Flux Deal & Snap Deal/Laser Deal

First off, I want to clarify that this topic might be a bit long, but it's important to read it all the way through to get the full benefit.

Hey everyone, I wanted to clear up this topic since it seems to cause a lot of confusion.

A while back, there was a question about a sleight that many folks mistakenly called a Snap Deal/Laser Deal. This caused a lot of confusion because that's not what it actually is. It's often taught incorrectly, its name gets mixed up, or it's confused with other moves. Seeing all this confusion, my goal with this post is to set the record straight and encourage proper learning of the move, so anyone who wants to learn it can do so the right way and truly understand the differences between these techniques:

Snap Deal or Laser Deal

To start, I want to clarify what it is and which term is correct, since a lot of people refer to it as the Laser Deal and don't really grasp the difference.

The Snap Deal is a move created by Mr. Lennart Green,

which he used in several of his effects, one of the most famous being the Laser Deal.

I want to clarify here that the *sleight* itself is called the Snap Deal, not the Laser Deal. Those who learned it from Takumi will know that Takumi himself makes this clear on his DVD: the *effect* is called "Laser Deal" and the *technique* is the "Snap Deal." However, many people confuse the *routine's* name with the *sleight*, which is why I think it's crucial to clear this up.

This confusion also arises because people who didn't properly study the DVD popularized supposedly poorly explained tutorials, calling it the Laser Deal.

Snap Deal and Flux Deal

As I mentioned, the Snap Deal is a move created by Lennart Green, while the Flux Deal, on the other hand, is a move developed by Alex Moffat.

The two moves are similar, but anyone who has studied them will know they have distinct differences, so they shouldn't be confused.

3) Where can you learn the "Snap Deal and/or the Flux Deal"?

For those looking to learn these moves, I first want to make it clear that even if you *think* you've got a grasp on a move just by watching it a few times, don't let that fool you into believing you know it. As I mentioned, the "famous" Snap Deal tutorial floating around on YouTube—the one many magicians post because they *think* they're doing it correctly—is actually poorly explained. This leads to improper execution of the move or, worse, getting busted. Some techniques you *can* figure out on your own, but others are best learned through proper study to ensure you're using them correctly.

So, for those of you who want to learn them, here's where you can do it:

a. Don't learn it from YouTube; as I said, it's poorly explained.

b. For the Snap Deal, you can learn it

   either from Mr. Lennart Green's book, or     

   from Takumi Takahashi's DVD.         

   Takumi, a student of Mr. Lennart Green. In                   

   Lennart's book, you'll understand 

   the technique and its applications, and on      

  Takumi's DVD, he'll also emphasize how              

  the move works, 

    but he'll demonstrate more of its uses and routines for performing.

c. For the Flux Deal, you can learn it from Alex Moffat's DVD, where you'll see some

   effects and its utility.

4. Personal Opinion: Personally, I absolutely love both of these moves and use them so much that I might even overdo it! Honestly, I've read Lennart's book, watched Takumi's DVD, and thoroughly studied Alex Moffat's Flux Deal,

and I can tell you it's a move that is absolutely worth learning. My recommendation is to learn it once you're at an "intermediate advanced" level. Why do I say this? I know it's not the most complex move to grasp, but it's one that really needs to be polished to create a true impact and prevent your spectators from catching the move. Plus, there are several other factors to consider when you use it. If you want to refine it and integrate it into your routines, you'll need a lot of practice to make a big impact, because it's not just the sleight itself—other factors (which Takumi even explains) are also crucial for the technique to work correctly.

Now, to wrap things up: if you're a magician who's just starting out or is at an intermediate stage, I'd recommend you advance a bit further in your magic journey, not just in terms of effects and/or techniques. Many times, we believe that's what makes a magician better or worse, but it's not entirely true. Aside from improving in those areas, I suggest you start honing your psychology, misdirection, presentation, and most importantly, let your imagination soar *before* you just fill your head with techniques. That, combined with plenty of practice, can really help elevate your magic and improve the quality of what you share with the world.

So, as I said, while it might not be a complex move to learn, it has many more nuances that aren't apparent at first glance. That's why I recommend learning it once you're at an intermediate-advanced level.

I hope this helps! Best regards, Ace.