Throughout this year-long course, Dani DaOrtiz guides you through the card magic of Hofzinser—the legendary 19th-century card magician who has inspired generations of performers.
"The Ace Problem" is the most popular of Hofzinser's classic card problems. Over the years, countless magicians have tackled this trick, and it has never failed to elicit amazement. A freely chosen card swaps places with an Ace of the same suit. In the eighth lesson, Dani shares the solution to this incredible routine.
Here is what happens:
1. The spectator removes the Aces from the deck and spreads the deck face-up. They freely select a card and show it to everyone.
2. The Aces are handed to another spectator, while the chosen card is shuffled back into the deck.
3. The spectator is told that the chosen card will influence the Aces. The name of the card is announced, and when the spectator spreads the Aces, the single Ace matching the suit of the named card is found face-up.
4. The deck is spread, revealing—impossibly—only one face-up card; yet, when the spectator looks through the spread, their own card is nowhere to be seen.
5. Both face-up cards are turned over, revealing an impossible transposition: the Ace and the chosen card have swapped places!
"The Ace Problem" is a classic routine that magicians have used for decades to showcase their creative skills. In this lesson, Dani explores naturalness in new and exciting ways, teaching the art of seeing through the spectator's eyes to elevate your magic to new heights of impossibility. Additionally, Dani teaches interesting palming and transfer techniques—methods that might seem daunting to beginners but are actually surprisingly easy and fully explained. This lesson will boost your confidence in sleight of hand. If you wish to develop your own routines, this lesson also offers an in-depth look at why Dani selects these specific techniques to ensure his tricks appear natural and highly impactful.
Remarkably, this routine uses no gimmicks and is performed with a completely examinable deck! "The Hofzinser Project" with Dani DaOrtiz is a year-long course where you discover a new trick or problem from the legendary Viennese card magician each month. Dani’s FISM award-winning philosophy on card magic is shared with you in complete detail. The lessons have begun, and your instructor, Dani DaOrtiz, is here to explore the finest examples of card magic with you in The Hofzinser Project.
To view all the tricks in this series, visit the "Hofzinser Project COMPLETE" page by Dani DaOrtiz.
