"Royal Scam" by John Bannon
Suggested Retail USD$14.95
Available from your favorite dealer
In a Blink: 10 Out of 10

John Bannon's latest effect to hit the market, "Royal Scam", is Bannon at his best: a simple effect done easily with a powerful punch. This is one that any performer looking for a quick, effective card routine must have, period.

The routine, credited by Bannon to Walton and his "Cascade" as well as a few other inspirational sources, is quite direct as Bannon's work always is. It begins with the performer displaying several Aces of Spades with the same back design. Using a presentation purporting to explain something about how magic works, the performer turns one of the cards in the packet face up and shows how the entire packet is now face up. This is repeated, this time with a card being turned face down and the packet magically now facing the same way. Some of the cards are now turned over and seen to have different back designs. The final kicker? The other cards are turned over to reveal a royal flush in spades.

There's no way that description does this routine justice, but at least it gives you an idea of what's going on here (you can catch a demo video here if you like -- it might help a bit). But this is a devilishly clever routine, an entertaining piece, and just very fine card magic.

Of course, Bannon being Bannon, he's kept an eye out for those who actually do his effects under fire and made "Royal Scam" about as perfect a piece as could be asked for. He's kept the sleights simple (and even offers alternative handlings to make things more simple, just in case), allowing for more concentration on the presentation (speaking of which, he's included a nice one here that justifies the effect extremely well); he also improved upon the flow of the original routine by adding a much-needed amount of directness to it. Reset and set-up are typical of what you'd expect from a packet trick and are easy once you've gotten things down pat. Then, just for good measure, Bannon made sure everything was examinable at the end.

In other words, "Royal Scam" hits on all cylinders with not a thing missing.

Now, I can't let this review end without mentioning this because, well, somebody somewhere did a great thing with putting this trick together. The instructions are supplied on DVD and the production is an excellent work in itself, showing Bannon performing and teaching "Royal Scam" perfectly. But the mysterious "they" didn't stop there; also included is a PDF of the instructions, written by Bannon and covering all the moves necessary to perform this and including the presentational patter as well. This is a huge plus because it eliminates the need to watch the DVD all over again when you need a refresher on how things go. Whoever had this idea (I'm assuming the fine folks at FUN Inc.) gets a big thumbs up from me for caring that much about the consumer and their ever-challenging needs.

Okay, so enough of the raving (though if ever a trick deserved raves, it's this one). Is "Royal Scam" right for you? Well, if you're looking for a quick, entertaining card effect, then yes, absolutely. If you've got a disdain for packet tricks, "Royal Scam" might just change your mind; it's a packet trick without all the baggage.

All in all, Bannon's "Royal Scam" will be a keeper for many a performer and rightfully so; it's a great piece of magic.

"Royal Scam" by John Bannon
In a Blink: 10 Out of 10

Practicality: 10
Talk about practical -- a small packet of cards and you're all set. There's no set-up beyond what you'd expect with any packet trick, and reset is just as simple. Throw in the cards being examinable in the end (beating back the bane of packet tricks) and this is about as practical as it gets.

Workmanship: 10
The cards are all normal stock from USPCC so you know what you're getting there.

Documentation: 10
If I could give this an 11, I would. Not only do you get the instructional DVD, which is very well done, FUN also included a PDF file of the instructions. This is a huge plus; no need to watch the DVD again when you need a "refresher", just scan the instructions. Way to go, FUN!

Effect: 10
This plays and plays big. Bannon's effects always pack a punch and this is no exception. When the final climax hits, expect some shock-motivated cursing.

Presentation: 10
Bannon didn't slack off on the presentation and it's a good one. Based on explaining how magic works, it's entertaining, engaging, and fits the effect to a "T".

Shane

Available direct from your favorite dealer. Dealers, please contact FUN, Inc. by phone at (773)745-3837, email at info@funinc.com, or visit the FUN Inc. website.