GREAT SCOTT’S TABLE-HOPPING CUPS AND BALLS ROUTINE

Introduction
The Cups and balls is probably the most-performed effect in magic’s long history. However, it
is rarely seen by the public these days, especially by table-hopping close up performers. This is
largely due to the “bulky” nature of the effect—there are a lot of props for the standard 3-cup,
3-ball routine with final loads. Table-hopping magicians aren’t willing or able to dedicate so
much precious pocket space to one effect. I developed this routine so that I could present this
outstanding classic effect to my audiences without having to give up so much pocket space. The
performing space required is also minimal (especially compared to the space required for a
standard 3-cup routine)—about 6” by 10”.

A routine with two cups and (apparently) one ball, this is inspired by Gary Ouellet’s The Two
Goblets. In addition to significantly fewer props, by eliminating one cup and two balls I feel
that the routine is easier for the audience to follow—there is more clarity of effect. Here are
some other nice features of this routine.

•

It is relatively brief.

•

It can be done standing.

•

It can be performed surrounded.

•

There are no false transfers.

•

There is no sleeving or topiting.

•

It resets quickly and easily.

Requirements and preparation:
In my table-hopping work (which is, after all, what this routine was designed for), I use the
miniature two-inch combo cups, available from Bob James’ Magic Shop (www.
bobjamesmagic.com, or phone: [phone]). At only 2” high and 1-5/8” at the mouth, these
take up very little room, and are still highly visible even at very large tables. For the final loads,
I use the silicone balls from my Fakini multiplying billiard balls, two white and one yellow
(available from most dealers). They fill the cups perfectly.

You can, of course, use standard sized cups and large loads, but this will be at the expense of
using significantly more pocket space. The props shown in the photos are the mini cups set and
Fakini balls.

So, from a combo cups and balls set, you will need the
chop cup (CC), one regular cup (RC), the magnetic ball
(MB) and one regular ball (RB). Also required are three
final load balls, preferably two of the same color (SCL)
and one different color (DCL).

You will also need an opaque handkerchief and a magic
wand.

All the props are shown in photo 1.

Photo 1

Place the MB in the CC and the RB in the RC. Nest the
RC into the CC, then stuff the handkerchief into the RC
above the RB (photo 2). Put the nested cups in the
drawstring bag that came with the cups.

Place the two SCL in your left pants pocket, the DCL in
your right pants pocket, and the wand in your inner
breast coat pocket.

You should be performing this routine on some type of
close up pad .or a thick tablecloth, or you can use the
drawstring bag as your performing surface.

Method and performance
Begin by introducing the props. Bring out the wand, dis-
play it and then set it on the table to your far right. Dis-
play the drawstring bag. Open it, remove the nested
cups, and place the bag aside, off of the pad.

Remove the handkerchief from the top cup and remark
that you won’t need it until later as you place it in your
left pants pocket.

With your left hand, pick up the nested cups and dump
the RB into your right hand. Place the RB at the center
of the pad.

Hold the nested cups in your palm up left hand so that
the mouth of the RC faces straight ahead toward the au-
dience, as in photo 3. Grasp the CC at its center with
your palm down right hand (photo 4).

Perform Gary Ouellet’s “Cenotaph Illusion”: Simultane-
ously pivot the left hand palm down and the right hand
palm up (photo 5), causing the cups to rotate 180 de-

grees in opposite
directions,
where they nest
again with the
mouth of the CC
facing you
(photo 6).

Reverse the pro-
cedure to bring
the cups back to
starting position.

Photo 2

Photo 3

Photo 4

Photo 6

Photo 5

Explain that each cup can nest within the other. This
Cenotaph Illusion implicitly “proves” the cups are
empty. It seems very fair, because the audience subcon-
sciously thinks they have seen both cups inside and out.

Hold the nested cups briefly in your right hand (photo
7), so that your left hand can regrip the RC (photo 8).
Separate the cups, their mouths downward (photo 9).

Lightly set the CC (which is in your right hand and has
the MB clinging
inside) on the
table over the
RB (photo 10).
Move the cup
slowly in a flow-
ing counter-
clockwise circle
of about a four-
inch diameter.
Lift the CC off
the ball and
move it about

six inches to the

right of the RB,
setting it down
firmly to dis-
lodge the MB
(photo 11).

Set the RC (still
held in your
palm down left
hand) over the
RB and move it
in a clockwise
circle (photo
12).

Lift the RC and
take the RB with
your right hand
and set it atop
the CC, as de-
picted in photo
13.

Photo 7

Photo 8

Photo 9

Photo 10

Photo 11

Photo 12

Photo 13

Now place the RC in your left hand onto the CC, nest-
ing the cups with the ball between them (photo 14) .

Pick up the wand with your right hand as your left hand
slides the nested cup s to center and moves them in a
clockwise circle (photo 15). Wave the wand over the
cups, tap the top cup with the wand and then return the
wand to its former resting place.

Do the “Tip-off Move,” credited to Herb Morrissey. In
case you aren’t familiar with this move, here is a brief
description: Hold the CC near the rim with your left
hand. With your right hand, tip the top cup forward
(photo 16), letting its rim scrape across the bottom cup
and dragging the ball off into the tipped cup (photo 17).

Set the RC (with the RB inside) mouth down on the ta-
ble about three inches to the right of the CC. Lift the CC
with your left hand to reveal the MB (photo 18), creat-
ing the illusion that the ball penetrated through the cup.
Pick up the MB with your right hand and set it on the
RC, as in photo 19.

Photo 14

Photo 15

Photo 17

Photo 19

Photo 16

Photo 18

As your right hand obtains the wand, your left sets the
CC on the RC and slides the nested cups in a circle
(photo 20). Wave the wand over the cups and tap the
top cup.

Lift the CC with your left hand (carrying away the
MB—photo 21) and table it to the left firmly enough to
dislodge the MB. As your left hand carries out this ac-
tion, the right hand replaces the wand so it can pick up
the RC to reveal the RB (photo 22).

Pick the ball up
with your left
hand and set it
on the CC. Your
right hand then
picks up the RC
and sets it on the
CC, as shown in
photo 23. As
you reach for the
wand with your
right hand, slide

the nested cups

to center with
your left and cir-
cle them as be-
fore (photo 24).

Wave the wand
and set it aside.
Do the Tip-off
Move, but this
time, table the
cup (with the ball
secretly inside)
about six inches
to the right
(photo 25).

Pick up the CC
by the rim with
your left hand to
reveal the third
penetration
(photo 26).

Photo 20

Photo 21

Photo 22

Photo 23

Photo 24

Photo 25

Photo 26

Allow the CC to pivot mouth up in your left hand, as
shown in photo 27. Pick up the ball with your right
hand and drop it in the cup.

Grasp the bottom of the CC with your palm up right
hand and let go of the cup with your left (photo 28).
Cover the mouth of the cup with your palm down left
hand (photo 29). Keeping the cup trapped between your
palms, turn both wrists to the left so the CC is mouth
down (photo 30). Move your hands and the cup down as

one unit until the
back of the left
hand contacts
the table at a
point about 6” to
the left of the
RC (photo 31).
As your right
hand continues
to grip the cup,
slide your left
hand out from
under it (photo
32). Release the
right hand’s grip
and show both
hands clearly
empty (photo
33).

Photo 27

Photo 29

Photo 31

Photo 33

Photo 32

Photo 30

Photo 28

Pick up the wand. Lightly tap the CC and then move the wand in a rainbow arc over to the RC
and tap it. Set the wand aside. Lift the CC with the left hand—no ball! (photo 34) Lift the RC
with the right hand—ball! (photo 35)

Replace the CC at center, dislodging the MB. Move the RC off to the right front and set the RB
on top of it (photo 36).

Obtain the hanky from your pocket and drape it over the CC (photo 37). With the left hand,
move the RB from the RC and set it on the covered CC (photo 38). Place the RC on top with

your right hand
(photo 39).

Rest both hands
on your hips as
you comment
that the ball now
has to penetrate
both the cup and
the hanky.

Photo 34

Photo 36

Photo 38

Photo 35

Photo 37

Photo 39

Your left hand remains on your hip as you turn your
body slightly to the left. Your right hand picks up the
wand and does a wand spin or vigorous wave over the
cups. This gives you plenty of misdirection for your left
hand to dip into your pocket and obtain one of the SCL
balls.

Set the wand down and lift the RC with your right hand.
As you do, move the rim of the cup forward so that it
knocks the RB off the CC, sending it rolling forward as
you feign disappointment (photo 40). Meanwhile, as all
eyes follow the rolling RB, place the RC in your left
hand over the SCL (photo 41). Set the loaded cup on
the front left of the pad as all your attention is focused
on your right hand picking up the RB (photo 42).

Close your right hand into a fist around the RB. Turn
the fist knuckles up and work the RB into heel clip as
your left hand picks up the wand (photo 43). Push the
wand into your fist until your right hand is holding it at
about its center (photo 44). Slide your left hand along
the wand, past your right hand to the other end. As the

left hand passes
your right, drop
the RB onto the
left fingers
(photo 45).

Photo 40

Photo 43

Photo 45

Photo 42

Photo 41

Photo 44

Pull the wand from the right end out of the fist (photo 46) and tap the back of the fist and then
the CC. Set the wand down as the empty right hand opens (photo 47).

Your left hand, keeping the RB in finger palm, takes the hanky off the CC and stuffs it in your
pants pocket, where you release the ball with the hanky and grab the second SCL.

As the hand comes out of the pocket, your right hand lifts the CC to reveal the MB (photo 48).
Pass the cup to your left hand, loading it (photo 49), as your right hand picks up the MB. Set
the loaded CC on the pad to the right of the loaded RC (photo 50).

Pick up the wand in your left hand and openly put the
MB in your
pocket. Do not
remove your
hand from your
pocket. Explain
to Vandella that
you will make
the ball travel
from your
pocket under the
cup of her

choice.

Meanwhile, your
right hand (still
in the pocket)
has released the
MB and ob-
tained the DCL.

Tap the wand
against your
pant leg and then
against the cho-
sen cup. Place
the wand aside.

As your left
hand reaches for
the selected cup,
bring the right
hand out of the
pocket with the
DCL. Lift the
cup, showing the
SCL (photo 51).

Photo 48

Photo 51

Photo 47

Photo 50

Photo 46

Photo 49

Under cover of the audience reaction to the revealed
large ball, pass the cup to the right hand, loading it
(photo 52), and table it front and center as the left hand
lifts the other cup to reveal the other SCL (photo 53).

Nest the empty cup onto the loaded one (photo 54).

Pick up the wand, do a spin with it and then use it to tip
over the nested cups, revealing the DCL for the climax
(photo 55—audience view)!

Set the wand
down horizon-
tally behind the
cups and final
loads for a nice
display (photo
56—audience
view).

To reset, put
both hands into
your pockets as
the audience is
reacting to the
final loads. The
left hand finger
palms the RB,
the right the
MB. Bring your
hands out and
take the RC in
the left, the CC
in the right

(photo 57). As

you pivot the
cups mouth up,
drop the balls
inside (photo
58).

Photo 52

Photo 54

Photo 56

Photo 58

Photo 57

Photo 55

Photo 53

Hold the cups mouth up and clink them together in a
toasting motion (photo 59) as you thank your audience.

Drop the left cup into the right and hold the nested pair
in your right hand. Remove the hanky from your left
pocket and stuff it into the RC. Put the cups into the
drawstring bag and close it. Put the two SCL in the left
pocket and the DCL in the right pocket and you’re reset!

Final comments
I think you’ll really enjoy this routine. It has a nice flow,

there are no “dead spots,” all the loads are motivated and

it’s very easy! Try it out and see if you don’t agree.

Photo 59