ACAAN Question

Alright,

@ElSergio02:

When I do an ACAAN, I run into a problem.

Which of the 100+ versions of ACAAN are you doing?

@ElSergio02:

it's when the spectator tells me the number they want

The card, or the position?

@ElSergio02:

and I'm supposed to act like I didn't quite hear them, but I never know what to say, what to ask, or what to chat about, and it totally throws off my count.

Mmm,

All I can tell you is that you just have to practice, practice, practice.

Practice talking and counting at the same time. It's not that hard if you just keep doing it over and over, and don't give up.

Eventually, you'll get it right, but that only comes from practicing it again and again.

There's no other way around it.

Well, it's a theory by Juan that he explains in several of his lectures, but those can be pretty pricey. For example, you can find it in "Magia desde el corazón." But I'll give you a quick summary so you get the gist. When Juan asks a spectator to name a number or a card, he often has them repeat what they've said, as if he hadn't heard them, even though he heard them perfectly. That bit of time allows him to count cards or find the card he needs. If you don't want to spend the money, just watch Juan perform, and you'll see him use that technique countless times.

In my opinion, I believe that in these kinds of situations, it's crucial to have your patter perfectly prepared so it flows naturally without you having to think about it, allowing you to focus on your performance without getting sidetracked.

Something I found extremely useful was to practice it in moments where it's not essential for the effect. For instance, every now and then, when someone calls out a card, try to slip in your next line while the spectator is still responding. This will help you get accustomed to it, so you can then flawlessly integrate it into an effect where it's truly needed.

Practice Juan Tamariz's Deaf Man's Card Trick.