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McDonald Aces by Dai Vernon

Created by: Dai Vernon

McDonald Aces is a classic close-up card trick where the four aces visually and cleanly transpose from separate piles to join together in one pile, creating a powerful illusion of magic without any gimmicks. Using only sleight of hand with a standard deck, this impromptu routine is inspired by Dai Vernon's Slow Motion Aces and is designed to be performed with a borrowed, shuffled deck, making it highly practical and deceptive for intermediate magicians. The effect relies on fair dealing and clear gestures to enhance the visual impact, offering a strong transposition that can be adapted to various performance settings.

Key features

  • Non-gimmicked and impromptu, requiring only a standard deck of cards

  • Uses sleight of hand techniques such as controls, forces, and a double lift

  • Suitable for intermediate magicians with a focus on timing and audience management

  • Can be performed with a borrowed, shuffled deck for added deception

  • Emphasizes clear gestures and strategic patter to reinforce the illusion

Pros

  • Highly practical and accessible with no special equipment needed

  • Strong visual impact with a clean and deceptive transposition effect

  • Well-structured tutorial that is logical and buildable with practice

Cons

  • Requires intermediate skill level in sleight of hand, which may be challenging for beginners

  • Relies heavily on timing and audience management, which could be difficult to master

Effect

The McDonald Aces trick creates a clear visual illusion. The magician shows four aces and places each one into a separate pile of cards. The aces then appear to slowly move from their own piles and gather together into one pile. The audience sees the aces visually transpose themselves in a clean and impossible way.

Full details

This version of McDonald Aces uses only sleight of hand. It requires no gimmicks or special cards. A standard deck is used, and it can even be a borrowed and shuffled deck. The routine is impromptu and practical for real world conditions.

The method involves several card techniques working together. These include controls to position the aces, forces to influence spectator choices, and a double lift to hide card identities at key moments. The handling is structured to keep difficult moves to a minimum. The focus is on timing and audience management to create a strong magical moment.

Who should consider the trick

This trick is suitable for intermediate level card magicians. It is ideal for performers who want a strong transposition effect that can be done anytime with any deck. Magicians who value impromptu magic that uses only sleight of hand will find this routine very useful.

Information on how difficult it is to perform

The difficulty level is intermediate. The sleights used are standard card techniques, but they must be performed smoothly and without hesitation. Success depends on practice to make the actions feel natural. The real challenge is not the individual moves, but the timing and presentation needed to make the illusion convincing.

What magicians say

BestMagic states this routine is "highly practical and deceptive" because it uses a borrowed deck. They note the method "relies on a clever combination of controls, forces, and a well-timed double lift." They emphasize that the effect's strength comes from "apparent fairness and visual simplicity." BestMagic recommends that performers practice until the actions feel "natural and unhurried" for the best results.

What people are saying about McDonald Aces

BestMagic says...

This tutorial teaches a non-gimmicked version of the classic McDonald Aces routine, inspired by Dai Vernon’s Slow Motion Aces. The effect sees the four aces visually and cleanly migrate from their own piles to join one another, creating a powerful transposition illusion using only sleight of hand.

Tutorial videos