October was a special event night.  It was Gician’s Card Magic Challenge Competition.  The event attracted a total of 57 people: comprising 14 guests, 3 patrons, and 40 members.  It was held at the usual Function Room 2 at the Drama Centre at the National Library Building.

Host JK Tan introduced new member Rob Newberry and several guests.  An induction ceremony was conducted to officially induct Takuma Kobayashi, Axl Ching and Chunny Teoh into our Ring 115.

Gician’s Card Magic Competition was sponsored by our Gician Tan.  In addition to a $500 cash, the overall winner would have his name inscribed on a huge prestigious trophy. The trophy is designed to last for 10 years.  Every year, it would have a different winner, because all winners are not allowed to take part in future Card Magic Competitions.  We were in our second year of this competition.  Last year, the trophy was won by Tommy Kian.  Everybody was waiting eagerly to know who would be this year’s champion.

10 hopeful members took part.  They were, in order of performance: Wee Kien Meng (aka Mr Bottle), Tangcueco Vicente III Tiu, Chunny Teoh, Luke Tan, Joseph Then, Ian Tan, Linus Ng, David Fillary, Enrico Varella, and Kai Emmanuel Kuah.

Each contestant was given 2 brand new decks of playing cards: a red back and a blue back deck.  Other than a sharpie to be used for signing a volunteer’s name on the card, no other props or accessories were allowed.  Each had 10 minutes to showcase their card magic.

Determining the fate of these 10 contestants were 5 judges.  They were Tommy Kian, Harapan Ong, Shade Soo, Fernando Ng, and Lim Teck Guan.

While the judges were deliberating the results, we took a 10-minutes break where members were treated to curry puffs and packets of drinks.  We were fortunate to have FISM winner, Juan Colas with us.  He treated us to a short performance.  He did a coin routine where 3 coins magically got in and out of a solid coin box.  His second effect used a packet of 5 cards, comprising the Ace to five of diamonds.  As he dealt each card in sequence, they magically reverse from Ace to five and then five back to Ace several times.

It was time to announce the winners of the Card Competition.  Chief judge Harapan Ong spoke on behalf of all the judges.  He noted that the standard of all the contestants this year was much higher than that of last year.

Third place went to Chunny Teoh, second place went to David Fillary, and the first prize winner was Ian Tan, who won $500 cash and had his name inscribed in the prestigious challenge trophy for the year 2025.

We thank the following members who made the event such a success.  Abdullah Baharudin, who managed the videography, Ivan Lee, who kept time, JK Tan, who emceed the performances, and Kenneth Chia, who administrated the entire event.

It was an exciting evening where members got to witness the card magic of 10 of our own members.

Reported by

JOHN TEO