Ultimate Magic Handbook

Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
2010 www.Awesome-Magic-Tricks.com
Dedication
To my loving wife, Staci, and my two great sons, Joshua and Caleb:
Thank you for your undying patience with me. I love you.
Table Of Contents
Introduction..................................................................................................
Part 1 - Cards
!. "asic Card #andling................................................................................$
%. Secret Sleights.......................................................................................!!
&. Classic Card Tricks................................................................................!'
. Trick Cards.............................................................................................%(
Part 2 - Coins
(. "asic Coin Sleights................................................................................&%
$. Classic Coin Tricks................................................................................&)
). Trick Coins.............................................................................................!
Part 3 - Other Stuff
'. "all *agic...............................................................................................'
+. ,ope *agic............................................................................................(+
!-. Silk *agic.............................................................................................$
!!. *entalism.............................................................................................)-
Part 4 - Miscellaneous
!%. Close.up Stunners...............................................................................)+
!&. Stage Classics.....................................................................................'
Part 5 - Illusions
!. Stage Illusions......................................................................................+&
!(. /rand Illusions.....................................................................................++
Part 6 - The nd
!$. /etting 0aid.......................................................................................!-
Introduction

1elcome2 Congratulations on purchasing this course. If you are a
beginner, then you made the best decision you could have made. In these
pages, you will find the most comprehensive, yet easy.to.learn.from
method ever produced for mastering the fascinating art of magic. If you are
already an e3perienced magician, you will find thoughts and ideas that are
sure to take your magic to the ne3t level. "efore we begin, let4s go over
four rules that every magician should always follow:
!. 5ever reveal the secrets of your tricks2

6s you will see, some of these secrets are astonishingly simple, so
once your audience reali7es how easy it was for you to fool them, you run
the risk of them not wanting to see any more of your tricks. The only
e3ception to this rule is teaching magic to someone who has demonstrated
a genuine interest in becoming a magician themselves. In purchasing this
course, you have demonstrated such an interest. That4s why I can let you
in on these ama7ing secrets.
%. 8on4t tell the audience what4s going to happen ahead of time.

The art of magic depends 9uite heavily on the element of surprise. If
your audience knows what4s going to happen ahead of time, then they4ll
know what to look for. This increases the chances that they4ll be able to
catch you and figure out how you4re doing your trick.
&. 5ever repeat a trick for the same people on the same day.

This also robs you of the element of surprise. 1hen they ask to see
a trick again :and they will;, they are most likely <ust trying to figure out
how it4s done. 6 nice thing to say when you get this re9uest would be, =I4m
glad you en<oyed that. >et me show you something else you might also
en<oy.=
. 0ractice2
The last thing you want to have happen is to mess up one of your
tricks in front of an audience. The way to avoid that is practice. ?ou should
be able to flow from one step to the ne3t in any given trick without even
thinking about it. @nly when you4ve reached that point will you be ready for
public performance. 0racticing in front of a mirror will help you get there.

Part 1 - Cards
"y far, card tricks are the most popular branch of magic. 0roperly
performed, they can be among the most ama7ing. Just make sure to rarely
perform more than three in any one sitting. @therwise, you may wear out
your welcome2
There are two main kinds of card tricks: Card tricks with regular
decks, and card tricks with trick cards. Aach of these categories divides
further into two subcategories. 1ith regular cards you can do tricks that
depend on sleight of hand, while you can also do tricks that are =self.
working.= That is, they depend on some kind of special arrangement or
clever mathematical principle. In the world of trick card effects, there are
those in which the entire deck is 44gimmicked,= and those in which only
some of the cards are gaffed.
In this part of the course, you will learn a little about all of these
branches of card con<uring. I suspect that in the end many of you will find
yourselves agreeing with me that much of the most ama7ing card magic
combines the use of basic sleight of hand with the occasional Bgaff,=
producing apparent miracles unattainable by either method on its own.
"efore we dive in, one last issue to discuss is the type of cards to
use. *ost magicians use ="icycle= brand playing cards, in poker si7e. They
are available with either red or blue backs. I use both colors. 1hich one I
will use on any given day depends mostly on what kind of
mood I4m in. It4s entirely personal preference.
"icycle cards are also available in =bridge= si7e. ?ou may find them
easier to handle if you have smaller hands. Still, you should try to work up
to the point where you can perform all of your sleights with poker si7e also.
That way, if someone loans you a deck and says, =#ey, show me a trick,=
you4ll be able to comply with that re9uest regardless of what si7e deck it is.
1ithout further ado, we will begin by learning how to correctly handle a
deck of cards...
Cha!ter 1" #asic Card $andlin%

The *echanics /rip The "iddle /rip
The Swing Cut The @verhand Shuffle
The #indu Shuffle
Aven something as seemingly mundane as holding a deck of cards,
not to mention shuffling them, re9uires detailed attention from the
magician. The proper e3ecution of these rudimentary maneuvers paves the
way to the more advanced manipulations that follow. So, don4t be tempted
to rush through this chapter. "efore proceeding, take the time to make
!--C sure that you are e3ecuting each and every movement precisely as
instructed. 6s a result, you will find it much easier to learn the more difficult
sleights when the time comes.
The Mechanic&s 'ri!
"efore you can learn to correctly cut or shuffle a deck of cards, you
must learn to correctly hold them. There are two main ways of holding
cards employed by magicians. The first is known as the =mechanic4s= or
=dealer4s= grip. In describing this grip, a picture is worth a thousand words.
The key points to note are:

The deck is held in the left hand.
The thumb rests lightly on the top of
the pack.
The forefinger is curled loosely
around the far end of the pack.
The other three fingers rest along
the deck4s right side.
6 proper mechanic4s grip is essential to
a number of sleights, including finger
breaks, false deals, and double lifts.
@nce you4ve become comfortable with
it, you4re ready to move on to the other
common way of holding a deck of
cards...
The #iddle 'ri!

6nother common way for a magician to hold a deck of cards is called
the ="iddle= or =overhand= grip. #ere4s another picture for you:
The key points:

The right hand
reaches over the deck
and holds it by the
narrow ends.
It is held between the
middle finger at the far
end and the thumb at
the near end.
The forefinger is
slightly curled in
toward you, its nail
resting lightly on the
back of the top card.

The "iddle grip,
though not 9uite as
versatile as the
mechanic4s grip,
nonetheless renders possible some advanced techni9ues of its own. In
fact, it is the very first step in the move to follow:
The S(in% Cut

This particular method of cutting the cards is popular with magicians
for a couple of reasons. Dirst, it provides a natural way to e3tend the deck
toward the spectator for the replacement of a selected card. Secondly, it
can be easily converted into a false cut, as we4ll discover in chapter two.
6s noted before, you begin in "iddle grip, with one minor
ad<ustment. The thumb and middle finger hold the deck close to the right
edge. This leaves the forefinger plenty of room to perform the ne3t action,
which is to lift up about half the cards and push :or =swing=; them to the
left. 6s this happens, the left hand approaches and takes that top packet
into the crotch of the left thumb.
6s the hands separate, the left hand takes its half of the deck into
mechanics grip. The hands come back together, the right hand placing its
half of the deck on top of the other half, thus completing the cut. The swing
cut is also known as the =kick= cut.
The O)erhand Shuffle

So far, we4ve learned
two ways to hold the
deck and one way to cut
it. 5ow, we4ll learn a
couple of ways to
shuffle, beginning with
the =overhand= shuffle.
To get into the right
starting position, turn the
deck face up and take it
in "iddle grip. 5ow, turn
your hand so that the
backs of the cards are
facing to your left. 1hen
you bring your left hand
up to meet the deck, your thumb will contact the back of the deck, while
your fingers are inserted between the bottom of the deck and the palm of
your right hand.
5e3t, pull the right hand up and the left hand down at the same time.
6s this happens, the left thumb drags a small batch of cards down into the
left hand. 5ow that whole action
is repeated. @nly this time, the
cards in the left hand and your
fingers go between the bottom of
the deck and the palm of your
right hand.
Continue in this manner
until the entire deck is in the left
hand. @f course, like the other
techni9ues we have studied in
this chapter, this shuffle can be
easily adapted for nefarious
purposes, a couple of which we4ll
run into in the ne3t chapter.

The $indu Shuffle

@ur last techni9ue in this chapter is a little less common than the
others, especially amongst non
magicians. It4s very similar to the
overhand shuffle. In truth, the only
real difference is that the cards are
shuffled from the narrow ends, rather
than from the sides. To begin, hold
the deck in a "iddle grip, but
sideways. 5ow, point the narrow end
of the deck away from you. 5e3t,
bring the left hand up from
underneath, and take the deck into
mechanic4s grip... but don4t let go with
the right hand.
0ull the two hands apart,
dragging a batch of cards off the top
of the deck, and letting them fall into
the left hand :by rela3ing the left fingers;. 6gain, this whole process is
repeated, every new batch of cards falling onto the last until the deck is
entirely held in the left hand. There are mischievous advantages that can
be had via tweaking this shuffle as well, which we4ll learn, you guessed it...
in the ne3t chapter. :.;
Cha!ter 2 - Secret Slei%hts
The Dlash Dorce The @ops Control
The Dalse Cut "reaks
The 8ouble Endercut
5ow that you know how to properly handle a deck of cards, it4s time
to get familiar with the building blocks that tricks are made of. Sleights are
secret maneuvers that bring about apparently magical results :cards
change, reverse themselves, etc;. 1e must master these moves before we
tackle the tricks themselves. This is similar to learning to play a musical
instrument in that you must learn how to play the individual notes before
you combine them into your first song.
There are hundreds of different sleights in the realm of card magic.
In this chapter, we will only learn a handful of them. The ones you4ll learn
here, though, really will take you a long way in card magic. They are
essential to becoming proficient with the pasteboards. 1ith them at your
command, you will be able to at least perform a version of most of the card
effects that are out there.
In effect, there are two different kinds of card tricks . tricks where a
card is chosen, and tricks that don4t re9uire a selection. 1hen a card is
selected and :apparently; lost in the deck, the way the magician finds the
card is what makes one of these tricks different from another. So, if you
know only one way to find a card, but one hundred ways to reveal that it4s
been found, then you know one hundred tricks.
6ll of the methods for finding selected cards can be divided into two
main categories. Dirst, there4s controlling a card. 6 card is returned to the
deck, and by shuffling and cutting that deck in special ways, the magician
is able to keep track of where the card is :usually the top or the bottom;.
Secondly, there4s forcing a card. #ere, a spectator thinks he or she is freely
choosing a card, but in reality is being =forced= to choose the particular
card the magician wants them to. The added advantage here is that after
the card is replaced, the spectator can shuffle and cut the deck
themselves, because the magician already knows the card2 ?ou4ll be taught
multiple e3amples of both of these categories in this course.
The *lash *orce
1e4ll begin with an easy method of forcing a card. Start with the card
you want to force on the bottom of the deck. "egin a slow #indu shuffle,
inviting the spectator to call =stop= whenever the Spirit moves her :or him;.
1hen the call comes, turn your right hand so the spectator can
see the bottom card.
#ere, a couple of psychological subtleties come into play. 6s you4re
displaying the card, turn your head away, as though you are trying not to
see the card. 8on4t say anything, <ust turn your head away. This suggests
the =fairness= of the procedure. @nce the spectator has seen the card, say,
=I4ll drop it back where it was...= :"y the way, what a magician says when
he or she is performing is called =patter.=; 1hen you place the two halves
of the pack together, you aren4t really placing the card back where it was. It
was on the bottom, now you4re placing it in the middle, which is where the
spectator will think it was to begin with. 0retty cool, huhF
5ow, you can hand the deck to the spectator:s; immediately, and
they can shuffle andGor cut it to their heart4s content. 5ow that you know
the card, you can reveal that knowledge in whatever way tickles your
fancy. This is where magic really gets fun. Aven though we haven4t gotten
into the tricks yet, with what you4re learning in these first two short
chapters, you can use your imagination and invent dozens of your own
tricks2
Dor e3ample, if you have a duplicate of your force card hidden
somewhere :say stuck to the other side of a window, for e3ample; you can
perform an apparent miracle. Throw the deck at the window, and a =freely
selected= card ends up stuck to the other side of it2 :Just make sure they
don4t look through the window first. Ese a curtain, or have them stand with
their back to it.;
@ne more thought on this force: If you are performing with a
borrowed deck, or if you4ve already done a trick or two, then you4re going
to need to find out what card is on the bottom before you can force it.
Simple. >et them shuffle first. @ften, if you watch for it, the spectator will
inadvertently show you the bottom card while they4re s9uaring the deck
after a shuffle. Just try not to stare at it. If you don4t catch a =glimpse= of it,
:that is what magicians call this, by the way; <ust casually look through the
cards as you remark, =Seems like you shuffled them 9uite thoroughly2= This
gives you ample opportunity to secretly note the bottom card.
The +Oo!s+ Control
6t the beginning of this chapter, I mentioned that one of the ways to
find a selected card was to keep track of it to begin with. 5ow it4s time for
me to teach you one of my favorite methods for accomplishing this. It4s
called the =oops= control. To begin with, you need a second or two to
=reverse= the bottom card. That is, you turn it upside down, so that it is now
face up, but still on the bottom of the deck. @f course, the spectator must
not see you do this. The easiest way to make sure that they don't is to start
with the card reversed and the deck in the card case.
Take the deck out of the case, spread them out face down between
your hands, and ask the spectator to select a card. 6s you do this, be
careful not to spread too far, otherwise the spectator might see the
reversed card on the bottom. 6fter the card is selected, s9uare the cards
and e3ecute the first half of a swing cut. A3tend the left hand4s half of the
deck toward the spectator, whereupon you ask him or her to kindly replace
the selected card.
@nce this is done, you place the cards in the right hand on top of
those in the left hand, completing the cut and burying the selected card. In
doing this, you have also placed the previously reversed card directly on
top of the chosen one2 The ne3t thing we4re going to do is shuffle the deck
in such a way as to make sure that they stay together. To do that, we4ll use
what4s known as the =overhand shuffle with key card control.= :The
reversed card, in this case, is your BkeyH card.;
8espite that long name, it4s really very simple. A3ecute an overhand
shuffle, and when you get down toward the middle of the deck, your thumb
peels off a big batch of cards instead of <ust a few. Since you already know
that the two cards in 9uestion are in the middle of that batch, you know that
they4ll stay together.
5e3t, you4re going to spread the cards again, like you did when you
were permitting a selection. 8o it a little faster this time, and as you do,
say, =?our card is now lost somewhere in the middle of the deck.= 1hen
you get to the reversed card, say, =@ops2 I4ve got an upside down card in
there2= This line of patter is why this techni9ue is called the BoopsH control.
5ow, separate the two hands, with the reversed card on top of the
left hand half. 1ith the left thumb, push the reversed card to the right, and
turn the left hand over toward you, and place this card on top of the right
hand packet :see picture;.
>astly, turn the left hand
back over, and replace
its cards on top of those
in the right.
Enknow to the spectator,
her card is now top of the
deck2 This takes longer
to describe than it should
take to do. 1ith this and
all other sleights, the
individual steps should
blend together into one
smooth, unhesitating
se9uence.
The *alse Cut
@nce you have
secretly =controlled= a
selected card to the top
of the deck, as in our
last sleight, it is often
helpful to
psychologically =seal
the deal= by apparently
cutting the deck. This
suggests, of course,
that even if, by chance,
the card in 9uestion
had ended up on top of
the deck, it certainly
isn4t there now2
?ou don4t want to
call attention to this
move, though. ?ou <ust
nonchalantly do it. The
psychological effect in
the spectator4s mind will still happen. If, on the other hand, you look
nervous, or make a big deal out of this action, the spectators will be
watching it more closely and are therefore more likely to see that you didn4t
really cut. This techni9ue of using your body language to downplay
moments that contain secret moves is a popular form of misdirection.
@k, here4s the move itself: Start with a swing cut, but don4t replace
the halves on top of each other. Instead, bring the halves together and do
what you see pictured.
6s you can see, you4ve tilted the cards in the left hand up on their
side. ?ou then tap the left side of the right hand4s cards against the middle
of the left hand4s cards, as if to s9uare them. 5e3t, place the right hand4s
cards onto a table. Then, bring the right hand back up to grasp the left
hands card4s, and place them onto the cards on the table. It will look to the
spectators like you genuinely cut the deck. @f course, you didn4t. ?ou <ust
put the bottom half on the table, and then the top half on top of it.
To understand this more clearly, :along with any other magic book
descriptions; I recommend you take the cards in your own hands and
actually do the moves as you read. @nce you4ve mastered this false cut,
tack it onto the end of the oops control, and you4ll have a very convincing
se9uence. 1hat happens, though, when you need to control a card and
you have no opportunity to secretly reverse the bottom oneF The answer to
that 9uestion will be given in the form of this chapter4s last two techni9ues.
#rea,s
The little finger or =pinky= break and the thumb break are among the
most important things you4ll ever learn in card magic. This is because
they4re preparatory to a large number of the most versatile sleights that
e3ist. To establish the first one, perform a swing cut. 6s you replace the
two halves of the deck together, allow the tip of your little finger to press
against the side of the deck,
slightly holding the halves apart
at the rear. Drom your point of
view, it should look like what
you see in the picture.
"efore you remove your
right hand, though, you should
make the motion of s9uaring
the pack. This, of course,
wordlessly suggests to the
spectator4s mind that the deck
is, in fact, s9uared. That is an
e3ample of the kind of attention
to detail that separates the
professionals from the
amateurs in magic.
@ne more detail here
introduces us to the important
magical concept of =angles.= @nce you have obtained a little finger break, if
you tip your left hand a little down and to the right, you will greatly minimi7e
the chances of any of your spectators being able to catch a =flash= of your
little finger, especially if the left side of your body is slightly toward the
spectators. Since the front end and left side of the deck are s9uared, the
spectators will assume that the entire deck is s9uared.
The other type of break I want to teach you
is a thumb break. :"y the way, these are called
=breaks= because the deck is =broken.= That is, the
cards are separated.; To pick up a thumb break,
start with a little finger break. The right hand takes
the deck into "iddle grip, and the thumb e3erts
<ust enough pressure to keep the two halves
separated.
If you then gesture with your left hand :by
pulling up your right sleeve, for e3ample; before resuming your little finger
break, the spectators will find it incomprehensible that you could be
keeping track of anything. The thumb break is the basic foundation for our
last sleight in this chapter: The 8ouble Endercut.
The Double -ndercut
6 card has
been selected.
?ou have
performed a
swing cut in order
to facilitate its
replacement and
obtained a little
finger break. ?ou
then transfer that
little finger break
to a thumb break.
5ow, things get
different. ?ou
perform a swing
cut, but only with
the top half of the
deck.
5e3t, place all the right hand4s cards on top the left hand4s, retaining
the thumb break. The thumb break is only held for a moment as you then
take the bulk of the cards beneath the thumb break into the left hand and
replace them on top of the small portion in the right. Ioila2 :.;
Cha!ter 3 - Classic Card Tric,s
The Color Changing 8eck Card 1arp
The Card on the Ceiling Triumph
@ut @f This 1orld
1e4ve finally gotten to the point where we4ll start learning actual
tricks. "ut these aren4t <ust any tricks2 In this chapter, you4ll learn five of the
ten tricks that most e3pert magicians would agree are the greatest card
tricks of all time. In fact, I thought long and hard about whether to teach
you these instead of some other tricks. In the end, though, I decided I
wanted to give you the most value for your money. 6nd that is e3actly what
I4ve done, because most of these tricks have been taught on videos that
cost around J%- each.
So, <ust to learn these five tricks, you could easily spend more than
twice the price of this course. That being the case, some magicians would
be angry with me for teaching this material for such a small amount of
money. "ut since you4re a customer of mine, and interested in learning
magic, I want you to learn the best magic you can, in as little time as
possible. So, please guard the secrets of these tricks. 6lso, understand
that these are only versions of these tricks. There are dozens of variations
possible on each of them. I encourage you to pick one you like and learn
all you can about it, combining the best ideas you encounter in your
studies and creating your own version.

The Color Chan%in% Dec,

It is appropriate that this is the first trick, because it makes a great
=opener.= ?ou4ll need an e3tra card that4s the opposite color of the deck
you4re using. "egin
with that card on top,
and the deck in its
case. The case should
be the same color as
the e3tra card. 1hen
you pull the deck out of
its case, the spectators
will only see that top
card. If that card is red,
and the bo3 the deck
came out of is also red,
then the spectators will
assume the deck4s red.
1hat you4re going
to do now is turn the deck face up, then begin a #indu shuffle. 8uring the
shuffle, periodically =flash= that top card :like in the =flash force.=; 6 good
way to do this is to gesture with the right hand packet toward the face of
one of the cards in the left hand.
@nce the entire deck has been shuffled, turn it over and spread it out
between your hands. It will look like all of the backs changed color. Just
don4t spread too far, or the spectator might see that odd colored card.
Card .ar!

#ere4s a card trick
that4s totally uni9ue. It was
invented by a man named
,oy 1alton, and it only uses
two cards. The =effect= is that
a card turns itself inside out
while folded inside another
one. The secret that makes
this possible is that one of
the cards is secretly torn
ahead of time.
The first step when performing is to fold both of the
cards in half. ?ou fold the torn one lengthwise, and
the other one widthwise. 1hile you are making
these folds, keep the secret tear covered with your
thumb. #old the torn card with the tear closest to
you. 5e3t, it4s going to look like you place the other
card inside the other card. 1hat really happens is
that the card does go inside the top half, but in
front of the bottom half. 5e3t, cover the bottom
halves of both cards with your fingers, and open
them up.
Close the cards back on themselves, so that that
they are now both facing out. 5ow, if you push the
long card through the short one, it will look like it4s turning itself inside out.
If you angle it slightly, you4ll end up with something that looks like the last
picture.
Spectators like to look at that,
and it certainly does look impossible.
1hen you4ve had your fun, pull the
long card out <ust long enough to tear
it completely in half. ?ou can then
claim to have =stopped the magic=
halfway through, resulting in the
impossible situation now before your
spectators. @f course, you destroy two
cards every time you do this trick. I use
old decks for it.
The Card on the Ceilin%

This makes a good =closer.= It can only be performed when you have
a smooth ceiling to work with in a place where you won4t get in trouble for
permanently sticking a card up there. 1hen you do it, though, people will
remember it forever2 ?ou4re going to need to visit a magic shop :or go
online; and ac9uire some magician4s wa3 :it4s cheap;. It has to be
magician's wa3, and not <ust the kind of wa3 you get at hobby stores. That
stuff is too hard and not sticky enough.
To prepare, roll some of it up into a ball about the si7e of a pea, and
stick it to your belt buckle or the bottom button of your shirt. ?ou4ll also
want to have a permanent marking, felt.tip pen handy. :The kind most
magicians use is called a =Sharpie.=;
#ave a card selected and signed by the spectator. 1hile the
spectator is signing the card, steal the wa3 onto your right thumbnail. :This
is another e3ample of misdirection.; 0erform the double undercut,
controlling the card to the top of the deck. The wa3 on your thumb will not
interfere with this, and your thumb is automatically positioned so that the
spectators won4t see the wa3.
5e3t, shuffle the deck, overhand style, but do it twice. The first time,
the left thumb starts the shuffle by peeling only the top card off the deck,
and because of that, the card will now be on the bottom once the shuffle is
completed. So, the second time you shuffle, the left thumb pulls cards off
one at a time once you get near the end. 1hen you4re finished the card will
now be on top again, even though you shuffled twice2 :1e4ll use this move
again in a different trick.;
#ave the spectator =choose a spot= on the ceiling. 1hen they look
up, secretly transfer the wa3 from your thumbnail to the middle of the top
card :misdirection again;. Stand under the spot they chose, and throw the
deck at it. The throw should be done with a loose wrist, and it4s more like
=pushing= the deck toward the ceiling. 6lso spin the deck like a frisbee
when you throw. It will take some practice to ac9uire the knack, but you
should get it after a few do7en private trials. The last step is to en<oy
watching the spectator4s <aw drop as his or her signed card stays stuck on
the ceiling while the rest of the deck returns to Aarth in a beautiful
cascade.
Some magicians prefer not to have to clean up that kind of mess. To
me, the cascade e3hibits wonderful showmanship, something very
important :and sometimes lacking; in magic. If, however, you prefer a
=cleaner= version of the trick, check out *ichael 6mmar4s. #is is the most
famous take on this plot, and it involves wrapping the cards in a rubber
band prior to the toss. If you buy his brand of wa3, it comes with
instructions on his version of the trick.
Triu/!h

This blockbuster effect by the late 8ai Iernon gets its name from
the fact that despite being in a seemingly insurmountable predicament, the
magician =triumphs= by being able to locate the selected card. The original
version utili7ed a type of false shuffle that is beyond the scope of this book.
The version I will teach you here is far easier, and has the same end result.
6fter a card is chosen and returned to the deck, the cards are mi3ed
in such a way that some of the cards are face up and others are face
down. Then, with no false moves, the magician spreads the cards out to
reveal that the cards all now face the same direction, e3cept one... the
selected card. @f course, you will first need to control the selected card.
To do that, you can use either the =oops= control or the double
undercut. :Dor this trick, I like to use a =short card= to control the selection,
which is something we4ll talk about in the ne3t chapter.; ?ou can use any
other method you know :or learn in the future; as well. In fact, in magical
literature, you will often read instructions like =control the selected card,=
with no indication as to how this is accomplished. In situations like that,
simply employ what magicians call =?D*= :your favorite method;.
So, you4ve controlled the card. 5ow whatF 1ell, you need it to be on
the bottom. ,emember what we did in the last trickF "egin an overhand
shuffle, the left thumb peeling off the single card first. Dinish the shuffle,
and the card is now on the bottom of the deck. ?ou may want to throw
in a false cut here as an added =convincer.=
@nce the card is on the bottom, we4ll need to shuffle the deck in such
a way as to make it look like some of the cards are face up and some are
face down. In reality, half will be face up, and the other half will be face
down. The chosen card will be on top :face down;.
#ere4s how that4s done: The move is similar to the =oops= control.
0ush off a small batch of cards with the left thumb, and take them into the
right hand. 5ow, turn the left
hand over, and push off a
small batch of face up cards
with the left hand. :Drom the
bottom of the packet.; 0lace
these on top of those in your
right hand. 5e3t, turn the left
hand back over, and push off
some more cards. This time,
they4re face down again. 0lace
these under the cards in the
right hand.
This sounds confusing,
but try it with the cards in your
hands, and you4ll see how simple it is. The left hand keeps turning over
and back. The face up cards go on top, and the face down cards go on the
bottom. 1hen you get to the last card, it will be the selection. Simply place
it face down on top of the entire deck. If you4ve done all of that correctly,
then you4ll be in a situation where the spectators think the cards are face
up and face down at random, with their card hopelessly lost somewhere in
the middle. ,eally, though, their card is face down on top, followed by a
batch of face up cards, then a batch of face down ones. Still, we4re going to
convince the spectators of
the =hopelessness= of the
situation even further.
0lace the cards into
the left hand dealer4s grip.
Cut off about a fourth of the
cards in "iddle grip, and turn
the right hand over, so the
audience can see the
bottom card of that packet.
They will now be looking at
the back of a card on top of
your right hand packet, and
the face of a card on top of your left hand packet.
,eplace that packet, then cut again, but deeper this time :K of the
deck;. Instead of a back and a face, the spectators will now be looking at a
face and a back. ,eplace this cut one last time. 6t this point, if you look at
the end of the deck closest to you, you will see clearly where the piles are
back to back, because there will be a tiny gap there. :This is due to the
natural bend in a deck of cards.; Cut at that tiny gap, show the cards back
to back, and replace the cut, but don't turn the right hand packet back over.
The result of this action is to bring the selected card to the middle of the
deck, while righting all of the other ones. 6ll that remains is to spread the
cards, showing that they4re all now facing the same direction... e3cept for
the selected card2
Out Of This .orld
Invented by 0aul Curry, this is my favorite card trick to do, though it
is admittedly a little long. ?ou have the spectator separate the cards,
without looking at them, into different piles, by telling you whether they
think they are red or black. Sometimes, they even place the cards into the
appropriate piles themselves2 In the end, the cards are checked, and the
spectator got them all right2 >egend has it that a magician showed this trick
to 1inston Churchill, and he wanted to see it again and again. 6s a result,
an entire world war was delayed... or so the story goes. :.;
To begin, show the spectator the back of a card, and ask the
volunteer to guess its color. ,ight or wrong, show them the card, and place
it face up on the table. 8o this again with a card of the other color. There
are now two face up cards on the table, one of each color. 5ow, hold up
one, two, or three cards, all of the same color. #ave them guess again.
This time, don4t show them. Just place the cards onto whichever face up
card represents the color they said.
If they say red, then place the card:s; on the red card on the table,
etc. :If they4re wrong, it doesn4t matter. ?ou4ll see why in a minute.; Leep
going, making sure that all of the cards that you offer the spectator for
guessing at are the same color. Stop when there is only one card left of
that color. Say something along the lines of, = ?ou4re doing pretty well. I
don4t want you to get stuck in a 4psychic rut,4 though, so let4s change things
up a bit.=
5ow, take that last card, and one more card of the opposite color,
and place them onto the cards on the table...changing the piles. 6re you
ready to do something rather gutsyF #and the rest of the cards :all the
same color; to the spectator2 Tell them, B1ithout looking :because that
would be cheating;, place the cards where you think they should go.=
1hen they4re done, you4ll be in a situation that looks like the picture. @ne
of the piles is already correct. The other one is e3actly the opposite from
how it should be.
You pick up that pile. :>et the
spectator pick up the other one.; 1hile
the spectator is checking their pile :and
being ama7ed;, simply transfer one card
from the top to the bottom of yours. This
Bfi3esH your half so that all of the cards
are now grouped together by color.
Spread your cards out, and reveal that
the spectator guessed the colors of all
the cards correctly. 6t the end of this
trick, I like to say, =1ow2 ?ou got them
all right2 I4ve never seen anybody get
them all right2 I have 5@ idea how you
did that. 8on4t tell me. I don4t want to
know.= ?ou really should try this trick. I
think you4ll find it =@ut @f This 1orld.=
Cha!ter 4 - Tric, Cards
Cutting To the 6ces The Dour 6ce 6ssembly
The =Stop Trick= @ther Svengali 8eck Ideas
The Invisible 8eck
So far, we4ve only been using normal cards. 6s you may already
reali7e, this is not always the case with magicians. I mentioned before that
=trick cards= can mean that some of the cards are gimmicked, or that all of
the cards are gimmicked. 1e4ll learn more about both of these cases in
this chapter.
#owever, <ust like we didn4t learn all of the sleights that e3ist, we
won4t learn about all of the different kinds of trick cards. 1e will learn about
the most popular gimmicks, which also tend to have the widest range of
uses. In tricks where only some :or sometimes even <ust one; of the cards
are gimmicked, the most popular kinds of cards are double.faced, double.
backed, and =short= cards.
6 double.faced card has a face on both sides, yet is the same
thickness as a single card. The two faces could be different cards, or they
could be the same card. 6 double.backed card has backs on both sides.
Sometimes they4re the same color, and sometimes they4re not. I personally
don4t use double backed cards very often, so they will not be discussed.
The other kind of single trick card is the =short= card, which is trimmed so
that it4s slightly shorter than a normal card.
1hen it comes to trick decks, the two most popular, by far, are the
=Svengali= deck and the =Stripper= deck. 6 =Stripper= deck is cut at an
angle, so that if you turn any card around end for end, it will stick out a little
bit at the side, from where it can easily be =stripped=4 out. 0ersonally, I4ve
never come across a use for the stripper deck that can4t also be
accomplished by sleight of hand. 6s a rule of thumb, I try to only use
gimmicks when they make things possible that wouldn4t be possible any
other way. Still, I do indeed believe that some of the most powerful magic
e3tant combines the use of gimmicks and sleight of hand.
The Svengali deck, on the other hand, is one that I use 9uite a bit. I
use it in more subtle ways than most magicians, but I use it. In a Svengali
deck, every other card is identical. Dor e3ample, you might have twenty.si3
regular cards, and twenty.si3 aces of spades. In addition, the twenty.si3
duplicate cards are short cards. This creates a situation where if you riffle
the deck face up, the cards all look the same, and if you riffle them face
down, they all look different.
@f course, I never show all the cards to be the same. To me, that
suggests that there is indeed more than one of the chosen card in the
deck, thus inadvertently e3posing a big part of the secret to every other
trick possible with this method. 1hat I do use it for will be covered in depth
in this chapter. In addition, one more trick deck, the =Invisible= deck, will be
discussed. 6ny of these trick cards can be bought from a magic shop for
very little money.
Cuttin% To the 0ces
This is a great use for a short card. The ability to cut to the four aces
in a shuffled deck really impresses people, and with a short card, it4s easy2
Dirst, you need to either take a short card out of a Svengali deck, or make
your own. To make your own, get a pair of scissors and trim a tiny sliver off
each end of a playing card. *ake it as straight as you can both times.
5e3t, carefully round the corners. 6gain, tiny clips. ?ou can always clip
away more, but you can4t put any back.
5ow that you4ve ac9uired a short card, let me show you a cool way
to use it before we get into the trick itself. Start with the short card on the
bottom of the deck. #ave a card selected, swing cut, and ask the spectator
to replace the card. 1hen you complete the cut, you4ll be placing the short
card right on top of the selection2 Swing cut one more time, transferring
about a third of the cards from the top to the bottom.
5ow, you can actually give the cards a riffle shuffle :see the picture;
and the two cards will stay together2 ,iffle the inner end of the deck with
your thumb :from a "iddle grip;, and you will hear and feel a distinct =click=
when you get to the short card. Cut the deck at that location, and complete
the cut. Show the spectator the short card and ask, =Is this your cardF=
1hen they say no, casually insert it into the middle of the deck. Their card
is now on top.
5ow, on with the trick... Start with the four aces on top of the deck,
and the short card on top of those. A3ecute an overhand shuffle, drawing
off about half the deck in the first action. 6fter the shuffle, riffle to the short
card, and cut the deck. Ese the short card to flip over the ne3t one. It4s an
ace. ,eplace the short card on top of the deck. ,epeat this entire
se9uence three times. Take a bow.
The *our 0ce 0sse/bl1 2a,a +McDonald&s 0ces+3
This is by far my favorite use of double.faced cards. It is widely
considered one of the most effective card tricks you can possibly perform.
There are far more complicated versions, but this one works <ust fine.
?ou4re going to need three double facers, each with a different ace on one
side. Drom the normal deck, remove the cards pictured on the opposite
sides of the double facers. 0lace the three real aces tenth, eleventh, and
twelfth from the top of the deck. Turn the deck face up. Insert the fourth
real ace about seventeen cards or so down from the top. The three double
facers are spread out through the rest of the deck, with the aces showing.
5ow you4re ready.
Spread through the cards. 1hen you get to each =ace,= deal it to the
table, being careful not to e3pose their other sides. /o from right to left, so
that the fourth ace will be a real one. Turn the deck over, and deal three
face down cards onto each ace. That fourth pile :the one on your right;
now contains four real aces.
?ou need to =force= that pile. 1e4re going to use a techni9ue known
as =the magician4s choice.= :This same techni9ue can be, and often has
been, used to =force= one of multiple ob<ects in a mentalism routine.; Say,
=0lease place your hand on one of the piles.= If the spectator places his or
her hand on the pile you want them to choose, then you4re done2 If not,
continue: =5ow, please place your other hand on one of the other piles.=
#ere, one of two things will happen, either the spectator will now
touch the =force= pile, or he won4t. If he didn4t, <ust say, =6lright, let4s get rid
of those.= Then set the two piles aside. Then say, =5ow, push one of those
two piles toward me.= 6gain, either he will push the correct pile, or he
won4t. If he doesn4t, eliminate the pile he did push, saying, =6fter all those
choices you made, we4re left with one pile.= If he does push the correct
pile, say, =6lright, we4ll use that one.=
>et4s back up for a moment, though. >et4s say the second touch in
the whole process is the correct pile. 6ll you have to do then is say, =@k,
now please push one of those toward me,= and then interpret the decision
to suit your purpose. Aither way, as you can see, we4re going to end up
with the pile we want. :This is a perfect e3ample of why we shouldn4t tell
spectators what4s going to happen ahead of time.; @nce we have our
=selected= pile, gather the remaining piles, place them on the rest of the
deck, and cut the cards three times, completing the cut each time. Dlip the
deck over a few times, and the spectators should now be sufficiently
confused to not remember the e3act positions of the cards. ,iffle them
three times toward the =chosen= pile, then spread them out face up.
The spectators will no longer be able to see the aces, because they
are on the other sides of the double facers. They also won4t see any
duplicates, because you removed the cards that correspond to the double
facers ahead of time. 1hen they check the =selected= pile, they will see the
three real aces, creating the illusion that they magically teleported into the
selected pile. *r. *agic strikes again.
The +Sto!+ Tric,
6t the beginning of this chapter, I e3plained what a =svengali= deck
is. 5eedless to say, this is an extremely effective tool for =forcing= a card.
Dirst, though, you want to display that the cards are all different. To do that,
hold the deck in a "iddle grip, and tilt it up on its end, the faces of the
cards away from you. ?our thumb should be on top, and your fingers
should be on the bottom. "egin to release the cards from your thumb,
letting them fall into your cupped left hand. The picture is from the
spectator4s point of view.
8o that again, and ask the spectator
to say =stop= whenever they4d like.
1hen they say stop, stop. A3tend the
left hand pile to them, and let them look
at the top card. @f course, it will be a
force card. ,eplace the right hand cards
on top of those in your left hand, and
continue with your trick.
/ive the cards a 9uick riffle shuffle, so
that their alternating order will be
preserved. Turn to a second spectator,
and ask them to say =stop= as you begin
to deal the cards one at a time into a
single face down pile on the table.
6s you deal, count the cards. If you4re
stopped on an odd numbered card, show it. If you4re stopped on an even
numbered card, show the next one. It will look like the second spectator
stopped you on the first spectator4s card2 "y the way, if you tap an end on
a table first, it will ensure that your riffle shuffle doesn4t disturb the
arrrangement of your Svengali deck.
Other S)en%ali Dec, Ideas
The last trick makes it obvious that after having a card selected and
returned and then shuffling the deck, you could have any number between
one and fifty.two called out and then show the card at that number. The
number could also be arrived at by adding the digits in the date of a coin
from the spectator4s pocket, or maybe even from the roll of a pair of dice.
Just use your imagination.
?ou could also cut right to the selected card, even covering the deck
with a napkin first2 If it4s a paper napkin, you could wrap the deck in it, and
have the spectator stab a dull knife into the cards. The =selected= card
could then be shown right ne3t to the blade2 Since you have forced a card
in <ust about as fair a manner as possible, why not e3ploit that fact with a
great revelationF #ere4s a spectacular one that is often performed on
television.
Take a paintbrush and some li9uid soap. 0aint the name of your
force card on your arm. Dor e3ample, if your
force card is the seven of diamonds, paint
=)8.= >et it dry, and find yourself a victim, I
mean, volunteer :old <oke;. Dorce the card
and have the stalwart observer write it4s name
on a slip of paper, which they then burn. @nce
the ashes have cooled, rub them on your arm,
and you4ll end up with the ama7ing
phenomenon pictured below. @f course, since
this trick uses fire, do not attempt it without
adult supervision if you4re younger than
eighteen.
The In)isible Dec,
This is another trick that some people regard as the greatest card
trick ever. ?ou can make your own deck for it, or you can <ust buy one. It4s
easier to <ust buy one, and they aren4t very e3pensive. The effect is that
whatever card the spectator names ends up face down in a face up deck.
To begin with, the cards are placed back to back, in pairs. The backs of the
cards are treated with something called =roughing spray,= so that the pairs
stick together unless you e3ert a little e3tra pressure to separate them.
The pairs are arranged in such a way that they each total thirteen.
Dor e3ample, a seven would be placed against a si3, and so on. Jacks
count as eleven, 9ueens count as twelve, and the kings are placed against
each other. 6lso, clubs are placed against hearts, and spades against
diamonds. :This is easy to remember because of the word =chased:=
Clubs, #earts, Spades, 8iamonds...; @dd cards all face one way, and even
cards the other. :,ed kings count as odd.; >astly, the face up cards are
arranged in se9uence with alternating colors, like this:
5ow, I reali7e that this is all very complicated, but once you actually
put the deck together and practice with it, this system will become almost
automatic for you. The usual presentation begins with you pulling an
=invisible= deck out of your pocket, and handing it to the spectator. 6sk
them to shuffle, but of course, they have to take the cards out of the bo3
first2 #ave them =remove= a card, =show= it to everyone else, and replace it
into the deck, upside down. They then place the cards back into the Bbo3,H
and hand it back to you. :.;
0lace the =bo3= back into your pocket. 6sk them which card they
picked, then pull the real deck out. If they picked an odd card, pull out the
deck with the even side up, and vice versa. Thumb cards over into your
right hand until you get to the partner of the selection. #ere, e3ert a little
e3tra pressure, revealing a face down card. Show it to be the selection,
and you4ve performed a miracle. ?ou4re a regular Criss 6ngel2 6s an
alternate presentation idea, you could tell the spectator ahead of time that
you4ve made a prediction. #ave them name a card, pull out the deck, and
show their selected card to have been reversed.
Part 2 - Coins
Coin magic can make for a refreshing change of pace after doing so
many card tricks. 6s a matter of fact, from time to time, I like to begin a
performance with a coin trick. I try to always carry one in my pocket, ever
prepared for the re9uest to show a trick. I thought about putting the coin
section first in this book, but since card tricks are still more popular, and
since most general magic books start with a chapter on cards, I decided to
stick with that tradition.
>ike card tricks, coin tricks can be done with regular coins or =trick=
coins. 1hat size coins to use depends a little on the si7e of your hands.
Esually, half dollars work for <ust about anybody. They4re a little hard to
come by these days, so you4ll have to ask around at a few banks and coin
shops. /et as many as you can. If you have really small hands, you can
use 9uarters, but keep a couple of things in mind.
Dirst, hand si7e isn4t nearly as important as you might think. In fact,
contrary to popular belief, some moves are actually easier to perform with
larger coins. That being the case, sometimes silver dollar si7ed coins are
used. Secondly, some tricks use a combination of regular coins and trick
coins. @bviously, the real coins will need to match the fake ones. This part
of the book will follow roughly the same format as the last one. Dirst, I will
show you some basic sleights with coins, then I will teach you some
classic coin tricks. I will conclude by giving you some ideas for using a few
popular trick coins.
Cha!ter 5 - #asic Coin Slei%hts
The Dinger 0alm The Classic 0alm
The Drench 8rop The Spider Ianish
Spellbound The "obo Switch

6s I mentioned in the introduction to this section, it is often easier to
perform some of these sleights with larger coins. The best advice I can
give you here is to simply e3periment. If you have difficulty learning any of
this material, try a different si7ed coin.
In this chapter, I4m going to teach you two ways to =palm= a coin, that
is, to keep it secretly concealed in your hand. There are, of course, many
more ways, but the two ways I will teach you are by far the most common.
I will also cover two ways to =vanish= a coin. This is traditionally
accomplished by apparently placing it or taking it one hand, while in reality
it is secretly retained in the other. Interestingly, this techni9ue is not always
used <ust for creating the illusion that the coin has disappeared, as we shall
see. >astly, I will teach you a couple of ways to secretly e3change one coin
for another.
Throughout this chapter, the most important point to bear in mind is
that your hands must look natural at all times. 6ny awkward or cramped
position of your hands will, of course, draw the spectators4 attention, and
thus arouse their suspicion. So, to aid you in your studies, I highly
recommend that you practice in front of a mirror. That way, you can see
what the spectators will be seeing.
@ne more thing: Leep in mind, for future reference, that these
sleights can be performed with other small ob<ects besides coins. 6lso, if
you wear a wedding ring, it is helpful to not wear it when performing coin
magic, so that a coin the spectators aren4t supposed to know about doesn4t
clink against it, alerting one and all to its presence. In coin magic, this is
known as =talking,= and it should be avoided like the plague.
The *in%er Pal/
This is the easiest method of
palming a coin, and by far the most
common. The hand is held loosely in
such a way that the fingers are
naturally curled. The coin rests at the
base of the second and third fingers.
"ecause of the curl of the fingers, the
coin will not fall out, and the hand
looks natural.

@nce you4ve mastered that, you can
add a little e3tra convincer known as
the =,amsay subtlety.= Curl your
fingers in a tad further, and point your
first finger up, displaying your empty
palm to the spectators. "ecause your
spectators see your empty palm, they
think your whole hand is empty. @f
course, you shouldn4t draw attention
to this, and it should be casually
e3ecuted under the cover of some
other natural gesture.
The Classic Pal/
#ere is another method of palming. In fact, it is from this method that
=palming= gets its name. The coin is placed in the center of the palm. The
little finger and the thumb are both curled in slightly. That way, the flesh at
the base of the little finger and the flesh against the base of the thumb
press against the opposite edges of the coin.
?ou can now allow the
spectators to see a little flash
of the pads of your fingers.
This is known as the =Lapps
subtlety.= 6lso, you can flip
another coin in the air and
catch it on your fingertips,
snap your fingers, pull back
your sleeve, or even hold a
wand. 6nything you do with
your hand while an ob<ect is
palmed suggests emptiness.
The *rench Dro!
This is perhaps the most basic false transfer of a coin from one hand
to the other. 8espite the fact that I now know many more =sophisticated=
methods, it remains my
favorite. 8one correctly,
it is extremely
convincing, and I4ll
e3plain why. Dirst,
though, let me teach you
the move itself.
?ou start out
holding the coin between
the tips of your right
thumb and fingers. The
left hand approaches the
coin. The thumb goes
behind it, and the closed
fingers go in front of it
:see the picture;.
5e3t, three things
things are going to
happen all at the same
time. The right thumb is
going to move up, releasing the coin and allowing it to fall into a right hand
finger palm. The left hand is going to close into a fist. Dinally, your right
hand is going to turn over to the left as the left hand moves away,
apparently holding the coin.

6s the left hand moves away, your eyes follow it. This is another
important principle of misdirection. The audience will watch what you
watch. They4ll also watch what moves. Those two principles, serve to rivet
the spectator4s attention on your :empty; left hand. The brief glimpse of
empty space that the spectators see between your right fingers and thumb
where the coin once was is the other factor that makes this false transfer
so convincing. It is important to note that the Drench drop can be
performed with either hand.
The S!ider 4anish
This is a neat way to throw the spectators off your tracks. "egin with
the coin in Drench drop position, but in your left hand. ,each over with
your other hand :the right one;, and really take the coin, but directly into
classic palm. *ake a throwing motion with your right hand, retaining the
coin in classic palm. 5ow, open your left hand, showing it empty. That4s the
spider vanish.
This is great to use at the end of a se9uence of Drench drops. Dor
e3ample, do the Drench drop, then pretend to =reproduce= the coin from
behind your knee. 5ow, do the Drench drop with the other hand, and =re
produce= the coin from the other knee. >astly, e3ecute the spider vanish,
causing the coin to disappear =completely.= ?ou can end this se9uence by
pinching your nose with the first finger and thumb of your right hand. *ake
a blowing sound, and release the coin from right hand classic palm into
your cupped left hand. Dor a touch of humor, offer the coin for e3amination.
6 9uick series of sleights with a single coin like this is known in magic as a
=flurry.=
S!ellbound
#ere4s a way to make a coin appear to visually change into another
one right before the eyes of your bewildered spectator. It was invented, as
was =Triumph,= by the late great 8ai Iernon. 6gain, begin with a coin :say
a half dollar; in left hand Drench drop position, 6 second coin :say an
Anglish penny; is finger palmed in the right hand. The right closed fingers
cover the left hand coin. 6s soon as that coin is covered, the left thumb
releases it into finger palm. The right fingers deposit the other coin in its
place, and get out of the way. The illusion created is that the coin was
visually transformed.
1e4re not done yet, though. 8ump the newly revealed coin back into
your right hand. 8isplay it there. 0ick it up with the left hand, releasing the
finger palmed coin, and turning the right hand over. The secret coin has
now switched hands. ?ou have apparently shown both hands empty
e3cept for the new coin. @f course, if you4re seated at a table, you could
<ust take the new coin in your right hand, and then reach forward, dropping
it onto the table. 6t the same time, the left hand rests on the edge of the
table, dropping the secret coin into your lap. This is known as =lapping.=
:Though lapping is effective, it should be used sparingly.;
The #obo S(itch
It is e3tremely useful to be able to make an undetectable e3change
of one coin for another. In this type of switch, the spectator doesn4t reali7e
that the coin has changed... unless and until you want them to. Coin 6 is in
the palm of the left hand, and coin " is finger palmed in the right. 0ick up
coin 6 between the tips of the first two fingers and thumb of the right hand.
Toss it back into the left. ,epeat this whole se9uence of moves once more.
@n the third toss, retain coin 6, but release coin ", dragging coin 6 back
into finger palm with the right thumb. Immediately close the left hand
around the new coin. It4s important that this switch be made with a
consistent tempo and under the cover of some casual remark.
Cha!ter 6 - Classic Coin Tric,s
The =6ssisted= Coin Ianish The Incredible 0enetration
Coins 6cross The Dour Coin 6ssembly
In this chapter, you will learn four coin tricks that each have an
established track record of ama7ing spectators. >ike our classic card tricks,
there are many versions of these apparent miracles. So, again, I
encourage you to do some independent research on the ones you really
like and develop your own routine for them.
The +0ssisted+ Coin 4anish
#ere4s a routine that, like the Card @n the Ceiling, can only be
performed under certain circumstances. 8espite its simplicity, it will really
ama7e people. 6 great magician by the name of *ichael 6mmar once
wisely said, =5ever underestimate the power of even the simplest magic=
?ou4ll need a coin and an opa9ue handkerchief. I recommend
ac9uiring the handkerchief from a store called =*en4s 1arehouse.= They
sell =pocket s9uares= that are perfect for magic, and they come in a wide
array of colors. 0ick one that suits your taste. They are less than ten
dollars.
Show the coin in the palm of your left hand, and cover it with the
handkerchief. 6pproach a spectator, and lift the edge of the handkerchief
with your right hand, allowing them to reach under and feel that the coin is
still there. 6pproach a second and third spectator with the same re9uest.
Enbeknownst to the other spectators present, that third spectator is
secretly removing the coin for you2 :.;
It4s best to use somebody that the other spectators don4t know. This
person should seem like a stranger to you, as well. >astly, he or she
should be a good enough actor to seem ama7ed by the vanish of the coin,
without overacting. 5ow you see why I told you this can only be performed
on certain occasions. @nce the steal has been made, with as much
showmanship as you can muster, whisk the handkerchief away, revealing
that the coin has vanished. To make it come back, simply reverse the
procedure.
The Incredible Penetration
1hile this isn4t e3actly the kind of trick you can carry around in your
pockets, it4s a great one to use when you really want to astound a guest in
your home. 6n entire laboratory was once devoted for a few hours to
figuring it out.
To do it, you4ll need a tube of chap stick and a clear, late3 balloon
from a party store. Cut the balloon in half widthwise. Stretch that piece out
far enough so that the middle section becomes completely transparent.
"efore that, you have balanced a 9uarter on the end of the vertical chap
stick tube. >ower the late3 over the 9uarter and let it rela3 around the coin.
:In the picture I used a solid balloon so you could more easily see what
you4re supposed to do. In performance, use a clear one.;
?ou will have created the illusion that the coin rests on top of the
late3. Stretch they sheet of rubber around the mouth of a glass, and leave
that on a low shelf or coffee table :so the underside of the late3 can4t be
seen;, waiting for your guest to arrive. 1hen the time is right for magic,
have them press down hard on the coin with their finger. "e prepared for
them to spend the rest of the evening trying to get you to tell them how the
coin got down into the glass.
Coins 0cross
This effect is often performed with four coins, each coin mysteriously
traveling from one hand to the other. I still prefer this older version, which is
performed with six coins, only three of them making their invisible flight
through space. In magic, <ust because a trick is old, doesn4t mean it isn4t
good. In fact, sometimes tricks are so old, it4s like they4re new again. 6lso,
sometimes in our 9uest to improve these chestnuts, we end up over.
complicating them. #ere, then, is my handling of the =coins across.=
complete with instruction on a coin magic concept called the =shuttle pass.=
?ou have seven half dollars in your left trouser pocket. ,each in and
classic palm one of them while you bring them all out. Toss the other si3
into your right hand. "ounce these around until one of them is in classic
palm position. Toss the other five back into your left hand. Toss the si3 now
in your left hand onto the table. 1hat you have apparently done is shown
your hand empty e3cept for si3 coins without saying so. That4s the Bshuttle
pass. B
1ith the first two fingers and thumb of the right hand, pick up one of
the coins on the table and toss it into your left hand. 0ick up a second coin
and toss it the same way. 1hen you toss the third coin, toss the classic
palmed coin along with it, and immediately close your left hand. 0ick up
the three remaining coins in your right hand, classic palming one of them.
/ive both of your hands a little shake to =make the magic happen,= and
drop the four coins in your left hand onto the table.
8rop two of the coins in your right hand onto the table, retaining the
third one in classic palm. "ring both hands back toward the edge of the
table and rest them there. This is known as =rest position.= The illusion that
has been created in this se9uence is that you started with three coins in
each hand, whereupon one of them disappeared from one hand and
reappeared in the other.
,epeat the same
se9uence to make the
next coin complete its
magical <ourney. Dor the
last coin, instead of
actually picking it up in
the right hand, you4re
going to lap it. 0retend
to drag it off the edge of
the table and close your
hand around it, really
letting it fall into your
lap. 6ll that4s left is to
reveal that all si3 coins
are now in your left
hand. This is great to
perform at dinner.

The *our Coin 0sse/bl1 2a,a +Matri5+3
#ere is another e3ample of my preference for the =classics= over
their modern =improvements.= :8espite the fact that I have now given you
two e3amples of that in a row, this isn4t always the case with me.; There
was an old trick called the =Sympathetic Coins= that was around at least
early enough to have been written about by the great #arry #oudini
himself. It was done with four coins, a handkerchief, and two inde3 cards.
Dast forward several decades. 6nother magician, by the name of 6l
Schneider, lost the handkerchief and added two more cards. #e changed
the method as well. 6fter that, there were still more magicians who made
further variations on Schneider4s handling. I know that many magicians will
disagree with me, but I still prefer something similar to the original trick.
That is what I will teach you here.
Spread a handkerchief out on your working surface, and place one
coin onto each of its four corners. Cover the two coins furthest away from
you with the inde3 cards, hori7ontally. 5ow, cover the two coins on the
right hand side, vertically. 5e3t comes a secret steal that is the foundation
of this routine. Cover the right hand card with the left hand card. 6t the
same time, the right fingers pick up the coin at its corner, and carry it away
with the card.
The coin and the card are then carried to the upper left corner. The
card in your right hand covers that coin, dropping the stolen coin alongside
it. @penly pick up the coin at the lower.left corner with your right hand, and
lift that corner of cloth up between the first and second fingers. 0lace the
right hand coin under the cloth, and apparently under the upper left hand
card. An route to that corner, the right hand secretly places the coin
between the second and third fingers of the left hand :hidden by the corner
of cloth between the first and second fingers;. This move should be
practiced so that it can be e3ecuted with no tell.tale hesitance.
1ith the right
hand still under the
cloth, knock the two
coins on top together
so that they make a
clinking sound. "ring
the right hand out and
with it, remove the
card to show the two
coins. 8eposit the card
into the crotch of the
left thumb, covering
the stolen coin.
8eposit the stolen coin
ne3t to the two you
<ust revealed by covering them all with the card. ,epeat this entire
se9uence with the other visible coin.
6t this point, the spectators think there are three coins under that
card and one under the other one. ?ou, of course, are one step ahead of
them. 1ith all of the pi77a77 that you have in your soul, create the illusion
that the last coin travels to <oin the other three. M.;
Cha!ter 6 - Tric, Coins
0resto Chango The CopperGSilver Transposition
Coin "ite The Coin in the "ottle
The Coins Through the Table
*ost people know there is such a thing as trick cards, though they
often donNt know that there are so many kinds of them. 6n even smaller
number of people reali7e that there is such a thing as trick coins. There
are, again, far more types of trick coins than lie within the scope of this
book. I will teach you mainly about three of them: The double.faced coin,
the folding coin, and the shell coin.
"efore I get to those, though, I would like to mention a particular set
of trick coins known as BScotch and Soda.B This set consists of a thin coin
that shows a *e3ican coin :a twenty centavo piece; on one side, and the
tail side of an 6merican half dollar on the other. The ne3t component is a
hollowed out BshellH coin with the head side of an 6merican .(- piece
showing. 6 genuine *e3ican %- centavo piece is traditionally included as
well.
The shell coin snaps onto the double.sided Binsert, Bcreating the
illusion of a normal half dollar. ?ou also get a special device known as a
Bbang ringH that serves the purpose of separating the shell from the insert.
The standard trick with this set is to put a 9uarter inside the shell,
and slide these over and under the insert :copper side up;. @n the last
slide, the insert goes between the shell and the 9uarter. The coins are
s9uee7ed as they are placed into a spectatorNs hand. The spectator is
asked to place both hands behind his or her back, and one coin into each
hand. 6sk them to hand you the smaller of the two coins, when they do,
they will be ama7ed to see that it has been BtransformedH from a copper
*e3ican coin into a quarter.
There have been several books and videos published that teach
tons of different tricks, routines, and ideas with just this set of coins. If
youNre interested, I recommend you refer to those resources. 0ersonally, I
donNt use them very much. I included them because they are the highest
selling trick coins on the market, and often sold to beginners. 6mong the
trick coins I do use is the double.faced coin. ItNs like the insert in a scotch
and soda set, but thicker. 6lso, the copper side is usually an Anglish penny
:which is what it used to be in Scotch and Soda sets;. 6nother coin I like to
use is the folding coin. It is broken into three pieces with a notch carved all
the way around the edge. These three pieces are held together by a tiny
rubber band, creating a coin that looks normal, but easily folds into thirds.
>astly, INll cover the expanded shell coin. This is similar to the shell
coin in a Scotch and Soda, but it has been stretched to fit loosely over a
genuine half dollar. This gimmick is sold with either a head side or a tail
side showing. The tail is better, because there4s more room in the shell.
@ne more note on the e3panded shell coin is that you will have to
e3periment to find coins that it fits on. "elieve it or not, there are virtually
imperceptible si7e differences among half dollars. Leep trying, and youNll
eventually find coins that slip easily in and out of your shell. If one should
get stuck, drop the coins into a glass and cover its mouth with your hand.
Shake the glass vigorously, and the coins will come apart.
Presto Chan%o
Two silver coins change to copper, then back to silver. Dinally they
change to one of each and are passed out for e3amination2 0lace the
copper side of a double.faced coin against a half dollar and place these in
the little inner pocket of your blue <eans. 0lace the real copper coin in the
main part of the same pocket, and youNre ready to astonish people.
Dinger palm the copper coin and take out the other two visibly,
placing them into the left hand :between the first finger and the thumb, but
still s9uared;. Spread them out, the silver side of the fake coin on the left
fingertips. Turn the real silver coin over and say BSilver coins.= 0ick it up,
and e3ecute the "obo switch. 6s the left hand closes, the fake coin is
turned over. @pen the left hand, and it looks like both coins changed to
copper.
,epeat this whole se9uence to change them back to silver. Close
and open the hand again, and there will now appear to be one of each coin
in your hand. A3ecute the shuttle pass, retaining the fake coin in left finger
palm. #and the two coins in the right hand to the spectator for
e3amination. 8onNt be in too big a hurry to get rid of that coin in your left
hand, but while the spectator is e3amining the other coins, reach into your
left pocket for some cards, leaving the finger palmed coin in the pocket as
you pull the deck out. 8o a card trick.
The Co!!er7Sil)er Trans!osition
There are versions of this effect that are accomplished purely by
sleight of hand. In this case, though, as you will see, the addition of a
gimmicked coin renders possible results that would be unattainable by
sleight of hand alone. #ere then is an e3ample of what I mean when I say
that some of the most powerful magic combines sleight of hand and
gimmicks.
#ave the double faced coin finger palmed in the right hand, and
hand the other two coins out for e3amination. 6sk the spectator to place
one of the coins in each of their hands, palm up. 0ick up the copper coin in
your right hand and the silver coin in your left hand. Say, BINm sorry, they
should be reversed.B 0lace the silver coin in the spectatorNs opposite hand,
and then toss the copper coin into your left hand, e3ecuting the "obo
switch. 0lace the gimmicked coin in the spectatorNs still empty hand :on the
fingertips;, copper side up. It looks like you <ust reversed the positions of
the coins, but really you switched in the fake.
6sk the spectator to close his hand over the silver coin, and gently
assist him in doing so with your fingers. 6t the same time, do the same
thing with the BcopperH coin. "ecause the coin rests on the spectatorNs
fingertips, it turns over as the hand closes. ?our BassistingH fingers hide this
from view. 6sk him to open the hand containing the silver coin. 0ick it up
with your right hand, and caution him to keep the fingers of his other
closed as tightly as possible.
5ow, you want to make it clear which coin is where, otherwise you
donNt really have a trick. Say, BI have the silver coin, and you have the
copper one, rightF= 6s you talk, toss the half dollar coin into your left hand,
e3ecuting the "obo switch on the final toss. Say the magic word or make a
magical gesture, and ask the spectator to open his hand. Immediately grab
that coin, and hold it up with the silver side showing. Immediately after that,
open your left hand showing the copper coin. A3ecute one last "obo
switch, and then toss both of the genuine coins into the spectatorNs hands
for e3amination. :.;
Coin #ite
This effect has become very popular since 8avid "laine performed it
on one of his television specials. #e used a folding 9uarter, which works
well, since 9uarters are so common. In theory, though, you could also use
a folding half dollar. The method is simplicity itself, but to really BsellH it, you
need two folding coins. Take one of them apart, and hide the upper third in
your mouth, between your upper teeth and cheek on the side. ?ou will
e3perience no discomfort, and you will still be able to talk <ust fine.
#old the other folding coin up near your mouth with your left hand,
and pretend to bite a piece off of it. 6t the same time, fold the top third
down and back, holding it away from the spectatorsN line of sight with your
thumb. 1ith the aid of the tongue, work the duplicate piece out of your
mouth, and show it to the spectator with your right hand. ,eplace that
piece in your mouth, and work it back into position while contorting your
face :showmanship;. *ake a sudden blowing noise toward the coin, and
release the grip of your left thumb. It will look as if the coin instantly
restored itself.
The Coin in the #ottle
#ereNs another great classic of magic. 5owadays, it4s occasionally
performed with ob<ects other than coins. ften in these versions, the bottle
canNt be e3amined. 1ith a coin, it can. Sometimes the coin used in this
trick is a 9uarter. I still prefer the half dollar, because it seems more
impossible to get a half dollar in a bottle than a 9uarter, even though
neither can actually be done. ?ou may have to look around a bit for a
suitable glass soda bottle.
Start with the folding coin in your left pocket, and hand the real half
dollar to an audience member for e3amination. *ention that the best way
to tell whether a half dollar is real or not is by the way it sounds when its
dropped. 1ith that, ask the person to drop it on the ground or floor. The
time it takes the spectator to pick it up provides great misdirection for you
to reach into your left pocket and retrieve the folding coin, which is then
stuffed into the neck of the bottle and covered with your left hand.
The bottom of the bottle should be facing to your right. #and the
bottle to the spectator, his right hand replacing your left hand. "e careful
that the gimmick is not seen while the transfer of the bottle is taking place.
Stand to his right, and e3ecute the Drench drop with the real coin,
pretending to take it into your right hand. 5ow, the coin is transferred from
finger palm to classic palm as the left hand reaches to touch your
spectatorNs shoulder. @pen the right hand suddenly as you slap the bottom
of the bottle, and be ready to catch your spectator if he passes out after
seeing the coin appear inside it. :.;
5ow, we have the problem of getting it back out. 1rap your left
fingers around the mouth of the bottle, which is now pointed down to the
ground. The left little finger is pressed against the opening, in order to keep
the folding coin from flying out. Shake the bottle hard and down one time.
This will cause the folding coin to get stuck in the neck of the bottle :hidden
by the left fingers;, while simultaneously the real coin is released from the
left palm, creating the illusion that you simply shook the coin out of the
bottle. 1hile someone e3amines the coin, you can get rid of the gimmick.
:This last move is easier with a folding half than with a folding 9uarter.;
The Coins Throu%h the Table
In this effect, four coins appear to magically pass through a solid
table top, one at a time. 8espite the use of an e3panded shell coin, you
end Bclean. B That is, the four coins can be e3amined at the end of the trick.
@f course, you must be sitting at a table to perform this trick, making it a
great after dinner piece. To prepare, secretly pull a flap of cloth from your
left pants leg over onto your right pants leg. This prevents BlappedH coins
from falling between your legs, and is a great aid to lapping in general. @f
course, if youNre in a restaurant with cloth napkins, you can simply use one
of those instead.
The four coins
should start out
hori7ontally lined up
near the edge of the
table, the shell covering
the coin on your right.
/rip the coin on your left
by its edges between the
first finger and thumb of
your right hand, and
drag it toward you, off
the edge of the table.
Continue by swinging
that hand forward and
placing that coin near
the center of the table.
,epeat this procedure with the next three coins, each one overlapping the
one before it.
6s you drag the shell, its real coin will secretly
fall into your lap. 5otice I said place the coins. If you
drop them onto the table, the spectators will hear the
different sound the shell makes, and become
suspicious.
The *irst Coin Passes Throu%h"
?ou now have what appears to be four coins in the center of the
table, overlapping each
other. ,eally, the fourth one
is the shell. 1ithout
allowing the spectators to
see the back of the shell,
arrange the coins into a fan
held between the right first
two fingers and thumb.
0lace your left hand under
the table, secretly retrieving
the coin from your lap in the
process. /ently tap :so that
you donNt bend the shell;
the coins onto the table,
nesting one of the coins into
the shell. Spread out what
appears to be three coins near the edge of the table, and show the fourth
coin in your left hand, placing it aside.
The Second 8 Third Coins Pass"
Dor the second coin, simply repeat that entire procedure. Dor the
third one, drag both coins toward you at the same time, allowing the secret
coin to again fall into your lap. 0lace the coin and shell onto the middle of
the table, the shell overlapping the coin. Cover these both with your right
hand, which smears them in a circle, nesting the two together. >ift your
hand, revealing only one BcoinH there, and produce the third coin from
under the table, placing it aside.
The *ourth Coin
@ne last time, you4re going to use a variation of the move where you
drag the shell toward you, lapping a coin. 0lace the shell on the table, but
only a few inches in from the edge. Cover the shell with your fingertips,
and slide them forward, leaving the shell in place. Spread your fingers
apart, revealing that the coin is not there. :It is now hidden beneath the
balm of your right hand.; Immediately reproduce the fourth coin from
under the table, and toss it toward the spectator. 6t the same time,
:misdirection again; pull the balm of your right hand backward, dragging
the shell off the edge of the table, and into your lap.
Part 3 - Other Stuff
6lthough there isnNt as much material in the world of magic that is
performed with ob<ects other than cards or coins, it is often a nice change
of pace to present a miracle or two with something else. The chapters in
this section contain some material that is suitable for stage performance,
as well as close up. @ne trick weNve already covered, the coin in the bottle,
could be performed on stage as well. ?ouNd <ust want to shake the bottle
near the microphone with the coin in it. That way, the audience can hear
that the coin is inside, even though they can4t see that it4s inside.
The first chapter in this part is all about ball magic. I4ll cover magic
with sponge balls, cups and balls, and billiard balls. The ne3t chapter is on
rope tricks, the third one is on silk magic, and the last one is on
Bmentalism.= *entalism is the field of magic that deals with mind reading,
predictions, etc. "y the end of this part, youNll have enough material to put
together a great magic show for audiences containing a handful of
friends... or hundreds of strangers.
Cha!ter 9 - #all Ma%ic
Sponge "alls The Color Changing "all to Jumbo S9uare
Cups 6nd "alls The *ultiplying /olf "alls
1hen it comes to performing magic with balls, there are mainly three
kinds of balls that magicians use. Dirst, thereNs sponge balls :though there
are other kinds of sponge ob<ects also;. Secondly, there are BbilliardH balls.
B"illiard ballsH is a bit of a misnomer. The balls that are used for this branch
of magic seldom bear any resemblance to those commonly found on a
pool table. >astly, the venerable classic BCups and "alls,H most often
makes use of little cork balls with crocheted covers, though miniature
baseballs are in vogue for this as well.
S!on%e #alls
Sponge cubes were originally used in manipulative magic
:sometimes they still are;, then magicians started carving them into little
spheres. Sometimes, theyNre even carved into the shape of little bunny
rabbits2 Sponge balls are sold by magic dealers 9uite ine3pensively in a
wide range of si7es and colors. I prefer the ! O inch si7e, but I suggest you
e3periment and find out what si7e works best for you. Color, again, is a
matter of personal preference. The last decision to make is between
regular or Bsuper softH sponge. 6 lot of magicians like the Bsuper softH ones,
but I prefer the others. The reason is that I carry them around in my pocket
all day, and the super soft ones tend to shrivel as a result.
6lthough technically there are a vast number of tricks that can be
performed with sponge balls, seldom if ever is one sponge ball trick
performed by itself. ,ather, the usual procedure is that one trick flows
logically into another until a clima3 is reached. This is known in magic as
=routining.= 6 routine is a series of tricks, and a show is a series of routines.
Sponge balls provide an e3cellent e3ample for me to use in illustrating the
concept of routining.
To begin a sponge ball routine, you can either simply remove a
sponge ball from your pocket, or you can create the illusion that it
magically appears from nowhere. The simplest way of accomplishing this
is to start with the ball finger palmed and pretend to pluck it out of the air.
Dirst fi3 your eyes on a spot, and then bring the ball up to that spot,
pushing it into view with the thumb. 6s the hand comes away with the ball,
your ga7e now follows it. ?ou could then hand the ball to the spectator for
e3amination.
6nother way to BproduceH the ball is to use what magicians call a
Bpurse frame.H This is the metal part of a coin purse, without the leather
bag. ?ou have two balls and the frame in your right pocket, and two balls in
your left pocket also. ,each both hands into your pockets at the same
time, finger palming a ball with your left hand and bringing out the frame
with your right. 6fter displaying the frame, place it between the crotch of
your left thumb and your curled left forefinger, with the back of the left
fingers toward the audience. @pen the frame and insert the first three
fingers of the right hand. Then, show both palms, so that the spectators
can see that your hands are BemptyH e3cept for the frame :which is really
hidden behind the tips of your right fingers;. !everse this action, then
reach into the frame and produce the ball.
#aving <ust produced a
ball, let the spectator
e3amine it. 1hile this is
happening, secure another
one in finger palm. 6sk the
spectator to place
their ball on the table. 0ick it
up, and pretend to transfer
the ball to your right hand,
retaining it in your left. 6t the
same time, display the ball in
your right hand. 1hat youNve
<ust performed is a variation
of the shuttle pass. 0ractice it
in front of the mirror until it
looks like youNre <ust placing
the ball into your right hand. :8onNt draw attention to this in performance.
Just do it casually.;
0erform the shuttle pass in reverse :apparently transferring the ball
back to your left hand;. ?ouNve <ust planted the subtle suggestion in the
spectatorNs mind that your hands are empty e3cept for one ball. 5ow youNre
going to perform whatNs known as the smash move. 0lace the finger
palmed ball directly on top of the tabled ball. ,oll them toward you slightly
and pick them up between the fingers and thumb of the right hand, as if
they we were one ball. /ive a brief flash of this, and replace it on the table.
,oll one finger between the two balls on the table, creating the illusion that
one ball is splitting apart into two. To hide the BsplitH between the two balls,
keep your fingertip pressed onto the table as you roll them around.
6sk the spectators if
they would like to see the
balls back together.
1hatever the reply, place
the balls touching each
other on the table and say,
BSee, theyNre back
together2 B 6fter this bad
<oke, :; separate the balls,
and place the back of your
right hand on one of them,
and the back of your left
hand on the other. >ift your
right hand, and place the ball under it in your left hand. 0ick up the ball
under your left hand in your right hand. #olding the fists closed about !'H
apart, ask the spectator how many balls are in each hand. TheyNll say
=one.=
1hat youNve <ust done is psychologically conditioned them to e3pect
to see one ball in each hand. 5ow youNre going to use that against them.
Say, B@f course2 If I take the ball under my right hand into my left hand,
and the ball under my left hand into my right hand, then there will be one in
each hand2= 6s you say that, pretend to place the ball under your right
hand into your left one, secretly retaining it in your right. 0erform the
smash move, and now youNll have two balls in your right hand, and none in
your left. 6fter the appropriate magical pause, reveal that fact to your
audience.
5ow comes the part of the routine that sometimes makes people
scream :especially girls;. 0ick up one of the balls, and e3ecute the Drench
drop. 5ow, e3ecute the smash move. 0lace these two balls :which appear
to be one; into the spectatorNs hand. #elp them close their hand over the
Bball,H and have them hold their fist closed tightly. "low on your left fist, and
open it, showing that your ball has vanished. 1hen they open their hand,
they will be surprised to find that they now hold both balls2
6fter your spectator picks herself up off the floor :;, you pick one of
the balls up off the table. Drench drop, and place the fist that is supposed
to contain the ball into your left pocket. Dold some of the cloth in your left
pants leg over with your right fingers, sneaking the finger palmed ball into
the fold. #old that ball with your left hand through the material, and remove
your right hand. "y slowly letting the ball emerge, you can now create the
illusion that the ball is passing through the cloth of your pocket.
Take the ball that has <ust
passed through your pocket into your
right hand. ,emove your left hand
from your pocket, with a finger
palmed ball, and perform the smash
move. 0lace these two balls with the
one from the table into your right
hand. 0lace all three of them
:supposedly two; into your
spectator"s hand, and help her close
her fingers. Claim to find an BinvisibleH
ball, and mime the action of throwing
it toward the spectatorNs hand. 1hen
she opens it, she will find three balls.
5ow for the last trick in the routine. 0ick up a ball, and pretend
to place it into your right pocket. ,eally, secure that last ball in finger palm,
so that when you pull your hand from your pocket it contains two balls. :ItNs
supposed to contain zero.; 0ick up the one of the tabled balls with the
same hand, and place all three balls :supposedly one; into your left hand.
Dinally, actually place the remaining ball in your pocket. 6sk the spectator
how many balls are in your hand. If youNve followed my instructions, theyNll
say one. Show them that there are three.
,epeat that whole se9uence, giving them one more chance to
=catch= you. 6gain there are three. @ne last time, but this time, really place
the first ball in your pocket. A3ecute the Drench drop with the second one,
then the smash move, apparently placing the last ball :really the last two;
into your pocket. "y now, the spectators will assume there are going to be
three balls again. There are none. ?our routine is over. :.;
Color Chan%in% #all to :u/bo S;uare
#ereNs a good trick for your stage and platform shows. ?ou have to
buy it from a magic shop. 1hat you get is a hollowed out sponge cube
:red;, a black ball, and a regular red sponge ball. 0lace the black ball on
top of the cube and press down, turning the cube inside out around it.
1hat youNll end up with will resemble a red ball, but itNs really the cube with
the black ball inside. 0lace this into your pocket, and youNre ready to begin.
0ass the real red ball out for e3amination. Epon retrieval, youNre
going to e3ecute a new sleight, known as the thumb palm vanish. #old the
ball between the tips of the first and second finger in the right hand. That
hand is palm up. 6s the hand turns over to BplaceH the ball into the left
hand, curl the two fingers in and nip the ball in the crotch of the right
thumb. 0retend to place the ball into the left hand, closing the left fingers
around the imaginary ball.
*ake the ball disappear,
and then reach into your right pocket
to BreproduceH it. ,eally, leave the
real ball behind and bring out the
fake one, keeping the opening
covered. 0lace the opening on top of
your left fist, and press down on the
ball with your right forefinger. This
causes the ball to turn inside out as
it enters the left fist. ?ou now hold a black ball and a red cube. "ring your
right hand over, and take the ball into it without the spectators seeing it yet.
6llow a piece of red sponge to peek out of your left fist, and ask the
spectators to guess which hand the BballH is in. @f course, most of them will
guess the left hand. @pen that hand, showing a cube. :"e careful here that
the opening is toward your palm, so they won4t accidentally see it.; They
will want to see whatNs in your other hand, so open it and show them the
black ball. Trust me, this gets great reactions.
Cu!s 0nd #alls
This effect is regarded by many as the oldest magic trick in the
world. The skill of a magician is often <udged largely on his or her ability to
perform it. ?ou can perform cups and balls with props as ine3pensive as a
few foam cups and some paper balls, or as e3pensive as ornate, hand
crafted cups that cost thousands of dollars. I begin my routine with a small
turnip in my left pocket, and a small potato and onion in my right. :I use
vegetables instead of the traditional fruit because of my last line of patter,
as youNll see.;
The cups are stacked together mouth
up, with one ball in each cup. The fourth
ball is in the right trousers pocket, with
the potato and the onion. To open the
routine, youNre going to create the illusion
that one ball turns into three. #old the
stack of cups in your left hand, with the
mouth of the cups pointing toward you,
so that the spectators canNt see into
them. 1ith your right hand, grasp the
bottom, and pull it off the stack. Leep its
mouth toward you. :The picture is from
the spectatorsN point of view.;
6t this point, if your right hand turns
further in towards you while placing its
cup down on the table in one smooth, swift motion, the ball will stay inside
the cup, unseen by the spectators. This is called the inertia move. 0ractice
it a few times. 6s a side note, this should be performed on a soft surface
:such as a carpeted floor, or a magicianNs =close.up pad=; so that the
spectators donNt hear the balls hitting a hard table when they do fall under
the cups. A3ecute the inertia move with the ne3t two cups, stacking them
onto the first one as you count. @ne. . . two. . . three.
,emove the ball from your pocket and place it atop the cups. Say,
BThis trick also uses three balls. @f course, thatNs <ust one. "all number two
is here.H 5ow, lift the top cup and place it and its ball to the right. B6nd ball
number three is there.H >ift the ne3t cup and place it and its ball to the left.
The spectators now see a ball on top of each cup. 0lace the two end balls
down on your working surface, and thus conclude phase one of the
routine.
Cover the ball on the middle cup with the cup on right, and tap the
top of the stack. >ift the entire stack, revealing the ball beneath it. It looks
like a ball penetrated the bottom cup2 ,epeat the inertia move, covering
the ball you <ust revealed. There will now be two balls under that cup. 0ut
the right hand ball onto the middle cup, and cover it with the cup on the
left. ,epeat the tap and lift, revealing two balls. 8o the inertia move once
more, this time placing the cup with the secret ball in it on the right. 0lace
the remaining ball onto the middle cup, and cover it with the remaining
empty cup. This time, have the spectator tap the stack. >ift it, as though
you are e3pecting to see three balls. 6ct as surprised as they are that there
are only two. 6ccuse them of trying to pull one over on you, and reveal that
=they= made the ball <ump over into the right cup2
To begin the next phase, place the balls into a hori7ontal row on the
table, one cup behind each of them. The secret fourth ball is under the
middle cup. 0ick up the ball on the left end in the right fingertips, and tilt
the left cup back toward you, keeping its back rim :closest to you; on the
table. #retend to place the ball under the cup, secretly retaining the ball in
finger palm. 0ick up the second ball at your fingertips, placing both balls
under the center cup :with the one already there;. #retend to place the last
ball under the last cup :retaining it in finger palm;. 6fter the appropriate
magical incantation :;, pick up the cup on the left, revealing that its ball has
disappeared. 0lace this cup into your right hand, in such a way as to insure
that the spectators canNt see between its mouth and your hand. This is a
critical move in any cups and balls routine, and the picture is again from
the spectatorsN perspective:

0ick up the cup on the right, revealing that its ball is gone also. 6t
the same time, allow the ball in your right hand finger palm to fall into the
cup that that hand is holding. 0lace these two end cups on their sides, a
little back from the center cup. Show both hands empty front and back
:because the e3tra ball is now hidden in the right hand cup;, and then lift
the center cup, revealing that all three balls have mysteriously gathered
there. This concludes phase three of our cups and balls routine. There are
two left.
0lace the two end cups upright, and place a ball on top of each cup.
Say, BSome people think I use more than three balls.H #old the left hand in
front of the cup on the right end, and tilt that cup forward, dumping that ball
into your left hand. Transfer that ball into your right hand, and pretend to
place it into your pocket, finger palming it. >ift the middle cup, and dump
the ball on it into your left hand, sneaking the finger palmed ball
underneath it as you put it down. ,epeat this procedure with the last cup.
6s you place away the last ball, retrieve the first vegetable, and
keep your hand by your side, its back toward the spectators. :This sets you
up for the final phase, which is still to come.;
>ift the right hand cup with the left hand, and say, B#ereNs ball
number four.H 0lace the cup in your right hand, repeating the loading move
you used in the first part of phase three. 0ick up the newly revealed ball,
and place it into your left pocket :securing the turnip;, then place the right
hand cup down on its side. :The cup being on its side suggests that youNre
done with it, and that it is empty.;
1ith the right hand, pick up the center cup, and say, B#ereNs ball
number five.H 0lace the right hand cup into the left hand, repeating the
loading move with the turnip this time. 0ick up the newly revealed ball with
the right hand and place it in your right pocket, securing the last vegetable.
0lace the center cup on its side, also, and repeat the loading move by
picking up the left cup with the left hand, and placing into your right one.
:>oad that last veggie at this point.; The last ball goes into the left pocket.
The last cup gets laid down on its side. ?ou have now secretly loaded a
vegetable into each cup, and all three cups are lying on their sides, looking
empty.
This is where phase five appears to begin, but really youNre already
done. 0ause for a beat, as though your trick is over. 6s you place the three
cups upright with your obviously empty hands, say, BI hope my efforts to
entertain you with the cups and balls have proven fruitful, but INm afraid
they may not have. ?ou see, this isnNt fruit. These... :snap your fingers, and
begin to lift the cups; are vegetables. ?ou have now produced some
produce to the sheer delight of your bamboo7led audience.
The Multi!l1in% 'olf #alls
"ack in the day, this trick was commonly performed with balls that
were made of wood. They were usually either red or white in color. The
most talked about balls for performing this effect nowadays are called
=Dakini= balls and they4re made of silicone. They come in a wide range of
colors. They4re 9uite large and very e3pensive. I do like the way they feel,
and I like they fact that they bounce. 6lso, they4re very visible, even on the
largest stage. They do have one drawback, though, and it has to do with
the real secret of the multiplying balls.
In any set of multiplying balls, one of the balls isn4t really a ball. It4s a
shell that fits over a ball. In the $akini set, this shell is extremely thick,
making for some pretty awkward handling. The set I do use is
manufactured by a company called >oftus International, and is designed to
resemble a set of golf balls. They4re yellow, which helps with visibility.
They4re made of soft rubber, so they bounce. The most important benefit of
this set, though, is its shell. It fits tightly enough so that when you have it
on a ball, and toss that ball into the air, it won4t come off. It looks for all the
world like you <ust tossed a single ball into the air and then caught it. That4s
the kind of advantage that a clever magician can use :sparingly, of course;
to really throw people off the tracks.
"efore I get into the play by play of my particular routine, I would like
to comment on one more set of multiplying balls that4s on the market. They
are clear, so they look like bubbles. To make the first one appear, you
could also buy a special trick that consists of a bottle of bubbles that has a
recessed bottom, which contains a ball. #old the bottle in your left hand.
?our little finger keeps the ball from falling out. "low some bubbles, then
reach into them with your left hand, producing the ball. It will look like you
grabbed one of the bubbles, whereupon it magically became solid. ?ou can
then follow the rest of my routine from there. This could look really great
with a bubble machine on stage. 0erhaps your background music could be
=Dorever "lowing "ubbles.= :.;
To prepare for my usual routine with the golf balls, place a ball with
the shell on it into your right back pocket. 6nother ball goes into the
waistband of your pants, right behind the belt buckle. The remaining ball is
classic palmed in the left hand. ?ou4re now going to produce that first ball
after e3ecuting what4s know as =the change over palm.= Show the front and
back of the right hand, then begin to turn your body slightly to the left.
6s you turn, the two palms come together. 6bout halfway through
your turn, your fingers touch each other :like you4re praying;, so that the
ball is never seen. 6s you continue turning, the ball is classic palmed in the
right hand. Show the left hand, front and back. ?ou have now shown both
hands empty, one at a time. 0luck the ball from the air, the same way I
taught you to do with a sponge ball. 6s you do so, say, =This is a trick
where I produce a ball from thin air.= "ounce it off the floor and catch it,
tacitly demonstrating the fact that it is ordinary.
Say, =5ow, on the count of three, I4m going to make it disappear.=
Count, =@ne,= and toss it up into the air. Catch it in both hands, the back of
the left hand :and the left side of your body; should be toward the
spectators. Toss it again and catch it. @n the third time, keep it classic
palmed in the left hand, while your right hand turns its back to the
spectators and swings down
behind your body. 0retend to slip
the ball into your right back
pocket. "e really obvious about
this so the spectators will think
you really pocketed the ball. Say,
=@kay, you caught me, I snuck it
into my back pocket.= 0roduce the
ball :and shell; from your pocket
as if they were the ball you started
with. :?ou have the ball you
actually did start with classic
palmed in your left hand.;
Immediately produce
that ball also, and bounce it. 0lace
it between the first two fingers of
the right hand, stealing the ball
out of the shell at the same time
into the left hand classic palm.
:This steal is a key move in the routine, practice it well.; 0roduce that third
ball, bounce it, and place it between the second and third fingers.
5ow, youNre going to apparently take the middle ball with the left
hand. Cover the ball with the back of the left hand toward the spectators.
1ith the right second finger, roll the middle ball down into the shell. Close
the left hand loosely :itNs supposed to contain a ball; and move it away as
the right second finger returns to its original position. 0ractice this move in
front of a mirror, too. It4s another key one.
0retend to hear that someone
wants to examine the ball, and
pretend to throw it to them, making
it disappear. *ove the ball between
the second and third fingers down
one slot, stealing the shelled ball
again in the process. 6sk the
spectator to throw their imaginary
ball back to you, and pretend to
catch it, reproducing the ball you
<ust palmed and returning it to its
original position between the right
second and third finger.
8o the move again where you
appear to take a ball, secretly rolling
it back into the shell. 0retend to eat
the ball, by pressing your tongue
against your cheek on both sides
and then swallowing e3tra hard.
Show the left hand empty, fingers wide apart. ,each behind your
waistband, and apparently e3tract the ball from your abdomen. ?uck2 :.;
6gain, place it between your first and second fingers, stealing the fourth
ball. 0roduce that ball, bounce it, and place it between your third and fourth
fingers. ?ou started with nothing, and now you have four balls. /o you2 :.;

,epeat the move again where you apparently take a ball, secretly
rolling it into the shell. :Told you it was key2; *agically crumble that
imaginary ball away into nothingness. *ove the ball between your third
and little fingers down into the empty space, stealing a ball from the shell.
5ow, do the move where you roll a ball down into the shell again, but
without the covering of the left hand this time. If you shake the right hand
up and down as you do this, it will look like the middle ball visibly vanishes.
,eproduce the ball in your left hand from behind your left knee, and place
it in your left pocket. ?ouNre done with it.
*ove the top ball down one set of fingers, and steal another one out.
8o the open vanishing move again, and reproduce a ball from behind your
right elbow. ,eplace it in your right hand, stealing a ball yet again. #old the
two BballsH :really a ball P the shell; beside your right knee, your fingers
pointing straight down. 8o the vanishing move again, and reproduce the
ball in your left hand from behind your left knee. It will look like the ball
magically <umped across behind your legs. ,epeat this se9uence a couple
of times :it4s a good one;, and pocket the ball and shell.
Dor this last part, you need to be wearing a long sleeved shirt or a
coat. A3plain to the audience that if you were wearing your =special= shirt
:or coat;, then there would be tubes in your sleeves, and you would be
able to take the ball in your right hand, drop it down your right sleeve, and
out your left one. 1ith that, e3ecute the Drench drop, apparently taking the
ball into the right hand. #old your right fist high above your head, the back
of your hand toward the audience. Suddenly open it, then suddenly turn
your left hand around, revealing that the ball has made its magical <ourney
after all. ?ou4ll have a lot of fun performing this routine, and it will really
ama7e your audience.
Cha!ter < - =o!e Ma%ic
The Cut P ,estored ,ope The 0rofessor4s 5ightmare
,opes Through Spectator4s "ody
,ope tricks have been attractive to magicians for decades, perhaps
because there are so many things you can do with a piece of rope. There
are various trick knots, escapes, and other manipulations that can be
performed. ,opes can even be made to apparently pass harmlessly
through people or other solid ob<ects2 6nd, of course, ropes can be
apparently cut in half :or more pieces; and restored.
The kind of rope that magicians most often use is made of cotton
and is commonly referred to :appropriately enough; as magician's rope. It
is most commonly white, but is available from magic shops in a wide range
of colors. If I am doing more than one rope trick in a show, and they4re
separated by other tricks, I like to use different colors, in order to preserve
a sense of variety.
"efore rope that you buy from a magic shop is ready to be
performed with, it needs to be prepared. *agicians call this preparation
process =coring.= Cut your rope to the length:s; you need for your trick, and
grab one of the ends. Epon close e3amination, you will discover that the
rope is actually a bunch of cotton strands surrounded by a woven outer
shell. /rab those strands and pull them out of the shell a little bit. /rab the
shell and pull it down as far as you can. The shell will bunch up so tightly
that you can4t pull the strands out any further.
1hen that happens, grab the bunched up shell, and pull it down
some more. The bunch will come undone, and the shell will be hanging off
the end of the strands. 0ull the strands out further, and the shell will bunch
up again. Straighten it again, and continue this process until the shell is
free of the strands. It is this BshellH that you will use for your rope tricks. ?ou
can discard the strands. 5ow it4s time to learn my three favorite rope tricks.
The Cut 8 =estored =o!e
This is probably the most famous rope trick there is. I will teach you
two versions. The first one is my favorite. The second one is the classic
version. The reason the first one is my favorite is twofold. Dirst, you seem
to cut the rope into three pieces, not <ust two. Secondly, it fooled me the
first time I saw it. Dor that matter, it even fooled me the first time I did it.
It starts out easily enough2 Just tie a knot. It should be a square knot,
about one third from the end of a 4 piece of rope. Tie another one about
the same distance from the other end. ?ou4ll be left with two short ends
coming out of two knots. Cut the rope on the newly formed loop directly
across from this short end, <ust ne3t to the knot. 8o the same thing with the
other loop. ?ou will now have what appears to be three short pieces of
rope tied together. If you pull hard on both ends at the same time, the
knots will =pop= off, and the rope will be restored. The tips of the scissors in
the picture below indicate the location of the cut and demonstrate the
appearance of the knotted loop at each end.
To do the second version,
hold both ends of a length
of rope in the crotch of the
left thumb. The center
hangs down below. Insert
the first finger and thumb
of the right hand into the
bottom of that hanging loop
from the side away from
you. 0oint them straight up
and to your right. >ift that
center up into the left hand.
@n the way, grab the right
side of the rope about
three inches down from the
end and lift this piece up into view behind the left fingers. This is the secret
move. The ne3t picture shows the situation you should be in after you
follow this paragraph of instructions.
Cut the loop and you will have four ends
of rope sticking up out of your left hand. /rab
the two middle ends with your right hand, and
let the other two fall. It will look like you are
holding two lengths of rope in your right hand.
In reality, you are holding one long piece looped
over one short piece. Tie the short piece around
the long piece, pretending to tie the two lengths
together. ?ou can even pretend to =tighten= the
knot for an e3tra Bconvincer.H #old one end of
the rope in the crotch of your left thumb.
?our left hand is now holding what
appears to be two lengths of rope tied together.
1hat you actually have is one long piece of
rope with a short piece tied around its middle.
1ith your right hand, begin to coil the rope
around your left fingers. 1hen you get close
enough to the knot to do so, close your right fingers around it, continuing to
coil the rope. The knot will slide along the length of the rope as you
perform this action. Aventually, the knot will come off the end of the rope
and still be in your right hand. ,each in your pocket to retrieve a pinch of
=magic woofle dust= :really nothing;, leaving the knot behind. =Sprinkle= the
=magic woofle dust= onto the rope, then uncoil it. It has now been made
whole again.
The Professor&s >i%ht/are
#ere4s a trick where you apparently take three une9ual lengths of
rope, make them e9ual, and then make them une9ual again. To make
yourself a set of ropes for this, begin by cutting one piece about (444. 6
second piece should be about &4, and the last piece about '44. The longest
piece should be folded in half and looped over the short piece, like in =The
Cut P ,estored ,ope.= >aid beside it, these two folded lengths should be
the same length as the medium si7ed piece.
To begin the trick, show the three different lengths and let the
spectator e3amine them. *ake sure he or she tugs on them and sees that
they don4t stretch. 5ow, hold all three pieces in the crotch of the left thumbM
short, medium, then long. >ift the short end, and place it ne3t to the long
end. ?ou now have four ends in your left thumb crotch. ,epeat this with the
other two ropes, in order. ?ou are now holding si3 ends. 1ith the right
fingers, switch the middle two. 5ow, grab the three right ends, and pull
them slowly :but not too slowly; to the right.
To the spectators, it look like the ropes
transformed before their very eyes and are now
all the same length2 To apparently show them
separated, we4re going to use a false count. >et
go of the right ends of the ropes, and pull out the
middle rope with your right fingers. 6s you pull
this rope out of your left hand, drag it over your
left forefinger. Say, =one.= 0lace this rope
between your left first and second fingers. 6t the
same time, take the ne3t two with your right
forefinger and thumb. 8rag them over your left
forefinger, and say, =two.= /rab the last rope with
the same hand :right; that is holding the other
two. 8rag it over your left second finger, and say,
=three.=
This =one for two= switch is the
most important move in this routine. It
should be done smoothly and without
hesitation. 0ractice it well. To the
spectators, it should look like you
simply counted three e9ual lengths of
rope from your left hand into your right.
To prepare for the last part of your
trick, grab the lower ends of the ropes
with your left hand. 0lace the right
hand ends into your left hand also, so
that you4re holding all si3 ends in the
left hand again. 5ow, simply pull out
one rope with the right hand, and lay it
over your shoulder. 8isplay the two
remaining ropes in separate hands. It
will look as if the ropes instantly
returned to their original condition.
=o!es Throu%h S!ectator&s #od1
In this trick, which is great for stage magic, you appear to cause two
long pieces of rope to instantly and visibly pass right through a spectator4s
body... and their coat2 The ropes themselves should be about ten feet long
each. To prepare them, fold them in half and tie their two centers together
with a short piece of white thread. :In the picture, I tied them together with
an orange balloon, so you could see what I mean. In performance, use a
thread color that matches your ropes.; ?ou4ve created a false <oint. If you
hold this false <oint in your hand, it looks like you4re holding two long pieces
of rope by middle.
?our volunteer for this trick
should be a man wearing a sports
coat. I usually let the group I am
performing for know ahead of time
that there should be a man in the
audience wearing a sports coat. To
begin the trick, pull out your ropes.
*ake sure your hand is covering the
false <oint. 6sk the gentleman to
remove his coat. Take the coat by
the neck into the same hand that is
holding the false <oint. The ropes
should be in front of the coat. Take
one of the sets of ends in your other hand, and give those ends to the
spectator. If they4re the right ends, then you should place them into your
spectator4s right hand, and vice versa.
6sk them to place this hand into the
appropriate sleeve of the coat while holding
onto the ends. This threads the ropes
through the sleeve. Ese your now free hand
to assist your spectator with his coat.
,epeat this process with the other sleeve.
?ou can now let go of the false <oint. It is
between your spectator4s back and his coat.
In front of the spectator, grab either end
coming from your spectator4s right sleeve,
and either end coming from their left
sleeve. 1ith these two ends, tie a single
overhand knot in front of your spectator.
5ow, you need a second spectator.
#ave your second spectator hold two
ends of the rope on one side of the coat wearer while you do the same on
the other side. %nstruct your spectator that no matter what happens& they
must not let go of their ends of the ropes. If they do, your trick will fail.
A3plain to the man in the coat that on the count of three, you and the other
person on going to pull on the ropes as hard as you can. :If you pause
right here, you will usually get a laugh from the audience.; 't the same
time the ropes are pulled, your now slightly worried spectator is to take one
large step straight backwards. *ake sure your other spectator understands
these instructions as well. Count to three, pull the ropes, and wait for your
thunderous applause. :.;
Cha!ter 1? - Sil, Ma%ic
0roduction P Ianish %!st Century Silks
"lendo Sympathetic Silks
=Silks,= as magicians call them, are s9uare handkerchiefs made
either entirely of silk, or some other lightweight blend. "ecause the fabric is
so thin, these handkerchiefs are very compressible, yet highly visible. This,
along with the fact that they are very colorful, makes them e3tremely
popular with magicians. They usually come in solid colors, but various
patterns are available as well.
There are basically four categories of effects that are popular with
silks: vanishes, productions, color changes, and various types of trick
knots. 1e will look at an e3ample of all of these :e3cept the color change;
in this chapter. Color changes are usually accomplished with a double silk
:or silks; that can be turned inside out, or a small metal tube :called a =dye=
tube; that aids in switching one silk for another. In the case of the small
metal dye tube, one silk is inside already. 6s the first silk is pushed in, the
second one is removed. The tube itself is then secretly disposed of.
The most popular methods for vanishing and producing silks :or
even color changes, for that matter; depend on the size of the silks. Dor
small silks, a thumb tip is commonly used. This is a plastic =fake thumb.=
The thumb tip is in the left fist, and the right thumb stuffs the silk inside it.
The right thumb is then removed from the left fist, wearing the thumb tip,
with the silk inside it. To produce a small silk, the procedure is simply
reversed. 6 color change is accomplished by having a second silk in the
left fist along with the thumb tip to begin with. (arger silks are typically
vanished and produced by methods that will be taught later in this chapter.
@ne particular device that I would like to mention before we go any
further is the =change bag.= 6ll of the effects possible with silks can be
accomplished with this tool. It is a double.walled bag. The secret
compartment can be opened and closed from the handle of the bag, and
the bag can even be turned inside out to show it =empty,= while something
is inside) The best change bags even have a 7ipper at the bottom so that
you can reach your hand all the way through the bag, further
demonstrating its =emptiness2= I use the change bag a lot when performing
magic with silks, as well as other ob<ects.
Production 8 4anish
Aither producing or vanishing a silk can be a trick by itself. *ombine
the two, and you4ve got a great little interlude to be performed toward the
middle of a show. @f course, either the production, the vanish, or both
could also be performed as a small part of a larger, more elaborate effect.
1e4ll begin with the production.
To prepare, we4re going to fold the silk in a special way, so that we
end up with a small, neat bundle. The si7e silk typically used for this type of
production is !'44. "egin by placing the silk flat on the table in front of you
so that it looks like a diamond. Dold the left and right corners into the
middle so that they are touching. 5ow, fold the edges into the middle.
Continue folding the edges into the middle again and again until the silk is
about &44 wide. Dold the silk in half :lengthwise;, and turn it so that it is now
hori7ontal. Dold the right end up at a +- angle. ,oll the rest of the silk
around that tab, then tuck the other end in at the bottom. The finished
product should look like this:
To perform this particular production, you must be
wearing either a long.sleeved shirt or a <acket. Tuck the
bundled silk into the crook of your right elbow, and fold a
flap of your sleeve over it. 8isplay both sides of your left
hand to your audience, fingers wide apart. 6s you do so,
pull back the left sleeve from the crook of the left elbow
with the right fingers. 5ow, do all of that again, but
reverse the hands. This time, as the left fingers pull back
the right sleeve, they also steal the silk. "ring both hands
together, grasp the =tab= in the crotch of the right thumb,
then =fling= the silk out, causing it to apparently appear
from nowhere.
To vanish the silk, we4re going to employ what magicians
call a =pull.= ?ou can buy one from a magic shop, or you
can make your own. To make your own, you4re going to
need a pill bottle, a length of black elastic, and a safety pin. 8rill a small
hole in the center of the bottom of the pill bottle. Tie a large knot in one end
of the elastic, and thread the other end through the hole you drilled. 5ow
tie that end to a safety pin.
@nce you4ve made you4re pull, thread the safety pin end through the
belt loop on your front left side. 0in that end to the back of your shirt, so
that the elastic is tight, but you can still pull it out a little further. ?ou4ll have
to e3periment with this to get the length right. @nce you4ve gotten that far,
put on your <acket, and you4re ready to go.
8uring your performance, contrive some reason to momentarily turn
your back on your audience. 0erhaps you are turning to get something
from your table, like the silk itself. ,each inside your coat with your right
hand and pull the pill bottle into your left fist. 0ick up the silk :or whatever;,
and turn to face the audience. 6t this point, your left arm is hiding the
elastic that runs into your coat. Stuff the silk into the pull, and show your
right hand empty. 6s you are showing your right hand empty, lean forward
slightly, and rela3 your grip on the pull. It will fly into your coat, and you can
now show your left hand empty as well. The silk has vanished.
1ith a pull, as you can see, you can vanish a larger silk than you
can with a thumb tip. 6lso, this will fool a lot of people who already know
about the thumb tip, because you don4t have to hold your hands any
particular way once the silk is gone. In the ne3t trick, we4ll add some
elements around this production and vanish, e3panding them into a larger
routine.
21st Centur1 Sil,s
This trick has actually been around a long time. It used to be called
=%-th Century Silks.= Since we4re already past the %-th century, the name
has been changed. The effect is still ama7ing. Two silks of the same color
are tied together and given to a spectator to hold. 6 third silk, of a different
color, is made to disappear. It reappears tied between the two silks held by
the spectator2 ?ou4ve already learned how to make a silk disappear. 6ll that
remains is to cover its reappearance between the two other silks.
>ike most magic tricks, there are multiple methods for accomplishing
this. The easiest is to <ust tie a yellow silk between two blue ones, and then
place all three into the secret compartment of a change bag. 8uring the
performance, you tie two blue silks together, drop them into the bag, and
hand the bag to a spectator. The rest, at this point, is self e3planatory. The
most common method, though, utili7es specially made silks.
In the set you can buy from most magic dealers, one of the silks is
really a sort of bag. The middle silk is tied to a corner of this one, and the
other one. The middle silk is also printed with one corner the same color as
the other two silks. It is this corner that peeks out of the =bag,= and is tied
to the other silk. This whole bundle is placed in the spectator4s cupped
hands. 6fter you produce and vanish the =third= silk, reach in and grab one
of the silks in the spectator4s hands by the corner. 6s you pull them out,
shake them violently. This will create the illusion that the odd colored silk
appeared tied between the other two.
*agic shops sell two other versions of this trick as well. In the first
one, instead of the third silk, a pair of bo3er shorts appears tied between
the two handkerchiefs2 This is great for kid shows. Dor e3ample, if you4re
performing at a school, imagine the kids4 delight when they discover their
principal to be devoid of his underwear2 6 final version is more suitable for
adult audiences. I don4t get to use it much, because I perform almost
e3clusively for family crowds. Instead of bo3er shorts, a bra appears.
5eedless to say, for the right crowd, this is a big hit. :.;
#lendo
In this classic effect, multiple silks =blend,= and become one larger
silk. 6gain, there are multiple methods. In the case of very small silks, the
thumb tip is utili7ed. In the classic method, the final, large silk that is
displayed is really a =bag,= similar to the one in =twenty.first century silks.=
The smaller, individual silks are inserted into this =bag.= The final,
=blended= silk is usually a multi.colored one like in the picture, or an
6merican flag.
6s with many silk effects, my favorite device to use for this routine is
a change bag. The final, =blended= silk is in the secret compartment. The
bag is un7ipped. I reach through the bag, then turn it inside out. The bag is
unmistakably empty. :F; I 7ip the bottom shut, then drop the individual silks
into the bag. I flip the lever, switching the compartments in the bag. The
spectator can then reach in and pull out the final, =blended= silk. 6s an
afterthought, I turn the bag inside out one last time, tacitly demonstrating
that the small, individual silks are no longer in it.
The S1/!athetic Sil,s
In the sympathetic silks, you take the simple act of tying a false knot
and e3trapolate it into a routine that truly e3emplifies the idea of packing
small and playing big. Three silks are gathered and placed into the
spectator4s hands. Three corresponding silks are tied together into a chain
and placed on your table. The three silks in the spectator4s hands are
removed, and they are now tied together2 These silks are untied, and the
other three are shown to have magically untied themselves as well2 6 truly
=sympathetic= reaction.
The silks in the spectator4s hands are tied together to begin with.
They are false counted in such a way as to appear separate. This false
count is very similar to the one you used in =0rofessor4s 5ightmare.= Tie
three of the silks together by the corners :end for end;, then hold them by
the crotch of the left thumb, like in the picture.
The fourth silk is gripped closer to the tip
of the left thumb, and the last two are gripped
between the first two fingers. /rab the first of
these, and drag it across the curled first finger,
counting =one.= /rab the next silk, leaving the
one between the first two fingers. 8rag this
second one across the left first finger, counting
=two.= "ring the hands together again,
depositing the two silks in the right hand
alongside the silk between the left first and
second fingers. grab the three silks that are tied
together, and drag them out of the left hand as
before, counting =three.= 0lace these three silks
in a pile into the spectator4s hands. Count the
last three silks, =four, five, si3.=
0lace one of these silks onto the table
and tie the other two using a special knot that
can be undone by the simple act of picking up
the silks. It4s called the =double fade.away
knot.= It will look to the audience like you are
tying a s9uare knot. ?ou almost are. The only
difference is that for the first overhand knot, you substitute the action of
merely twisting the corners of the silks around each other, rather than tying
them,. If you then tie a real overhand knot on top of that, you can even
hold one end of the silks up and they will not fall apart. Shake it, however,
and that's a different story2
0ick up the third loose silk and tie it onto the first two, using another
Bdouble fade.awayH knot. 0lace all three of these silks in a pile onto the
table. #ave the spectator remove the silks that are in his or her hands, and
he or she will be surprised to find that they are now tied together2 +ntie
them. 0ick up the silks from the table with a moderate amount of force. The
knots will come loose, and the silks will appear to have untied themselves
in response to your untying the other three. #oudini would be proud. :.;
Cha!ter 11- Mentalis/
The Three 1ay Test The Center Tear
Spoon "ending The /olden Star
The Cra7y Cube The 8rawing 8uplication
*entalism is sometimes referred to as =mind reading.= This is a bit of
a misnomer, and not only because you don4t really read minds. =*ind
reading,= aka =telepathy,= is <ust one of the supposed phenomena that falls
under this heading. Some others are precognition :predicting the future;,
clairvoyance :the ability to see hidden ob<ects;, telekinesis :affecting
various physical phenomena with the power of thought;, and mind control
:affecting human behavior with the power of thought;.
The methods utili7ed in accomplishing these feats are actually more
easily categori7ed than you might think. There are seemingly infinite
variations, but I4ve never come across a piece of mentalism :other than
telekinesis; that wasn4t accomplished by using one of four basic
techni9ues. These techni9ues are: (oading, stealing, forcing, P guessing.
Telekinesis employs a variety of methods dependent on the nature of the
effect. I will go into a bit more detail on these later.
Dirst, let4s e3amine what I call =loading.= This is when a prediction or
other information is =loaded= after the event predicted has taken place or
the thought :supposedly =read=; has been disclosed. I will give you a very
basic e3ample to illustrate what I mean. Suppose you want to =predict= a
newspaper headline. 8eliver :or have delivered; a sealed envelope to a
spectator days in advance of the publication of the newspaper in 9uestion.
The day the newspaper is printed, have the headline written on a little slip
of paper folded in a thumb tip. ,each into the envelope. >eave the tip in
the envelope, and pull out the slip, as if it came from inside. ,eally, you
=loaded= it there. If you4re using a soft thumb tip, you can crumble the
envelope up 9uite casually prior to pocketing it.
This concept of =loading= could also be used to create the illusion of
telepathy. This is most commonly accomplished with the aid of a device
known as a =thumb writer.= 6 thumb writer is a metal clip that fits on your
thumb. It has a piece of pencil lead poking out of it. It is more commonly
known as a =nail writer= or =swami gimmick.= 6n e3ample of the type of
effect made possible by a thumb writer is as follows: #ave a spectator
think of any three digit number. #retend to write it on a little pad of paper,
then put the pencil down. 6sk them to say the number out loud. Talk about
how =significant= it is that they chose that number. 1hile blabbering,
actually write the number on the pad with the thumb writer. Turn the pad
around, revealing that you =read the spectator4s mind.=
Stealing is another commonly employed techni9ue in covertly
obtaining information for the purposes of apparently reading someone4s
mind :or creating other =psychic= phenomena;. A3amples of =stealing= will
be given later in this chapter, in the form of =The Center Tear= and =The
Cra7y Cube.= $orcing, on the other hand, is a concept you4ve already
encountered :in the section on card magic;. Still, you can =force= more
things than <ust cards, and you4ll see a very popular e3ample of this in =The
Three 1ay Test.=
Speaking of cards, though, INd like to mention BAS0H cards here.
They4re also known as BQenerH cards, named after the paranormal
researcher that invented them. 6 deck of Qener cards is typically smaller
than a deck of playing cards, containing only twenty.five cards. There are
five different symbols, each repeated five times. The symbols are a circle,
a plus sign, wavy lines, a s9uare, and a star. The effects mentalists
achieve with such a deck often employ the very same techni9ues utili7ed
in standard card magic.
The one remaining major category of methods available to the
mentalist is, of course, guessing. 5eedless to say, when a mentalist makes
a guess, it4s usually an educated guess. The main type of =guessing=
employed by mentalists is similar to what astrologers are doing when they
write horoscopes. The information =disclosed= is generally so vague as to
be easily applicable to anyone who wants it to apply to them. This
techni9ue is most commonly employed in what is known as =cold reading.=
Two more principles common in mentalism :which do not constitute entire
categories; are =multiple outs= and =dual reality.= These will be illustrated
later in this chapter as well.
This brings up an interesting point about the presentation of
mentalism. ,uessing, by its very nature, isn4t !--% sure.fire. "ut, in
mentalism, it doesn4t have to be2 6n occasional BmissH actually makes
mental effects seem more realistic2 5ow, I must confess, this is about the
only thing I don"t like about mentalism. Stylistically, I prefer all of my magic
to be flawlessly successful. :.; This decision will depend on your own
preferences and personality. Incidentally, this is one big reason I donNt do
much Bstage hypnotism,H which is closely associated with mentalism
:especially Bmind control.H; If I ever do anything that looks like hypnosis, itNs
actually fake, and thus failsafe.
6s promised, I would like to discuss the concept of =telekinesis= a
little further. It4s sometimes referred to as =psychokinesis.= This is actually a
category of effects. These effects are usually more easily categori7ed
other types of effects :animations, mutilations, etc.;, but they4re presented
as telekinesis. Dor e3ample, you might move an ob<ect with the power of
your mind, or maybe you will cause metal to bend by thinking about it.
0erhaps you will cause a light bulb to glow or matches to catch on fire. The
possibilities are virtually limitless. 5ow you see what I mean when I say the
methods for this branch of mentalism are more specific to the particular
effect being created.
>et me try to read your mind now: I bet youNre thinking, BAnough with
the theori7ing2 >etNs learn a trick already2H If INm right, youNre in for a treat. If
INm wrong, now you see why I donNt use a whole lot of guessing in my
mental routines. :.; Aither way, letNs get started...
The Three .a1 Test 2a,a +Mental !ic+3
In listing the principles of mentalism at the beginning of this chapter,
there is one I didn't mention that is fairly significant. It4s called the =one
ahead= principle, and this classic is the best illustration of it that I know.
6lso, this one trick demonstrates the effects of telepathy, clairvoyance, and
precognition... all at once2 ?ou4ll need something to write with, some paper,
and a container of some sort. The container is commonly a cup, a hat, or a
bowl.
6sk if anyone in your audience has any change in their pockets, but
tell them not to take it out. Instead, you4re going to try to use your powers
of =clairvoyance= to =see= the hidden coins while they're still in the
spectator's pocket) Incredibly, you4ll guess the amount before you ever
even see the coins2 @r, so you lead your spectators to believe. :.; In reality,
draw a circle on a little piece of paper and fold it up. Tell the audience that4s
going to be e3periment =6.= 1rite a =C= on the folded slip, and drop it into
your container, not allowing the spectators to see the =C.= @nce you4re
=committed,= have them count the change so that everyone :including you,
but don4t point that out; can see how much there was.
5e3t, collect four small ob<ects from the spectators. Ese whatever4s
handy. Dor e3ampleM a paper clip, a cigarette, a wallet :you4ll give it back;,
and a napkin. 6sk a different spectator to think of one of the ob<ects. ?ou
will now test your powers of telepathy by attempting to =read their mind.=
1rite the amount of change from the first =e3periment= on a slip and fold it
up. Call it e3periment =",= but label it e3periment =6.= :Enbeknownst to the
audience, you4re already =one ahead= of them.; 6fter dropping the second
slip into the container, ask the second spectator to pick up the ob<ect about
which they were thinking and hold onto it.
Dor your third demonstration, you4re going to e3ercise your powers of
=precognition= by attempting to predict an event before it even takes place)
Tear three more slips of paper. @n one of them, draw a triangle. @n the
next one, draw a circle. @n the third one, draw a s9uare. 0lace them on
the table making sure that the circle is in the middle. 1rite the second
spectator4s ob<ect as your =prediction.= *all that e3periment =C.= Since we
already have a =C= in the container, let4s label this one =".=
6ll that4s left to make this work is to =force= the spectator to choose
the circle while making them feel like they had an option. To do that, use
the =magician4s choice= force I taught you back in the =Dour 6ce 6ssembly=
routine. 5ow, when your spectators check your guesses, they will all be
correct. @f course, it4s important that you only use your powers for good. :.;
The Center Tear
The techni9ue you are about to learn is very popular in mentalism. It
is an e3cellent e3ample of =stealing.= It can be used to secretly obtain any
piece of information the spectator can write in a relatively small space.
A3amples are first names, :or last names;, state abbreviations, small
numbers :up to about four digits;, names of cards, shapes, etc. Deel free to
use your imagination and develop your own presentation.
To actually obtain the information, get a 44344 piece of paper, and
draw a circle in the middle of it. Call the circle a =crystal ball.= 6sk the
spectator to write their thought in it. 5e3t, ask them to fold the paper in
half, then in half again. Take the paper from them, and hold it so that the
one completely folded corner is in the upper right. Take a look at the
picture and you4ll see what I
mean. 1e4ll call this the =key=
corner. It actually contains the
information you want2
Tear the folded slip in half, right
down the middle. 5ow, place the
half with they =key= corner behind
the other half :on the side closest
to you;. ,otate the entire packet
one 9uarter turn to the right. Tear
top to bottom again. 6gain, the
right hand packet goes on your
side of the left hand packet.
?ou4ve torn the packet into four pieces, and the piece you need is the one
closest to you. ?ou4re now going to =steal= that piece.
Take the pieces into your right hand in such a way that your thumb is
directly on top of the piece you want to =steal.= Ese the fingers of that hand
to drop three of the pieces into the spectator4s hands, helping them close
them up with your free hand. 't the same time, drag the right thumb
backwards, retaining the =key= corner finger palmed in the right hand. #ave
the spectator stand back to back with you, and while they are doing that,
surreptitiously unfold the piece and glimpse whatNs inside. ,efold the piece,
then turn around and face the spectator again. 0retend to be having
trouble, and ask for the pieces back, ostensibly so you can Bfeel the
energyH from them. ,eally, you are secretly adding back the stolen piece
and returning them all to the spectator. 0retend to read your volunteerNs
mind, and write their thoughts on a new slip. #and it to them. "e ready to
catch them when they pass out. :.;
S!oon #endin%
Spoons aren4t the only metal ob<ects magicians bend with the power
of their minds. @ther kind of cutlery, coins, nails, keys, even railroad spikes
have been :and continue to be; mutilated beyond recognition with nothing
but a thought. The basic method is generally the same. The ob<ect is bent
while the spectator isn4t looking. The differences are in the details. The
bend itself is usually made before the spectators see it. It is then revealed
in such a way as to make it look like it is happening as it is being revealed.
1ith cutlery, if you use cheap enough stuff, the bend can be made
with your hands. 1ith coins and keys, a device is often employed. This
device is fre9uently attached to a pull, so as to facilitate its disposal. In the
case of nails and spikes, the bend is placed into the metal before the
performance, usually with a vice. The bend is then revealed using
techni9ues similar to those used with other ob<ects. Sometimes, the bent
ob<ect is switched in for one that has been previously e3amined by the
spectators. There are also gimmicked ob<ects that can be visibly bent in
front of the spectators, then switched :if need be; for real ones.
In the spoon bend I will teach you here, the bend is placed in the
spoon way before the spectators reali7e it. In fact, the spoon is bent before
the show2 6lso, the effect concludes with the spoon not only bending, but
also breaking& right in the spectators4 hands2 To prepare, get a cheap
spoon, and bend it back and forth at the same point until it almost breaks.
?ou4ll see a tiny crack forming. 8uring the show, ask for two volunteers
from the audience, and you4re ready to ama7e2
1hile your volunteers are making their way to the platform, hold the
spoon by the end of the handle and gently tap it on your table. This
suggests, without saying so, that the spoon is solid. #old the spoon
between your forefinger and thumb at the weak spot. #ave each spectator
grasp one end firmly. 6sk the spectators to visuali7e the metal getting hot
and melting. *ysteriously, move your hand up and down, until the spoon
breaks. The spectators will each be left holding one piece, which they will
be staring at with very wide eyes. :.;
The 'olden Star
#ere now we have a =mind control= type effect that serves to
illustrate the principle of =multiple outs.= The spectators freely choose one
of three different colored stars :no =magician4s choice=;. ?ou even give
them the opportunity to change their mind2 Still, you reveal beyond the
shadow of a doubt that you knew ahead of time which one they would pick2
@r, did you use your powers of =mind control= to bend them to your willF
#mmmmm...
To make this up, get yourself some of those =gold star= stickers that
teachers use. They actually come on sheets of multiple colors. ?ou4ll also
need some blank business cards, a matchbook, a slip of paper, and a
small =pay= or BcoinH envelope. 0ut a different colored star on each of the
business cards. 1e4ll say you4re using gold, blue, and red. @n the back of
the card with the gold star, write, =I made you pick the gold star.= @n the
inside cover of the matchbook, write, =I made you pick the red star,= and
close it up. 0ut all of this into the pay envelope, along with a slip of paper
that says, you guessed it, =I made you pick the blue star.=
The rest you can probably figure out from here all by yourself. "ut,
<ust in case... ,emove everything from the envelope, being careful not to
let your =sub<ect= see the backs of the business cards. 6sk the person to
place the matchbook on one of the stars. If they place it on the blue star,
remove the slip from the envelope, showing that the envelope doesn4t
contain anything else. >et them read the message on the slip. ,emember,
as should be clear, you can4t do this trick twice for the same person.
"ut, what if they pick the gold starF ,emove the matchbook, and ask
them to turn over all three cards. If they pick the red one, have them open
the matchbook. @nce they4ve made their initial selection, don4t forget to
offer them the opportunity to change their mind. 5o matter what final
selection they make, you4re covered. ?ou4ve got =multiple outs2= It dawned
on me as I was writing this that you don4t necessarily have to use blank
business cards. you could use your actual business cards, providing
there4s enough space on the front for you to write a prediction on one of
them.
If they pick the one that has your prediction on it, what a great way to
hand out your business card2 Aven if they don't, after you have revealed
the correct prediction, <ust casually stack the cards with theirs on top and
the prediction card on the bottom. 6s an Bafterthought,H hand them the card
with their star on it as a souvenir. In any event, it4s always a good idea to
get your business card into the hands of as many people as possible. 6nd,
when you4ve done some magic with it, they4re far more likely to keep it.
The Cra@1 Cube
This is one of those little tricks that you have to buy from a magic
shop. 8espite the fact that it is included in some children4s magic sets, it4s
still one of my favorites. I4ve never had anybody figure it out. I even use a
little =wrinkle= of sorts to throw the spectators off the tracks even further.
The effect is that you have the spectator place the die in a little film can
with whatever number they want facing up, and put the lid on. This is done
while your back is turned. 1hen you turn around, you even give them a
larger can to put the smaller can in. -hen they put a lid on that, and hold
the whole thing themselves2 Still, without fail, you are able to =read their
mind= and tell them e3actly which number they chose. Sounds
impsossible, doesn4t itF A3actly. :.;
The secret is a bold e3ample of =stealing= information: 1hen the die
is pressed up against the lid of the smaller can from the inside :eg. when
the can is tilted toward you;, you can actually see though it2 The =wrinkle= I
told you about is that I have them place the selected number face down.
This takes all the =heat= off the gimmicked lid. =#eat= is magicians4 slang
for =suspicion.= Since the two sides of a die always add up to seven, you
<ust need to subtract the visible number from seven, and the result will be
their selection2 :"elieve it or not, this is still a little known fact.;
There are still a few fine points of handling to cover in order to make
this little pocket trick really deceptive. Dirst, demonstrate what the
spectator should do, then hand them the die, the can, and the lid. Turn
your back. Turn around and take the can from them. Tilt it toward yourself,
and point to the bottom of the can :not the lid;. Say, =1ith the die inside the
can, there4s no way it can be seen.= %t is while you are showing them the
bottom of the can that you glimpse the number on the top of the die and do
your math. Dinally, hand them the large can and the small can. Invite them
to seal the one inside the other, holding both in their closed fist.
That last image of their tightly closed fist is the one they will
remember. The rest is acting. 0lace one of your open hands above their
closed fist, and the other below it, but don4t touch them. >ook into their
eyes, take a couple of deep breaths, and tell them the number they4re
thinking of. Trust me. They4ll be blown away.
The Dra(in% Du!lication
In this chapter, I have definitely saved the best for last. This effect is
the kind of thing people will talk about for a long time. It also illustrates our
final principle of mentalism, dual reality. The effect is that before the show
someone draws a picture and seals it in an envelope. They do this in a
different room from you. They keep the sealed envelope with them until
you call them up during the show. ?ou then take a sketch pad, and without
asking any 9uestions at all, you make a drawing of your own. -hen, they
open their envelope and show their drawing to the audience. ?ou show
yours. The drawings match2
5o, it isn4t witchcraft. :.; ?es, the person who made the drawing is
fooled. #e or she isn4t quite as ama7ed as the rest of the audience, and
there4s a reason for that. The person who makes the drawing e3periences
the effect a little differently. "efore the show, you gave them ten inde3
cards each with a simple line drawing on it. :6 boat, a house, a tree, etc.;
Aach drawing is in a different color. ?ou also give them ten colored
Sharpies :matching the colors of the drawings;, something to draw on, and
an envelope.
?ou asked them to choose a drawing and duplicate it in the
appropriate color. ?ou instructed them that when they were finished, they
were to replace the cap on the pen and seal their drawing in the envelope.
@f course, they were to then keep the envelope in their possession at all
times until you call for it in the show. 6fter that a few minutes alone with the
pens told you everything you needed to know.
.ow/ Simple..?ou prepared them ahead of time2 #ere4s how you
should do it: 1hen you first buy the pens, take an ice pick and bore a tiny
hole in them <ust below the clip of the cap. 1hen you hand the pens to the
spectator before the show, all the holes and clips are lined up. 1hen they
recap the pen they used, it will become the only one out of alignment2 :In
the picture, I colored around the tiny hole with another sharpie so you
could see it better. In performance, the hole will be much less visible.;
#aving ascertained the
necessary information and
reached the appropriate point
of your performance, call for
the spectator who made the
drawing. Dor the benefit of the
rest of the audience, recap
:pardon the pun; what has
taken place. ="efore the show I asked :spectator4s name; to make a
drawing. #eGshe had a free choice of what to draw, and we did not arrange
anything ahead of time. The drawing was made while I was out of the
room, and then sealed in an envelope which has been kept in :spectator4s
name4s; possession since then.= 6sk the spectator to confirm all of that.
#e or she will.
@f course, neither you nor your spectator said anything about the
colors. 1hile the colors are part of your spectator's e3perience, the rest of
the audience has no knowledge that they were ever a factor. 6s far as the
bulk of the crowd is concerned, the spectator could have drawn anything2
-heir reality is different from the spectator4s. This is the principle of =dual
reality= in action. It4s brilliant, and it4s used 9uite e3tensively in mentalism.
6ll that remains is for you to use the best acting skills you can muster as
you accomplish one of the most remarkable feats of telepathy possible.
Part 4 - Miscellaneous
I feel as though it would be helpful at the outset of this portion of
your course for me to draw a distinction between this part and the one
proceeding it. If you4ve been paying attention, the last four chapters
probably felt pretty =miscellaneous= to you already. #owever, they differ
from the ne3t two chapters in one important way. The last four chapters all
e3clusively addressed either one type of prop :balls, ropes, or silks; or one
type of effect :mentalism;.
The only distinction between the ne3t two chapters will be regarding
the size of the effects. In the case of the last four chapters, the categories
covered were still fairly broad. They were smaller categories than cards or
coins, but they were still categories. Think of the ne3t two chapters as
collections of single effects that don4t 9uite fit into any of the larger
categories covered in this book.
The close.up effects we4ll look at could be considered small
categories :e3cept for one;, but won4t be treated as such within these
pages. The categories I am referring to are rubber band magic and
levitations. The stage effects I will teach you are much harder to categori7e
than the close.up tricks. Durther, with one e3ception, they all re9uire store
bought props. 8on4t pass them by, though. They4re true classics and
proven audience pleasers.
Cha!ter 11" Close--! Stunners
The Cra7y *an4s #andcuffs The Dloating "ill
The ,ing, The String, P The Safety 0in
The three effects you will learn in this chapter are real blockbusters.
Drom time to time, I have used them all as closers during professional
restaurant magic engagements. The first one has even been performed by
none other than 8avid Copperfield himself on national television2 #e
performed it on two of his network television specials, and many of his talk
show appearances. If you like it, and want to e3plore the topic of rubber
band magic further, I recommend a 8I8 series from 8an #arlan entitled,
appropriately enough, =,ubber "and *agic.=
The second trick we4ll study here introduces you to the BupliftingH
sub<ect of levitations. :.; :I know, corny <oke.; 1e will learn levitation in the
conte3t of the floating bill, a popular effect and a pretty easy way to get
tips. :#int, hint.; #owever, there are lots of other ob<ects you can =levitate=
via the same method, and we4ll touch on that sub<ect as well.
This chapter4s final effect is another one that I4ve never had anybody
figure out on me. 6 famous magician from "ranson, *issouri by the name
of Lirby Ian "irch once performed it at people4s dinner tables on a cruise
ship. #is e9uipment had gotten lost by an airline, so instead of his
elaborate stage show, he <ust mingled with the guests performing this little
miracle. #e was still the most highly rated entertainer on that cruise2 So,
without further ado...
The Cra@1 Man&s $andcuffs
#ere4s the popular and ama7ing rubber band effect I told you about
at the beginning of this chapter. Though popularized by 8avid Copperfield,
it4s actually been around for 9uite a while. 6ll you need is two matching,
normal si7ed rubber bands. It can be performed anytime, anywhere. Since
the rubber bands are in fact completely ordinary, they can be e3amined by
your spectators at the end of the trick. This leaves no clue as to the
e3planation of this incredible mystery, in which two rubber bands seem to
visibly melt right through each other.
To begin, hold one of the rubber bands stretched out between the
first finger and thumb of your left hand. #old the other rubber band
stretched out between the first finger and thumb of your right hand. 5e3t,
remove your right thumb. >oop that rubber band inside the other one, like
in the picture. Stretch them against each other, to prove that they4re
interlocked.
1hile stretching
the rubber bands against
one another, you4re going
to perform a secret
move. 1ith your right
second finger grip the
top of the right hand4s
rubber band. That way, a
piece of the right hand4s
rubber band will be
gripped between the first
and second fingers of the
right hand. Twist your
right hand in toward
yourself slightly, and
place the first finger of
that hand into the same loop of rubber band that your right thumb is in.
5e3t, two things will happen at the same time. Spread your right first finger
and thumb apart, and let go with your right second finger. These two
simultaneous actions should take place as your hands are moving back
toward one another, releasing the tension on the rubber bands.
The end result of following the preceding paragraph of instructions is
that you4ll be in a situation where the rubber bands are already on the
opposite sides of one another from where they started. This fact is, of
course, unknown to the audience. To keep it that way, make sure you don4t
let the rubber bands touch each other so firmly that they bend. They should
<ust barely be touching each other at this point. "efore we move onto what
to do ne3t, I want to cover one more key point here. The individual steps of
the secret move must be performed in such a way that one move blends
into the ne3t... and 9uickly2 The impression made on the spectators is that
you simply stretched the rubber bands out, then released the tension.
>et4s recap: ?our current situation is that the spectators think the
rubber bands are interlocked. ,eally, they are on opposite sides of each
other, softly touching. To create the illusion of penetration at this point
would be too soon. 1e need to put some time between the execution of
the secret move and the revelation of the effect. This illustrates an
important concept in magic known as time misdirection. Slide the right.
hand rubber band over to the left.hand thumb and stretch it out,
demonstrating to your onlookers that the rubber band is not going to slip off
on that side. 8o the same thing against the left forefinger, then return the
band to the middle.
5ow, wiggle your hands <ust a bit, and slowly pull your hands apart,
creating the illusion that the rubber bands are melting through each other...
one strand at a time. 5ormally, as you now know, it isn4t safe to repeat an
effect for the same audience on the same day. -his trick, however is one of
those rare instances where repetition actually enhances the impact. The
second time you penetrate the bands, you can even turn around and let
them watch from over your shoulder2 If you do the secret move correctly,
they still won4t see it. ?ou probably shouldn4t do this more than three times.
@n that third time, a nice touch is to let your spectator hold the
rubber band herself, as pictured below. ?ou then simply e3ecute the same
series of motions. 6 nice touch here is to gently place your left hand on her
right one as you perform the secret moves. This seems to provide <ust the
right amount of misdirection.
The *loatin% #ill
The floating bill has been a mainstay of my close.up repertoire for a
number of years. There are a number of variations, but I still find the
classic handling I4m about to teach you to be as good as any. ,emember,
to the uninformed, a floating bill is a floating bill. 5uance of method is
generally only appreciated by other magicians.
Speaking of method, you may have already guessed this one. ?es,
there actually is a =string= of sorts holding the bill up. It4s called =invisible
thread.= ?ou can purchase it from a magic dealer, but it4s much less
e3pensive to purchase it from a sewing supply store. They will know it as
=1ooly 5ylon.= ?ou want the black color.
1hen you first open your =invisible= thread, you will probably think,
=1hy, this stuff isn4t invisible2 I could see it from the back of a dark room2=
That4s because what you4re looking at is actually about forty strands, each
thinner than a human hair. ?ou need to strip one out. To help you see the
individual strands, you need to be working in a brightly lit room. It also
helps to work over a sheet of white paper. "reak off a piece of your thread
that4s about four feet long, and grab a strand. Start pulling out that strand,
and slide the rest of the strands down it until they bunch up. This is very
similar to coring a piece of rope, which I have already taught you.
5e3t, take a piece of clear cellophane tape about %44 long, and wrap
the strand of thread around it. 1ad the tape up into a little ball, and place it
into your mouth between your cheek and gum. Continue un.bunching the
thread, and pulling your strand out. 1hen you get to the other end of your
strand, wrap it around another piece of tape and stick that onto a deck of
cards. ?ou may now wrap the rest of your 4 thread around a playing card
with two tears at opposite ends :see picture;. That way, you can store it for
future use. 0lace the deck of cards into your shirt pocket and you4re all
ready to go.
0erhaps you4ve done a
couple of tricks already,
including a card trick. ,eplace
the cards into the bo3, and
place the bo3 onto the table.
Step back a bit, pulling the
thread taught. ?ou4ll feel a
slight tug. "e careful not
break it. "orrow a dollar bill.
6s you ostensibly roll the bill
into a ball, you are really
wrapping it around the thread.
,est the bill on your hand. >eaning back slightly will cause it to rise above
your hand. 6t this point, wave your hands above and below the bill. 0eople
assume that when they4re as close as they are, if there were any kind of
string, they4d be able to see it2 They also assume that even if they can't see
the thread, you wouldn4t be able to wave your hands above the bill.
"ecause the thread is actually horizontal, you can2 "e careful not to
perform this in daylight or florescent light, though, and you4ll be fine.
The =in%A The Strin%A 8 The Safet1 Pin
This is probably my favorite close.up trick. I have never had anyone
figure it out on me. ?ou take a piece of rope, a metal ring, and a safety pin.
?ou cover these three ob<ects with an opa9ue handkerchief. The ends of
the rope are left outside the handkerchief, and they remain in full view of
the spectators the entire time. Still when the, handkerchief is removed, the
ring is on the string2 Averything can be e3amined. This is magic at its best.
The more you think about how it might be done, the more your reali7e how
completely impossible it is. Enless of course, you know the secret, which I
will tell you now. :.;
Ender cover of the handkerchief, which you freely admit is being
used to protect the secret of the trick, pull a loop of the rope4s middle
through the ring. Esing the safety pin, attach one side of this loop to the
main length of rope on the same side of the ring. :See picture.; 0ut your
finger tip through the newly formed loop and leave it pressed down onto
the table. Tell the spectators that the trick is done. 0ull your free hand out
from underneath the handkerchief, and grab the end of the rope on the
same side you4ve pinned the loop. 1ithout lifting your other hand from the
table, pull the end of the rope until the entire rope is out from under the
handkerchief. :The handkerchief has been omitted from the picture so that
you can see what4s happening underneath.;
6ma7ingly, the
ring will now be on
the rope, in the place
isolated by the safety
pin2 @f course, what
really happened is
that thanks to the
clever placement of
your finger, one end
of the rope was pulled
through the ring
underneath the
handkerchief. 1hile
practicing, in order to fully understand what takes place, do the moves
without the covering of the handkerchief. In performance, when you
remove the rope, your body language should casually convey the attitude
that you are merely pulling the rope out to show the spectators that the ring
is already on the rope.
Cha!ter 13 - Sta%e Classics
The >inking ,ings The "ill in the >emon
The 8ove 0an The >ota "owl
There are basically two main types of stage magic. @ne is illusions,
which will be covered later. The other is commonly referred to as =platform=
or =parlor= magic. It is this second type that will be looked at in this chapter.
*entalism, rope magic, and silk magic are all common in this category.
Aven some card and coin tricks can work for this type of performance. This
chapter will detail some very popular effects for stage performance that
aren4t easily categori7ed. 6lthough =street= magic is e3tremely hot in magic
at the time of this writing, the kind of stage magic described in this chapter
is still the my favorite branch of con<uring.
The Bin,in% =in%s
The >inking ,ings is such a popular classic that it could be
considered the =Cups 6nd "alls= of platform work. There are almost as
many different se9uences for this effect as there are magicians who
perform it. Though very old and fre9uently e3posed, it is still a hit with
audiences. 8one well, it will still fool them, too. I will teach you the routine
as % perform it. Deel free to vary the handling to suit your own whims. Dirst,
though I will describe the contents of a standard set.
In the first phase of the routine, you are going to display what
appears to be eight separate rings. Enbeknownst to the audience, three of
the rings are permanently linked together. There4s also a set of two
permanently linked rings, along with two that actually are solid and
separate. The last ring in a standard set has a secret opening in it. This is
known as the =key= ring. The material my rings are made out of is stainless
steel, and they are !-44 in diameter. There are various types and si7es
available, so find what works best for you.
To prepare for the routine, fold the set of three into a neat stack and
place it on the table. @n top of this, place the key ring. The set of two,
folded, goes on top of the key ring. The last two rings, the ones that are
actually solid and separate, get placed atop all the others. 0ick the stack
up in your left hand. The solid, separate rings should be facing the
spectators. The rings should be held in such a way as to make sure your
fingers are covering the opening in the key ring. :This opening should
remained covered throughout the entire routine.; ?ou4re now going to learn
a false count that4s designed to suggest to the audience that all eight of the
rings are solid and separate.
,each all four of your right fingers into the rings from the front and
let go of one of the rings. :See picture.; 5ow, open your two hands out like
the covers of a book as you count, =@ne.= Close the =book,= drop the
second ring, then open the book again, counting =Two.= Close the =book,=
drop the ne3t two rings, counting =three, four...= @pen the book again, and
turn the right hand around. Say, =Dour in each hand.= ?ou4re now going to
learn the second half of this opening false count.
,eturn the hands to the =closed book=
position, and drop the fifth ring :the
key;. pen the book, counting, =Dive.=
Close the =book= one last time, but the
other way, so that the back of the left
hand is toward the audience. 8rop the
last three rings, counting =Si3, seven,
and eight.= The entire stack of eight
rings is now in your right hand, their
order having been reversed. 0lace
them into the crook of your left elbow,
turning your right hand in the process.
The two solid, separate rings are now
back on the side closest to the
audience. :"y the way, if you wear a
long sleeved shirt while performing this
effect, you4ll be much more comfortable,
and the gap in the key ring will stay
hidden better.;
6sk for the assistance of two audience members. #ave one of them
stand on your left, and the other on your right. #and the two =normal= rings
to the spectator on your right and ask him or her to link them. Take the
next two rings and hold them in your hands with your right hand on one
side and your left hand on the other. 1e4ll call this =driving position.= /ently
rub these two rings together and slowly pull them apart. ?ou are
pretending to link them. They4re already linked, but the audience doesn4t
know that. Trade your now =linked= set with the spectator for their unlinked
set. 0lace the unlinked set into the crook of your right elbow, and ask the
spectator to try unlinking the set that4s in their hands now. 5e3t, we4ll finally
turn our attention to the spectator on your left.
/ive that spectator one of the solid rings, then take the key ring for
yourself. #old the key ring as pictured. The gap is hidden by your right
hand. 1ithout changing the position of that hand, revolve the ring, allowing
it to travel through your left hand. ?ou are apparently displaying a solid
ring, but don4t make a big deal out of this. Still holding the gap in your right
hand, let go with your left hand. #ave the spectator hold their ring in
Bdriving positionH away from their face. ?ou are now going to perform what
is known as the =Crash >ink.= @f all the ways to link two rings together, this
is one of the most spectacular. #old your ring above the spectator4s, in a
perpendicular position. Tap the bottom of your ring to the top of theirs, by
swinging downward. @n the third swing down, move your ring forward
while performing the tap. The two rings will become linked, while the
spectator is holding one of them2 :In the picture, I am holding the solid ring
myself.;
5e3t, we4re going to apparently
spin both of the rings we <ust linked.
Dirst, spin the solid ring, then take it
into the left hand, on the ends of the
left fingers. 5ow, place the key ring
closer to the left thumb, this ring going
over the solid ring. >astly, drop the
same ring again and spin it again.
:The spectators will think you spun
each ring once.;
Just like there are multiple ways
to link the rings, there are multiple
ways to unlink them. 1e4re going to
unlink the rings using a techni9ue
called the =8rop Enlink.= 0ull the solid
ring up into the same hand as the key
ring, unlink them in the process. ?ou4re
now holding two unlinked rings in the
right hand. 0rop the solid ring, and
catch it in the left hand. This should be
performed as if you were showing the
spectator on your right how to unlink their rings.
0lace your rings :now unlinked; into the crook of your right elbow, so
that the key ring is in the front. *ove the chain of the three from the crook
of your left elbow to the left fingertips.
Take the chain of two back from the
spectator, and send them both back to
their seats. ?ou are now ready to
continue with the second half of the
routine. The grip that the left hand
should now assume is very difficult to
describe in words, so I4ll let the picture
do most of my talking here.
Just to clarify, the back of the left
hand is toward the spectators. The ring
furthest from you is held by the curled
in forefinger. The other two rings are
held on the other three fingers. The
right hand forcefully places its two
rings with the left forefinger's ring. 6t the same time, the other three left
hand fingers release their two rings. The illusion created is that you linked
two rings onto one, creating a chain of three. Take the chain of three in
your right hand, and allow the two in your left hand to slide back into the
crook of your left elbow. 0lace the chain of three back in your left hand,
then use your left fingertips to lift the key ring from your right elbow into
your right hand.
5e3t, use your right fingertips to lift the bottom ring of the chain to
<oin the top one. That way, you4ll be holding two rings with one suspended
from them, like in the picture. ?ou4re now going to perform what4s known as
the =Twist >ink= to link the top two rings of the chain onto the key. Insert
these two rings directly into the gap of the key ring :behind your fingers, of
course;. ,each around to the front of the rings and grab the right side of
the two rings you <ust inserted :with your left hand;. Twist them around to
the left, let go of them, and you4re ready to start making shapes.
Stick your hand between the two middle
rings, grab the bottom one, and pull it toward
yourself. It will lock into place, forming a swing.
Turn your right hand away from yourself,
displaying the swing to the audience. Turn your
hand back toward yourself, grab the bottom
ring, and bring your two hands together. 0lace
the bottom ring in the same hand as the top
ring, then turn your hand upside down. you
have now formed and displayed a globe. ,each
up with your left fingers and separate the top
two rings of the globe. *aintaining your grip on
one of those rings, gradually loosen the grip of
your right hand. The rings will now look like the
petals of a flower opening out. >et them open
until they are all parallel with each other. 6t this
point, if you simply turn you arm out to your
right, you will be able to display what appear to
be the four leaves of a clover to your audience.
Turn your hand over and let all of the rings go
e3cept the key ring.
"efore we make the rest of our shapes, grab the leftmost of the
middle two rings. Enlink it from the top one, and move it down the chain,
one ring at a time. 6s you do so, strike it against the other rings, creating
the illusion that it4s penetrating each ring of the chain on its way down.
1hen it reaches the bottom, give it a spin. This is a particularly perple3ing
se9uence for the spectators. 5e3t, twist your hand all the way to the right,
and then all the way back to the left, so that there will be some tension on
the chain of rings. 1e4re now set to begin our second session of shape
making.
1ith tension on the chain, grab the bottom ring in the left hand, and
pull it up beside the right hand ring. >ink the right hand ring onto it from the
front, so that all four rings are now in the right hand. The left hand is free,
and you4ve made a love seat. ,each away from yourself through the left
ring with the left hand. /rab the bottom left ring, and pull it up toward
yourself. This ne3t part is really hard to e3plain, so follow along with the
rings in your hands. Leeping the key ring in the crotch of your right thumb,
reach your right forefinger around and grab the outer right ring. "y
manipulating the two right.hand rings with your right fingers, arrange
matters so that the key ring becomes the outer ring. :In other words, switch
the places of the two right rings.; 1ithout letting go of the key ring, pull
your two hands apart. If you4ve done this right, you4ll now have a chain of
four rings that appear to be linked together in several different places, like
in the picture. If not, keep trying. 1ith practice, you4ll get it2
Dinally, let go with the left hand. 5e3t, pull the bottom of the second
ring up toward yourself until it locks into place. ?ou4ve made the last shape2
It4s a tea kettle. @ne of the two middle rings is farthest from you. /rab that
ring, and unlink it from the top one. ,epeat the se9uence where you strike
it against the other rings as you pull it down the chain. /ive it a spin. 6t this
point, you have a chain of four rings in your right hand. The two solid rings
are in the crook of your right elbow. The two linked rings are in the crook of
your left elbow. ?ou4re now ready for the final phase of the routine.
*ove one of the rings in the crook of your right elbow to your right
elbow. *ake sure your right hand is holding the gap in the key in such a
way as to insure that the opening is <ust barely covered by the little finger.
>et the ring on your right elbow fall toward the chain and catch it on the key
ring, uncovering the gap <ust long enough to permit its passage. That
spectacular link is called the =Shoulder >ink.= 8o it again, but this time with
a ring that4s actually on your shoulder. ?ou now have two additional rings
linked onto your chain of four. They4re on the same side of the second ring.
?ou4re going to need them to be on different sides of the second ring. 1ith
the left hand, lift the outer one and rest it on your right wrist. 0lace they key
ring into your left hand, keeping the gap covered. 6llow the ring on your
wrist to fall, then place the gap of the key ring back into your right hand.
>ower your left hand and catch the chain of two as it falls off. Toss
this chain into the air, and catch it as it falls back down. "y now, the
spectators will have forgotten that these rings were already linked, so the
illusion is created that they link in midair. >ink the top ring of this chain onto
the key ring using the previously learned =Twist >ink.= Then, let go of them.
0ause for a beat, then lift the lowest ring of the chain of two with your left
hand. 0lace it over your head, keeping the gap in the key ring covered with
your right hand. ,each over with your left hand and place the rightmost
solid ring into you right hand :holding it and the gap.; 0ick up the leftmost
solid ring in your left hand, directly across from the right hand4s rings.
?ou4ve formed a cross. 1ith the left hand, remove the top ring from around
your head. Dold all the rings up into a neat stack :this re9uires some
practice;, and put them away. *ake sure to give your audience time to
appreciate each moment of magic in this beautiful routine.
The #ill in the Be/on
This effect has been a reputation maker for me for a lot of years. I
have performed it in every one of my paid engagements since I was eleven
years old. The version I will teach you here is its latest incarnation. 6
spectator selects one lemon from a bowl of lemons. It is held in view the
entire time. 'nother spectator loans the magician a bill, which is then torn
into many pieces. 6ll of the pieces e3cept a corner piece vanish. The
lemon is then cut open, bill is found inside, and the corner matches2 ?ou
will need a dollar bill, a lemon, a sharp knife, some super glue, and a
change bag.
To prepare, tear a corner off the bill and place it :the corner; into the
secret compartment of the change bag. 1ith the point of the knife,
carefully cut the pip off the lemon and set it aside. "ore a hole deep into
the lemon with a wooden kabob skewer, being careful not to pierce the
other side. ,oll the bill up as tightly as you can, and stuff it into the lemon.
Super glue the pip back on. 0lace the prepared lemon into a bowl with two
others, making sure you can remember which one it is. >emons usually
come with little stickers on them. I leave it on the prepared one, and
remove it from the others.
Dorce the prepared lemon on a volunteer using the =*agician4s
Choice= force that you learned earlier. "orrow a bill, tear it up into a bunch
of pieces, and drop the pieces into your change bag. Change the pieces of
their bill into the corner of your bill. :They think that corner came from their
bill.; #and the corner to the owner of the bill for safekeeping. #and the
knife to the spectator who has been holding the lemon. 6sk them to cut the
lemon in half sideways, rotating it as they do so. @nce the cut has been
made, take the lemon from them and pull the halves apart, revealing that
there is a bill inside. The audience will gasp. :.; 0ull out the bill and hand it
to the person holding the corner so that he or she can verify that the pieces
match. If you4re under eighteen, don4t use a knife without adult supervision.
6nd don4t play with fire. :.;
The Do)e Pan
6 dove pan is a utility production device that isn4t by any means
limited to winged livestock. It4s a great way to open or close a show. I use it
to close birthday party performances with the routine I am about to
describe. "esides doves, it can be used to produce candy, silks, collapsible
sausages bought from a magic shop, or anything else that will fit into the
secret load chamber. "esides causing ob<ects to appear, you can also use
this device to apparently transform one type of ob<ect into another. I will
suggest a few such ideas after I teach you my birthday cake routine.
Dirst, though, I would like to describe in further detail what e3actly a
dove pan is. To begin with, there4s the pan itself. This is shown empty, or
shown to contain the first of your two types of ob<ects :if you4re
transforming something;. 5e3t, we have the lid that covers the pan. It is
built in such a way as to not look as deep as it is. In reality, it contains the
secret load chamber, which contains whatever it is you4re going to produce.
:If you4re performing a transformation, it contains the second of your two
types of ob<ects.; The secret chamber is held up inside the lid by some
springy latches. 1hen you place the lid over the pan, the sides of the pan
force these latches open, and the secret chamber falls down into the pan,
nesting in such a way as to camouflage itself. In this manner, whatever
was in the secret load chamber now seems to have magically appeared in
the pan2
To perform my birthday cake routine, youNll need to purchase a
sponge birthday cake from your magic dealer that will fit inside the load
chamber of your dove pan. 1hen produced, it e3pands to be so large as to
create the illusion that it could never have been contained in the pan to
begin with. 1ith the cake in the load chamber, crack an egg into the pan.
Dor a comedic touch, drop the shell in, too. M.; 0our a little milk in. 6fter
putting some sugar in, youNre going to apparently put some flour in. ,eally,
the BflourH is what magicians call Bslush powder.H It instantly solidifies the
current contents of the pan so that the flames youNre about to create arenNt
e3tinguished prematurely. ?ou BneedH to heat the mi3ture, so wad up a
napkin and toss it into the pan. >ight it on fire and let it burn for <ust a
moment before covering it with the lid.
0roduce the cake, admitting sheepishly that it isnNt real. Inform your
audience that the real cake is waiting for them in the kitchen :or wherever;
and you will be free to pack your stuff up in peace2 :.; Esing the same idea,
you could transform coins into #ersheyNs kisses, popcorn kernels into
popcorn, etc. If youNre performing for kids, and it isn"t a birthday party, why
not produce a pan full of Jolly ,anchers and pass them out after the showF
6s you can see, the dove pan lends itself e3tremely easily to various
thematic ideas, making it e3tremely useful to the working magician.
The Bota #o(l
The >ota "owl is great for giving your show continuity by introducing
a =running gag.= The effect is as follows: ?ou pour all of the water out of a
bowl. ?ou do your ne3t trick. 6fter the ne3t trick is done, you pour more
water from the same bowl2 This gets funnier and funnier every time it4s
repeated throughout the show. 8ifferent magicians pour the water into
different containers. :Some <ust use a bucket.; If you pour the water into
what4s known as a =Doo Can,= then you can easily make all of the water
disappear at the end of your show2 I will describe the inner workings of
both devices.
"oth are made of metal. The >ota "owl actually has a fluted
construction and a double wall, forming a large secret compartment which
holds the e3tra water. There4s a hole on the rim of the bowl. If you cover
this hole with your thumb and pour all of the water out of compartment ',
then the air pressure will hold the rest of the water in compartment 1. >eft
unattended, compartment 6 will then refill with more water. This can be
repeated until all the water in compartment " has all been poured out.
The =Doo Can= has a secret wall inside that holds the water in if you
turn the can upside down a certain way. If you turn the can upside down
the other way, the water will flow out. 1hile the water is =vanished,= you
can even spin the can on the end of a magic wand, creating a powerful
suggestion of emptiness, and a fitting end to a stage show throughout
which you have been apparently producing water from nowhere.
Part 5 - Illusions
Some of you may find this to be the most interesting portion of this
course. @thers may find it to be of frankly little value. I actually don4t
perform illusions myself. 5ow, when I make that statement, I need to
define the word =illusion.= Technically, every magic trick is an =illusion,=
because, of course, none of them are actually real. To a magician, though,
an =illusion= is a magic trick that involves a human being, an animal, or a
particularly large ob<ect :like a car or bigger;. So, although there are some
illusions that don4t re9uire the use of an assistant, for the most part, you4re
going to need some help.
6lso, most of my paid engagements are in the same state as my
house. To really make it worth the money buying illusions or having them
built, you need to perform with them somewhat regularly. 2ost of the paid
engagements you4re going to be able to book in a limited regional market
are going to be in venues too small for illusions. So, to perform illusions
regularly, you4re going to need to book the type of engagement that
re9uires e3tensive travel. A3amples of these are cruise ships and tours,
both of which are usually booked through agents. #aving an assistant or
assistants will of course increase the travel e3penses of your show, not to
mention the large e9uipment you4ll be transporting. Aither this is going to
cut into your profit margin, or make it more difficult to book the shows
because of the added e3pense your potential clients would be responsible
for.
Still, some of you may one day be in a position to perform illusions,
so, for completion's sake, I am including a section of this course designed
to introduce you to the principles utili7ed in the e3ecution of these
spectacular effects. Should you ever desire to perform them, you have
basically two options. ?ou could purchase them already built, or you could
have them built. :Technically, you could also build them yourself, though I
wouldn4t recommend this unless you4re a highly skilled craftsman.; If you
choose to have them built, you will save some significant money, but you
should keep in mind that they need to be built in such a way as to break
down and store in as small a space as possible. This makes for ease of
portability. 1orkshop plans for the most popular illusions are available from
magic dealers, both individually and in books.
Cha!ter 14 - Sta%e Illusions
Sawing 6 >ady in #alf The Dloating >ady
Swords Through "ody The >ion4s "ride
>ady In the >ight *etamorphosis
The chapter after this one is called =/rand Illusions.= 1hat is the
difference between a grand illusion and a stage illusionF It depends on
who you ask. Some magician use the ad<ective =grand= to distinguish
between the kinds of large scale effects we4re currently studying and the
=illusions= created with smaller props. Dor the purposes of this book,
however, and for clarity's sake, we will use the term =grand illusion= to refer
to an illusion involving ob<ects too large to be performed with even on a
stage :buildings, geographical features, etc;. The term =stage illusion,=
then, will refer to illusions performed on a stage. 0retty simple, huhF :.;
"efore I delve into the secrets of the stage illusions in this chapter, I
would like to address a potential controversy at this point. Some might ask,
since I know the vast ma<ority of my readers :myself included; will never
perform any of these effects, then why would I reveal their secretsF 6s I
have already mentioned, there is a possibility that some of my readers will
perform some or all of these illusions. There is also the fact that if you4re a
magician, people expect you to know these things. @f course, you won4t
tell anybody these secrets, but you4ll know them. Since you paid the money
for this course, you have demonstrated to my satisfaction that your interest
in the art of magic transcends a mere passing curiosity. Therefore, it is with
great pleasure that I now impart to you secrets that many people only
wonder about, beginning with =Sawing 6 >ady in #alf.=
Sa(in% 0 Bad1 in $alf
0erhaps the first point I should make in this particular discussion is
that it isn4t always a lady who is sawn in half. So, since it4s sometimes a
man who gets divided, perhaps I should have referred to this classic as
sawing a person in half. @h, well. :.; 6t any rate, as is the case with most
classics, there have been multiple versions and methods for this effect
throughout the history of magic.
The original version, depending on who you ask, is usually either
credited to #orace /oldin or 0.T. Selbit. The basic effect, of course, is that
a person gets into a bo3, which is then sawn in half and pulled apart.
Sometimes, you could see the head sticking out of one of the bo3es and
the feet sticking out of the other one2 ther times, the hands and feet of
the victim were tied to ropes that ran out through holes in the half.bo3es.
These ropes were then held tightly by volunteers from the audience.
@riginally, some of the bo3es used in this illusion rested on pretty thick
tabletops. >ater, a version was developed in which the bo3, apparently <ust
big enough to hold the woman4s body e3cept for her hands and feet, rested
on an obviously thin table. This became known as the Bthin model sawing.H
Aventually, versions were even developed that used clear bo3es& or no bo3
at all2
"ecause of the thickness of those original tables, a second woman
could be hidden inside them. The first woman left her head sticking out of
bo3 B6H while the rest of her body sank down into the table. The second
woman stuck her feet out of bo3 B",H then the bo3es were pulled a few
inches apart. In the ropes version, the ropes were also threaded
:unbeknownst to the audience, of course; through secret Bstops.H These
were essentially pieces of wood with holes in them. These holes were
smaller than the knots in the ropes. The assistant would cut the ropes with
a secret blade on her side of the ropes, then curl her entire body up into
one of the half.bo3es. To the spectators holding the ropes, it still felt like
her arms and legs were tied. The rest of the audience never saw any slack
in the ropes, and thus the illusion was created.
1ithout the ropes or a thick table, some early performers <ust never
showed the inside of the bo32 The secret assistant was in there the whole
time, and she <ust stuck her feet out of the end of the bo3 and curled her
body up into that half. The known assistant curled her body up into the
bo34s other half, and stuck her head out of that end. The rest, of course, is
self.e3planatory. -his version, though both ancient and simple, is actually
the basis for the thin model sawing. The thin model sawing introduced the
use of fake body parts. In this case, the assistant4s legs and feet were fake.
Sometimes they were moved with a secret thread. *ore often, in modern
times, they are robotic.
The sides of the bo3 in this version have windows that can be
opened. The assistant gets in, pushes the fake feet out with her real ones,
then curls her body up into the first half of the bo3. She does this in such a
way as to make sure that all you can see through that bo34s window is the
side of her upper body. This done, the magician then saws between the
two halves, separates them, and opens the windows, e3posing the
woman4s real upper body and fake legs. The half bo3es are then pushed
back together. The windows are closed. The woman uncurls her body,
pulls in the fake legs, and stands up. 6ll in one piece2 :.;
The more modern versions of this illusion are all based on these
original principles in one form or another. If clear bo3es are used, so is a
thick table and some fake body parts. The other onstage assistants are
strategically placed in certain locations at certain moments to block your
view of the switching between real and fake body parts. Iersions with no
bo3 also use a fake body part, usually a torso, with the rest of the person4s
body hidden in yet another thicker.than.it.looks table.
The *loatin% Bad1
6t least in 6merica, the floating lady was originally popularized
:though not originally performed; by #arry Lellar. To see a human being
floating in midair right in front of you is still an ama7ing thing. If the person
is floating in a stationary position, this is referred to as a suspension. If the
person moves while floating, it4s called a levitation. The earliest version of
the floating lady, as you may have guessed, was a suspension. >evitations
came later.
6 suspension of a human being performed on a theatrical stage
usually looks like this: 6 table is on the stage, close to the backdrop. The
table is covered with a cloth, but the cloth doesn4t reach all the way to the
stage itself. If the cloth covering the table and the material of the backdrop
are contrasting colors, it enhances the illusion of separation between the
two. The table is really <ust a board :ostensibly; resting on a couple of
supports. These supports are usually something like sawhorses, bar
stools, or step ladders. 6 lady lies down on the board, then the supports
are removed, leaving the lady :and the board; apparently floating in midair.
The board, of course, is secretly supported. In this case, it is
supported by a steel bar e3tending out a hole in the backdrop. #ow then, is
the magician able to pass a hoop over the floating ladyF 6llow me to
e3plain. Imagine the secret support bar is shaped somewhat like an BS.H If
you watch some footage of this illusion, or happen to see a live
performance of it :somewhat rare in modern magic shows;, you4ll notice
that the magician passes the hoop over the lady twice. The first time, he
passes it until it is almost going to hit the bar. #e then revolves it around
the feet of the lady without actually passing it any further. #e then pulls it
behind the lady, back toward her head again. Completing the revolution of
the hoop, it is now actually on the other side of the bar, and can be finally
passed over the lady4s feet. The hoop being a little larger than it needs to
be facilitates this. If the lady moves :eg. rises up and down;, it4s because
the support bar is attached to something backstage that is either
mechanical or motori7ed.
#idden supports are one of two general principles through which
levitations and suspensions are achieved. The other is wires that are
strong enough to support a human, but thin enough to be invisible from a
short distance with the right backdrop and lighting. This is usually <ust
piano wire. #oops can be manipulated around these wires <ust as they can
be manipulated around support bars. If a levitation is performed on TI, the
wires can be digitally removed. I hate to disappoint you, but yes, this does
happen. It is an especially common techni9ue if the televised levitation is
being performed outdoors. Sometimes, the onlookers are simply actors
who are Bin on it.H
S(ords Throu%h #od1
@ur first two illusions in this chapter introduced you to a few common
principles in stage illusions: hidden assistants, hidden supports, wires, fake
body parts, and tables that are thicker than they look. Dunnily enough, we
haven4t even mentioned mirrors yet, and most people think most stage
illusions are done this way. In this illusion, we will take a look at the use of
mirrors, but first, we4ll learn the oldest method for performing this piece.
>ike our preceding illusions, this effect, too, has multiple versions. In
one, a person gets into a bo3, several swords are inserted through holes in
the bo3 :or basket;, and then removed. The person emerges unharmed.
"elieve it or not, in many of these tricks, the person is still inside the bo32
They simply manipulate their body in such a way as to make sure the
swords miss it. The swords are duller than they look for safety reasons.
,emember, safety should always be your primary consideration when
performing stage illusions.
Sometimes, after the swords are inserted, the front of the bo3 is
opened, and the person appears to have vanished. This is where mirrors
come into play. There are essentially three ways to make something :or
someone; disappear: move the ob<ect, hide the ob<ect, or move the
audience. 1e will discuss all of these in this chapter. Dor now, let4s focus
on hiding the ob<ect. It4s usually hidden behind some visible ob<ect, a black
art panel :to be discussed later;, or mirrors. If you have a bo3 with a design
painted on its inner sides that is identical to the design painted on its inner
back wall, then place two mirrors inside it at +- degree angles to one
another, something ama7ing happens.
The mirrors reflect the sides of the bo3, and the audience, looking
straight in, thinks they are seeing straight through to the back. Thus,
anything behind these mirrors is rendered invisible. In a sword bo3, one
sword inserted straight down cleverly masks the <oint between the two
mirrors. This principle is also fre9uently applied on a smaller scale, in
various Bproduction bo3esH available on the market.
The Bion&s #ride
Aarlier I mentioned that one of the places magicians hide things :or
people; is behind a Bblack art panel.H 6s promised, we will now e3plore that
concept further. Ironically, we won4t be looking at it in the conte3t of a
vanish. Instead, we4ll encounter its use in a transformation. ?ou see, in
stage illusions, as in other forms of magic, principles can be applied in
multiple ways. 5ot only that, principles can be combined in clever ways as
well2 1e4ll see an e3ample of that in this illusion, too. :.;
The effect begins with a cage being wheeled out onto the stage. It is
covered, but the front of the cover isn4t lowered yet. 6s a result, the
audience can see through to the back of the cage :no mirrors;. The table
on which the cage rests is obviously too thin to contain anything. 6n
assistant climbs into the cage, and the front of the cover is lowered. The
cage is revolved completely around, and the cover is whisked away. In
place of the assistant is now a lion, a cheetah, a puppy dog, or whatever
the magician desires. The audience can see under and above the cage, as
well as straight through the bars to the backdrop in the rear2 The assistant
is long gone.
1e have two pu77les to solve here. !. 1here did she goF %. 1here
did the animal come fromF >et4s look at that second one first. ,emember
back when the audience first looked into the cage and could see straight
through to the backF That wasn4t really the back. It was a false back,
behind which the animal was concealed. If you hold a piece of black cloth
in front of a black background, it will be invisible from a short distance.
Thus, anything behind it will be invisible as well. That is the black art
principle in a nutshell.
To climb up into the cage, the assistant ascends a staircase. The
table on which the cage is resting is as thin as it looks. The staircase is not.
@nce the front of the cover is lowered, the assistant :or performer;
descends into the stair case, and the false backdrop is removed, releasing
the animal. The staircase is wheeled offstage in the background as it is
:ostensibly; no longer needed. The cage is revolved a few times, and the
cloth is whisked away, unveiling the beast within. The rest, as they say, is
history. :.;
Bad1 In the Bi%ht 2a,a CShado( #o5D3
6s you may or may not have reali7ed, an appearance is really a
disappearance in reverse. So, any principle by which a disappearance can
be accomplished can also be used, in reverse, to create an appearance.
6s we4ve already learned, two principles often used to create
disappearances are moving and hiding. 6 trap door is an e3ample of the
combination of these two. In this illusion, the trap door is not where you
expect it to be, rendering results that are even more deceptive. 'nother
principle is used as well. "efore we get into that, though, let4s take a look,
as usual, at the effect.
6 white bo3 on wheels is revolved around so that the audience can
see all the sides of it. The front is then opened, so that the audience can
see inside. The front is closed, then a drop light is lowered through a hole
in the top of the bo3. This light illuminates the translucent walls of the bo3
from within. Shadows begin to appear inside the bo3 and slowly take on a
human form. The front of the bo3 is again opened, and out steps the
performer, or an assistant, having appeared from the ether.
To begin with, the person is already inside the bo3, plain and simple.
6fter the bo3 is revolved, they slip out a trap door in the back and are
hidden behind the bo3 as the front is opened. 6 light passed between the
back of the bo3 and the person will further suggest the fairness of the
procedure. @nce the front is closed, the person gets back in the bo3, but
stays toward the rear. @nce the light is in place, if the person gradually
moves forward their shadow on the front of the bo3 will appear to grow
from a larger.than.life si7e into a recogni7able human form. They can then
tear through the paper front wall of the bo3, thus making their dramatic
entrance2
Meta/or!hosis 2a,a CThe Substitution Trun,D3
This effect was invented by #arry #oudini himself. It was first
performed by #arry and his brother, then later he and his wife, "ess. It has
seen many modern incarnations, much like the other illusions in this
chapter. +nlike the other illusions in this chapter, however, it doesn4t
depend on any of the principles we4ve learned so far :unless you count the
trap door in the bo3;. I will begin by describing the original effect, followed
by its most popular modern version.
6 lockable trunk rests on the stage. It4s surrounded by a frame that
is somewhat like a puppet stage. This frame has cloth sides. The front
cloth is raised to provide a clear view of the trunk. @ne member of the two.
person team is handcuffed and then steps into a bag that is already in the
trunk. The bag is then tied. The trunk is locked, and the front curtain of the
frame is closed. The second member of the team steps inside the frame,
immediately followed by the first person stepping out2 The frame is whisked
open, and the trunk is seen to still be locked. The trunk is unlocked, the
bag is untied, and the second person is handcuffed inside it2 In modern
versions, there is no frame, merely a cloth that is raised and lowered in
front of the top of the trunk.
In both versions, the method is the same. The handcuffs are trick
cuffs. They spring open at the push of a button. There is a hole in the
bottom of the bag. There is a trap door in the trunk. 6s the bag is being
tied, the handcuffs are being undone. 6s the trunk is being locked, the bag
is being removed. 6s the front curtains are being closed, or the cloth being
raised, the escape through the trap door is made. The process is simply
reversed by the second member of the team.
Cha!ter 15 E 'rand Illusions
@utdoor Ianishes @utdoor Ascapes
6s you can see, this chapter is going to be a relatively short. I would
guess that at lest ++.+++C of my readers will never perform any outdoor
grand illusions. I do, however, happen to posses a keen interest in the
history of this particular branch of our art. 6s far as performances go, the
undisputed master in this area is none other than 8avid Copperfield
himself. 6s innovation goes, however, even in the pieces performed by
Copperfield, the master of the BsuperH illusion is a man by the name of
Dran7 #arary. I could discuss the work of both of these men in detail, but
that would be highly unethical. Instead, I will discuss principles by which
these types of effects are accomplished. #opefully, if you4re that one.in.a.
million reader who gets to perform anything on this scale, you4ll be able to
combine and build on things you read here in new, creative ways.
?ou will notice this chapter is divided into two parts, vanishes and
escapes. This is because the vast ma<ority of outdoor grand illusions that
have been performed throughout the history of magic have fallen into one
of those two categories. I suppose blindfold drives and walks could be
listed under this heading, but they have already been mentioned in the
introduction to the chapter on *entalism. @utdoor levitations, even across
the /rand Canyon :8avid Copperfield; have been performed, but they, too,
have already been discussed :see the preceding chapter;. Avery now and
then, I4ve see productions under this heading, but as we4ve already
learned, they4re simply vanishes in reverse. @ne type of effect I haven't
seen in this category is a transformation. This then, would be one area in
which a new innovator could really make a name for him or herself. If you
think about it, a transformation is really a vanish of ob<ect B6H and then a
production of ob<ect B",H in the same place. 5ow that I4ve got you
:hopefully; thinking, let4s press on.
Outdoor 4anishes
,emember, there are three ways to make something disappear:
move it, hide it, or move the audience. This is <ust as true outside as it is
inside. 5ow, since the ob<ects we4re dealing with here :like statues or
buildings; sometimes can't be moved or hidden, we need to e3plore the
possibility of moving the audience. It4s helpful here, of course, to ask which
audience we4re referring to. It could be the television audience or the live
audience. If you move the camera, then you4re moving the television
audience. 1e4ll discuss that approach first.
Imagine, for the sake of simplicity, that you4re in the middle of the
desert. ?ou have a rolling platform on which you, the camera, and a frame
with a window in it are standing. The camera is pointed at your massive
ob<ect through the frame4s window. 6 curtain is closed, and the camera
7ooms in on the now opa9ue window. The whole platform, imperceptibly to
the home audience, moves to a new position. 5ow, when the camera
7ooms out, and the curtain is lowered, your ob<ect will seem to have
disappeared. This basic principle has been used in slightly more
sophisticated forms many times. "ut what if there is a legitimate, live
audience present at one of these grand affairsF
"efore I discuss how it is possible to move an entire live audience
without their knowledge, I4d like to tell you about one of my favorite theme
park rides ever. Enderstanding how this particular bit of magic is created
may help us understand how someone :or a group of people; might not
reali7e that they4re moving. The ride is called B*ission: SpaceH and it4s at
1alt 8isney 1orld4s BApcot.H The premise is that you are blasting off into
outer space, where you become weightless. This effect is created through
the use of a centrifuge. 5ormally, I do not handle spinning rides well at all.
#onest to goodness, though, on this ride, % absolutely could not tell % was
spinning) Drom your seat on the ride you can see a large, high.def video
screen through some windows. ?ou are instructed to keep your head back,
with your eyes forward and open. In an enclosed space, with your eyes
focused on the video screen, you really have no way of knowing which
direction your body is moving.
5ow, on the ride, you can still feel the /.force, thanks to the speed
at which you are spinning. 6lso, the vehicle is tilting side to side, and
forward and back, in time with the video. #owever, if the vehicle weren4t
tilting, and the centrifuge was spinning slowly, it would be impossible to tell
you were moving at all. This is because your eyes would be focused on a
stationary object :the video screen; that would be spinning with you. 5ow,
apply that to our desert scene. "ut make it nighttime, and turn our desert
into a huge grass field. >et4s seat our audience on a massive, circular
platform. @n the platform with the audience are two towers. The audience
can look between the towers to see the ob<ect we4re about to vanish. The
ob<ect, by the way, is illuminated by a ring of lights which surrounds it.
Enbeknownst to the audience, there is a duplicate ring of lights, unlit,
off to the side of the ob<ect, in the empty field. 6t this point, if we were to
raise a curtain between the two towers, turn off the lights, and rotate the
audience ever so slightly and slowly :maintaining their focus on the
curtain;, we could make a miracle happen. ?ou see, we would stop rotating
them when they were facing the duplicate ring of lights, turn it on, and
lower the curtain. @ur ob<ect would have disappeared.
Outdoor sca!es
#oudini was the first to ever make a sensation out of outdoor
escapes. Some might say that he has never been surpassed in his ability
to create a stir in the media through these spectacular events. @ne
involved him escaping from a strait <acket while hanging upside down high
above a busy 5ew ?ork street. 6t other times he was chained, sealed in a
bo3, or both before being tossed into a river... often ice cold. #e always
seemed to press matters to the last possible second before dramatically
revealing the fact that he had obtained his freedom.
In modern times, 8avid Copperfield has done the suspended strait
<acket escape hanging from burning ropes over a flaming bed of spikes. #e
has also escaped from both 6lcatra7 and a safe on the second floor of a
building that was about to implode. 1e will look at methods that could be
used to accomplish these types of escapes, ranging from yesteryear to
modern times. Dirst, though, let me reiterate that safety should always be
your number one concern. ?ou4re an illusionist. ?ou may create the illusion
of danger, but it should never be real. 6s there were with both #oudini and
Copperfield, there should always be hidden safety mechanisms and
backup plans.
>et4s begin with underwater escapes. Dirst was the matter of getting
the performer4s body used to the cold. This was simply achieved by
gradually increasing the intensity and duration of one4s e3posure to the
elements over time. The same techni9ue was applied to gradually
increasing the length of time for which one could hold one4s breath. Still,
even with all this training, knots were tied, locks were faked, and bo3es
were rigged in such a way as to make sure that, although these restraints
appeared formidable, escape could be made in a matter of seconds.
Dor modern escapes from buildings in which the live audience was
seated outside, what appeared to be a live feed was actually some pre.
recorded BdecoyH footage. 6ll that really remains for you to understand in
your 9uest for e3planations in this branch of outdoor magic is the means
by which one e3tricates himself from a strait <acket. Sometimes gaffed
strait <ackets are employed. That4s the easiest way. I will describe the
means by which one might free himself from the real deal. In reality, the
same steps are followed upside down as right side up. :Some people say
it4s actually a little bit easier.;
Dirst things first, when you4re being restrained in the <acket, you want
to keep your shoulders back and your elbows pulled away from your body.
That way, you4ll be let with some slack that will aid you later on. The first
challenge is to work your right arm :if your4re right handed; out of its
sleeve. @nce you4ve done that, you4re home free. The hardest part of this
is getting your elbow through the opening around your shoulder. Contrary
to popular belief, you do not have to dislocate anything or be double.
<ointed to accomplish this. They key is to make sure your strait <acket fits
correctly. ?ou want it tight enough to look escape.proof, but loose enough
to not actually be escape.proof. The easiest way to see to this is to have it
custom made. That way, the arm holes :around the shoulder seams; can
even be sewn a little larger than they normally would be. I suppose that
makes this a gaffed <acket after all, but we may be getting too technical
now. :.;
@nce your entire arm is free, it becomes a simple matter to reach
behind your neck and unbuckle the top back strap. 5e3t, work your arm
down and out the bottom of the back of your <acket. Endo the crotch strap.
6t this point, things should be loose enough to simply pull the whole thing
over your head and then off. -hrow it to the ground, and strike a triumphant
pose. Take a bow. ?ou deserve it.
Part 6 E The nd
Aventually, if you haven4t already, you4ll reach the point where you4d
like to start making some money doing magic. 6fter all, who doesn't want
to earn an income doing something they en<oyF 1ithout becoming world
famous, there are basically two ways to do this: Dirst, there4s the corporate
world. ?ou4ll need some business savvy if you decide to pursue this option.
The other common avenue is family shows. This is where most magicians
get their start in the profession, and as such, it4s where I4ll spend most of
my time for the rest of this book.
Dirst, though, I would like to say a word or two about corporate work.
6s far as the money made per gig, it is far more lucrative than doing family
shows, but the gigs are far more scarce. They4re also 9uite a bit more
e3pensive to get in the first place. ?ou4ll need to do some lead generation
advertising in trade publications, then follow up on in9uiries with se9uential
mailings. ?ou4ll also need to know how to sell things and motivate people,
because in reality, that4s what you4ll be hired to do. In addition, the long
hours and travel schedule for this kind of work can be grueling.
$amily shows, on the other hand, are much easier to get. ?ou4ll still
have a maga7ine ad :maybe;, and you you4ll use the internet, as well as a
few clever techni9ues for generating referrals. Damily shows include
schools, churches, day cares, restaurants, and birthday parties.
!estaurant work is a little like corporate work in that in order to really be
successful, you need a decent level of knowledge regarding the industry.
Dor schools, day cares, and churches, you need themed shows, and the
construction of themed shows is beyond the scope of this book. 1ith the
kind of show you can put together from the material in this book, the
easiest way to start is with birthday parties, so that4s what chapter si3teen
will be all about.
Cha!ter 16 E 'ettin% Paid
Copy 1riting 6dvertising
/enerating ,eferrals "onus Ideas
1e4ve already established that performing at birthday parties is one
of the easiest ways for a new magician to get started generating an
income. It4s also one of the least e3pensive. It isn4t free, though, so keep
that in mind. ?ou4ll need to spend some money in order to start making
some money. That being the case, you should have another source of
income established first.
@ne of the first things you4ll spend money on is a website. I4ll give
you some advice later in this chapter on developing the content for that
site. 5e3t, once your website is in place, you4ll drive some traffic to it by
advertising. I4ll talk about where to advertise, as well as what kind of ads to
run. 6s soon as possible, you4ll need to start generating some referrals. I4ll
give you some great ideas for how to do <ust that. >astly, I4ll give you some
bonus thoughts about how to boost your income per show.
@f course, before you can sell your show, you have to have a show.
There is enough material in this book for you to use to build a great show. I
will teach you the basic format I use in putting together a magic show so
you will know how to do it as your knowledge increases. ?ou should begin
your show by introducing yourself, interacting with your audience, and
getting to the point. I use a trick for each of these three purposes.
In a magic show, to introduce yourself, you want something magical
to happen right off the bat. ?ou want to really impress them. It4s generally
also best not to use a volunteer yet. I like to use BThe *ultiplying /olf
"allsH as an opener. @ne good way to interact with your audience is to ask
for a volunteer, so the second slot is a good place to use something like
the BTwentieth Century Shorts.H I usually prefer to Bget to the pointH by
performing something that plays big, like B,opes Through /irl,H for
e3ample.
The middle of your show is the time to do something different,
followed by a change of pace with something quick and visual. "efore
moving on to your last section, you should perform a classic of magic. I
often interpret BdifferentH to mean Bmentalism.H ?ou have already been
taught a number of options here. Something B9uick and visualH could be
along the lines of the BSilk 0roduction and IanishH or the BColor Changing
"all to Jumbo S9uare.H BThe >inking ,ingsH is a tremendous classic of
magic, and thus well suited for your si3th slot.
1ith your show nearing its finale, it4s time to have some fun before
your big showstopper. Then, you can send them home with a little
something to remember you by. Dor fun, I usually use a BDoo CanH to
vanish the water I4ve been producing from my B>ota "owlH throughout the
show. B0rofessor4s 5ightmareH could also work here. *y favorite
showstopper, after all these years, is still BThe "ill in the >emon,H and my
favorite way to close a birthday party show is, of course, by producing a
cake from a B8ove 0an.H
Co!1 .ritin%
To succeed in your magic business, you4ll need to know how to write
effective copy for web sites and sales letters. The letters will be sent to
past customers and members of your magic club :more about that later;
about a month be for upcoming birthdays. In either case, you4ll need to
start with a strong headline. Three common ways to start headlines for
websites or sales letters are...
BThe Secret @f...H
B#ow To...H
B1ho Alse...H
Dor e3ample, BThe Secret @f *aking ?our Child4s 5e3t "irthday
0arty @ne That They4ll ,emember Dorever2H 6nother e3ample would be,
B#ow To *ake ?our Child4s 5e3t "irthday 0arty The Talk @f The Town.H
?ou could also use something like B1ho Alse 1ants To #ave 6 *agical,
*emorable "irthday 0arty ,uaranteed To Dill ?our #ome 1ith >aughter
6nd DunFH
?our ne3t step, if this is an actual letter, is to start off with the date an
a salutation. @therwise, <ust proceed to a short opening sentence, after
which you state a ma<or problem your prospect has. *aybe something like
this: B>et4s face it. 0lanning a birthday party is tougher than you thought it
would be.H 5e3t, you want to Btease the solution.H Dor e3ample, BIn <ust a
moment, I4m going to show you how to take all the work out of putting
together a birthday party guaranteed to fill your child4s heart with memories
they will cherish forever, leaving you free to rela3 and <oin the fun. "ut
before I do that, let me introduce myself.H
#ere4s where you answer the 9uestion, B1hy should I listen to youFH
?ou want to name drop and list your credentials. ?ou want to hit them with
a couple of testimonials. If you don4t have any yet, perform a couple of free
shows and have the people you perform for fill out the feedback forms I will
describe later.
"efore you get into the details of your pitch, you want to briefly
restate the problem and hint at how you4re going to solve it. 0erhaps
something to this effect: B#iring professional entertainment can be the best
solution for creating an instant, smash.hit birthday party that will be talked
about for years to come, but only if you get somebody that knows what
they4re doing2 :6nd somebody that doesn4t terrify the guests. R6 lot of kids
are afraid of clowns.S;H 5ow, you want to list some bullet points that specify
e3actly what you offer. 1ith each bullet point, you want to answer the
9uestion, B1hat4s in it for meFH It might look similar to the following:
?our child gets to help out in the show2 This will really make him or
her feel like a star.
Tons of comedy2 ?our home will ,@CL with laughter2
Dree magic tricks for every child2 *ore than <ust watching the show,
every child gets to become a magician themselves2
6t this point in your letter or on your website, you4re going to give
your prospect a few things to look out for when considering other options.
:@f course, you4ll be the only entertainer that meets all of these criteria2;
0erhaps this section will read as follows:
"e careful about hiring clowns2 6 lot of kids are mortally terrified of
clowns.
*ake sure to hire a specialist 2 Antertaining children :as opposed to
general audiences; takes a certain kind of personality. ?ou want
somebody who knows what they4re doing, otherwise the kids might
not have any fun2
>ook out for any performer who offers a magic show and nothing
else2 I offer complete packages often for the same price as :or less
than; my competitors2
#ere we4re going to tell our potential customer what the value of our
offer is. 5ot how much we charge, but the value. @f course, the value will
be higher than our actual price, creating a great deal for the customer2 ?ou
might offer your customer:
&- minutes of professional kids4 entertainment. :6 J!)( value2;
6 D,AA magic trick for every child2 :6 J(- value2;
Dree gifts for the birthday child2 :6 J!- value2;
Total value: J%&(2
Dinally, we4re going to give them a choice between two packages.
They get to choose between something and something, not between
something and nothing. #ere are two packages you might offer:
*y B*agical *emoriesH 0ackage :J!%(;
*y action packed, hysterical &- minute show.
6 D,AA magic trick for every child2
*ree %ifts for the birthday child2
*y B*agical *emories 0eluxe H 0ackage :J!)(;
6ll of the above, plus3
!( e3tra minutes of showtime making 45 total minutes2
D,AA goody bags :including magic tricks; for every child2
0 free magic set for the birthday child2
"efore we conclude our sales copy, let4s give a guarantee. 0erhaps
we could call it our B!--C, Iron.Clad, Tear Ep ?our Check, *oney "ack
/uarantee.H 1e could phrase it accordingly: B"ecause I am so confident
that you and your guests will be delighted with the entertainment services
that I provide, I can personally guarantee that, if for any reason, you aren4t
!--C satisfied, then % will tear up your check) I can afford to take that kind
of risk because, in all my years of performing, I have never had anybody
take me up on it.H
6fter you give your prospect e3plicit instructions on how to contact
you, all that remains is to include a final B0.S.H that creates a sense of
urgency and offers a specific call to action. 6 good e3ample of this would
be, B0.S. *y available party dates disappear fast :especially on the
weekends; so give me a call today in order to avoid being disappointed2H
0d)ertisin%
@kay, so you4ve got your website. 5ow whatF 1ell, you need to
drive some traffic to it. ?ou will do that in two basic ways. Dirst, you will
advertise online. Second, you will advertise offline. In order to advertise
offline, you need to see if the area you live in has a parenting maga7ine.
They will design the ad for you, and it will cost you less per month if you
run it for a whole year than if you run it for only one month. The te3t you
want in the ad should look something like this: BThe "est "irthday 0arty
Aver2 D,AA goody bags2 6 D,AA magic set2 T@5S of audience
participation2 ?our party will ,@CL with laughter, /E6,65TAA82H 6nd
then your phone number.
6s mentioned, another avenue of advertising you should utili7e is
that of online advertising. The best place to do this is /oogle4s B6dwords.H
This service sells what is known as Bpay.per.clickH advertising. Someone
types in a search phrase, say Bbirthday party magician,H and up pops your
ad. ?ou are only charged if someone actually clicks on your ad, and is thus
whisked away to your website. The amount you4re charged will not e3ceed
your ma3imum Bcost.per.clickH bid. 6lso, you can set a daily budget and
the total charges from all the clicks your ads generate will not e3ceed that
amount. Durthermore, you can geographically target your ads so that they
are only displayed to users within your driving area2 The most important
piece of advice I can give you about this form of advertising is to make
sure you bid enough to be on the first page of results, but don4t worry about
being T!.
'eneratin% =eferrals
*ost of your business will come by word of mouth. That being the
case, it4s important to reali7e that there are things you can do to make sure
word of mouth advertising is taking place. Some small businesses simply
hope for word of mouth advertising, while doing nothing to foster it. 6s a
result, their well of customers runs dry too soon. ?ou will not take that
route. In fact, you4re going to do three things in particular to attempt to
generate the kind of word of mouth advertising that will keep that referral
business coming in a steady stream.
The first thing you4re going to do :that most of your competition
doesn4t; is send a hand.written thank you note after every show. 6long with
that note, you4re going to enclose three business cards. @ne of these
business cards will be for your customer to keep, and two will be for them
to give to anyone they know who might could utili7e your services as an
entertainer. This plants the idea in their head to help you spread the word.
"elow you will find some suggested te3t for such a note:
Dear Customer,
I really enjoyed performing at your
son/daughter's birthday party. Thank you so much
for the opportunity! nclosed you !ill find three
business cards. "ne is for you to keep, and the
other t!o are for you to pass on to any other
parents you think might could use my ser#ices.
Thanks, and I look for!ard to ser#ing you again
soon.
$agically %ours,
%our &ame 'ere
6nother thing you should do to keep referrals coming is run a client
newsletter. This gives you a great opportunity to utili7e a principle known
as Brecogni7e and reward.H The newsletter I send is four pages long. It
features humorous little stories, a couple of pu77les, a column of one.
liners, fun facts, etc. The idea is that three of the four pages should be fun
to read. 0eople don4t really care months after they4ve used you what4s
going on in your business. @n that one page, though, you can and should
have a paragraph or two about good things that are happening in your life
as a magician.
It4s what else is on that page that4s really important. ?ou4re going to
have a BClient @f the *onthH column where you write a brief story about
one of your customers that month. ?ou4re also going to have a B1elcome
5ew CustomersH section and a BThanks Dor ?our ,eferralsH section.
0eople love seeing their name in print, and seeing this section reminds
them that it4s okay to recommend you to their friends2 Jack Turk sells a
great template for a client newsletter done for you every month at a very
reasonable rate on his website at www.magicmarketingcenter.com. ?ou
should also send a small gift to anyone whose referrals result in a booking
for you. I4d suggest something along the lines of a J!- fast food gift card.
@ne more idea that is dynamite for generating referrals is a B*onthly
*agic Club.H Just write twelve newsletters each teaching a simple magic
trick and make a sign up sheet for kids to use :with their parents4
permission, of course; at your shows. 8o one of the tricks during your
show and mention that the kids can learn it by <oining your club. @n the
sign.up sheet, you4ll get their name, address, and birthday. The month
before their birthday, along with the newsletter, they get a free trick :that
you got for a wholesale price, I4ll tell you where later...;, and their parents
get a letter from you offering your services for their upcoming party2 :.;
#onus Ideas
There are basically three ways to make more money doing magic
shows: !. ?ou can ac9uire new customers. ?ou4ll do that primarily using the
techni9ues that I taught you under the BadvertisingH section of this chapter.
%. /enerate referrals. @f course, this had its own section as well. &. ?ou
can increase the amount of money you make for each gig. This last
techni9ue is what these bonus ideas are about. I hinted at these before,
when I said that when you4re writing copy for a website, sales letter, or
phone script, you should offer your prospect at least two options.
These options could e3ist in the form of packages. ?our more
expensive package could include a longer show, :by about fifteen
minutes;, balloon animals :if you know how to make them;, and even some
magic goodie bags :I would only include up to eight;. The goodie bags I
use contain mostly items from the @riental Trading company. They sell bulk
candy :I include a small handful in each bag;, wire pu77les, chinese finger
traps, fortune telling fish, and even little plastic magic tricks.
?ou can also get a wholesale account at a company called 8.
,obbins which sells magic tricks and novelties at wholesale prices. The
only catch with them is that you have to buy multiple 9uantities and order
J%-- worth of stuff at a time. This can still be cost effective, though, once
you reach a certain point in your business. ne of the items they sell is a
magic set :for the birthday child, for e3ample; that you could perhaps
include in one of your packages2 They cost less than four bucks each. The
key to selling your more expensive packages is to make the difference in
price very reasonable in view of all the extras your prospect is getting. Just
make sure you figure enough profit margin so that you are still making
more money than you would have.
1ell there you have it, you4ve reached the end of my first magic
book. I wish you all the best. If you4ve en<oyed it, please help me pass the
word along, and keep an eye out for my other pro<ects2 I plan to write an
entire book on card magic, for e3ample. ,emember, having bought this
course means you4re entitled to email me with any 9uestions you have. I
would also love to hear how you4re doing in your efforts to learn magic2
Entil ne3t time...

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