Approaching Magic

2008
Written by David Regal
Work of David Regal
506 pages (Hardcover), published by Blue Bikes Production
Illustrated with photographs
Language: English
136 entries
This publication has been reviewed by
Cover photograph
Creators Title Comments & References Page Categories
Michael Weber Foreword
1
David Regal Introduction
5
A Deck of Cards
9
David Regal Flight Attendants sandwich with Queens is lost in deck, the three-card sandwich appears on the table on the side
Related to 11
Lin Searles Autobreak uncredited
 		12
David Regal Secret Table Ditch cards from bottom of one half are secretly dropped onto table under misdirection, reminiscent of “Highland Hop”
 		14
David Regal The 5280 Opener Aces are produced and changed to Kings
 		16
David Regal Misdirection Card Production card appears on table in full view with time misdirection
Related to 18
David Regal Context
20
David Regal Off Beat Aces spectator cuts deck into four piles, performer takes top cards, then shows then one by one and replaces them face up onto the piles, with quadruple pick-up
  • The No-Crimp Version
 		22
David Regal Stand-Up Showdown in-the-hands topsy-turvy Kings, with indicator-card countdown for last King, Kings change to Aces as finale
 		26
Behind the Spread Cull
27
Henry Christ Christ Twist
27
Tenkai Ishida Tenkai Revolve
27
Dick Koester Consistent Reverse Double Undercut using Injog
Also published here 31
Slip Cut Production fast slip cut to produce card face up on the deck
 		33
David Regal Going and Gone two phase assembly, first normal and then the Aces change to Kings
 		35
Chris Kenner Forfourfor brief
 		37
Ken Krenzel Pressure Hideout
40
David Regal Never There Aces Aces are lost and produced, then Ace Assembly, faro
Inspired by 42
Piet Forton Pop Out Sequence top card produced in pop-out configuration, not traditional version
 		44
David Regal The Automatic Computerized Deck with Spell-Check four selections are lost, all Aces are spelled to, they change into selections, Aces are reproduced
  • The Overhand Shuffle Approach
  • The Bottom Deal Approach
 		48
David Regal Goodwill
53
David Regal Getting to Know You two signed cards ("name tags") transpose to match the spectator who signed it
Variations 55
David Regal Reverse Sequence involving cut and one-handed fan
 		56
Edward Marlo Curry Turnover Change Variation
58
David Regal Hidden Powers spelling answers to yes/no questions leads to an Ace, then spectator cuts to one, Triumph for final Ace
 		60
David Regal Right & Wrong selection transposes with four Aces
 		63
Strip-Out Steal bottom card pushed back before strip-out
 		64
Wesley James Coming Up in the World
Related to 64
David Regal False Count with Turnover cards pulled into left hand from right-hand end grip and flipped over, involving pulling top and bottom simultaneously and fake turnover
 		65
David Regal, The Amazing Adam King Back spectator places two Kings on the deck, selection instantly appears between them, followed by two-for-one transposition à la Kickback
Inspired by 68
Father Cyprian Quick Change
73
David Regal Conditions & Impact
77
David Regal Cocoa cups and balls routine with two coffee mugs and marshmallows, liquid production (cocoa) as finale
 		83
David Regal Luck
  • Part One - Cutting the Deck (Cut-to-High-Card effect)
  • Part Two - Color Sensitivity
  • Part Three - The Ten Card Poker Deal
 		97
David Regal A Hook Up a thread hook-up system, attached to close-up mat
  • The Thread
  • A Myth
  • Another Myth
  • The Truth
  • Another Truth
  • The Hook-Up
 		111
David Regal Not Quite Dead animated bill, first on close-up pad, then in clear mug
 		116
David Regal The Haunted Pack using his hook-up method
 		124
Remuneration
127
David Regal Visual Magic
129
David Regal Consolidation four borrowed quarters placed in fold of one-dollar bill, they vanish and bill is now a two-dollar bill, with lighter
Related to 131
David Regal An Attractive Vanish gimmick made with magnets
Inspired by 136
David Regal A Quiet Good-Bye silent vanish of multiple coins, magnetic gimmick on thread
 		142
David Regal Brass-Ackwards routine for copper-silver-brass set
 		147
David Regal Restored Credit broken and restored credit card
 		154
David Regal The Money Cup Mini Chop Cup routine with rolled-up bill, coins appear
 		159
David Regal Strolling Abroad routine for copper-silver-brass set, with purse
 		165
Retention Vanish brief
 		169
David Regal Laptop Printer paper pieces, one visually changes to money as hand strokes over it
 		173
David Regal Paper Money blank piece of paper is printed as a bill, visually changes to money as hand strokes over it
 		176
More Than a Deck of Cards
183
David Regal Illusion vs. Reality
185
David Regal Scratched scratch one-way marks
  • Other Avenues (uses for one-way face marks)
 		188
David Regal Ad Space spectator selects card, it is the only card that is not an advertisement card
 		193
David Regal Character
197
David Regal The Curiously Strong Nest of Boxes folded signed card to nest of two in canisters
Inspired by 200
A Card at a Number
203
David Regal The Fifty-Fifty Deck half forcing deck
 		203
David Regal Doubly Stuck
207
David Regal Satan's Sandwich signed card cleanly appears between two tabled Jokers, thread
 		209
Jonathan Levit Sanitized For Your Deception comedy routine, signed card to package of moist towelette
 		213
Bottom Card Bubble Peek buckle bubble of bottom card of face-up deck
 		215
Mercury Fold quarters
 		216
David Regal, Armando Lucero A Conversation With Armando Lucero
221
Mentalism
231
David Regal Window Replacement writing on business card that is placed into two envelopes is divined, window envelope
 		233
David Regal Thinking Ahead three predictions in three numbered plastic boxes
 		238
David Regal Medicinal Value card predicted engraved on necklace of performer, "Allergic to the Four of Clubs"
 		243
Trevor Lewis Swing Cut Force Swindle riffle stop and swing cut at stopped-at position, out-jogging top card of bottom half, discrepant
Also published here 244
David Regal Will the Socks Match? order matching with five pairs of socks in individual cardboard boxes with Ramasee
Inspired by 246
David Regal Equiv-o-Cash made-up story is predicted
 		254
David Regal One Thing Happens
259
David Regal Hotel 52 equivoque selection process, single prediction
Inspired by 261
David Regal Simpatico selection lost, another spectator stops at the selection during dealing, twelve duplicates and convincing displays
Inspired by 265
David Regal 312 numbered flaps on envelopes are switched
Variations 271
Spectator's Peek spectator pushes deck open
 		273
David Regal 312.5 slit in numbered envelopes
Inspired by 279
David Regal The Impossible Envelope answers to three A/B questions predicted in envelope, eight outs
 		288
David Regal Porn in Your Pants three DVDs are placed into three pockets by spectator, distribution divined and also predicted
Inspired by
  • "Vi$a Cabaret" (Stephen Tucker, marketed)
 294
David Regal Special Bulletin
299
David Regal The Harlequin Book Test with nine paperback books, invisible dice, crib
 		306
David Regal Finding Moments
315
Packet Magic
321
David Regal Packet Tricks on packet tricks
 		323
David Regal, Oscar Weigle Royal Jazz Quartet transformation kicker
 		324
Edward Marlo Olram Subtlety
326
David Regal Jewel Thief Ace to Four of Diamonds transpose one by one with four black cards
  • The No-Extra-Card Version
Inspired by 329
Noel Stanton Pivot Change
336
David Regal The Eye Exam red-backed cards are repeatedly switched with a blue card from a blue packet and travel back, one of the packet changes to green at the end
 		339
David Regal A Progressive Swindle
Inspired by 344
David Regal Oil Slick 3&3, extra
Inspired by
  • Stuart Judah routine
 349
David Regal Not My Last Trick red and black Aces transpose, then cards become blank one by one
 		356
David Regal Raising Kane advanced handling for standard Wild Card set
 		362
Brother John Hamman Hamman Count
363
One-Handed Bottom Deal from small packet
 		364
David Regal Self-working Magic
369
Liquid Refreshment
375
David Regal Amstel Heavy large full beer glass produced behind menu, starts stuck in trousers, no jacket required
 		377
David Regal A Drinking Problem from paper bag
Related to 381
David Regal The World's Greatest Invention full glass of beer vanishes and reappears with bamboo mat, string
Inspired by
  • "Chinese Egg Bag" (Joe Karson, marketed)
 387
Our Secret
397
David Regal Storytelling and Magic
399
David Regal Change for a Five all three cards change at the end
 		400
David Regal Exhibit A red-backed card (marked with Exhibit sticker on its back) placed on table in beginning turns out to be later signed selection
Also published here 405
David Regal See-Through Monte two-card monte followed by transposition of large hole from card to card
 		409
David Regal Scripting
  • The Premise
  • Intent
  • The Impossible
  • Method Last
  • Performers and Collaborators
  • The End of the Line
Related to 419
David Regal The Puppy Trick puppy drawn on card as presentation for Ambitious Card plot, with roped deck climax
 		432
Gilles Couture Swivel Cut Control double cut substitute
Also published here 433
Three-Piece Band
443
David Regal Fear
445
David Regal The Power of Love borrowed ring placed in jewelry box, mixed with other boxes for monte situation, found again in separate box isolated in glass jar
 		447
David Regal A Distant Ring borrowed ring vanishes and appears in small box, larger presentation with spectators on stage, loading by sliding ring on thread into box behind volunteers on stage
 		453
David Regal Ring Switch with stick
 		457
David Regal In Darkness borrowed ring penetrates wooden stick behind two hinged panels
Inspired byRelated to 461
Michael Weber Presentation for "In Darkness" borrowed ring penetrates wooden stick behind two hinged panels
Related to 464
David Regal Method and Effect
467
Sleights with Cards
469
David Regal A Control packet from center transferred to top during swing cut actions
 		471
A One-Hand Half Pass
473
David Regal The One-Hand Turnover Half Pass for small packet, see following items for applications
 		473
David Regal The Toss Pass bottom two cards of three-card sandwich are turned over to affect change of sandwiched card
Variations 476
David Regal A Double Change two selections lost in deck, sandwich with three blank cards, center card changes into selection, then into the other selection
Variations 477
David Regal An Isolated change three face-up cards, center one transforms
Inspired by 480
Fingertip Flushtration Count Handling without end grip
 		480
David Regal A Double Isolated Change two selections lost in deck, sandwich with two blank cards between two Jokers, blank cards change into selections
Inspired by 481
David Regal An Oil & Water 3&3, five double facers, one-handed half pass application
 		482
David Regal The Follow the Leader Switch
488
David Regal The Galileo Switch
Inspired by 490
David Regal The No-Switch Switch one deck hides behind a prop at the start, other deck is pocketed and left there, "forgotten deck"
Inspired by 493
David Regal A Fan of Herrmann's fan cover
 		496
Doing Nothing
498
David Regal Ninety Degrees in the Shade
Inspired by 498
Don England Pulling a One-Eighty
501
David Regal In Conclusion
503
David Regal With Thanks
505
Data entered by Denis Behr, October 2025.