Introduction

Can Juan Tamariz's Symbolic Method be adapted for coin magic or close-up magic in general? The answer is positive, and I teach this in my lectures and workshops.

Below is a brief example. It gives a first glimpse into the possibilities of notation for close-up magic. New concepts are applied which provide an amazingly rich set of notations to express the essence of many coin and other close-up tricks.

Even though the vocabulary of the notation has not been disclosed, you may already be able to roughly translate the information.

Another Example

The next example shows a classic Chink-a-Chink Matrix effect. Physical objects are Coins, Cards and Hands. Local Grammars implement "gone" and "surprize" elements. A Cards' inner line indicates it is held in an elevated position, else (without the inner line) it is meant to be lowered to the table. Only the table-Space is used. It is a classic Matrix effect, where cards are rather concealed below cards, and Spaces to express this are not needed.

This sequence is inspired by Albert Goshman, Patrick Page, Chink-a-Chink, p.65-71, Magic by Gosh, Selfpublished, 1985.

You may want to tilt your iPhone to see the grid arrangement.

The above is an unprecendented presentation of new ways into close-up magic.