(unless indeed you know the secret)
how anyone can know
what you have chosen to think of,
or even what
you are going to think presently?
Robert-Houdin
Les Secrets de la Prestidigitation
et de la Magie (186
There is probably no doubt
in the mind of any performing magician
that think-of-a-card effects are
among the strongest things one can do
with playing cards.
Roberto Giobbi
Card College, Volume 5 (2003)

Being among the oldest of recorded effects, the revelation of a thought-of card can be found as far back as the sixteenth century, in such works as Giochi di carte bellissimi direola, e di memoria (Galasso, 1593). Other approaches to this plot can be found in many classic texts including Greater Magic (Hilliard, 1938, “The Three of Clubs,” pp. 327-29) and Dai Vernon’s More Inner Secrets of Card Magic (Ganson, 1960, “Out of Sight–Out of Mind,” pp. 14-15). The routine you are now reading is essentially Armando’s handling of “The Three of Clubs,” an effect attributed to Ralph W. Hull (1). In this coup de grâce of card pieces, the thinking behind the effect has been brought up to date, both methodologically and theatrically. What Armando has done is to add the progressive sandwich plot (2) to “The Three of Clubs,” allowing the . . . used to be subtler, thereby making the effect even stronger and harder to reconstruct. The effect unfolds slowly, building tension along the way, until it reaches its unbelievable climax. A showpiece of Armando’s professional act for many years, it has been honed through hundreds of performances and will be taught exactly as he performs it. This routine has been one of Armando’s best-kept secrets. In fact, as far as I know, he has taught it to only one person – me. Believe me when I tell you that I hesitated to write any of it down. I have personally seen him fry the best of the best with this one. I have also seen the sad faces of those magicians who have asked how it was done, only to be cast an impish and innocent smile that only Armando can give. Many have been willing to trade anything and everything they had for this one effect, yet he has always resisted. While he never hesitates to talk about effect, he hardly ever wishes to talk about method.

Armando has finally decided to share this routine with those of you who have chosen to participate in his exclusive worrkshop with the hope that you will give it the attention it deserves. I believe that after you have performed it, and experienced its power firsthand, you too will jealously guard the secret.

EFFECT
The performer sets aside the two Jokers and asks a spectator to think of any one of the remaining fifty-two cards. Placing the Jokers face up at the top and bottom of the deck, the performer causes them to magically melt through the deck so that they slowly come together. They continue to do so until they trap a single card: the thought-of selection. Amazingly, the Jokers locate the selection before the spectator reveals his thought-of card. All of this transpires with such economy of motion that no chicanery is suspected.

The Empanada
An effect by Armando Lucero
Routined & Written by Paul Vigil

#Paul Vigil

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