Vernonesque #3: Three Times Daley

A simple, multi-phase approach to Dr. Daley's Last Trick.

Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐ (Intermediate)
Duration: ⏱️⏱️ (3-5 minutes)
Setup Time: 🎯 (Minimal to none)

Welcome to the third edition of Vernonesque, a regular Ruseletter column exploring Dai Vernon’s unique style and influential approach to magic. In this instalment, I’m sharing one of my favourite versions of Dr. Daley’s Last Trick, a card plot that Vernon propelled into the limelight when he included it in his book The Dai Vernon Book of Magic as a posthumous tribute to his close friend, Dr. Jacob Daley.

As you may know, I’m currently writing a book called Developing Daley, a book series solely dedicated to this particular trick. Once I’ve finished it, it will include over fifty variations of this classic card magic plot! You can read some of the content that will eventually end up in the books on my blog, Marty’s Bag of Tricks (you’ll also find some of the tricks that will feature in Developing Daley in other regular Ruseletter columns, such as Packet Trick Paradise #3: The Jaybird Jump).

I designed this particular variation to lengthen the transposition of the red and black Aces without deviating from the general theme of the plot (the Aces magically changing places). The structure of the final piece is very satisfying because each phase sets you up for the next one, and the magic becomes increasingly more visual and impressive as the routine progresses.

The trick only involves the four Aces, and I’ve put together a presentation that shares a little of the rich and quirky history of playing cards with your audience.

The Man, the Myth

Dr. Jacob Daley (1897-1954) was a Russian-born plastic surgeon who founded the American Otolaryngologic Society for Plastic Surgery. Despite being an amateur magician, he became one of the world’s greatest sleight-of-hand artists, with his work featured in the renowned Stars of Magic series. 🌟

Contrary to popular belief, “The Last Trick of Dr. Jacob Daley” wasn’t actually Dr. Jacob Daley’s final performance before his death. This enduring myth has fooled magicians for decades, even well-respected performers such as Michael Ammar!

On February 17th, 1954, Dr. Daley collapsed after performing at the Art Directors Club in New York and died from a pre-existing heart condition. His actual last trick was likely “The Cavorting Aces” or his version of “The Travellers”. The confusion stems from Dai Vernon, who named the trick in tribute to his friend after his death. It was the last effect Daley developed before dying, but it was not the one he performed. Vernon’s well-intentioned naming created the legend that persists to this very day.

This story perfectly illustrates Vernon’s deep respect for his fellow magicians and his role as one of magic’s greatest chroniclers and preservationists.

Learn Three Times Daley

I’ve written up the trick and published it to a hidden page on my blog, so that you can learn it today. If you already know how to perform multiple turnovers and an Elmsley Count, you’ll pick this one up in no time at all.

What makes “Three Times Daley” so special is its escalating structure—true to Vernon’s philosophy that each phase of a routine should build upon the last. The first phase establishes the premise with a simple switch of the two black Aces, the second phase amplifies the impact by showing one of the cards face-up throughout, and the final phase delivers maximum impact with a completely impossible transposition that happens right under the nose of the spectator.

The routine also embodies Vernon’s preference for naturalness over flashy displays—every move serves the magic, nothing is wasted, and the method remains completely invisible when performed correctly.