Michael Close is a performer, creator, teacher, raconteur, and reviewer. Now is your chance to see Michael's magical masterpieces performed by the originator. Shot in front of a wildly enthusiastic audience, using three cameras, every performing nuance has been captured. All the material has been routined into sets, so your non-magician friends can enjoy the show. Following the performance, Michael sits down with friends Michael Ammar and Eric Mead, and thoroughly explains every effect. Some of this information has never appeared in print and is being released for the first time. If you're looking for material which will completely baffle and entertain the most discriminating audience, look no further. These effects may not be genuine miracles, but they're...very...very...close.

The Invisible Deck - You know the effect of this classic trick: a freely named card is the only face-down card in a face-up deck. But when you watch the performance, you're going to get fooled. Using routines by Bruce Cervon, Allan Ackerman, and Steve Beam as a starting point, Michael has produced a streamlined handling which uses an ordinary deck of cards. Magicians around the world have speculated about this trick. Now you'll learn all the work.

The Smiling Mule - A classic by Roy Walton. Michael has eliminated the one bad "moment" in the trick, and the results are staggering. Suitable for close-up or stand-up, this routine has been a mainstay in the repertoires of many top card men.

The Ooh-Ah Bird - Give your fingers a rest. Here's the perfect trick if you have to perform for children in a restaurant. The routine is simple, colorful, funny, mysterious, and the child takes an origami figure home as a souvenir. Plus, you'll learn some new work on the venerable Cross-the-Cut Force. If you're new to card magic, this is the perfect trick for you.

The Pothole Trick-This is the big one. One of the most talked about tricks in magic, and one of the most baffling. There are lots of "moving hole" tricks out there, but none have the impact and the memorability of The Pothole Trick. If you could really move holes, this is how it would look. Plus, the spectators take home your business card in an impossible condition. Even if magic isn't your profession, if you hand out business cards, The Pothole Trick will make you money. This is one of Michael's most prized routines, and this is the first time the method has been revealed.