Topping the Deck: The Perfect Move

In 1941, Dai Vernon changed the course of card magic forever with the launch of Select Secrets. While this pamphlet offered 12 different effects and sleights, there was one particular move that magicians would eventually dedicate their entire lives to studying. We are referring to “Topping the Deck”, and Jamy Ian Swiss is among the lifelong students of this iconic move who not only believe it is the best way to palm a single card from the top of the deck, but also the most perfectly-designed and choreographed move in magic.

Dr. Jacob Daley once famously noted that “every good trick has a discrepancy.” To paraphrase, there is no single core sleight of hand move in card magic—from the classic pass to the side steal or even double lift—that offers the perfect solution to the problem it’s designed to solve. That is, of course, except for Topping the Deck.

As Vernon once succinctly summarized in a letter to Sam Horowitz: “It approaches perfection as nearly as any move I know.”

Topping the Deck: The Perfect Move by Jamy Ian Swiss is a one-of-a-kind book dedicated to exploring Topping the Deck in the comprehensive level of detail it deserves. It features a lifetime’s worth of knowledge that can help magicians of all skill levels.

If you already use “Topping the Deck,” this book will help you uncover opportunities to improve your technique and make it the most powerful tool in your arsenal. If you’ve never studied the move, or palming in general, there is no better place to start.

Jamy learned from the greatest exponents of Topping the Deck; not only Vernon himself, but from his first line of expert protégés and exemplars of this particular technique, including Howard Schwarzman, Bob White, Harry Riser, and Johnny Thompson. In turn, he has been teaching this technique to private students, amateurs and professionals alike, for more than 35 years.

While Vernon’s original publication of the move was spread across just a few thin paragraphs, The Perfect Move covers every tiny nuance you could ever need. This includes the inspiration and origins of the move, the mechanics, and even finesses from Vernon’s aforementioned students. Jamy also offers a crystal-clear approach to identifying and overcoming common pitfalls. Simply plut, it’s everything you need to perfect The Perfect Move.

Unlike Vernon’s explanation, which had just one scant illustration, there’s also a plethora of photographs accompanying the detailed text. Everything is perfectly laid out across the 60 pages of this gorgeous softcover book.

“Topping the Deck” is one of the most important and powerful moves a card magican can learn. There’s no better way to master it than with The Perfect Move by Jamy Ian Swiss. This is a must-read for any serious student of card magic.

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Here’s what some of the pros are saying!

“I loved Topping the Deck: The Perfect Move! So well written – this is the Real Work on Dai Vernon’s invaluable and iconic sleight.” – Bill Malone

“Topping the Deck is a move that should be learned, and the perfect person to learn it from is Jamy Ian Swiss.” – David Regal

And here’s what no less than John Carney had to say:

“In this beautifully produced manuscript, Jamy leaves practically nothing to the imagination. By that, I mean he has provided all the technique and clues you will need to do this move properly, written in precise, poetic detail. But as Jamy suggests, after the fundamentals are mastered, the rest is up to the student’s imagination. He gently coaches us to continue to explore and discover, to seek out discrepancies and address them; to approach our study of sleight of hand, not just from a mechanic’s view, but from that of an interpretive artist. In this lovely tome, you will learn one of the most useful and impactful moves in magic ... with the help of an excellent teacher.” – John Carney