One of the best experiences I’ve had in getting back into magic is studying with the world’s greatest magicians.

See the picture below, back in 2007, with the brilliant Lennart Green, world champion and the remarkable Roberto Giobbi, the fantastic author and teacher . . . considered two of the greatest in history. Over a few days in Las Vegas, we workshopped, learned, and sharpened our closeup card magic . . . . today, one of the most popular forms of magic.

Finding magic again, after a short (30 year) break, I quickly decided to focus only on ten—not eleven—of history’s greatest card effects. Over the years, working with magic’s legendary magicians and teachers—Howie Schwarzman, Johnny Thompson, Jeff McBride—I’ve sometimes convinced, or fooled, each of them that I was a great “Cardman.”

Good thing they did not ask me to show them an “eleventh” card effect . . . .

So . . . . here’s my own “Greatest Ten” Card Effects of all time along with teachers and/or creators . . . and ask me to show you one of these at our next Washington Magic…

1. Poker of the Mind (Ross Johnson)
2. Anniversary Waltz (Garret Thomas)
3. Card Manipulation (Channing Pollock, Tony Clark, Jeff McBride)
4. Matching the Cards (Nate Leipzig, Dai Vernon, Johnny Thompson)
5. Travelers (Dai Vernon, Johnny Thompson, Jeff McBride)
6. 13 At Dinner (Eugene Burger, Max Maven, Jeff McBride)
7. Card Warp (Eugene Burger, Jeff McBride)
8. Poker Deal (Lennart Green)
9. Ambitious Card (Tommy Wonder, Jeff McBride)
10. Out of Sight Out of Mind (Dai Vernon, Johnny Thompson)

—David