Fast and Loose by Paul Vigil

Played for centuries on the top of a barrel, written about by William Shakespeare, and long a closely guarded secret by the experts in cons and scams, the oldest short con is still one of the best. Now, Paul Vigil shares with you the secrets to turning this fifty-fifty bet into sure-fire gasps of delight when you play Fast & Loose.

Also called The Endless Chain, Pricking The Garter, The Old Army Game, and by many other names, this is the granddaddy of all the short cons. Pre-dating both Three Card Monte and The Shell Game, this is one of the most diabolical bets ever to siphon the cash out of a sucker’s wallet.

In Fast & Loose, a beautiful silver chain is thrown into a figure eight pattern. The spectator is invited to place their finger on one side or the other of the figure eight. When the chain is pulled, if it loops around the finger, it’s a win, but if it pulls loose, then it’s a loser. The chain is always pulled from the centre in the same way, but no matter how closely the pattern is examined, the spectator can’t win. The secret lies in the special patterns the magician can throw that look identical but contain a diabolical topological secret.

You receive a gorgeous chain personally approved by Paul Vigil, featuring a special type of braid that makes the routine incredibly deceptive. You also receive a tutorial with Paul teaching his full routine that he uses in every close-up gig he performs. Paul also shares insights he received from Johnny Thompson, and Erik Tait includes some bonus material he has learned from a lifetime of studying cons. Fast & Loose is easy to master, requires no difficult sleight of hand, and has a rich history that is fascinating to behold. Learn from the best when you pick up Fast & Loose by Paul Vigil.

"I've performed this routine many times on the streets and Paul's throw techniques were a game changer! A must have for anyone wanting to perform this regularly!" - Grndl

"Speaking as one who has had a long-standing interest in this, and has some serious work on the subject myself, Paul’s handling and approach is some of the very best work on the endless chain that there is. I’m looking forward to seeing this!" - Mark Strivings

"A straight forward approach and great presentation to Fast and Loose." - Adam Goldberg

You hear about “the real work”. This is it!" - Gary Plants

"There's a lot out on the market about Fast & Loose. Paul Vigil shows the real work; now just the how, but more importantly, the why." - Josh Chaikin

"Learning these throws in print can be a bit daunting. The whole idea is that the topology is hard to follow but having the props in hand and following along with Paul in video you'll have this down in minutes!" - Michael Chavez

"The concept is as old as gambling, as the three card monte is as old as cards. But in Paul’s hands this is pure gold, an amazing effect which draws in the spectator to a fun interaction which will leave their head spinning and their face grinning. Paul totally explains the various throws in the most simplistic terms and eliminates the frustration encountered by those trying to learn this without his tutelage. If you enjoy close-up, face to face spectator interactions, and engaging with people, than you need to add Paul’s Fast and Loose to your repertoire." - Ian Kent

"Property presented, the endless chain is a classic of psychological mentalism. And Paul Vigil's take on this is as good as it gets." - Doug Dyment