Chapter Two: Daley Defects

The Trick is Too Short

When performed as a stand-alone trick, the effect is almost over before it has begun. In some situations, this is desirable, but not always. Because the trick ends so quickly, it feels unfinished; the transposition of the red and black Aces is so strong that most audiences will want to see more magic. So, how can we lengthen the effect without tarnishing its purity?

There are two possible solutions to this problem:

Develop a short card act that includes Dr Daley's Last Trick. For example, begin by performing a bare-handed four Ace production, such as Cliff Green's “Phoenix Aces” or Lee Asher's “Thunderbird” production. Follow this with Dai Vernon's “Twisting the Aces”, and finish your act with a performance of Dr Daley's Last Trick.

Modify the trick so that it has multiple phases. “Weighted Aces” by Gregory Wilson and John Carney's “Sanverted” are good examples of this approach.

I've developed several short close-up sets around the Doctor's trick, similar to the one I've outlined above. More often than not, I use Dr Daley's Last Trick as my closer because the transposition never fails to garner a great reaction. However, it also works well as an opener because it establishes that you're only using four cards (this often makes any subsequent magic you perform much more impressive in the eyes of your audience). The magic also happens fast, and the trick leaves a lasting impression, all good attributes for an opening effect. I've also developed several multi-phase approaches to the plot, which you'll find spread throughout the later chapters, alongside more detailed and robust presentational strategies.

Now that we've discussed some general fixes, let's look at a few of the standard handlings, including Daley’s method for the transposition.