'Double X'

The first magic prop purchase I ever made was a hot rod and a set of sponge balls by Gosh. Funny how after all these years, the sponges balls have always stayed in my performances, both close up and platform.

Always wishing the best,
Adam White

I did the floating dollar bill - can't get enough of people's reactions.
Followed by the invisible deck and stripper deck effects.

I'm not sure the name of the effect, but getting a spectator to select a card, control it to the top and do a slip-cut revelation in the process of throwing the deck from one hand to the other. Great illusion that really surprises people.

Professor's Nightmare.

=) It's a classic. Takes a few minutes to master, and a couple more practices to make it better. And the ropes can be examined.

Invisible Deck. Still one of the favorites.

Elevator Jacks for me... My sister showed it to me YEARS AND YEARS ago!! Still do a version of it now, but with less set up and more sleight of hand.

Like so many others, the very first trick I ever bought was the Invisible Deck. Shortly thereafter, I learned my first card trick with regular cards: "Further Than That."

Its been so long ago (48 years!) that I can't recall my original source.(Possibly another magician.) However, I believe it appears in several publications today. (Someone out there might know and can advise Andrew.) This effect so impresses an audience that I still use it on occasions today as my opener. Goes to show you: Some of the simplest of things can have such a tremendous impact on an audience.

Description is a bit lengthly, so I won't attempt it here. If you happen to come across it, you won't be disappointed once you've tried it.

The first trick I ever learnt was "The Paddles".

This was shown to me by a Magician friend using a couple of knives and some tissue papar.......it absolutely floored me. I nagged him and nagged him till he got so fed up with me he made me a set of paddles out of cocktail stirrers. 25 years on and I still use it.

Chris

My first one was the Magic Coloring Book.

I still use it at schools although it now has become a full routine with a number of stages.

^ I like the coloring book too. It's simple to do but the effect is pretty amazing.

The other illusion I like is coin squeeze.

I started with the TT silk vanish. 20 years later I still carry one with me everywhere.

For me it was the trick with 7 cent pieces from the book "Magic for dummies":
7 cent are given into a spectators hand, but only 6 arrive there. I still like it very much, as it can be shown in any situation, can be repeated if you like, and wrapped up in a nice story this one really is fun for the audience.

My first tricks were a stripper deck and Scotch & Soda.

Dan.

Key card location. So simple. Soooo many presentation possibilities. You can be a card sharp, you can smell their card, you can read their mind, you can get it wrong and have them find it by spelling their card, their name, etc etc etc.

Always remember that if the effect is simple you can focus that much more on the presentation, the whys and wherefores.

Mine would have to be the savangeli deck

I'm liking the Do As I Do one right now- simple, and because of the spectator becoming the participant, it's good. I'm working on the chapstick caper right now and just can't wait until I have it down. Seems like an absolutely incredible effect, but I promise to dedicate practice before performance, lest I blow the trick and methodology.

Svengali Deck and Sponge Balls, and I still perform with both

Gray's Spelling Trick from Royal Road. Still one of my favorites. Simple magic at its best.

This is the one I was thinking, simple but effective and exciting for beginners.