Darwin Ortiz has passed away, and the world of magic has lost one of its greatest minds. Known as the ‘G.O.A.T’ (Greatest of All Time) in the realm of gambling and card manipulation, Ortiz left an indelible mark on the world of magic.
He was a skilled card player, instructor, and author of influential theory books with ideas relevant to every discipline of magic. His contributions to the art form were enormous, and he continues to inspire magicians all over the world.
Keep reading to know more about Darwin Ortiz and his cause of death in detail.
Darwin Ortiz passed away
Darwin Ortiz, one of the world’s most extraordinary card manipulators and gifted writers, died on October 13, 2023. Darwin Ortiz’s unique ability to captivate audiences was what actually distinguished him. His performances included not only technical prowess but also superb storytelling and compelling presentations. He possessed a unique ability to connect with his audience on a deep emotional level, leaving them not only in awe of his abilities but also deeply moved by his magic.
The devastating statement was published on the Facebook page of The Society of American Magicians.
Darwin Ortiz cause of death
Darwin Ortiz died on Friday, following several years of declining health. He had fought Parkinson’s disease heroically for a long time, overcoming the hardships and uncertainty that come with the disease. Unfortunately, despite his resilience, his health deteriorated, and he passed away. This loss is felt deeply by the magic community and all those who admired his outstanding contributions to the art of magic.
Who was Darwin Ortiz?
Darwin Ortiz was a magician who specialized in gambling and card manipulation.
Ortiz was born and raised in New York City, where he developed an early interest in card tricks. He dropped out of NYU Law School in 1974 to study card magic full-time. Initially, he supported himself by playing blackjack and teaching at Harry Lorayne’s memory school in New York City.
Ortiz was a contemporary and personal friend of the prominent US coin magician, David Roth, and was initially mentored by Derek Dingle, the seminal British/US close-up performer. Ortiz eventually became a consultant to a number of casinos in the United States, Europe, Africa, the United Kingdom, and Australasia, and was a featured presenter at the World Gaming Congress in Nevada for several years.
His Books
He has received a lot of respect for his writings on the theory of magic. His book Strong Magic focuses on doable close-up magician presentational strategies. The book received initially unfavorable reviews from the two major US trade periodicals MAGIC and Genii before being widely accepted by the professional and amateur magic communities. Despite the original publisher’s initial inability to republish the material, there has been a high demand for the book.
Along with two additional novels, Darwin Ortiz At The Card Table and Cardshark, ownership of the copyright has just been returned to the author, and the books are once more being made available to the trade. The subtitle of Ortiz’s second book on magic theory,
Designing Miracles, which explains how to create potent magical phenomena, is “Creating the Illusion of Impossibility.” The book puts out and examines numerous theories surrounding lay audiences’ perception and cognition, and it offers helpful examples and suggestions on how to create effects to maximize their impact and deception on a lay audience.
Lessons in Card Mastery was the most current book to be released that contained Darwin Ortiz’s original routines. Gambling Scams 1984 is Ortiz’s most significant work on gaming protection for the general public.
In 1991, he also wrote The Annotated Erdnase, an influential annotation of S. W. Erdnase’s The Expert at the Card Table that was distributed to the magic industry.
Tributes
Many magicians, as well as students who had the opportunity of learning under Darwin Ortiz, have expressed their profound condolences on Facebook. The outpouring of condolences and tributes on the social media site witnesses his tremendous impact on the magic community, as well as the deep admiration and esteem he earned.
Ever Elizalde wrote: “Thank you, Darwin Ortiz, for everything you have done for magic and for me.“Strong Magic” changed the way I think about and perform magic. It is a book that I revisit often and always find something new and valuable.Rest in peace. Another broken wand.”
Sean J Doolan wrote: “Sadly my magic mentor has passed. Early on in my magic journey I found Darwin Ortiz. He agreed to work with a 47 year old newbie. I am grateful for the time we had together.The magic community owes a great debt to Darwin. He wrote some of the best books ever written on magic. He will be sorely missed. He is now one for the ages.
Over the next few weeks I will post some stories about Darwin.”
Ali Cook wrote: “Very sad news that Darwin Ortiz has passed away, one of the world’s greatest card mechanics of all time and a brilliant writer.I’d become good friends with Darwin over the last few years, often had zoom sessions and talked about films. He loved movies almost as much as he loved the pasteboards. RIP”
Darwin Ortiz Obituary
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