To become a good magician, you do not need to know magic spells, learn skill over the long years of your life or sign a contract with otherworldly forces. Dexterity in this matter also does not always take the first place - it is enough to be observant, to have an idea of the elementary laws of the exact sciences and to amaze inexperienced observers with your ability to perform “miracles”.
How tricks were born
The history of tricks dates back many centuries. They originated in Europe in the seventeenth century and were carried out solely to entertain the public and earn a little extra money in this touching workshop. Primitive manipulations were not carried out with bulk objects. Usually, the details were coins, cards, and other small details. To enhance the effect of the spectacle and distract the attention of the audience, the dodger pronounced the magic words “hocus pocus”, and then the audience was fascinated by even the most primitive actions with props. However, not all magicians were treated positively, since communion in magic in the Middle Ages was punishable by a gallows or by burning at a stake.
Going deeper into the history of tricks, we note that their first mention is associated with Ancient Egypt and Babylon - these are thousands of years ago BC! The ancient priests struck with their tricks, guided by the brilliant knowledge of physics, mathematics and astronomy, so the witchcraft version of the origin of tricks disappears immediately.
Evolution of the phenomenon
Soon, ordinary magicians were replaced by illusionists. The concept of illusion refers, rather, to the process of charm, rather than deceiving the viewer, therefore, secondary objects began to be used more and more often to distract attention: bright light, fire and sparks. The era of the development of the illusionists dates back to the seventeenth century and is associated with the name of Jean-Eugene Robert-Uden.
Tricks became more spectacular in the nineteenth century, when human lives were threatened. Revolvers and other edged weapons were sent at the magician, and his charming assistants for some time had to get out of the aquarium with water. The twentieth century is truly considered the climax of the development of tricks, but after World War II, passions gradually began to subside. However, often in taverns several hundred years ago and still dodgers surprise the audience with simple tricks. A trick with matches does not require complex details. Following the movement of the hand of the magician, the viewer controls all movements and eliminates any fraud.
A trick with matches - simplicity or genius?
The origin of match tricks can be correlated no earlier than the nineteenth century, since the first match was invented only in 1805 by the French chemist Jacques Chancelle. However, earlier similar tricks could be done with wooden metal sticks of small sizes. By carefully observing the movements of the master’s hands, you can guess for yourself
how to do tricks with matches. The whole charm of the trick is simplicity and accessibility, and today any such fortress will amuse the company, and many people have matchboxes in their pockets.
Classics of the genre
A trick with a match and forks is a classic, but you need to carry it out only indoors. It is enough to know the elementary laws of physics, and the trick is ready! Very simple details will be required: a fork, a spoon and a match. The spoon with the fork must be connected and secured by inserting a match between the cloves of the fork. Such a design will be in equilibrium on any surface.
Kids fun
No less relevant are tricks for children with matches. They are simple, but some of them can not even make out adults, having lost children's thinking. You can offer your child to build a house out of eleven matches and turn it from right to left by completing the action with only two matches. Another equally difficult task will push the child to think. Ten matches are given and the condition is to get three of them. Clever children will immediately guess and put out the word “three” from matches, spending two matches on the first letter, five on the second, and three on the last. Thus, the condition was met, and at the same time it was not necessary to hide the matches somewhere in order to get the “three”.
Playing with fire
The most impressive thing is always the focus with matches, which fulfill their main purpose - burning. Such manipulations require prior training and safety precautions.
In public, for a greater effect, the sorcerer puts on a hat and special clothes, which will embellish the appearance, and at the same time will serve as an excellent cache for props. Imagine a sight: you hold a match in your right hand, light it once on the sole of the shoe, the second, but without results. And then a lit match appears in my left hand ... Impressive, isn't it?
To reproduce such a miracle is not difficult. For the focus, two matches will be required: the first must be tried to light on the sole of the shoe, and the second, hidden, will be under the lining of the tailcoat, and its head should look out so that the magician can see it and at any time can get it out of there. The most mysterious attribute is a ring, which must first be glued from a sulfur strip from a matchbox. While the right hand will try to light a match on the sole, a ring will be put on the opposite one on the middle finger. Moreover, the left hand should be constantly hidden somewhere in a tailcoat and be invisible to the viewer. Initially, the right hand will work, so you need to turn to the viewer with the right side. Now the culmination of focus: simultaneously with the right hand, the left hand draws a match from the cache, holding it with the thumb and forefinger. One movement of the hand on the ring, and the match is lit! This ingenious trick with matches will be interesting for both large and small audiences.
Matches and Math
Some match games can be quite primitive, but to make the trick more difficult, interesting and exciting,
mathematical tricks with matches have appeared, for the implementation of which it is important not so much sleight of hand as a good ingenuity, and sometimes also good hearing.
To carry out, two are needed: an outsider and a magician. The wizard asks the participant to get the boxes, which can contain any number of matches, count their number (without voicing this number) and take away the number of matches, which is equal to the sum of the digits of this number. After that, the magician takes a box of matches, shakes it for several seconds and accurately indicates the number of matches left.
How did it happen? It is enough to recall the sign of divisibility by 9 from elementary school mathematics: the difference in the number and sum of its digits is always divided by 9 without a remainder. It can be concluded that there will be 9, 18, 27, 36 or 45 matches in the box. It’s worth a little practice, and their number will be able to accurately determine by ear. This is the whole secret of focus with matches.
Mind, sleight of hand, no cheating!
Illusionists, sorcerers and magicians are extremely talented people, but absolutely everyone can learn the basics of any focus. The whole theory has been worked out for centuries, only technology, presentation and details are improved. Belief in miracles makes life more beautiful, but if every person continued to blindly believe and observe, progress would be unusual for society.
Sophisticated viewers try to solve the most incredible miracle, and then show it already in the circle of relatives and friends. Solving a trick by observing the quick and dexterous movements of an illusionist is virtually impossible. Turning some ideas into reality also does not seem feasible.
Do not constantly cling to the most difficult: pay attention to simple tricks with matches. Training will not seem difficult in this area, and attendance at David Copperfield’s sessions is not necessary to become a sorcerer to some extent. Surely, the simple tricks described in the article interested you, and you can conduct the first experiment even now. Currently, such primitive magic has become available, so why not take a chance and start to surprise?