Top Change

David Williamson has a very invisible top change and does teach it well in this streaming video. I used to do the top change as described in Card College (good source too), and the best thing about David Williamson?s technique is that it has less movement of the thumb.



The section on motivation, timing and a practice tip had some thoughts worth considering. This section is especially valuable if you are new to the top change.



The first trick is a quick sucker effect?, which I think is nothing too special on its own, although I do use it as a part of another trick (David Stone?s Ghost? for the curious). The second trick is called Memory test? and is a great version of Be honest, what is it? (often called 2 card monte nowadays). The ending answers the question: where are the cards the spectator should be holding?? in a nice way.



Some might think the price is too high, but then again the price might be a little low for a lesson on the top change made from 33 years of experience. I am happy with my purchase and think my top change has improved a lot because of this streaming video!

This is a move that I had learned from other magicians in the past, but the problem has always been remembering every nuance they taught me as I was trying to remember finger positions and grips etc. Books don't do this move justice because there is so much involved with the timing of the Top Change.



This video offers a solution to both issues. I am not familiar with any other video teaching the Top Change, but I cannot imagine that there is a better alternative than a video taught by David Williamson himself. I have never had a conversation about the Top Change with any magician and not had the name David Williamson come up. He is a man that has worked every part of this move and understands it perhaps better than anyone.



The teaching is great, and while I already knew a great deal about the Top Change prior to my purchase of this OnDemand, I found loads of little things that greatly improved my Top Change.



The tricks taught in this OnDemand are alright, nothing special, but they were never meant to be. The utility move itself is well worth the price of the download and if you do purchase it I would suggest a copy of Mr. Williamson's book "Williamson's Wonders". It has several tricks that involve the Top Change and some that will blow your mind. The tricks taught here are more for you to have something right out of the gate to compliment your practice, but I am sure you will quickly find many uses for this move in routines you already do.



I would recommend this OnDemand to anyone regardless of skill level without hesitation.

Lots of useful stuff here. I am a huge fan of videos devoted to particular moves, as I think that the value of a deep understanding of a core sleight (like the top change) has more utility than a particular nifty routine. Videos like this one help you to expand your creativity by giving you a firm grasp of the possibilities and limitations of a particular move, encouraging you to incorporate them into original routines. I would love to see more videos of this sort, kind of a masterclass on how to develop and refine particular moves with thoughts for practice and potential applications.



The teaching in here is very strong, and identifies more than just where the fingers should be. Because so much of the top change is about timing and misdirection, the value here is in creating motivation and other psychological covers that help to make the move deceptive. This is David Williamson, and as such, the teaching jumps from idea to idea, but the video isn't so long that this becomes a real problem. Also, this is a fun and funny video that is full of "style", something that often disappears in instructional material. If you already use the Top Change, this is a great pickup, but if you don't know it or use it at all, I don't know if this is necessarily the place to start, as the focus is on refining rather than starting off.

Its rare for me to review anything I buy, but I need to tell you this download will change your card magic. The top change is so poorly performed and explained by almost everyone I've ever seen do it. David Williamson's download completely changed they way I think about the top change, and his flawless, undetectable execution is how ALL top changes should look.



The download was loaded with information and taught from only the best angles to learn with all of the subtlety and finesse this move requires. The tricks were not my style, but for learning the top change under fire I can see why he chose these two effects. One is a simple "sucker" style trick, to get comfortable performing the top change and mastering just the move. The other is a more complex routine but uses the top change more slyly. Overall, do yourself a favor (the worst line ever written), and pick up this download.

There are two methods for a top palm explained in this tutorial. One is the Vernon top palm. It is the way to palm one card from top of the deck. And the other is the Erdnase top palm. This is for palming several cards from the deck. These top palms are very essential in understanding the basics of palming. And most of the palms used in tricks are top palms. So, if you want to start out palming, this tutorial is your best choice.

Great lesson with excellent teaching!

Anything from this grand master magician, David Williamson, is worthy of study. This download is great as Dave breaks down the Top Change and teaches it with the utmost attention to detail. He literally leaves no stone unturned. In addition, he teaches two routines, one of which has already gone into my repertoire, and is great for walkaround, strolling magic. So you get all of the fine details of how to learn and perform the Top Change along with two routines that will help you master the Top Change. Highly recommended!!!

Excellent video! David Williamson goes over the traditional thinking behind the top change and then adds his wisdom and finesse to take it to the next level. The result is as smooth and deceptive as can be. In addition, his ideas about the motivation surrounding the top change are invaluable. The 2 terrific tricks shared at the end are just icing on the cake.

For me Dave’s instruction on the Top Change is the best. I’ve seen him perform it live and on tape so his instruction on the move firmly resonates with me.

Awesome explanation, Mr. Williamson takes his time to demonstrate and explain how it's done and explain several was to do it. Thank you Vanishing Inc and David Williamson for sharing. . .

Dave is just a master! He does the top change like no one else. The instructions are good and the tricks taught are very good as well. They will allow you to practice the change a lot while performing. That is the only way you eill get over the fear of getting caught doing the move. Worth the money without a doubt.

David Williamson explains all the subtleties of such a simple looking, but “feared” move in such a clear way that all you want to do is go out and try it.

David Williamson’s notes and touches on the Top Change are the sort of details that only many hundreds (if not thousands!) of hours of practise and performance can produce. Here he lays everything out on the table so that you too can perform this devastatingly deceptive move with confidence and finesse. Mr. Williamson goes into depth on all the finer points of the move and his own personal nuances that he has developed over the years. He also shares two effects which rely on the Top Change whilst also giving you plenty of opportunity to work on the move “under fire”. This is the real work on this fundamental card technique.

Brilliant little Masterclass from a Master. David is brilliant. Amusing and offers some lovely subtleties.
Great purchase for beginners like me or to polish your skills

I thought this video download from David Williamson was incredible. His top change is probably the closest top change I’ve ever seen to invisible. In the beginning he goes through the mechanics. His teaching was great. Then he went through two effects that he does with the top change. Free dessert, which is a fancy production of a card which changed into the spectators card. Then there is the Memory test, this is probably one of the best card magic pieces I’ve ever seen. In my opinion it completes Eddie Fecter’s Be Honest, What is it? I think by simply doing that first phase where the cards switch just adds a whole new level to the routine.

I liked the presentation. He clearly knows close-up magic. He mentioned three foundational skills in his video. Nice to know how various techniques are building blocks.

Very clear instructions and a good sense of humor. I will keep track of his name and the products associated with him.

David Williamson is, in my opinion, one of the most under-appreciated magicians of our time. His bumbling comedic persona belies the wit, creativity, and technical prowess of a master conjuror, and his work on the top change is second to none. Clear and concise explanation of his practical and refined innovative handling accompanies a wealth of valuable insight, history, and little-known ideas on this most powerful of moves, makes this a bargain and a half. If you want to improve your top change, this download is what you want.

Brilliant great the way he teaches makes it esy to follow and interesting

Poorly explained and shown. He talks about the "second finger just pops it out.." but he doesn't show how it's done. You can't see the move. He should have shown it in slow motion and exaggerate the move so you can see it. The tricks are great but showing the technique leaves a lot to be desired.

Il miglior top change in assoluto , grazie David williamson

A perfect download to learn the top change!
If you are at the begining of learning this move, David Williamson goes in great details on the basics of this move, so this can be a perfect place to learn it. If you already know how to do a top change, he gives great pieces of advice that will improve the way you do it.
The video quality, the sound and the teaching are excellent.

This is an exceptional tutorial on the top-change. There may be no better top-change teacher in the world than David Williamson. You receive a tutorial on the basics, the motivations for the movements, a couple of simple but high-impact effects, and an exceptional masterpiece called the Memory Test! Highly recommended!

David Williamson is one of the best teachers ever, so if I see anything of his I always am intrigued. For a move seemingly so simple, it's broken down in such a way that I even came away with more knowledge of it. His take on it is so refreshing and improves any top change that you might know.

Can't really ask for better than David Williamson teaching the top change unless he also happens to teach the memory test too. Great download.
17min video Williamson teaches his method for the top change which looks very nice. The real value in the download is the discussion of misdirection/timing/off beat as applied to the top change which is excellent and applies to any method for the top change you use and pretty much any card sleight.
Two tricks are taught. One a quick sucker trick which includes a great little centre Spinout flourish (also well taught) which I still can't do and Williamson accomplishes with insufferable insouciance every time. The second trick is one of the best versions of one of my favourite tricks.
Highly recommend. Can't get better.

Very useful advice from one of the masters for one of the most valuable (and clumsily-performed) moves in card magic. Practical considerations, psychological subtleties, and a couple of fun effects. Well worth the price.

Learning this sleight from possibly its greatest practitioner is a treat. Clear, concise explanations and demonstrations. It’s also nice to see the move in action (performance video). Highly recommended.

Clear and easy to follow tutorial with added details to help justify what you are doing in places. it will take a bit of practise to make this a smooth transition but well worth time and rewatching to pick up more and more details

This is an excellent video! David does a great job of not only explaining how to do the top change, but also when and why. Understanding the when and why is what truly make the top change so devastating.

Very very good

Really great, ego-free work on the top change. Just the right level of detail and the trick at the end is worth a lot more than $14!

This is such a fantastic sleight, and the handling from David Williamson is really GREAT!
For it is One of my Top 5 sleight in card magic. You can do a lot of routines using the TOP CHANGE from David!

Thomas van Büren Lenget
Sylt (Germany) the 23rd of April 2025

I bought this video years ago. It took some time to get the Dave’s method of the top change down. But this combined with the pinky count is amazing. I have been using both in combination with each other for a long time now (amongst other moves). The dessert bet on this video, or “bar bet” when I use it, has been awesome. I integrated it as part of one of my improve routines and it is a killer addition.

Very good video. Entertaining as well as informative.

His top change is absolutely the best. Unfortunately, I am very disappointed with the tutorial. He explains the crucial step is in the left hand and he explains it in about 1 minute. There is no slow motion. He doesn't slow it down. There is no over-the-shoulder view. He should have spent at least another few minutes really breaking down what the left hand is doing. He went over it so quickly and even as I re-watch it many times now, just can't get down what he is doing with the left hand. I went on youtube and looked at many tutorials and his is absolutely the best and pretty invisible. I guess I'll have to keep watching it and hopefully it will "click". I just wish I didn't have to put so much effort trying to decipher the details. I'm really shocked that this video has such great reviews. His top change is the best but the tutorial in one word is disappointing.

This is a great tutorial by a pro that has put in the time, but more importantly the thought on this seemingly simple move. This is the tutorial you want to get if you want to learn the top change and do it correctly and consistently. David does a great job explaining everything you need to know in this video.

Great stuff. David went over his top change briefly in his Penguin Live lecture - I wasn't sure if this would be redundant with that, but it's not. The way he moves the top card to the left to minimize thumb movement is beautiful and ingenious. The included trick, "The Memory Test", is lovely. And man he's funny.

Top(?!?!😉) notch tutorial on an essential card sleight. Plus insight, advice, and a cool routine to top(!) it off.