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: 630-833-8749). 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