02 Jan Tricky Magic Tricks
Tricky Magic Tricks
How a childhood magic kit turned into 28 years of professional close-up magic - the tricks, props and hard lessons that made me a magician.
There's something endlessly fascinating about a really tricky piece of magic - the coin that vanishes into thin air, the card that simply shouldn't be there. It grabs your curiosity and refuses to let go. It got me at ten years old, and 28 years later it still hasn't loosened its grip.
This isn't a list of quick tricks. It's the story of how I got here - the props I fell for, the routines I wore out, and the professional magic tricks that turned a childhood hobby into a career in close-up magic. If you just want simple tricks to start with, my easy magic tricks guide is the place to begin. This is the deeper end.
It started, like it did for so many magicians, with a Christmas present - a Paul Daniels magic kit. What follows is every trick, every prop and every teacher that shaped the way I perform today. Pull up a chair.
The Paul Daniels Kit
Like so many professional magicians, my plunge into magic began with a humble Christmas gift - a Paul Daniels magic kit.
At the time it looked like just another toy lost in the wrapping paper and mince pies. I had no idea this little box of tricks would become a lifelong obsession. It had everything a budding magician could dream of - coins, cards, and the kind of cups that make your parents regret buying them after two hours of practice at the dinner table.
People still ask how I got into magic. My go-to reply? "Oh, just a hobby that got out of control." And honestly, it has. What started with a dodgy cup-and-ball routine turned into late-night practice, living-room performances for reluctant family members, and eventually a career sharing this stuff with real, live audiences.
That simple kit didn't just teach me tricks - it flipped a switch. With a bit of sleight of hand and a lot of practice, I could make the impossible seem possible. Pretty addictive for a curious ten-year-old.
The Cups and Balls
The first trick that really stuck was the cups and balls - an ancient illusion, still a star turn in magic sets today, and for good reason.
Three cups, three balls. One by one, the balls pass through the cups, defying the laws of the universe - or at least the laws of a ten-year-old's understanding. The secret is clever sleight of hand, and it takes a surprising amount of practice. But at that age, it felt like casting actual spells.
I showed everyone who'd watch - Mum, Dad, the cat, Mum again - each performance delivered with the enthusiasm of a Broadway opening night. My fingers fumbled plenty, but the cups and balls taught me the magic of props, the value of practice, and the real secret of the whole business: the joy isn't in the trick, it's in the delight you bring the person watching.
The Svengali Deck
Cornwall - beaches, pasties and, as it turned out, market magic. On one busy market day I found a salesman with a crowd gathered round him in pure awe.
His weapon? The legendary Svengali deck - a trick deck so clever it lets an absolute beginner perform card miracles. Perfect for an eager eleven-year-old who just wanted to impress Nan enough to earn some pocket money (for further magical investments, obviously).
His ten-minute demonstration was pure sleight of hand and storytelling genius. I stood there, smug, certain I knew how it worked - and got a proper schooling in humility. I needed that deck. Spoiler: I got it.
A trick deck so clever it can turn a total beginner into a miracle worker.
Dynamic Coins
Lichfield isn't where you'd expect a magical revelation, but life surprises you. Mum dragged me to a computer shop, up a staircase, and into - of all things - a fancy dress department.
Then I spotted it: a glass cabinet glinting like a treasure chest, with a sign reading "Professional Magic Tricks." Any shred of teenage boredom vanished. The man behind it pulled out trick after trick, each more astonishing than the last - until the piece de resistance. The Dynamic Coins.
Five ten-pence coins that vanish, reappear and magically travel with every move. No trick needs less setup while delivering such jaw-dropping results. It made me feel unstoppable, and it went everywhere with me - tucked in a pocket, ready for an impromptu miracle whenever life got a bit mundane.
The Rubber Band
Ever spotted a professional magician wandering around with rubber bands looped over their wrist? There's a reason for that - they're a magician's unsung heroes.
With a little sleight of hand, these everyday office supplies become props of pure wonder. Some of the first tricks I ever performed used them, and I still perform a few today. The classic starting point is the Jumping Rubber Band: wrap it around two fingers, snap your hand shut, and it hops across to another pair. Basic - until you watch someone's eyebrows hit the ceiling.
Best of all, they're cheap. "Lost down the back of the sofa" cheap. For a thirteen-year-old whose ambitions far outstripped his pocket money, that made them a lifesaver. But they taught me more than economy - rhythm, misdirection and set-up, the core tools of any magician worth their salt.
Pickpocketing for Fun
At eighteen, magic hit a new level - I started booking paid gigs. At one of them I worked alongside another magician who happened to be a skilled pickpocket, casually lifting watches and wallets like it was nothing.
Naturally, I had to know his secret. His answer? A cheeky grin and a recommendation for a Chappy Brazil DVD on how to steal a watch. The disc was barely out of the envelope before it was spinning in the player, and Mum became my unwitting practice victim. "Put the watch on one more time..."
The technique wasn't the hard part - it was the nerve to do it live. My heart nearly launched out of my chest the first time, but when it worked, it was pure euphoria. Now it's one of my favourite things to perform. There's nothing quite like handing someone back their own watch with a grin.
13 Steps to Mentalism
By my late teens, magic wasn't just a hobby - it was my armour, my ticket to being cool, and my secret weapon. My latest obsession? Reading minds.
Not because I thought I could actually crack open someone's thoughts (you can't), but because the illusion of mind reading felt like the ultimate upgrade. Picture teenage me, deck in hand, trying to convince my nan I knew exactly which card she was thinking of - and my mates that I could read theirs. When it landed, the kid who used to dodge the bullies became the kid they steered clear of.
I needed a showstopper, though - something bigger than spinning cards. This was long before you could Google "how to read minds," so I wandered into a bookshop and struck gold: 13 Steps to Mentalism by Corinda. For anyone dabbling in mentalism, it was - and still is - a holy grail.
I devoured it. Subtle ways to gauge reactions, tricks to make a guess feel like divine insight. Corinda taught me it was never about flashy moves - it's about reading people, owning the room, and convincing them the impossible just happened right in front of them. Even Nan was impressed. Eventually.
Suddenly I wasn't the kid dodging the bullies - I was the kid they steered clear of.
The Card Masterclass
There's real magic in simplicity, especially with cards - and my love for card magic took a huge leap thanks to a stack of DVDs by the one and only Michael Ammar.
At the time I held my tricks like blunt instruments, hammering through each one - all "hey, look at this!" and no finesse. Watching Ammar was an awakening. His handling wasn't about flexing complex moves; he had a bewitching charm that made even the simplest routine feel like an elaborate spectacle.
That was the game-changer. Knowing the secret is only half the battle - anyone can learn a move with enough practice. Turning it into a moment of awe is where the real magic lives. Showmanship will always outshine flashy sleight of hand, and from then on I thought less about learning tricks and more about how to captivate and hold a room.
Twenty-eight years on from that Paul Daniels kit, the lesson hasn't changed: magic was never about the method. It's about how you make people feel. Learn the tricks, absolutely - but it's the connection that turns a clever move into a memory.
Rather watch a pro than learn the moves?
Twenty-eight years in and I still love it. If you'd rather sit back and let a professional baffle your guests at a wedding, party or corporate do, that's exactly what I do - 200+ five-star reviews, zero cheese.
