This short but sneaky version of the Cups and Balls is a good way to get acquainted with the essential handling and presenting of this classic of magic.

Although the following is designed as an introduction to Cups and Balls for the student of magic, it is a complete and audience tested performance piece as well. Ron Bauer has used this act since the very beginning of his magic career, and it is as amusing to the public now as it was back then. You can use it sitting or standing. With the main version of the trick, you never go to your pockets. And, that's just one of the reasons the angles used are so safe.

Although this technique takes more than a dozen pages to explain, this entire presentation runs fewer than two minutes. It's slick and quick. You'll have a lot of fun performing it. And, your audiences will, too.

Cups and Balls Principles Covered:

• Secretly Substituting a Duplicate
• Keeping a ball hidden in a cup as you place it mouth down onto the table
• Applying a rhythmic pattern for style
• Occupying the holdout hand to avoid suspicion
• Surreptitiously making the final load Innovative Approach