Chop Shop - John Bannon

Play a game of find the lady that ends with the transformation of all of the cards into the aces. The packet tricks of John Bannon always get huge reactions from laypeople and magicians alike. With this phenomenal trick, you get to challenge your audience to catch you out while knowing that you have a killer ending that no one will see coming. This is Chop Shop by John Bannon.

Here’s what happens:

The magician introduces four cards; three blue-backed Jokers and one red-backed Queen of Spades. The cards are shown on the front and the back, and then the Queen is put into the pocket, and the magician challenges the spectators to catch them sneak the Queen back into the packet not once but twice. With no moves, the red-backed Queen of Spades appears back amongst the three jokers. The Queen is again placed into the pocket, and the magician notes that this time they will have to use misdirection to sneak the Queen back into the packet. The cards are counted again, and this time a bright yellow card that says “LOOK” on it appears amongst the blue-backed Jokers. That card is also put away, and this time, without any funny moves, a red-backed card has once again appeared in the packet. The magician then admits that they cheated, but not just once. They cheated twice. The red-backed card is turned over to reveal it is now the Ace of Spades. The remaining blue-backed cards are turned over, and the jokers have magically transformed into the remaining Aces.

Chop Shop comes ready to go with all of the cards you need right out of the box. The sleights are easy and well within the grasp of even beginner magicians. The best part is that at the end, all of the cards on the table are examinable. There are no gimmicks that can break, and you don’t even have to be able to palm cards to sneak the Queen back in the packet. In addition to the cards required for the routine, you also receive detailed instructions from John Bannon and Erik Tait on how to perform this incredible routine. Turn a challenge into a miracle with Chop Shop by John Bannon.

Inspired by Cameron Francis’s “Chop The Monte,” later presented as “Imagine” by Paul Richards.

Difficulty: Beginner
Online instructions