Alan Ackerman has a nifty version using LJ's Rhythm Count in his Canadian notes. Rafael Benatar as well. Can't remember the source.

Mine was recently released in a download (Benatar Bundle) in Vanishing Inc.

Another vote for Ammar vol.3 ETMCM

Here is the link for my Vanishing Inc download, devoted to the Rhythm Count and two tricks with it. The Twins is one of them and the other is Marumalade Poker, one of my favorite tricks to do at a table.
https://www.vanishingincmagic.com/magic-......-rhythm/

At the end of the trick (Ammar's version), if you bring (ie displace) the 3rd card to the front, you can add a gay theme to the story! (continuing with the Gemini move). My patter involves 'coming out of the closet'. So that ALL can live "happily ever after". It's almost more of a story than a card trick. Lynn

Lynn, I have done something very similar with an alternative ending, depending on the audience and their 'flavour' for a little 'sauce' with the continued story that the Jacks were, indeed, gay and had their eyes on the Kings all the time (displaying Jack, King, Jack, King,) and leaving the 'ladies' broken hearted (displaying - with a displaced flustration count - Queen of Spades, Queen of Spades, Queen of Hearts, Queen of Hearts (I know these 'pairs' have been shown before - but not like this.) I can leave it there or, I might add a 'tragic ending' of "In the passing of time, one of each of the 'twins' died leaving all the others alone" and singularly displaying all four cards in each corner of the table.*

*I appreciate the argument here of should I v shouldn't I reveal the four cards. It's been well-explored within these pages and I'm not sure there's a right or wrong answer. Both are magical and in keeping with the theme in my opinion. I have the same reactions.

"Twins" is a fun effect, but three things bothered me about it:

1) The ending is kind of abrupt.
2) Specs are going to want to examine the cards. I think you should allow it.
3) The brunette with brunette/red-haired with red-haired pairings are a little uncomfortable for me. Too reminiscent for me of other kinds of genetic purity.


I understand that these three points may only be a problem for me, though folks like Bill Malone have attempted to deal with the first problem (not satisfactorily, in my opinion). And I recognize for instance, that there may be a trade-off in ultimate magical effect if the identity of the four cards are revealed. On the other hand, not to be able to see the cards after so much magic from them is a downside as well. And as for point number three, I'm just going to assume that if I'm a little uncomfortable with it, there may be others who are, as well.

So here's my solution for the above two shortcomings. I don't claim it to be the be all and end all, but maybe some will like it. "Twins" for the 21st Century.

You do the effect as Ammar performs it up to the final show of the Red Kings and Queens. It's important to say in the previous patter that they are boyfriends/ girlfriends on a date--do not refer to them as married couples. At the end of the routine as performed by Ammar, the cards are in the order KH, QH, KS, QS.

Now, here's my continuation:

"The funny part is, that all of them lived in the same apartment building, and as the years went by, they actually became friendly with each other. They got to now each other very well...

Time passed (move bottom card to top) and eventually, wedding bells rang.

*(Gemini Count) The red-headed sister got married to...the brunette guy. And her red-headed twin got married to the brunette guy's twin.

*(Gemini Count) And the brunette sister, of course, got married to the red-headed guy. And her brunette twin got married to the red-haired guy's twin.

Even more years passed and all four couples each had four children:

(Now you're just going to do a normal deal of the four cards, one at a time. Place the next two cards in a vertical row on the table, overlapping)

A red haired boy,
A brunette girl,

(place next two cards in a vertical row on the table, overlapping, to the right of the other two cards)

A brunette boy,
and a red-haired girl.

And that's my story and I'm sticking with it."

If you follow the directions, it all works as it should from that single displacement from bottom to top.