Shift by Mark Elsdon

The performer shows eight cards – the four Kings and the four Aces. The four Kings are cleanly placed into his right pocket. The four remaining cards, the Aces, are counted to show there really are just the four cards. Instantly and with no funny moves the eights turn into the kings! All cards are counted – still just four!

The performer now reaches into his right pocket and removes one of the Aces. Then another. When he reaches in for the third, however, his pocket is empty. The performer explains that the Aces are unreliable and sometimes jump into his left pocket. Sure enough, one at a time he removes the third and fourth Aces.

“Would you like to see that again?” asks the performer. Immediately the performer spreads the eight card packet and there are only four cards – the Aces! The Kings have vanished. He drops the Aces onto the table and cleanly reaches with empty hands into his pockets. There are two Kings in each. He drops them on the table and all eight cards may be examined.