Twisted Sisters by John Bannon

Effect: Two stacks of face-down cards are displayed, each with four cards. One stack is red and the other is blue. The spectator chooses either red or blue. Whichever he chooses is used. The spectator is asked to imagine that his stack consists of four face-down queens. He then thinks of any of the four queens - a completely free choice. The second spectator now focuses on another stack of four cards and is allowed to consider a different queen.

Without touching the cards, the performer claims that he has made the two choices swap (exchange places). The first spectator names his card, the performer unfolds the stack, and he just thinks of the queen in the stack face up! The second spectator's queen repeats this amazing feat! It was a total miracle!

But it wasn't over yet! The performer pointed out that if each spectator's queen did cross, then the back (color) of the chosen queen would also cross. The front-facing queen in the red stack flips over - it has a blue back! Now, the face-up queen in the blue stack flips over - and its back is red! The effect is incredible!

But it's not over yet! The performer points out that it's interesting that two spectators chose the particular two queens they did ...... because the rest of the cards aren't queens - they're jokers! You turn them all over to prove it! Let's cut to the chase. How many "moves" does the routine require? Not a single one! No manipulation required. The method is simple and practical, the plot is clear and concise, and the effect is almost like real magic!

In A-1 Multimedia's first foray into magic, two stacks of cards (one red and one blue) are placed face down on a table. The performer claims that both stacks contain four queens and asks the spectator to choose one stack of cards. The other stack is assigned to another spectator.

The first participant is asked to name a queen. The other is asked to name a queen of contrasting color. The performer then claims that he has made the queen change position. The first stack is unfolded to show the second spectator's queen face up; the other stack is unfolded to show the first spectator's queen face up. The queens are then handed over to prove the performer's claim; both queens have contrasting back colors. Closer to the end, the remaining six cards are shown as Jokers.

This trick is unfairly described as "two B'Waves stuck together". I must wholeheartedly disagree, although I have to admit that I like and favor the simplicity of Mr. Goldstein's creation. Mr. Bannon's trick does have methodological points in common with B'Wave, but its framework of presentation is quite different. b'Wave is a feat of mind magic and should be presented as such. twisted Sisters is a card trick, and I do not mean to belittle it when I designate that term.

I have had good but different reactions to both effects, and while I would not recommend using both in the same group, I think both can find a place in a performer's program, and each can use it when the occasion calls for it.