Effect: A favorite effect of Nate Leipzig, yet Gary’s method is revolutionary in that there’s not a pin, thread or wire loop, or even a magnet employed.

Cards are placed onto the magician’s palm in a circular pattern. The hand is slowly turned over and the cards mysteriously cling, as though magnetized, to the magician’s palm. When the magician desires, all of the cards immediately drop from the palm to the table.

Next on my list are Gary Plants’ two new card tricks, “The Impossible Close-up Rising Card,” and “The Magnetized Cards” (Marketplace November 2000). I’ve been having a ball with these two tricks, performing them in the Houdini Lounge in the Monte Carlo Resort. The audience reaction leaves nothing to be desired. In fact, when I visited the Magic Castle one evening in late October, I discovered that stories about my performance of these two tricks had preceded me. I had several requests to perform these at the Castle. These are the best two card tricks of 2000. Nothing else even comes close.