“For 18 years Bob Kohler has been using the Three Shell Game as part of his professional repertoire. He has performed it at trade shows, hospitality suites, outdoor events, and private parties. Bob gives five reasons why his Shell Game routine is so effective: the routine is loaded with action; the routine allows the magician an opportunity to establish his performance character; the routine is not terribly difficult, thus the performer can focus his energies on showmanship and presentation; the routine is highly entertaining; and the routine is totally amazing.

“The Golden Shells video details almost all the work on Bob’s routine. (In a moment I’ll discuss an aspect of the routine which is glossed over in the explanation.) The routine consists of five phases. During the first two phases a spectator tries to guess the location of the pea. The spectator fails, even though in each phase he is given two chances to find the pea. In phase three the game is simplified, but the pea still ends up in an unexpected location. In phase four the secret move is apparently exposed, but the spectators are still fooled. In the final phase, the spectator places a shell over the pea and then covers the shell with a shot glass. The pea vanishes and appears under another shell. Then it vanishes and reappears under the shell that is beneath the shot glass.

“Bob begins with a discussion of the required props. he uses the metal shells produced by The School for Scoundrels (see my review of The Golden Shells in the October 1998 issue of MAGIC). Bob makes some valid points for the use of the metal shells, and you’ll want to consider his viewpoint when you are deciding which props you’ll use.

“Bob then goes into a detailed explanation of the five phases of the routine. the discussion of each phase is intercut with the action as it occurred during the performance. Overhead shots are used effectively, and you’ll be able to learn from his explanation.

“Now let’s talk about something that is not thoroughly explained on the tape. During the first two phases of the routine a spectator is asked to guess where the pea is. If he believes what his eyes tell him, he will guess wrong. The spectator is given a second guess, choosing between the two shells that remain. There is strong psychology involved here, and in all probability the spectator will guess incorrectly. But what if he doesn’t? What if he guesses the correct shell on his first or second guess? This aspect of the routine is not completely explained on the video. Bob does explain a move that allows you to show a shell empty when it actually contains the pea, but he does not go into the various possibilities that may arise during a performance. I asked Bob about this, and he felt that it was too time consuming to discuss every possible situation.

“So here’s my suggestion: If you intend to perform the Three Shell Game, then you must be good enough at it to actually hustle it. (This is the same advice I gave concerning the Phil Cass shell routine.) So read as much as you can about the Shell Game, especially the texts by Garcia and Ouellet. You need to know how to get yourself out of trouble, and Bob’s video does not go into detail concerning that aspect of the game.

“That small limitation aside, Bob’s routine is excellent and extremely commercial. Anytime a professional releases a routine that he uses to make a living, I sit up and take notice. Bob Kohler–The Golden Shells video is a top-notch teaching tape, and the routine is strong and well worth your consideration.”

–Michael Close, Marketplace, MAGIC Magazine, May 1999