Dr. Daley's Last Trick (Glide/Double Turnover Handling)

This popular handling exemplifies a more refined approach to the transposition of the red and black Aces (compared to using the Glide twice). I’ve also added a get-ready feature that eliminates a slight discrepancy in the usual handling.

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On This Page

Effect
Background & Credits
Requirements & Preparation
Method & Presentation
Cleanup & Reset
Performance Tips & Additional Ideas
Final Thoughts

Effect

The red and black Aces transpose under impossible conditions.

Background & Credits

This is based on “The Last Trick of Dr Jacob Daley”, which was published in The Dai Vernon Book of Magic (Ganson, 1994, page 211). This particular handling was inspired by one taught by Bill Malone. See “Back the Way They Were” on Bill Malone On The Loose (Volume 1).

Requirements & Preparation

None required.

Method & Presentation

Begin by arranging the cards in the following order: AD-AH-AC-AS. All cards are face up. The Ace of Spades is the face card of the packet.

Display the cards, holding the red Aces in your left hand and the black Aces in your right. Use the black Aces to flip the red Aces face down into left-hand dealer’s grip. Immediately drop the black Aces, still face up, on top of the red ones.

Establish a break above the bottom card of the packet. Perform a Braue Addition by pulling all the cards above the break to your right (in end grip) while retaining the Ace of Spades with your left thumb, keeping it sidejogged. Use the two cards in your right hand to rotate the Ace of Spades face down on top of the single card (the Ace of Diamonds) in your left hand. Drop the two cards, held as one, on top of the Ace of Spades. Finally, turn the Ace of Clubs face down to complete the sequence.

Situation Check: The cards are in the following order from top to bottom: AC-AD-AS-AH.

Openly thumb the Ace of Clubs to the bottom of the packet, then turn it face up end-for-end, repositioning the cards in readiness for the Glide. Rotate your left hand so that your palm faces your audience, holding the cards upright. Display the card to your audience. Lower your hand, turning the packet face down. Perform the Glide, apparently placing the Ace of Clubs (?) into the hand of your spectator.

Re-adjust the cards, returning them to left-hand dealer’s grip without exposing the Ace of Clubs at the face. Immediately perform a double turnover to display the Ace of Spades on top of the three-card packet (?). Turn the double face down, then deal the top card on top of the card already being held by your participant.

Perform Vernon’s Variant Through the Fist Flourish to turn your two cards face up, displaying the black Aces. Then immediately turn the two cards being held by your participant over to disclose the new location of the red Aces.

Cleanup & Reset

None required.

Performance Tips & Additional Ideas

Thanks to the get-ready, you can offer your spectator a choice between the red and black Aces. If they say, “red”, turn the black Aces face down and put them underneath the red Aces. The easiest way to do this is to replace the black Aces on top of the red ones, so you can turn your right hand palm down and regrip the two face-up black Aces in your right hand. Immediately turn your right hand palm up and slide them under the red ones. Then perform the Braue Addition as described above.

Final Thoughts

This is one of my preferred handlings of the plot because it is simple and effective. The Braue Addition isn’t essential, but it avoids the possibility that someone might notice the Ace of Diamonds is not on top of the packet as it should be (when starting with the cards in CHaSeD order with the Ace of Clubs at the face of the packet).