2

INTRODUCTION 2
BEST BEFORE 3
SHADOWLANDS 4
BIT BY BIT 6
ALMOST HUMAN CANNON BALL 8
HYPERSENSITIVE 10
CONTENTS MAY SETTLE 11
REMARKERABLE 12
AIR OF MYSTERY 13
DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH 14
TRANSFUSION 16
CHOCOLATE BAR PREDICTION 17
BURDEN OF PROOF 19
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INTRODUCTION
Hi. If you are reading these words, chances are you downloaded them from
the web. The internet is an incredible thing and has made our world a very
small place indeed. In fact, it’s thanks to the web that over the past several
years I’ve been in touch with thousands of magicians and mentalists from all
over the planet. And lucky man that I am, more often than not the
conversation begins with them thanking me for “sharing my work.” I’ve said
it before (and Lord knows I’ll say it again!) almost anyone with as much
support as I’ve received over the years would be as successful. What success
I’ve had is nothing more than a reflection of the love I’ve received all these
years from the world-wide magic and mentalist community. And “love” really
is the right word. So what else can I possibly say, other than: from myself,
my wife Lisa and our two precious gifts Mason and Madelaine: “Thank you so
very much!”

Please accept this free set of lecture notes, filled with material I’m especially
proud of as our small way of saying “Thanks.”

Yours sincerely,

Jay Sankey

Toronto, Canada
June 2006
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BEST BEFORE
Effect: Grocery shopping with a friend, the magician removes one of those
small plastic clips from a bag of bread and offers to show a “demonstration in
time travel.” True to his word, a moment later the clip vanishes from his
hands and appears back on the bag of bread! Suggesting a repeat
performance, the magician asks his friend to remove the tag from the bag
and asks him to note the ‘best before’ date. The performer once again places
the tag in his closed fist. Surprisingly, when he opens his hand a few
moments later, the tag is still there. Far more surprisingly, when his friend
notes the ‘best before date’ on the tag, it is found to be SEVERAL MONTHS
OLD!

Preparation: I’ve only performed this effect 6 or 7 times with friends, mostly
in convenience stores, not large grocery stores. But from the very first time I
tried it out, it got a GREAT reaction. When people see that the date on the
tag has changed to a date from several months ago, it hits them HARD.

You’ll need to grab 7 of these tags, preferably white, and then go to a

plastics and metals printer and ask him if he does “hot/cold ink-dot transfer
dye processing.” JOKING!!! All you need to do is go buy 2 bags of bread or
milk (or whatever else you enjoy eating or drinking!) with white ‘best before
date’ tags on them and wait a few months.

Spend those months practicing switching the two tags using whatever
technique feels the best and looks the most natural in your hands; Bobo
Switch, Shuttle Pass, whatever.

Performance: You will only need to have one of the old tags in your pocket.
(The other one was just for practicing the switch, but you should keep it so
that you can give the “time-traveling tag” to your friend as a souvenir and
still have the other old tag for a second performance.)

If you want to be especially devious, spark a casual conversation about time

travel BEFORE you enter the convenience or grocery store. Then, while
walking through the store, secretly get the old tag into right finger palm.

When you “find yourself” standing in front of a product with a white tag,
casually offer a demonstration. Reach over to the product with both hands
and apparently remove the tag from the product. But really, come away
holding the old tag at your right fingertips and leave the new tag on the
product. Depending on the product and your friend’s sightlines, you might
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have to first pick-up the product and then replace it on the shelf to
completely shield the fact that the tag is still on it.

Perform your best false transfer with the old tag as you apparently put it in
your left hand (but palm it in your right hand.) A few moments later show it
has disappeared and immediately suggest your friend check the bag of bread
or whatever. He finds it has returned to the bag. Is he blown away?
Probably not. He simply files it in the “Neat trick,” category. Which is exactly
how you want him to respond. He’s “underwhelmed” -so he is psychologically
set-up for the real climax!

Ask him to remove the tag and note the date. Take it from him and switch it
for the old tag in your right hand. You might even want to give it back to him
to hold onto. Either way, let a few beats pass and then show him that it has
indeed gone back in time!

Notes: There can be a fair bit of “heat” on the first vanish so I really like
showing both my hands empty right after it. So I’ve used the old “invisible
magic wand” ruse as follows: I pretend to put the tag in my left hand and
then go to my right pocket for my “magic wand”…and I leave the tag behind
in the pocket and come out holding nothing (“What did you expect? A
VISIBLE magic wand?”) I tap the invisible wand against my left fist and then
show the tag is gone, really gone, by showing both hands empty. Then as
the spectator reaches for the product, I slip both hands into my pocket,
retrieve the old tag and go from there. As for the final change, I’ve used
Vernon’s Spellbound Change a few times for a truly visual change of the date.
Sweeeeeeeet!

SHADOWLANDS
Effect: Miracle Man introduces a large white envelope and spills out a small
flashlight from inside. He slips the open envelope over his left hand, flicks on
the flashlight and asks for the lights in the room to be dimmed. As he holds
the flashlight directly behind the white envelope, the silhouette of his open
left hand is clearly seen, all fingers spread wide. Then something very bizarre
happens. Between two of his fingers a small lump begins to grow, and grow,
until the silhouette features a total of 6 fingers! Even creepier, a seventh
fingers slowly grows “into place.” Someone screams, the lights in the room
are turned back on, Miracle Man pulls the envelope off his now quite
harmless looking hand and even rips it wide open for the suspicious-minded.

Preparation: I created this truly funky effect over 25 years ago after
watching some illusionist perform at my high school. He did a version of the
 6

“appearing assistant in the tent” and I immediately conceived of this no-

nonsense handling. I’ve performed the effect at many house parties over the
years and no small part of the fun is that I never know quite how people are
going to react. I’ve had screams, laughter and even uncomfortable silence.
The bottom line is that it’s one of those imagination-driven effects that you
really have to gently guide your audience towards a certain kind of emotional
interpretation.

More than once I’ve “sold it” as a serious moment of magic and its inspired
great response. But I do tend, more often than not, to present it a little
tongue-in-cheek. That way, it often gets laughs and I don’t set myself (or the
audience) to try to make too much out of it. I guess what I’m trying to say,
is that it’s a real “personal style” piece.

You’ll need two white, standard 9 x 12 mailing envelopes -the cheaper the
better (see Notes.) You’ll also need a thin piece of cardboard. With a pair of
scissors cut open one of the two envelopes and neatly cut out one side of the
envelope. We’ll call this “the panel.”

Next place your open left hand down on the cardboard and trace the shape of
your hand with a pencil, but be sure to trace it a little bit larger than it really
is. Cut out the tracing (including a slightly oversized wrist section) and glue
it to one side of “the panel.” Finally, trim the sides of the panel and glue it
inside the remaining uncut envelope so that the hand tracing is hidden from
view inside this double-wall (fingertips nearest the closed end of the
envelope.)

After letting the glue dry, if you slip your closed fist inside the envelope, dim
the lights in your bathroom, step in front of the mirror and shine a flashlight
behind the envelope, you’ll find that you should be able to hide your closed
fist behind the cut-out of the slightly enlarged hand. And with just a little
practice, you too will be slowly uncurling your first finger, and then your
middle finger, to create the marvelous illusion of “fresh growing fingers.” It
looks totally creepy!

A few important tips. I start by slowly spilling the flashlight out of the
envelope to give everyone a chance to take a quick peek inside the envelope,
but I never TRAVEL with the flashlight inside the envelope. Knocking around
with all the other stuff inside my performance case, the bulging envelope
quickly starts to look pretty shabby (and it can even loosen the glue between
the hand tracing and/or the envelope’s double-wall.)

Be careful you don’t prematurely flash the cut-out hand in the envelope
either by standing in front of an open window or a strong light OR by
 7

accidentally passing the turned on flashlight behind the envelope before

you’ve got your darn hand inside! (I’ve had that happen.)

I don’t always rip-open the envelope at the end, but it IS a very nice
convincer and a well-timed, played-down dramatic gesture never hurts.

Notes: Lighting conditions can widely vary from space to space. So much so
that I used to carry two different envelopes because while sometimes there
is so much light in a space that you want a thin/cheap envelope for max
contrast between the silhouette of the cut-out and the envelope, other times
–in darker spaces- you are safe to go with a thicker envelope. I’ve also
experimented with both black and grey cardboard for the cut-out. Both have
their merits. The black easily gives a crisp silhouette, but also has a greater
chance of being spotted through the wall of a thin envelope. Again, you will
have to experiment a bit with whatever supplies you are able to buy locally.
And make sure you are “wearing” the envelope with your thumb pointing in
the right direction! Mind you, the one time I put it on backwards, I still got
away with the effect!

BIT BY BIT
Effect: The spectator’s own signature melts up to the top of the pack…a little
bit at a time!

Preparation: To make the one gimmicked card required you’ll need a double-
backed card with a small window cut into one end. The area of the window
should be a little less than HALF the surface of the card. Leave a good border
around the empty space. The position of the cuts are governed more or less
by the back design of the card being used. It is preferable that the cuts be
made along the existing lines of the back pattern, as to be better
camouflaged. Have this card on the bottom of the pack with the window on
the inner end of the deck (nearest your body.)

Performance: Spread the cards and have a card freely taken. Have it noted by
the audience. Give a marker to the spectator who chose the card and ask him
to sign his name boldly along the length of his selection. Encourage him to
write LARGE.

Grasp the pack from above with the right hand, fingers at the outer end,
thumb at the inner. You must now obtain a left fourth-finger break above the
bottom two cards. This is managed quickly with a fourth-finger Pull Down –
or, if you prefer, a Double Buckle. Now lift the deck from the left hand,
 8

transferring the forth-finger break to the tip of the right thumb. Raise about
half the deck at the other end with the right forefinger; then, with this same
finger, pivot this top half over and to the left so that it may be gripped in the
thumb-crotch of the waiting left hand and carried away. In other words, you
perform a standard Swing cut.

Hold this left hand portion forward, toward the spectator, and request that
he replace his card on it. Cleanly place the right hand half onto the left,
burying the signed selection – but maintain the break being held by the right
thumb, taking it over with the left fourth-finger again.

Position check: You are holding a break near the deck’s center. Below that
break rests one indifferent card, then the gaffed card, the selection and the
bottom half of the pack. This three-card stack must be brought to the top of
the deck. The Pass makes the most sense, but casually cutting the cards will
work too.

Explain the premise of the effect: that you will cause the chosen card to
magically rise. All that is necessary is to riffle the cards in a special way. You
do so, performing the Riffle Pass at this point. The selection, it is now
claimed, has risen to the top. The spectators will have their doubts because
of the lack of a signature on the top card. Do a Triple Turnover to show the
face of the top card and –of course- the audience suspects the use of a
duplicate card.

Turn the triple card face-down onto the pack again as you comment that the
signature has not risen with the selection due to the different weight of the
ink (a variation on the old patter idea commonly used with “Twisting the
Aces”). Perform a Riffle Pass, taking the top card only to the bottom of the
deck. This instantly reveals a portion of the spectator’s signature, seemingly
on the back of the top card. It is actually showing through the window of the
gaffed card, now atop the deck.

As soon as the Pass has been completed, tilt the front end of the pack
severely down, bringing the back of the deck fully into the audiences’ view.
With the pack being tipped to a nearly perpendicular angle to the floor, not
only do you give the audience the best view of the half signature on the top
card, you also prevent any tiny edge of the window being seen as the top of
the deck is viewed. In this position, the illusion of half the signature
appearing on the top card is perfect.

Do a Double Turnover to show the face of the selection, apparently with the
half signature on its back. Be careful because as the two cards are turned
over (particularly as they are first separated from the deck during the right
 9

forefinger’s strike) there is a tendency for them to gap around the window,
creating a visible shadow that exposes the gaff. To overcome this problem,
stretch the left thumb across the middle of the deck, along the edge of the
window nearest the center, and press down firmly until the right fingers have
secured their grasp on the double card. Then the left thumb can be slightly
lifted to allow the right hand to carry the double to the right and flip it over
and face-up onto the pack.

Immediately thumb the top card over into the waiting right hand and lift it
above the deck. The gaffed card is left behind, on the deck, perfectly
blending in with its back. Holding the selection, still face-up, about a foot
above the deck, riffle the corner of the pack with the left thumb as the left
hand makes a mock tossing action, a kind of rolling wrist-snap. The right
hand carries through the pretense of the tossing by jerking slightly at the
wrist and snapping the edge of the selection with one of the right fingers.
You want to create the physical illusion of having tossed something invisibly
from the deck onto the back of the chosen card.

Then dramatically rotate the selection so that full signature of the back of
the card is showing! Hand it to the spectator to examine.

Notes: The gaffed card can be disposed of in a number of ways. It can be Top
Palmed and dropped into a pocket as the marker is put away, or another item
is brought out. Or it can be thumbed off into the coat pocket as the hand
goes there in search of something, still holding the deck. I’ve used this in
conjunction with my Ambitious Card routine for years.

ALMOST HUMAN CANNON BALL

Effect: The performer recalls his memory of going to the circus when he was
a little boy, and how “The Human Cannon Ball” was always his favorite act.
Commenting that he would like to bring the raw thrill and excitement of such
a feat to his performance, he removes a wrapped straw from his pocket.
Taking off the wrapper, he has someone draw a little man on it. Then he rolls
the wrapper up and neatly tucks it into the end of the straw, with a tiny edge
of the bundle protruding. Handing a lighter to a spectator – and asking for a
drum roll – the performer carefully holds the straw at a slight angle and
moves his free hand to a palm-up position about three feet away. The edge
of the wrapper is lit and a minor explosion goes off inside the straw. An
instant later the performer snaps his empty right hand closed and
immediately blows into it as if to cool something off. Opening his originally
empty right hand, the rolled-up wrapper is found inside. To end, the
 10

performer hands the blackened straw out and unrolls the wrapper to show
that the close-up paper daredevil is still in one piece, having successfully
cheated death! Yahoo!

Preparation: You need a wrapped straw (the kind that comes in a white
wrapper) a small piece of flash paper rolled up so it is the same size as the
neatly rolled-up piece of flash paper in the right pants or jacket pocket, and
finally the pen and lighter in the left pants or jacket pocket.

Performance: Remove the wrapped straw from your pocket and as you do
this (or later as you go for the pen) secretly get the rolled-up piece of flash
paper into the right hand, in a position where you can comfortably hold it
out.

Tear open the wrapper, table the straw, and hand the wrapper to someone.
Remove the pen from your pocket and have a spectator draw a little man
(“be sure to give him a crash helmet”) on the wrapper. Take the wrapper
back and while pattering, tightly roll it up into a little bundle just small
enough to fit into the end of the straw. However, just as you complete the
rolling, switch it for the bundle of flash paper and leave the rolled-up
wrapper in the right hand thumb palm.

Hold the flash paper at the right fingertips as your left hand picks up the
straw and leave a little bit of it sticking out. Take the straw into your right
hand for a moment as your left hand gives the lighter to someone on your
left. Take the straw back into the lift hand and move your right hand up to
about chest height and to your right. Hold it palm up being sure that your
palm is above the eye level of the crowd, or they will see the thumb-palmed
wrapper.

To end, position the straw in the left hand so that it is aiming roughly toward
your open right hand; have someone light the end of it. The flash paper will
ignite, simultaneously getting rid of the dupe and adding to the effect of the
“cannon ball demonstration.” A second later, snap your right hand closed and
blow into it a few times.

Hand the straw to someone on your left and open your right hand to show
the wrapper has mysteriously arrived. Using both hands, unroll the wrapper
and show the drawn little man, while saying something like”…here’s to you,
almost-human cannon ball. You’re a braver man than I…”
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HYPERSENSITIVE
Effect: The paranormal performer is able to divine the dates on three
borrowed coins just by holding them in his closed fist!

Preparation: You are going to love this one! You can do it in a moment’s
notice and people’s jaws always hit the table. All you need is a coin, any
coin, thumb palmed in your left hand and you need to know the date of the
coin. Also, it has to be a well-lit space. (It’s too hard to read dates on coins
in a dim bar!)

Performance: Ask a few people to place whatever change they have inside a
glass or –if you don’t have a glass- they can just place the coins in a small
pile on a nearby table. They can even place the coins in someone’s cupped
hands.

Borrow a pen and ask a spectator to “get ready to write down a few
numbers” on a paper napkin, business card or whatever else is handy. Slowly
turn your head away from the pile of change. With your head still turned
away, slowly show your right hand undeniably empty and then reach down
into the pile of change and remove a coin. Keep the coin concealed behind
your fingers so that nobody is able to see the denomination of the coin.
Quickly close your right hand into a fist. Appear to concentrate for a moment
and then announce the date of the coin palmed in your left hand.

As the spectator writes down the date, open your right hand, raise the coin
up to your face, note the date on the coin, nod your head in satisfaction and
then casually place the coin into the left hand. As you do all of the above, the
just-picked up coin must remain hidden from the audience’s view. In other
words, they have no idea whether you grabbed a dime, quarter or whatever.

Continue by again turning your head away, show your right hand empty, dip
it into the pile of change and remove a second coin and hold it in your closed
right fist. Appear to concentrate, then announce the date of the FIRST coin
you removed from the pile. As before, while the spectator writes down the
announced date, take a moment to open your right hand, raise the coin up to
your face, note the date and nod your head in “humble satisfaction.” Then
place the coin in your left hand.

To finish (this is my favorite part!) repeat the exact same actions a third
time, but this time only PRETEND to pick up a coin from the pile and hold it in
your right fist. Concentrate, announce the date of the second coin you
removed from the pile and, as the spectator records this third date, again
 12

raise your right fingers to your face to apparently note the date on the coin.
Smile, then casually place the non-existent coin into your left hand!

Drop the three coins into the hand of the nearest spectator and shyly
comment, “I guess I haven’t lost my touch.” They will of course check the
dates and be utterly astounded!

CONTENTS MAY SETTLE

Effect: After a spectator thoroughly shuffles the deck, the performer
mysteriously “unshuffles” it!

Preparation: Try this sometime SOON! It always gets a killer reaction.

Arrange a deck of cards in the original "from the factory" order (Ace-King x 4
suits.) Slip the arranged deck into your left pants or jacket pocket, NOT in a
card case.

Performance: Start your show by introducing a SECOND deck of cards in its

case. Remove the cards from the case and pocket the case in your right
pocket. Have the deck shuffled for several moments by a spectator and
comment upon what a "thorough job" she is doing.

Perform a really strong card effect, then while holding the deck in your left
hand say, "Okay, now that I'm warmed up, I'll share something with you that
doesn't involve cards." As you say this, slip both hands into your respective
pockets, switch decks in your left pocket, grab the case in your right pocket
and bring both hands out of their pockets with the switched-in deck in the
left hand and the case in your right. Without pausing, slip the deck into the
case but do NOT close the flap. Table the cased deck. Then remove the coins
or sponge earplugs or whatever from your pocket or close-up case and
perform the non-card effect.

To finish, suggest trying "one last thing," and ask the spectator to pick up the
card case and close the flap. Slowly take the cased deck from the spectator
and give it a series of very “precise shakes” involving flipping it into the air,
somersaulting it onto the table, etc.

“There. I think that should do it. Remember how well you shuffled the pack
a few moments ago? Well, I just unshuffled it so I’m all set for the next
performance. No really, look…” Slowly open the case and spread through
the cards. An absolutely inexplicable occurrence.
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REMARKERABLE
Effect: A marker is introduced, but when the performer realizes that three
people are going to be signing playing cards, he magically pulls two other
markers from INSIDE the first marker!

Preparation: You’ll need three large felt-tipped indelible markers. You must
also be wearing a jacket with two inner breast pockets, one on the right and
one on the left. Put two of the markers in your left inner breast pocket and
the third in your right. All the markers should be pointing with their caps up.

Performance: Have 3 cards selected and mention that you would like the
three spectators to sign their names on their respective playing cards. While
you mention this, several natural actions occur, during which you load a
marker into each sleeve as well as bring one marker into view.

First, your right hand partially opens your jacket as your left hand moves
inside the jacket and into the right breast pocket. As soon as your left hand is
out of sight it slips the marker out of the breast pocket and down into the
right sleeve at the armpit. The left hand then comes out empty, implying that
what you wanted was not in the pocket and that you must have misplaced it.

After pausing for just a beat in both your actions and the flow of your patter,
your left hand pulls open its side of the jacket as your right hand moves into
the left inner breast pocket, slips out a marker, slips it down into the left
sleeve, and then moves out of the jacket, clipping the remaining marker on
the way out and brings it into view.

This sequence of moves MUST be done casually and while you patter. Don’t
rush, but on the other hand, don’t fumble either. You should now have a
marker in each sleeve and a marker held in your right hand. Toss the marker
into your left hand where it is held at the fingertips as you lean slightly to the
spectator on your left. At the same time your right arm should casually (and
naturally) fall to your side. This should cause the marker in your right sleeve
to slide down into your cupped right hand.

Mention that one marker may not be enough as the right and left hands
simultaneously move together, the left moving across, and the right moving
up at an angle, swinging up and together at about chest height, LOUDLY
CLICKING the two markers together, and then immediately pulling them
apart.
 14

Hand your right hand’s marker to the spectator directly in front of you and
then toss your left hand’s marker into your right hand, allowing your left arm
to fall to your side. This causes the left sleeved marker to slide down into the
cupped left hand. To finish, again wing both hands together and produce the
marker in your left hand by repeating the “splitting” action of ripping the
marker, yet again, into two.

Notes: I don’t wear a jacket as much as I did 5 or 10 years ago, but when I
do, I almost always perform this effect when doing my “Collect-Me-Not” card
routine.

AIR OF MYSTERY
Effect: Mister Impossible introduces a handful of small white balloons and
asks someone to choose one. A moment later the performer blows a little bit
of air into the balloon so that it is about the size of an egg. Speaking of eggs,
the magician slowly removes the balloon’s small, tied-off nozzle, cracks the
balloon against the side of a glass and spills out a yolk!!

Preparation: You’ll need to be working out of a case. This surreal effect is

often one of the most memorable ones I include in a performance! People
always mention it after a show. There’s just something about the simple,
familiar elements that give the effect a strong emotional impact.

Get a white egg, a glass, a pair of scissors, some magician’s wax and a
package of white balloons, the smaller the better. Blow up one of the
balloons and tie it off. Then cut off about an inch from the nozzle and, with
the wax stick the nozzle to one end of the egg. Have this prepared egg in
your case along with a small drinking glass and the package of balloons.

Performance: Let’s assume that your case is to your left. Reach into the
case and bring out the package of balloons. Hand the package to someone
and request that they remove one. Take the chosen balloon and blow it up to
about the size of the egg. Tie off the nozzle.

Retrieve the package of balloons with your left hand and return them to the
case. As you do this, palm the prepared egg in your left hand. As soon as the
left hand exits the case, pretend to transfer the balloon from your right to
left hands, but really switch the objects with a Shuttle Pass. Do this in a very
casually, unhurried fashion.
 15

Turn your body 90-degree to your left so that your right shoulder is now
pointing directly at the audience. At the same time, raise your left hand up in
the air to show everyone the “balloon.” Having turned your body, you will
find it easy/natural to reach across your waist with your right hand, enter
the case, leave the balloon and come out holding the glass.

Casually take a few steps away from the case and create a significant time
lapse between the moment you were last “near the case” and the moment
you reveal the true nature of the “balloon.” I create this time lapse by
admitting to having a fascination with “optical illusions.” “For example, you
all know how a straight stick can look bent when you hold it in a clear
stream? Of course, the stick isn’t really bent, but it’s a very convincing
illusion.”

Gesture towards the egg and continue, “Here’s another very convincing
illusion. He chose this balloon (referring to the spectator) and you all
watched me blow it up just a few moments ago. And yet, I think you’ll all
agree that as much as it looks like a white balloon, it also looks an awful lot
like…an egg.”

Neatly pluck off the nozzle and drop it on the floor. Pause another beat or
two and then firmly crack the egg against the lip of the glass and spill the
egg’s contents into the glass. Extend the glass towards one spectator and
the egg shells towards another.

Finish by saying, “As I said, it’s a very convincing illusion.”

Notes: I pack my performance case with the prepared egg held firmly inside
the glass thanks to a wedged-in paper napkin and the package of balloons.
No matter how neatly I crack the egg, I’m almost always grateful to have a
paper napkin on hand to wipe my fingers.

DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH

Effect: A spectator is asked to tear up a red paper napkin and ball up the
pieces. The spectator selects a card, which turns out to be the 6 of
Diamonds. When the balled-up and torn napkin is opened-up, six diamond-
shaped pieces are found!

Preparation: In just reading the “Effect” you probably thought up a handling!

It’s definitely one of those ideas that can be brought to life in a dozen
 16

different ways. I came up with the idea while developing material for my
corporate stand-up show, but I’ve also included it in a children’s show with
great results. As a diehard sleight-of-hand guy, I prefer routines that stay
based in real sleight-of-hand, but from a commercial perspective it also pays
to have stuff that at least climaxes in an extremely visual fashion that can be
experienced by 25-100 people. This is one of those rare gems.

You’ll need a stack of red paper napkins. You can use two-ply but I prefer 1-
ply napkins. Dollar Stores often carry the perfect kind. Tear one of the
napkins into 6 diamond-shaped pieces. Do NOT use scissors. It will SHOUT
“‘switch” at the end of the effect. After tearing the napkin, firmly ball-up the
pieces and have them in your right pants pocket. Have a deck of cards in your
left pocket with the Six of Diamonds on top.

Performance: Super simple. Just intro a second red paper napkin and have a
spectator tear it up into pieces. I usually make some comments about “the
therapeutic value of such an expression of aggression, etc.” For adults I add
some psycho-babble, but for kids I play up the silliness of the action and
encourage the child to really go crazy.

Either way, after they tear it I ask them to ball it up and I take the balled
napkin in my left hand. I now execute a “cross action switch” as I first
learned from Juan Tamariz. Essentially, my right hand goes into my pocket as
if looking for the pack of cards. As soon as my right hand enters the pocket, I
palm the prepared napkin and “realize” that the deck must be in the other
pocket.

So, in a smooth continuous action, my right hand comes out of the pocket
and I pretend to transfer the napkin from my left hand to my right, but really
execute a modified Shuttle Pass and keep the napkin in the left hand and
immediately slip the left hand into the left pocket where I “find” the deck
and bring it out into view. It takes a moment, but the switch is undetectable
due to the ample, built-in misdirection of the ballet of the two hands.

Sometimes I’ll hand the napkin back to the spectator, though because that
doesn’t make a lot of sense (having just retrieved it from him.) More often,
I’ll drop the switched-in napkin in a glass or even just table it.
To finish, just force the Six of Diamonds with your favorite method and then
have the spectator unroll the napkin. Powerful, visual, memorable…magic!

Notes: You might want to pretend to “miss finding the selected card” once or
twice before revealing the napkin, both for the theatrical value and the time
lapse (since you touched the napkin.) I’ve switched the napkins with the aid
of a card case by having the prepped napkin inside the case and pretending
 17

to slip the just torn napkin inside the case. Because the whole idea of the
effect is to play to a larger audience, I’ve also used Jumbo playing cards (and
forced the card via both the Criss Cross cut and a few times even with a
rough-and-smooth force pack!) Finally, before you ask, yes, I have “restored
the torn pieces” to an untorn napkin a few times. Easy to do –just a second
switch of balled-up napkins- but in my experience, not worth it. Really
undercuts the image of the 6 diamonds. But, it IS worth it to keep another
balled-up napkin on hand, just in case someone suggests you “put the pieces
back together.”

TRANSFUSION
Effect: A double-backed card is handed out to the audience and the people
are told that “the two cards are stuck together thanks to an intense vacuum
suction.” Two other cards are then selected, signed and returned to the pack.
But a few moments later, when the double-backed card is split in two, the
two cards split cards are discovered to be the signed cards!

Preparation: You’ll need a double backer and a duplicate card (let’s say the
Eight of Clubs) whose back matches the deck you’ll be using. Place the Eight
face down on the double backer and place both into a right-side pocket so
the Eight is closest to your body. During your show control the Eight of Clubs
in the deck to the bottom.

Performance: Flip the deck face up and hold it in your left hand. The Eight of
Clubs will be on the face. Your right hand reaches into your pocket and
brings out the double card as one. Flash both sides and drop it onto the face
of the deck. Immediately thumb off the double backer on top into your right
hand. You have added the duplicated Eight to the face of the deck, however
everything looks copasetic.

Have two cards selected and signed. Cut the deck maintaining a break
between the halves. Let two cards riffle off your right thumb tip and drop
onto the lower half (these are the double backer and the Eight). Hold the
break above the Eight. Your right hand grasps the deck from above so you
can dribble the cards onto your left palm. Have the first selection returned on
top of the Eight of Clubs and retain a break beneath this selection as you
square the deck. Spread the cards this time, and have the second selection as
you square the deck, doing a Marlo Center Reverse, flipping the second
selection face up in the center of the deck.
 18

Transfer your pinky break up one card, to above the first selection. Mention
the difficulty of “splitting double-backers” and gesture to the card that is off
to the side. Openly Double Cut to the break. The order of the cards, from the
top down, will now be a face-down selection, a face-up selection, a face-
down Eight of Clubs, and the rest of the face-down deck.

Do a triple Lift, casually showing the front of the Eight of Clubs. Turn the
triple down and immediately pick off the top two cards as one. In one
motion, use the double cards to scoop up the supposed double backer that’s
been on the table (actually a face-down Eight of Clubs). As you scoop up the
card, sweep it toward your left hand until it’s stopped by your fingertips.
Your right thumb now pulls the top card to the right as you do this in-the-
hands Mexican Turnover switch, flipping over the lower two cards in
alignment.

Casually tap the corner of the double card on the table once or twice, giving
flashes of both sides (backs) and then wedge the edge of the Eight of Clubs
in your right hand (which you have turned face up) between the double card.
You’re apparently breaking the vacuum between the cards as you lift them
apart.

Toss the Eight of Clubs face up onto the deck. To end, dramatically peel the
two selections apart.

Notes: This is my combination of Alex Elmsley’s “Between Your Palms” and

Richard Kaufman’s “Fusion” routine.

CHOCOLATE BAR PREDICTION

Effect: I’ve performed this perfect kid show effect hundreds of times. The
magician hands the birthday boy (or girl) a small gift-wrapped package
complete with ribbon and bow. The audience is then asked, “Who knows
what’s inside?” After plenty of shouting from the young folk, the magician
announces that it is indeed a chocolate bar. “But which kind of chocolate
bar? Any guesses?” Again, there is plenty of shouting. The magician then
confesses that he likes chocolate bars so much that he actually collects
chocolate bar wrappers! Suiting actions to words he introduces a large clear
plastic bag filled with dozens of different wrappers. The magician then
announces that, even though the birthday boy may not know for sure which
brand of chocolate bar is wrapped in the gift paper, the boy can use his “sixth
sense” to find out! Proving the magician’s words to be true, the boy reaches
into the bag of wrappers and removes any one he feels drawn to and when
 19

the chocolate bar held by the child is unwrapped, it is found to match the
feely selected wrapper! The chocolate bar is of course given to the birthday
boy as an edible souvenir!

Preparation: Buy 26 chocolate bars, all the same type, and then purchase
another 25 chocolate bars, all different. This is easier said then done because
most variety stores only carry 10-15 types. You’ll probably have to go to a
specialty candy store. Along with the 50 bars you’ll also need a switch bag.
It can be a clear plastic switch bag (the type preferred by mentalists) or a
more traditional cloth switch bag. Either works just as well.

Unwrap (and eat?) the 50 chocolate bars. With a pair of scissors cut off the
backs and sides of the wrappers, leaving just the front cover/panel of the
chocolate bars. Wipe off these panels with a damp cloth. Do this even it it
seems the wrappers are completely chocolate-free. If you don’t wipe them
and give them time to dry, over time they WILL begin to stick together in the
switch bag.

Obviously you should put the 25 different wrappers in one side of the switch
bag and 25 of the 26 SAME wrappers in the other side. Place the two groups
of wrappers into the switch bag so they are “back to back.” In other words,
the two groups are facing away from each other. This is important for two
reasons: first, so that when you reach into the bag and pull out a handful of
the different wrappers, as many different wrappers are displayed as possible
(instead of a few “white backs” showing in the bunch.)

And second because, no matter how much you emphasize to a child, “only
pull out one,” they will sometimes pull out two or even three wrappers and
when that happens you want only white backs of the wrappers facing the
audience so the method isn’t revealed.

Nicely wrap the lone remaining chocolate bar in gift wrap with a ribbon and
bow and you are all set.

Performance: Give the birthday boy/girl the wrapped bar. After much
guessing, admit that it is a chocolate bar. Introduce the switch bag and take
out a large handful of wrappers. Go through several of them one-by-one,
commenting upon the virtue of each different type as you return them to the
bag.

Move into the subject of “sixth sense, esp, ghosts, etc.” (all of which kids
LOVE) and then have the boy reach into other part of the bag. Emphasize
that “sometimes the wrappers stick together and if this is going to work I
need you to make sure you only take out ONE wrapper.”
 20

He of course removes a matching wrapper and you immediately place the

switch bag out of sight. Hold up the wrapper for all to see, comment that it
is one of your favorites, and have the child unwrap the bar he’s been holding
all along.

Notes: Always call ahead and ask the parent/s for permission to give a
chocolate bar to their child. I never use a bar with nuts. Even if the boy is
not allergic, he might share it with a friend or two who is. If it was a very
special gig and I really wanted to impress the parent/s (often with an eye on
a possible future corporate gig!) I would ask if the boy had a favorite bar.
Then I’d go to the trouble of prepping for that particular bar. No big deal
really, but more often than not such effort was rewarded (with the desired
corporate gig!) And finally, if it looks like the boy is tempted to open the
wrapped bar before the climax of the routine, just lean in and quietly say, “if
you open it too soon, you won’t get to keep it.”

BURDEN OF PROOF
Effect: A twist tie, twisted by a spectator, becomes impossibly linked to the
performer’s finger ring!

Preparation: You'll need two twist ties, the extra-long kind that often come
with the really BIG garbage bags, measuring between 3-4 inches in length
(instead of the shorter twist ties that are often included with small kitchen
garbage bags.)

You must also be wearing a ring on one of your left fingers. Grab one of the
twist ties, fold it in half and slip it through the ring on your left finger. Give
the folded tie as many twists as you can, right up to the very ends of the tie.
Then push the twisted tie to the INSIDE of your left hand and give it a bit of
a bend so that it is now bent directly ONTO your left palm and completely
hidden from view. Have the other, untwisted tie in your pocket and you are
“good to go.”

Performance: Walk about to a small group of people, introduce yourself and

hand someone the untwisted tie. Tell them that, "In a moment I'd like you to
bend the tie in half and twist it all the way up to the very ends as quickly as
possible, and as you do it, we're going to time you."

Ask another spectator to watch the second hand of her watch and have her
say, "Ready, set...go!" She does, and the other spectator folds and twists the
tie as quickly as possible, doing it in -let's say- 6 seconds.
 21

Take the freshly twisted tie at your right fingertips, stare at it and look
sincerely impressed. "I gotta hand it to you, that's pretty darn fast. Now, if I
were to say that I think I can UNTWIST it in 5 seconds, well, that wouldn't be
much of a claim, especially considering that -as a magician- I supposed to
have pretty fast hands. So let's do this: I'm going to try to untwist the tie, in
5 seconds, using only ONE hand- and while you hold onto the ends."

As you say these last few words, it should look like you neatly deposit the
twisted tie into the left hand and close the left hand into a fist while
continuing to hold the ends of the twisted tie between right thumb and first
finger. In other words, you should finish with the ends of the twisted tie
sticking out of the thumb hole of your left fist, with your right fingers and
thumb still holding the ends of the twisted tie.

BUT -what you’ve actually done is executed a false transfer (really a

variation of a cigarette pivot vanish) and retained the spectator’s twisted tie
in your right hand, behind your extended right fingers. As you do this, the
right first finger and thumb neatly take hold of the ends of the prepared tie
hidden in your left hand and pull them out the thumb hole of the closing left
fist.

It reads like a very complicated action, but it's really VERY simple and there's
PLENTY of natural cover as the two hands first come together and then move
towards the spectator to have her take hold of the ends of the twisted tie
poking out of your fist.

Drop your right hand to your side. Focus all attention on your left hand. Have
the other spectator say "Ready, set, go!" and then squeeze/wiggle your
closed left fist for a few seconds before announcing, "Done!" Go on to say,
"Actually, not only did I untwist the tie…I even went so far as to twist it back
up again!"

Everyone looks seriously unimpressed.

"Yeah, just as I thought, you don't believe that I untwisted it and then
twisted it back up...so I made a point of leaving some evidence behind."
Slowly, very slowly, open your left hand finger by finger to reveal that the tie
is now impossibly twisted around your finger ring!

The spectators will -of course- fail to believe their own eyes and assume
there MUST be some cut in either the twist tie or the ring, but when you
extend your left hand towards someone and ask them to pull the ring off
your finger and examine both the ring and tie, well, they have no choice but
to reconsider everything they've ever held sacred in this world.
 22

Notes: If you feel uncomfortable holding-out the other tie in your right hand
at the end of the effect, all you have to do is make a point of wearing a wrist
watch. When asking the “time keeper” to time the spectator who initially
twists the tie, remove your wrist watch and have her use that. After she
does, retrieve the watch and drop it in your right pocket. Then when she is
going to time YOU, just reach into your pocket, ditch the just switched-out
twist tie, and come out with the watch. That way you end completely clean.
 23

ALSO AVAILABLE FROM SANKEY MAGIC

THE REAL WORK ON RESTAURANTS & BARS

Over the past 20 years Jay has held contracts as the “house magician” at over a
dozen different restaurants and bars. Now on this very special DVD Jay shares with
you the real work on both the art and the business of making a very good living
performing in these exciting venues.

Jay also teaches you 15 of his all-time favorite restaurant and bar effects, many of
which he is sharing for the very first time. Learn incredibly commercial magic and
mentalism with playing cards, coins, bottle caps, creamers, sugar packets, crayons,
drinking straws, wine corks and business cards!

To make this DVD even more valuable, Jay also shares with you the real work on
approaching tables, choosing routines, selling yourself to management, restaurants
vs. bars, inspiring tips, openers and closers, being a team player, scripting effects,
performing for “regulars” and a great deal more!

With 15 outstanding routines and over 2 hours of priceless information learned over
hundreds of nights of real-world performing, this DVD truly is THE REAL WORK ON
RESTAURANTS AND BARS!

THE ART OF SLEIGHT-OF-HAND

Learn the real secrets to becoming a master sleight-of-hand magician!

In the spring of 2005, Jay hosted a very special live show featuring 9 outstanding
sleight-of-hand magicians. Taped at Toronto’s George Ignatieff Theatre by a
professional 4-camera crew in front of a sold-out crowd, the DVD documents
memorable performances byf Jay Sankey, Richard Sanders, Mike Skutt, Jason
Maloney, David Peck, Wij, Allan Nackan, Colin Bartlett and Ray Chance.

Watching true pros do what they do best in front of a thrilled audience is an

education in itself, but the “real gold” of this DVD is found in the DOZENS of
intimate interview segments.

Take your own sleight-of-hand to the next level as each seasoned performer
generously shares their invaluable thoughts on:

The Keys to Outstanding Sleight-of-Hand

Their Favorite Sleights
Philosophies on Practicing
The Importance of Timing
 24

Advice to Beginners
What they Love About Performing Magic
And so much more!

And as a very special EXTRA ADDED BONUS Jay has agreed to include his classic
“Locomotion” card effect AND his killer “Private Property” mentalist effect complete
with full instructions PLUS THE SPECIALLY PRINTED BICYCLE CARD GIMMICKS!!

RAZOR’S EDGE
"There are very few times when I've seen a magic trick for the first time that my
brain tries to tell my eyes that what just happened was impossible. I've never seen
a penetration look as casual and impossible as this one does. This is how real magic
should look like." -David M.
"What a Blast! Great effect. I have been looking for years for an effective way to
hand out business cards. With 'Razor's Edge' my search has ended." - Steve P.
"This is a great effect! Easy to do and gets a great reaction. A must-have item!" -
Jacob D.

"This has to be one of the must-have tricks of the year. As soon as I placed the
accompanying DVD in my player and watched the first two minutes of Jay showing
the moves required to pull off the trick I was hooked. The best 20 bucks I ever
spent. -John M.
"A clean, fantastically made gimmick and you get to learn two useful sleights. For
the money you can't go wrong!" -Iain
"Another winner from Jay! Top marks! Very easy to do!" -Damien
"Received this earlier this morning and it's great! The gimmick is very simple, but
should last forever. DVD has some great stuff on it too. I will be down the pub
performing this tonight!" -Will
In a visually insane fashion, the performer cuts halfway through a BORROWED and
INITIALLED COIN with an ordinary playing card!! A moment later, the coin is
magically healed and both the coin and the playing card are immediately handed-
out for close examination!!

You can even use your own business card! It's the PERFECT way to hand it out!!

This mind-bending effect comes with a specially-machined gimmick, illustrated

instructions and an incredible instructional DVD featuring a wide variety of
handlings from super easy to definitely difficult!

Along with the "Super Simple Handling" the professional instructional dvd teaches
the "The Bluff Handling," the "Magnifying Glass Handling," the "Mid-Air Stab," the
 25

"Blindfolded Handling," the "S.V. Handling" and the "Business Card Handling!" (One
of the most magicial ways to give-away your business card EVER!)

NAILED
"I saw Jay perform NAILED at a lecture last year and I just HAD to have one!
Waaaay too commerical!" - Elliott N.
"NAILED was definitely the hit of the lecture! It was the one trick everyone wanted
to buy." - Steve G.
A two-card transposition unlike anything you have EVER seen before!

The performer introduces a very unusual prediction: a color photograph of the Four
of Diamonds nailed to a wooden table. The magician insists that, "in a moment -
when you freely select a card- it will in fact be the card in the photo." The spectator
is asked to hold onto the photo, but when she selects a card it is found to be the
King of Clubs, NOT the card in the photo. To right matters, the miracle-worker does
the truly impossible by causing the King of Clubs to change places with the Four of
Diamonds INSIDE THE PHOTO! And get this- everything can be immediately
EXAMINED! (Can you say, "Freakfest?")

Angle-proof, resets in a second and super easy to do! And you can perform this
effect with almost ANY poker or bridge sized cards. Bicycle, Tally-Ho, Aviator, Bee,
you name it! Whatever cards you like to perform with, the extremely clever
gimmicks do all the work for you.

"No trick is that perfect," right? WRONG! Nailed is the perfect trick!

Includes super-cool gimmicks, illustrated instructions, and an amazing 50-minute

instructional dvd with Jay personally teaching you all the nitty gritty details
featuring: The Complete Presentation, Jay's Favorite Handling, Several Card Forces,
A Variety of Revelations, The White Sticker Handling and the double-climax Two
Card Handling!

Add this reputation-maker to your own repertoire TODAY!

THE GEMINI POUCH

The ultimate secret weapon for magicians and mentalists! This completely innocent-
looking coin pouch features a very special design allowing for undetectable switches
of coins, billets, rubber bands, rings, folded playing cards and more! All switches are
literally automatic, without any fumbling, fiddling or sleight-of-hand whatsoever.
The pouch also features a rust and snag resistant nylon zipper, a thick felt binding, a
plastic window made from heavy gauge PVC and the entire pouch is hand-cut and
stitched with heavy-duty nylon thread for maximum strength and durability. Best of
all, the pouch has 1001 uses!! Destined to become a "standard" for close-up
magicians and mentalists all over the world! Includes the pouch, instructions for
 26

over a DOZEN different routines and an instructional DVD featuring ADDED

INFORMATION and NEW BONUS HANDLINGS!

The instructional dvd includes a TON of killer bonus material including a lengthy
discussion of the psychology of the pouch design, Vernon's Push Through the Fist
Move + 12 outstanding routines!

ANYTIME, ANYWHERE
"Out of all the Sankey Magic DVDs and effects I have bought, this one is king! The
magic is absolutely sensational. Haven't finished watching it yet, but there isn't an
effect I have watched so far that I don't want to learn how to do!!! Absolutely
sensational stuff." - Phil W.
"It's an absolute killer. Fantastic value. Unbelievable, powerful magic, not one weak
effect, and a real pleasure to watch the demonstration performances of each trick."-
Geoff T.

"'Anytime Anywhere' blows 'Expert Impromptu Magic' out of the water. Every
magician should own this DVD. Your confidence in your magic will go way up. I
know mine did." -Joe D.
"I LOVE this DVD. I use a ton of the material all the time and Jay is an EXCELLENT
teacher!" -Sunny D.
"I absolutely love it! The material on 'Anytime Anywhere' is simple but so effective.
Sankey's done it again!" -Mark E.
"This DVD is freakin' awesome! It's so much better than "On the Spot." I am so
much more confident now and I don't have to always carry stuff with me to be
ready to perform real magic. I just borrow something and start performing!" -Donny
L.

For years, magicians and mentalists have been asking Jay about his unreleased
impromptu work. Now on this very special DVD, Jay shares a mind-blowing
collection of 34 routines, the vast majority of which have never before appeared in
print, on video or DVD.

34 astounding magic and mentalist effects with borrowed keys, coins, business
cards, paper money, wooden matches, finger rings, playing cards, elastic bands,
pens, cigarette packs, books, newspapers, paper matches, napkins and more!

Jay also shares the real work on such essential topics as the power of impromptu
performances, combining magic and mentalism, magic with a borrowed deck,
scripting, the importance of simplcity, and handling props within the impromptu
setting.

Never again say, "Sorry, I didn't bring anything with me!"

 27

BREAKTHOUGHMAGIC.COM
The best magic you’ve ever seen
From the best magicians you’ve NEVER seen.
Launch date: 09/01/06