The Three Shell Game

1938
Written by Tom Osborne, Ralph W. Read
Work of Tom Osborne
58 pages (Stapled), published by Selfpublished
Illustrated with drawings by Bill Hanna
Language: English
57 entries
Cover photograph
Creators Title Comments & References Page Categories
Mike Kanter Forword
3
Tom Osborne History of the Three Shell Game
5
Tom Osborne Equipment, or Props, Required
  • Selection and preparation of shells
  • The pea
  • The table or exhibition board
 		8
Tom Osborne Sleights and Manipulations general comments on the Three Shell Game
 		10
Tom Osborne Definitions glossary of the Three Shell Game
 		11
Tom Osborne Stealing the Pea (Method A) basic steal
  • Loading the pea
 		12
Tom Osborne Stealing the Pea (Method B) basic steal with first finger on the side of shell
 		12
Tom Osborne Stealing the Pea (Method C) basic steal and back clip
 		13
Tom Osborne The Kick Steal to back clip
 		14
Tom Osborne Sucker Moves
  • The Finger Sucker Steal
 		14
Tom Osborne Sucker Moves (Continued)
  • (A) The Lift-Up Sucker Steal
  • (B) The Fake Steal
  • (C) The Fake Load
  • (D) The Left Side Sucker Steal
  • (E) The Right Side Sucker Steal
 		15
Tom Osborne Sucker Moves (Continued)
  • (A) The Flash
  • (B) Sucker Steal
  • (C) Sucker Flash
 		16
Tom Osborne The Take-Away (Method A) showing shell empty, pea hidden underneath fingers. similar to Chanin's move
Related to 17
Tom Osborne The Take Away (Method B) hitting shell with other shell and stealing pea in process
 		17
Tom Osborne The Back Hand Position palm up V grip, stealing pea to back clip and position changes
  • The Back Hand Turnover
  • The Back Hand Roll
 		18
Tom Osborne The Upside Down Turnover turning shell face-down
 		18
Tom Osborne The Pass false take with pea and palm transfers
  • The Back Shift
  • The Inside Shift
 		19
Tom Osborne Shell Held by Spectator pea is stolen while spectator has finger on shell
 		20
Tom Osborne The Double Decker bluff sequence
Related to 21
Tom Osborne A Series of Lessons lessons to learn the Three Shell Game
  • Lesson 1
  • Lesson 2
  • Lesson 3
  • Lesson 4
  • Lesson 5
  • Lesson 6
  • Lesson 7
  • Lesson 8
  • Lesson 9 - The Roll Flash
  • Lesson 10 - Holding Out
 		22
Tom Osborne Presentation Routines general comments on performing the Three Shell Game
 		29
Tom Osborne The Chart numbered chart to describe moves for Three Shell Game
 		32
Tom Osborne Routine 1
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Tom Osborne Routine 2
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Tom Osborne Routine 3
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Tom Osborne Routine 4
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Tom Osborne Routine 5
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Tom Osborne Routine 6
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Tom Osborne Routine 7
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Tom Osborne Routine 8
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Tom Osborne Routine 9
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Tom Osborne Routine 10
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Tom Osborne Routune 11
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Tom Osborne Routine 12
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Tom Osborne Routine 13
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Tom Osborne Routine 14
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Tom Osborne Routine 15
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Tom Osborne Routine 16
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Tom Osborne Routine 17
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Tom Osborne Routine 18
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Tom Osborne Routine 19
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Tom Osborne Routine 20
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Tom Osborne Routine 21
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Tom Osborne Routine 22
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Tom Osborne Routine 23
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Tom Osborne Routine 24
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Tom Osborne Routine 25
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Tom Osborne Routine 26
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Tom Osborne Routine 27
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Tom Osborne Routine 28
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Tom Osborne Routine 29
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Tom Osborne Routine 30
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Tom Osborne Routine 31 Dr. Bennett's exposed corner idea, using pea made from paper, gimmicked shell
 		51
Tom Osborne Routine 32 Dr. Bennett's exposed corner idea, using pea made from paper, gimmicked shell
 		53
Tom Osborne Routine 33 three different coins end up under a shell each, nesting coin
 		53
Tom Osborne Starting Routines to get the spectator's interest
 		55
Tom Osborne Shills and Sharpers
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Data entered by Lorenz Schär, August 2023.