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The Effect

The effect is classic. The four aces are removed from the pack and set on the table. Twelve indifferent cards are also removed, three of them placed on top of each ace. A spectator selects one of the four card packets and holds on to is for safekeeping.

Then the magic happens. One by one the other three aces mysteriously, magically, and visually vanish. As if bearing witness to trick photography, your spectators will swear the aces are melting away before their eyes!

Of course, when the spectator examines the cards in their possession, they discover that they are none other than the four aces!

A trick that has stood the test of time, McDonald's Aces has been outlined in great detail on this nearly hour-lone DVD. Professional magician Tomas Medina teaches you ever nuance of the trick. Beginners will be able to learn it in minutes, while serious students will have plenty of intermediate and advanced material to consider and practice.

Difficulty:
(1=easy to do, 2=No sleights, but not so easy, 3=some sleights used,
4=Advanced sleights used, 5=Suitable for experienced magicians only)
Probably a 1-2, you have to get something down but it is pretty much self working.

Review:
I love this trick! I used it FIVE times, and every time my spectators loved it just the same. I opened the DVD and the included cards and (having experience in card magic) new right way how to do it. But for some beginners might figure it out but I would suggest watching the DVD, I still did and got some good pointers.

Rating:
1-10 (10 being really good trick)

A Nine, it gets that high because of the spectators’ reaction.

Value for money:
I got it for $18.00 (us) at a really high priced shop down buy the Magic Castle in Hollywood. So the value is most definitely a nine because it can be done at least twice to the same people and they will get amazed every time.


SnIcKeT

The trick has indeed stood the test of time. However you may be surprised to find out how much time. 50 years? Guess again. 100 years?
Guess again. 150 years? Now you are getting there but it was even longer than that.

The trick had nothing to do with Macdonald who was a one arm magic pitchman. He had a handling for it but it wasn't his trick. It was invented by Hofzinser in the nineteenth century and was known as "Power of Faith"

It is probably the strongest card trick I do.

Whow! cool history, I am serious! I never new that I wanted to know why it was named Mcdondalds Aces....

Dai Vernon's Inner Secrets has a nice version of this. I also like the ace assembly with the braue addition. Darwin Ortiz (Designing Miracles) uses that as a nice example of timing in magic and how the real magic happens long before the spectator even thinks anything has begun.

On Sankeys Revolutionary Card Magic there is a version of this called Masons Aces which is a version which is both (pretty much) self working, is done mostly by the spectator and is a killer.

I saw Darwin Ortiz do it for a layman once. I cannot put my hand on my heart and say it was a good job. Too long, too slow paced and too much talk. His book on theory (Strong Magic) is wonderful but I do get a feeling he does not have the ability to practice what he preaches.

mark lewis wrote:I saw Darwin Ortiz do it for a layman once. I cannot put my hand on my heart and say it was a good job. Too long, too slow paced and too much talk. His book on theory (Strong Magic) is wonderful but I do get a feeling he does not have the ability to practice what he preaches.

That is interesting. I love his books!

I have only read one of his books. Strong Magic is excellent and I think I agree with nearly everything in it except for his advice on hecklers which mainly consists of ignoring them and as a last resort saying "this is what happens when cousins marry!"

I did get a clue in Strong Magic that he didn't practice what he preached when I read some of his long winded patter there. However by and large I think the book is excellent reading and I don't agree with the people who panned it in print and elsewhere.

As an aside I well remember old Murray the escape artist saying to me once "American magicians are so long winded". I am afraid that I have indeed noticed that in quite a few cases. Showmanship does not necessarily mean 6 words where one will do. Perhaps this is why David Blaine is a refreshing change. His complete lack of presentation is superb presentation in itself.

I can recommend Designing Miracles. It is really great on timing, misdirection, why we do things, etc.

I find my Brown a bit long winded, but I try to keep to the point (speaking as an American )

iv had this for about a year now, and about 5months in Black Tiger format... but im in need of replacements... does anyone know where would supply them, as i dont really intend on buying the DVD again, or another pack of gaffs... any suggestion? please?

I doubt you'll get the individual gaffs needed in Balck Tiger, unless you buy a complete new BT Gaff deck.

If you're happy to compromise, I'm pretty certain cards4magic.co.uk have the required cards, available individually.

I'd just like to pipe up and recommend a presentation of this effect called The Three Stooges, which uses volunteers and has them do all the work. It's very entertaining and knocks spectators sideways. A nice side-effect of having the specs do the handling is that they don't seem to suspect the cards.

The effect is by (very clever) British magician Jack Parker and has appeared in Antinomy and - I think - an issue of Magic in which he featured. If you're performing for a crowd this is a great presentation.

This is probably my favourite ace assembly using gaffed cards. Arnaud Chevrier does a superb version fo MA which is a joy to watch. His handling is spot on and his sleight of hand verges on the supernatural.

Saw John Lenahan perform this the other night. He first produced the four aces using a slip-slop shuffle, and then did the vanishes and assembly. It was really nice! It is a classic for a reason.

Try using only two gaff cards instead of three. The first vanish is done with a split Elmsly count, The second cne can be of standard vanishes and the third I use the Stanley Collins Vanish. They see the front and the back of the last ace before it vanishes. In one of the early Kabbalas by Ruchenbaumer is a non gimmick version called Sleeper Aces. Well worth a look.
Regards
Al