A big hurdle for beginner magicians is adding tricks that require sleight of hand. Doing self-working tricks or depending on gimmicks that do everything for you become a crutch and an obstacle to growing as an artist.

At the same time, when one tries to break free from that limitation, finding a trick that can produces satisfying results with just a simple sleight to start may be a challenge unless you have a mentor to recommend a trick for your first trick requiring any moves.

This trick isn’t NOT a sleight of hand trick. Let me be clear of that. This trick is pretty darn simple (dare I say practically self working). But it does require one move. That’s all. For a beginner ready but scared to tackle a trick requiring one or more moves, this is a very nice trick to start with.

The move itself is simple and doable, practically immediately. But you’ll want to practice. This is your first sleight. Why not embrace it? This is the perfect time for new habits... practice it. Master it.

This trick is definitely a keeper. When you are finally the master of sleights, this is a trick you’ll possibly still use in your repertoire. Tricks don’t have to be hard to be good. This is one of those.

Ready to grow? Get this trick!

Here is a quick Q and A:
- Simple? Yes. But you’ll want to make sure you’ve got it down... especially the script or at least the logic behind the script. If you don’t practice, this trick is one of those you can easily flub up or at least make look suspiciously unnatural if you have to “think” too much. In other words, if I haven’t said this yet, practice. If you’re intermediate (or an experienced beginner), this trick will be a cinch as you are likely already familiar with the move and method.
- Arts & Crafts? No. But you’ll have to buy blanks if you don’t already own them.
- Preparation/Set-Up? Super quick. Simple. Like a matter of arranging the packet in the right order. Only preparation is, if I didn’t mention this already... practice.
- Angle sensitive? No. Perform 360. No worries here. Just make sure you practice so you’re comfortable with the move.
- As good as the demo? Yes. What you see is what you get.
- Repertoire worthy? Yes. It may be a boring or stupidly simple to perform, but it’s very impressive to the layman. Even if this trick is a little meh for you, it’s at least not a junk-drawer trick. I’m happy with it.
- Teaching quality? John, as usual, does a great job as a teacher.
- Priced right? Yes and no. This is really the only negative I have. It’s a good trick, so I’m ok with the current price. But to be honest, I feel that, for the $9.95 price, John really should have included the blanks. Since I’m writing this review with beginners in mind, I’m thinking many beginners might not have blanks (let alone in two colors).

Overall, I award this trick a 3.5 stars out of 5. Usually, I save my 5 star ratings for extremely visual mind-altering tricks. This, in my opinion ,is a 4-star trick, which is the top of the charts for this sort of trick. But I do ding the trick a half star for the price verses what you get (or rather, don’t get). Great job, John! If you’re a beginner, get this trick. (More experienced ones will probably know how this trick works... if that’s you, save your money for a different, more advanced John Bannon trick. (I personally figured it out on my first viewing of the demo.) honestly, though, I’m still very pleased with the purchase as I always like to hear the explanations for different tricks. Even with tricks I know, there are always little tidbits, style notes, convincers, etc. to pick up from the various talented artists, even on the same trick. So I’m happy.)

By the way, I always try to be honest and straightforward in my reviews, while being respectful to the magician. If you appreciate my reviews, can you please click the "Yes" button below beside the question, "Did this review help you?" It's not like I actually benefit in any way by your clicking it... but it would be nice to see if my reviews are helpful or not. I hope they are. If you ever have suggestions or comments or questions about my reviews, please feel free to leave me a constructive comment. I'm just trying to be helpful. I love the Penguin community and hope that I can someday contribute my own product. :-) Thanks for reading and for any (hopefully positive, but either way, at least kind) feedback.

First, this is a download so no cards are provided, you need to provide your own 6 blank-faced cards. In a pinch you can use contrasting cards, say the J-Q-K of Diamonds and a black ace for each hand. It's still a surprise.

Second, there is one card move that is one of the first moves most of us learn. If you don't know it, it is taught very well here and you will use it a lot. If you do know it you should watch Mr Bannon's teaching of it anyway as he has some good tips.

Third, you have a little sleight of mouth to do which is also taught well.

This provides a great effect for a minimum amount of work. It seems a bit pricey but anything by John Bannon under 10 bucks is a good deal.

This one bent my mind and after watching the trailer, it had me fooled. Imagine what this one will do to your spectators. There are only 8 cards used, no gaffed cards, nothing to make, add or take away. Yes, you will need to buy some blank cards if you don’t already own any. There is no reset, you can perform this again right way but not for the same audience.

How is it then possible? Well obviously I can’t tell you, but I can tell you that there is a very simple move that you probably already know or do and some slight of mouth. Great for strolling in any venue especially if you are performing table to table in a restaurant or bar. It can be done with out the use of a flat top surface, use a spectators hands as a table top.

This effect and move is very simple to learn, John does a great job of teaching this, it won’t take you long. This move if you don’t already know it is invaluable and very versatile, you can and will use and apply it to other card effects you will perform. I have to admit that the description is very accurate but if you saw the whole uncut performance you will probably figure it out or at least have a good idea. That being the case, I think that it is a little over priced at $9.95, maybe half the price would be suitable. The effect itself is worth 5 stars but gave it only 4 due to the price.

The interesting thing about Bannon's Duplicity is it how it borrows from so many familiar routines, yet somehow this still retains its own "look".

It's that Bannon fella, I'm sure. His presentation is so low key its mesmerizing, and his explanation vid is equally subdued. Yet what Duplicity brings together is a culmination of stuff you may have seen before, though done in a way that pushes seemingly all choice on the spectator.

This is a John Bannon release. Just get it and thank me later.
Love it - can't wait to perform this.


NOTE: Priced at 9.95 this is an 'instant download', and does NOT include the cards you need to perform this routine. You may already own them - or you may not. So - if you don't then an additional purchase will be required.

All the elements you and your audience will love in one trick!

In the hands, yours and the spectator CHECK
Instant reset CHECK
Great for walk-around CHECK
Simple to carry CHECK
Multiple climaxes CHECK
Simple workings CHECK
Well taught CHECK
Improves yours understanding of core magical concepts CHECK
Great plot CHECK
Highly recommended CHECK
Get it! CHECK

Super powerful magic trick which now ends completely clean! If you have ever hesitated doing Twisted Sisters because it doesn’t end clean, then this is 100% for you!

John Bannon’s card work is always deceptive and always a solid foundation on which to build a routine. That is front and center here as a perfect example. You end clean AND you end in highly visual, highly magical manner which you can color any way you want. Maybe you made the rest of the aces vanish. Maybe they were never there to begin with. OR, maybe there are other cards which play into your presentation.

This is a great routine for inspiring anyone to learn and perfect two very solid fundamental techniques in card magic. The payoff is eyepopping memorable magic.

John Bannon has created an updated version of his Twisted Sisters trick using 8 ungimmicked cards that can be completely examined at the end. What more could you want?

To perform this as shown you will need 6 blank cards, but you can use 6 Jokers instead (as in Twisted Sisters.)

John does a great job teaching the easy move required. If you don't already know it, you will definitely want to learn this move. It is used in many great packet tricks.

Highly recommended!

I am a huge fan of Twisted Sisters. It was one of the first things I ever learned and I still perform it today. This is a very similar effect performed in a very different way and I love it. You could even borrow a red deck and blue deck from somebody and do this effect with their cards (with some prep of course). I can't wait to perform this.

First, I love Twisted Sisters, but haven't used much lately as I do more informal presentations with friends and coworkers and well, you know why I can't use the packets too often.

Well now I can have my cake and eat it too! This is a great mystery and again, I'm kicking myself for not being able to come up with this myself. I guess that's why we have great magical minds like John Bannon.

You learn his method and as a bonus he goes over the other key things you need to master it. If you're a pro you already know, but getting a front row seat and having John explain it is invaluable.

Buy this, learn it, and perform the same day...it's good!

Let's get this out of the way--you don't have to use blank cards as John notes--you can use jokers. Even so, blank faced decks are $5.78--hardly a bank-breaker. This is a wonderful non-gaffed version of "Twisted Sisters" which I love and use. Two very bright people guessed how "Twisted Sisters" was done when I performed it for them several years ago. They did not guess this one--it floored them because they could inspect the cards. One big bonus for me was that I used a different version of the key sleight in this trick. I always liked John's version/presentation of that sleight better for "Twisted Sisters", and he demonstrates it in the video. His way of doing that slight is perfect for this effect, too, as opposed to they way that I was doing it which worked well for a different effect. I am not naming the particular sleight, which is very valuable to know, so that I don't give away too much. Well done, John. Thanks!