Volume V olume 3
Conversation As Mentalism 3 "The first ingredient in conversation is truth, the next good sense, the third good humor, and the fourth wit." – Sir William Temple “Three out of four ain’t bad!” – Mark Elsdon 1
Copyright © 2015 by Mark Elsdon. All Rights Reserved. Do not copy it, do not scan it, do not upload it. Thank you. 2
Contents
Introduction … p5 The Key (1) … p6 Advance Knowledge … p9 Deckless Wonder … p12 Time Time Aft Aft r Tim Time e … p15 p15 Serialist … p17 Spinning Synchronicity … p20 Capped … p23 The Key (2) … p25 Acted Here Often? … p26
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Introduction Many thanks for buying this booklet, the third in the Conversation As Mentalism series. The goal of the effects (referred to as CAMs) contained herein is to allow you the opportunity to perform when you literally “have nothing with you”. That is, no pee wallet, no swami, no loops, in in fact no props, gimmicks or gadgets at all. Most of the e fects require not much much more than just words words and language. They are effectively imag nation games where where physically not much much takes place. A couple of them require require the use piece of paper and a pen, maybe a bank note, some some coins or your watch, but these a e always completely justified justified and a natural part of the conversation. This time around one of the effects gently introduces the subject of memory systems. But don’t worry, it is very easy! And once you start to look into the subject you will will realize realize that there there a e some in in redible redible effects effects possibl possible e using just just memory. memory. One of these CAMs relies on Equivoque; one of mentalism’s most misunderstood misunderstood and underrated techniques. If you are new to this subject, don’t be put off by the fact that there is a bit of a script to remember. That’s what Equivoque essentially is – multiple outs outs done with with words. So the the s ript is everything. I can promise you, the the effect effect gets gets a great audien audience ce reaction reaction a d is we l worth worth putting putting in the litt little le bit of of effort needed to learn them Remember, when you are performing a CAM it must appear to the participant that it is simply simply a natural progression progression of the the conversa ion, not that you have mentioned mentioned the book/game/concept/theory/whatever book/game/concept/theor y/whatever just in order to do a trick! So weave these CAMs in to your everyday everyday conversati conversation on as you see f t. Mayb Mayb sow the the seed seed by mentioning the the premise of the effect in passing and the coming back to the actual actual performance part later. Finally, as well as the the effect and method method of each CAM I have general general y provided you with a presentational presentational hook and and an outline outline of the approach approach to u e, which serves at the ‘conversation’ part of the equation. The very essence of these these CAMs CAMs i that they should should be about your conversation conversation,, so so having having you you memor memorise ise an e tire tire pr sentation sentation provided by me would have been completely counter-productive.
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The Key (1) Effect: The performer xplains that the human human mind is far more predictable than people people reali e and that the illusion illusion of choice is simply that that – an illusion. After some discussi discussi back and and forth forth the perfo performer rmer proposes proposes a litt little le imaginat imagination ion game game to to prove prove his point. Si people are asked to imagine that one of their hands is a lock and and each draws a different number on that hand. The performer gives a key to a seventh person person and t rns his back back This seventh seventh parti participant cipant drops the key key on any hand hand and followin following g some irecti irecti s from the performer performer the hands are eliminat eliminated ed according according to how the participan freely moves the key. key. This continues until until the key is resting on a final numbered hand. The perfo perfo mer turns around and opens his hand – written written on it is the exact exact same same number
F.Y.I. As fans of the CAM series series know, know, am a b g fan of writing writing on my hands (and (and encouraging others to do so too!) There is something very organic about using your hand as a prediction prediction and it feels feels very fixed, in way writing writing something on a piece piece of paper just doesn’t. I often use this CAM if I’m doing a repeat (casual) performance for someone who ‘Pre-f -fii gere gered’ d’ CAMs has seen me perform either my ‘Lies’ or or ‘Pre CAMs and then wants me to repeat either of those for someone new. ‘The Key’ has has a similar feel, but a different process and handling. The key (pardon the pun) to the success success of effects effects like these s to emphasise emphasise the complete freedom of the participant’s original choice of where to place the key and the fact that there is zero way that you the performer performer can see what s happening as the participant moves it. You can even perform this from the next room if you like, although although you would would need need to take take someone someone with with you to make make it clea clea tha you aren’t aren’t doing anything else whilst giving the instructions. instructions.
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Method and Performance: Write the number ‘5’ on your left palm, pa lm, making sure that no one sees what you write. Introduce the premise for discussion and then when the time is right propose this test. You can use your y our own key or borrow one. Have six people stand in a line and hold hold t their left hands to to represent represent a lock and ask each of them to number their hands, one to six, in order. Give he key to a seventh person person as you explain that obviously obviously the key can only only fit one lock, not ll six, six, so you will will allow chance to dictate dictate which lock lock it should should be. Turn your back and stress that you won’t touch or even see anything that happens, and that it is the participant who is controlling all the action. (This is the mis-information mis-information that sells sells the the effect, as in act you are controlling the important part of the action!) Ask the participant to drop the key onto any hand (“Into any lock…”) When they have done so, ask them o look at the number on on that hand and make that number of moves, explaining explaining that a move’ consists consists of moving the key to an adjacent adjacent hand. If the key key starts starts on hand hand number number one one th y make make one move. move. If it start startss on hand number five, they make five moves and so on. When they have done this, expla n that if you are correct in your assertion that choice is just an illusion, then the key w ll not be in lock number one, so ask that person person to drop his his hand, hand, he he is out o the game game Ask the participant to make one one move. Tell Tell erson six six he cannot have the key, and to drop his his hand. Ask Ask the participant t make four more moves. Tell person two two that he is out. out. Have the participant make make three mov s. Inform person three that there is zero chance he has the key – he is out. Finally, three more moves and then you tell person four that that he was so close, but there was n ver really a chance chance that he would end up with the key. To conclude, conclude, address address person person five five as you you turn back back around around t ling them them that that there there was no chance of it being anyone but them and open your own own le t hand to show your prediction is correct. Obviously the performance should build, as the participants become more and more impresse impressed d that that you are able able to to elimi eliminate nate people people who do not (can (can ot) hav hav the key, key, despite the fact that the spectator is controlling how the key moves and you cannot see anything of what is happening. The pace should pick up as you proceed; only slowing down at the end before you reveal revea l the prediction. Many times the participants will forget that you even have something written on your hand. 7
As you are giving your instructions, instructions, you have h ave two options regarding the choice of the number of moves you are requesting the participant to make. Either you can make them seem random, as if you are just making them up and they don’t matter, or you can ask the participant a random question each time (“Do you prefer sun or snow?” “Dog person or cat person?” etc.) And then give your instruction apparently based on th r response response.. Whichever Whichever you choose choose is up to to you, depend depending ing on on your perf perf rmance ance st e an and per perssona. ona. Credits and inspiration: Bob Hummer, Mel Stover, Stewart James.
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Advance Knowledge Effect: The performer xplains that sometimes he meets someone for the first first time but feels like he has met them before. This feeling is so strong that he c an even predict a specific ndom choice they they will will make. make. The The participant participant is is sceptical sceptical but agrees agrees to play a little imagination game to judge the performer’s claims. The performer performer draw some hing on the the drawing drawing app app on his phone, phone, and places places it screen screen side side dow dow on th th table. table. The The parti participant cipant next names names a bunch of random random objects, which the erformer notes down down on some some paper. The participant participant then chooses one of the object and akes a simple drawing of it on their phone. Both pictures are shown and they m tch. And remember, remember, the performer performer drew his picture before the participant said a word.
F.Y.I. There are no apps or other other technology us d in this this CAM. CAM. Your phone’s phone’s drawing or doodle app is simply used to draw. You could c ould use a separate piece of paper, but since everyone carries a phone any any way it makes more more sense. The method method is a simple mix mix of known principles, principles, with with en ugh throw offs to to hide the underlying methodolog methodology. y. The use of the the phones phones and a single single she t of paper paper feels very very unplanned and minimalistic. minimalistic.
Method and Performance: After introducing introducing the the theme and asking asking everyone present if if they ave had any similar experiences you offer to prove your claims. Say nothing more, simply take out your phone, open the doodle app and draw a simple picture of a house. Place the phone onto the table. Take a piece of paper pa per or newspaper and tear it into twelve pieces. Ask the participant to name any simple object they can draw. Whatever they say, quickly write it (not draw it) on the top piece of paper, screw it into a ball and drop it on the table. Allow them to casually ca sually see what you write without drawing any attention to 9
it. Ask them for something else. Whatever they say, quickly write the word ‘house’, this time without letting letting them see. You are going to ask for a list of twelve different ‘simple to draw’ objects. Eventually, one of them will be be a house! I have never got past object seven without a house being named. In fact often a participant struggles to think of twelve different objects and someone else has to help them out. Screw up this second paper and place it down to the right of the first one. It should look ike you’re not paying much much attention to where where you drop it, but actually actually you are form ng a messy row. Ask for another word. Again, write write the actual word, allowing it to be glimpsed as you do so, but massively unplaying it. Ask for a fourth word and again write house’. Drop the paper on the table table continuing the row. row. Continue Continue in t is fash fash on, a king for words, words, and altern alternating ating the actual actual word word and the the word ‘house’ until you h ve twelve pieces of paper in a scruffy row row on the the table. Almost every time time ou real y write write the word they said, allow allow a casual flash. So, from the left, left, every odd wo d is a free choice and every every even word is ‘house’. ‘house’. As you are writing the words ask a few questions. E.g. if the participant says “stickman”, ask “stickman r stickw man?” Or if they say “flower” ask what type. This just subtly subtly reinforces the fa rness of what you are doing. (Note: (Note: if they happen happen to pick ‘ho se’ as the first first word, word, you have two choices choices:: you can just show them what you drew n your phone, and let them wonder wonder why you tore up a sheet of paper, or you can simply form the row of screwed up papers from right-to-left instead of left-to-right. left-to-right. So, you now have a row of papers papers in front o you where every even word is is house. You will now use a very simple simple Equivoque Equivoque to force tho e words. Say to to the participant: “This is entirely your choice. Twelve random objects and we don’t need eleven of them. I will count from my left (point to the left end of the row). Odds or evens?” There are two possibilities: If they reply “Odds”, you say “Great!” and count “One, three, five, seven, nine and eleven”, sliding each one forward out of line as you do so. Pick up those six and a nd pocket them. Immediately gesture to the six that remain on the table and and ask, “Left or right?” Whichever they reply, you say “Gr “Gr at!” and sweep sweep the three at that end of the row up and pocket them. You continue, “Three remain, one, two two and three (you (you point to to each in turn turn as you count). count). One is for for y u, two are are for the bin. Point at the two you don’t want.” The participant points at two and you pocket them. Finally you say, “This is a truly random choice from amongst a dozen random choices. Please have a look at the object, open your phone up to the drawing app and make a quick sketch. Make sure no one on e sees it till you’re finished.” 10
They will of course be drawing the house. Remind everyone that you made your drawing before any objects objects had been chosen. All that remains is for you to show that your drawing matches. If on the other hand they reply “Even” to your question, you say “Great!” and count “Two our, six, eight, ten ten and twelve”, twelve”, sliding sliding each one forward out of line as you do so. P ck up the x that that remain remain in in the the row and pocket them. Immediately Immediately gesture gesture to the s x that you pushed forward and and ask, “Left “Left or right?” Whichever Whichever they reply, you say “Great!” , sl de forward the three three at that end of the row up and pocket pocket the others. You continue, “Three remain, one, two and three (you point to each in turn as you count) One is for you, two two are for the bin. Point at the one you want.” The participant points points at one, nd you pocket the other two. two. Finally you say, say, “This “This is a truly truly random choice choice fr m amongst amongst a dozen random random choices. choices. Please Please have a look at the object, open your phone up to the drawing app and make a quick sketch. Make sure sure no one one see seess it till till you re fi i hed. hed.”” They will still be drawing the house. I chose to use the house as it is right up at the top of the list of things peo le draw when put on the spot to draw something. something. If you would like to take take this kind of ef ect to the next level (for use in a proper show, rather rather than than a CAM CAM effect effect)) then then be ure t study study Tony ‘Eye’ Iacoviello’ Iacoviello’ss mindmindexpanding Popular Selection ebook. Credits and inspiration: Tony Corinda, Banachek, Tony Iacoviello.
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Deckless Wonder By Stephen Tucker Effect: After talk ng about the power of the imagination, imagination, the the performer offers offers to show the participant card trick. trick. However However the performer performer doesn’t use any actual playing cards or, in fact, anything at all, not even a scrap of paper. Here’s what happens: the participant participant th th nks of any any pl ying card card in the deck. deck. He writes writes nothing nothing down down and tells tells no one. The per per ormer emoves ‘nothing’ ‘nothing’ from an imaginary card case and explains explains that it it is an invisi invisibl bl deck o cards. cards. He handles handles the ‘nothi ‘nothing’ ng’ as if if it really really is a deck of cards cards and event eventual ually ly reve reve ls th ctual ctual card card though thoughtt of!
F.Y.I. This brilliant CAM is from the fertile brain of my good friend Stephen Tucker. In Stephen’s handling a real deck was involved too, but I have removed the need for that, making this an example example of the CAM thos at its its purest – no props whatsoever, whatsoever, just conversation. As well as the fact that this is a great pie e of mentalism, mentalism, Tucker gets my award for best trick title of the year with this one.
Method and Performance: You will need to memorise this simple prompt list: Line 1: A - 3 - 5 - 7 - 9 - J - K Line 2: 2 - 3 - 6 - 7 - 10 - J Line 3: 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - Q - K Line 4: 8 - 9 - 10 - J - Q – K Resist the urge to make a crib on your phone or anywhere else. Just spend 10 minutes and brute-force remember it. I used the Tamariz technique of turning it into a song. 12
Ask someone to think of any card in the deck. Remove from your pocket an imaginary deck of cards and mime shaking a deck of invisible cards out of its box. Mime shuffling then looking through and removing one card. Place the rest of the invisible cards on top of the imaginary card case ca se and explain that you are holding one card, and you will use it to reveal the very card ca rd that they are thinking of. Say, Imagine t at this this card is the same same suit suit as the card card you are thinking thinking of. In other words, if your card is a spade, this card is a spade, but if you thought of a diamond, this card card is a di mond. mond. Do you underst understand?” and?” Make Make sure sure they do before before you continue. You now pass a hand back and forth over the invisible card as you say, “If I do this – the card c ard changes into the ace, then the three, the five, the seven, the nine, the jack, and finally into the king. Was one of o f those the card you are thinking of?” If they say “yes,” you remember the number 1. If they say “no,” remember the number 0. If they they say something something ke, “Slow “Slow down! I wasn’t wasn’t paying attention. Do Do it again!” Simply repeat the above actions and patter, and remember the required number 1 or 0. What you have done here is to to all out the first first line on the prompt, prompt, i.e. A - 3 - 5 - 7 9 - J - K. You now do the the same with the o her three lines from the prompt, but when you call out the second line, you remember the number 2 if they say “yes” or 0 if they say “no.” With the third line remember the number 4 if they say “yes” or 0 if they say “no,” and with the final line line remember the the number 8 f they say “yes” or 0 if they say “no.” This is simply a binary 1, 2, 4, 8, etc. code. All you need do, as you go along, a long, is add up the numbers generated. For example: If their replies are yes, no, yes, no – you would would be adding the the numbers numbers 1 + 0 + 4 + 0 and would hav hav the total total of 5. You would, with this example, now know that they are thinking of one of the fives. A total of 11, 12, or 13 would represent a jack, queen or a king. Now for the the suit. Place Place the invisible card on top of the the invisible invisible de k and mime mime picking up all the cards. Don’t forget forget that you already know the value of the card being thought thought f. Deal the cards into a face-up pile on the table, calling out their names as you do. This time you don’t need to use the prompt. Simply call out the names of any half a dozen or so cards (but not a five), then the five of clubs, any half a dozen or so cards (but not a five) then stop. Ask the person if she has seen (heard?) her card c ard yet. If she replies 13
“yes,” you know their card is the Five of Clubs; if “no,” you continue naming the Five of Hearts in the middle of another bunch of cards, and so on (through the CHaSeD order) until you know their exact thought-of card. Once you know their card, point out that up until now they have only seen the faces of the invisible cards! You now explain that you will spread the cards across the table to show their backs. Mime this and mention that they can see that they are all red acked with with the exception exception of one blue backed card. Reach forward forward and mime mime removing this odd backed card, looking at it, and showing its face to every-one. It is only now that you say, “As you can see, it’s the Five of Hearts. Hea rts. Is that the card you thought of? The pectator will reply “yes,” “yes,” confirming the incredible power of the imagination. Cred Credit its: s: Step Stephe hen n Tuc Tuck k .
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Time After Time Effect: Talk ng about c cadian cadian rhythms rhythms and and the fact fact that everyo everyone ne favours favours a diff different erent part of the day, the performer asks someone to think specifically specifically of their favourite hour of the d y This erson erson writ writes es nothi nothing ng down down and tells tells no. No No quest questions ions are asked! asked! The performe performerr say that neverthel nevertheless ess it would would be too easy for him to simply reveal what it is, so so e lists the the help of a second participant. participant. The performer writes the the numbers one through through twel e on some some torn up paper and the participant participant mixes the number numberss up. Th Th y rand rand mly mly choose choose a number number and and it it is a perf perfect ect matc match h for for participant participant one’s f ourite ourite hour. hour. The The performe performerr then then confirms confirms that of course course he knew, as the exact ame thing i rawn on the palm of his hand.
F.Y.I. The techniqu technique e for finding finding out the the fi st pe son’s favouri favourite te hour is the the brainchild brainchild of my my friend Bob King, a brilliant brilliant magic an and creator whose name is sadly becoming lost lost to the current current generation. Of course, course, once y u know the the hour there there are multiple ways to reveal it and the double revelation used here, works particularly well. The first first part of the the revelation revelation uses uses a ‘down unde -deal’ -deal’ a move that that I hate when when used with with playing playing cards. cards. Howeve Howeverr in the the casu casu l situa situa ion of sitting sitting on a train, train, in in a restaurant restaurant,, bar or the office, office, it it feels very very unplanned unplanned a d fair.
Method and Performance: Here is Bob’s brilliant technique for finding out the hour: you must be wearing a watch that has a sweeping sweeping second hand. Pull the the stem out of you watch when the the second hand is over over the ‘12’. ‘12’. The watch will will stop. Put Put the watch in y ur pocket, with the stem uppermost. As soon as you see someone else wearing a watch with with a second and, put you hand in your pocket with your thumb over the stem. As you see the second hand on their watch directly over any number (e.g. ‘4’), push the stem in. At the earliest opportunity replace your watch on your wrist without anyone seeing.
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The situation is now that the second hand on the participant’s watch is running four hours ahead of yours (yours (yo urs was on ‘12’ when his was on ‘4’). Remember all this happens earlier and before any kind of performance is e ver mentioned. Introduce the subject of circadian rhythms and let the discussion unfold. When the time is right right have the person with the watch watch think of their their favourite hour of the the day. Turn your back and cross your arms so that you can see your watch. Just to “give him a specific image to focus on” ask the participant to look at his watch, and say “Now” when the second hand passes over that favourite hour. When he does so, note which hou your own second hand is on. on. Let’s say yours is is on ‘3’. His is four four hours ahead of of yo rs, so his must have been been on ‘7’. ‘7’. Turn back and say that rather than you revealing the hour, you will invite a second participant to try. Find a piece of paper (food bill, newspaper, waiter’s pad, whatever) and tea t into twelve pieces. pieces. Or use 12 beer mats, receipts or anything else suitable that is is to hand. Us ng a pen write the numbers numbers one through twelve twelve on the pieces. pieces. Put each piece piece f p per on your left palm to to write write on it. After you write write each number, drop the pape number side side down on the table and invite invite both participant participantss to mix mix them u After After there are are eight or or nine pieces pieces of of paper paper on the table they will be chatting, which is the perfect time to write the chosen hour on your left palm next to the piece of paper there. Make sure that you save that chosen hour (‘7’ in in our example) to to write on the inal piece of paper. Add that final piece to the top of the m xed packet and then spread spread the papers a little and cut the packet packet so that the top top pape becomes fifth fifth from bottom. bottom. This is not a secret move, just an open, apparently random cut. Hand the papers to the second participant participant and explain explain that that they will will use use a ‘ and mis ng counti counting ng procedu procedure’ re’ to end end up with a number no one could know. Instruct them to do a down-under-deal by first dealing the top piece to the table into a discard pile. The second piece is moved to the bottom of the the packet. The third piece is dealt dealt into the d scard pile, and so on, until only one piece remains in their hands. Ask the first participant what his favourite hour is. He will reply “Seven.” Have the second parti participant cipant turn turn over the the random random number number - they match match To fini h you remark remark that “I had you down for a seven o’clocker from the moment we met!” And show them the ‘7’ drawn on your hand. Credits and inspiration: Bob King, Martin Gardner.
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Serialist Effect: The performer alks about having recently read an article about the world memory memory championships, and offers to demonstrate a cool c ool memory skill he learnt from the magazin magazin A participa participant nt removes removes a bank note note from from his wallet wallet and reads reads out the the serial number just once. The performer is able to recall it immediately, immediately, both the letters and numbers, forwards and backwards. ba ckwards. The performer proposes a more difficult test: test: he participant removes a different different bank note and reads out the serial number. He He use a pen o circle a single single digit and then calls out the remaining digits in the serial serial numb in any order. order. The perfo performer rmer immediat immediately ely reveals reveals the circle circled d number.
F.Y.I. The method used in the CAM is a c mbination of real (easy) memory techniques techniques and bluff. You might well already know the basic mnemonic peg system but if not you’ll learn it right here. It is very simple and will h ve uses for you far far beyond this trick. As with all the CAMs, CAMs, a little little background know edge of the subject at hand – memory skills – will reap huge h uge dividends in making everything more interesting and real, rather than just the ‘presentation’ for a trick.
Method and Performance: The first thing you need to do is learn how to quickly memorise an actual serial number. Both here in the UK and in the USA, bank notes and bill have a serial number comprising comprising of eight eight digits. digits. I break break this down into two gro ps of four and then memorise them using different methods. The first four digits I memorise as I would a phone number, by putting them into pairs. So for the digits 2, 4, 6, and 8 I would just say say to myself “Twenty-four, “Twenty-four, sixty eight”. eight”. We’re halfway halfway here! For the the second set set of four four digits digits I use use the followi following ng standard standard mnemo mnemo c peg list: list: 1 - Gun 2 - Shoe 17
3 - Tree 4 - Door 5 - Hive (a bee hive) 6 - Sticks 7 - Heaven 8 - Gate 9 - Wi e 10 - Hen You need to visualise all these as images, not simply words. The fact that they rhyme makes it it fa easier easier Now that that you have a series of of strong strong mental mental images, images, you can use use them as mental pegs for making associations. In standard mnemonics the items to be remembe ed are associated with with the number rhyme image image and the item to be remembered. F r our purposes though, it’s even simpler, simpler, since since you are just remembering the umbers hemselves. So to remember the sequence 3, 5, 7 & 9 you would remember a huge tree, the largest one in the world, blowing in the wind with a swarm of ten million angry bees pouring out of a hive hive and t en a huge huge bottle bottle of wine wine floating floating impossibly impossibly high up up in the air (heaven) like some kind kind f alcoholic’s alcoholic’s dream space ship! The bigger and more vivid and and ridiculou ridiculouss the images images ar , the easier easier they they are to recall. recall. That’s it. You now have all the skills skills ou ne d to recall the the eight eight digits. digits. The key is to use two different different systems to to remembe each group of four digits. digits. The systems systems are totally different different so so cannot interfere interfere W th just the tiniest tiniest amount of practice, you will will be able to call call out the the digits digits forward forward backwards backwards and and alternatin alternating. g. So to perform this, introduce the concept of memory and discuss a magazine article you read recently about the world memory championships. Most people would like a better memory, so offer to demonstrate demonstrate something something you lear t from the article. Ask a participant participant to to remove a £5 note note and read out the serial serial umber to to try and remember it. it. You use use your system system to do so, also remembering remembering th letters in the serial number (there (there are only two letters letters so there is nothing to to t). Ask him how he is doing, occasionally you might find a participant who says that they think they have it and if that’s the case ask him to remember it backwards as well! After he laughs, tell him you have already done it. Turn your back and recite the number backwards, then forwards. He will be impressed. Ask him to put that note away and grab a different one. This time he reads through the numbers but you do not need need to memorise them. You simply add them up in 18
your mind as he reads them out. You now have a total. Have him circle c ircle one of the digits and read out all the remaining remaining ones in any order, crossing them out as he goes. You add these up too and then subtract the second total from the first. The result is the number he chose. This piece of pure bluff coming after the genuine memory feat makes for a great one-two combination. Credit and inspiration: inspiration: Harry Lorayne, Lorayne, Karl Fulves, Dave Jones.
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Spinning Synchronicity Effect: Afte discussing the the peculiar phenomenon phenomenon of synchronicity, synchronicity, a participant participant takes a few coin from his pocket and after making some some arbitrary decisions decisions he ends up with a coin hidd hidd n in e ch hand hand and one in in his pocket. pocket. The performer performer announces announces that that unbeknown t to the participant, participant, he is also holding holding a coin in each hand and has one in his pocket. The coins in both hands match and the pocketed coins have exactly the same date!
F.Y.I. This is both both an outgrow outgrowth th of and a spi spi tual cousin cousin to Sixty-Two Pence from CAM Vol.1 It is also tangentially ased on Triple Impact, a card effect of mine that I marketed a few years ago. True to the CAM prerequisites of carry no gimmicks or special props, you will will neverthele neverthele s need to perform perform this at a time when when you have quite a bit of loose change in your pock t. Or if you wanted wanted to cheat and purposely carry two high high value coins with with mat hing dates, dates, you could do that…
Method and Performance: I will describe this this using UK coins, and once yo understand the principle you can use whatever you have where you live. You will need to have in your rear pants pocket two £1 coins with matching dates. In a left hand pocket (trouser or preferably jacket or hoodie) you need a selection selection of larg r-sized coins: coins: £2, 50p, 10p and 2p. You need exactly the same in a right hand pocket. You must have easy access to these coins. To perform, finger-palm one of the £1 coins from your rear pocket. Ask for a participant who is is carrying a pocketful of change. As he removes removes the coin coin from his pocket, help him look look through them, saying that you need three d fferent coins, large ones that everyone everyone can see. Casually Casually add the finger-palmed finger-palmed £1 oin to his his pile, immediately picking it up and placing it openly op enly onto your opposite palm, whilst commenting “A £1 coin is fine…” and then tell him that you need two more different coins. He will pass you what he has. You have matching ones for all the four largest 20
coins in your pockets so you are covered. The important thing is that he will remember that they are his coins and that he picked them all himself. Tell him he can put the rest away. Now place the three coins (e.g. 2p, 50p, £1) onto the table with the 2p heads up and a nd the 50p tails up. It doesn’t matter which way up the £1 coin is. You will now us a delightful delightful little force that I have have been shown by three different different peop e: Karl Scott, Bob Ostin and Looch. Looch. After significant significant research none of us have been able to find the originator. (As a side-note, Looch’s book The Black Project has has a lot lot of of gre gre t mate mate ial using using this this force.) force.) Here’s what you do: pick up the £1 coin and get ready to spin the coin on the table by gripping gripping the edges the coin with with the pads of the left thumb and right index finger as normal. However instead of spinning the coin in a perfectly perfectly vertical vertical alignment you angle angle the oin aw y from yourself slightly. You need to hold the the coin so that the tails side is facing y u, as the the side that is visible will be face face upward after spinning. As you look at the top of the coin as it spins, you will see a small sphere. At the top of the sphere, you will see a small hole begin to open, and that hole will gradually become become wid wider er the the longer longer the the co n spi spi s a the coin coin eventu eventuall ally y slows slows dow down. n. However, rather rather than letting letting the coin s in to a stop, you ask the participant to slap their hand down on the coin. Because Because he coin was not spinning spinning in a true vertical, the slap will result in the coin laying in the same orientation up as it was when you angled it away and started spinning. So, spin the coin, slightly slightly angled with with the tails s de facing you and then once you see the hole beginning beginning to form at the top, turn away and ask the p rticipant rticipant to bring his his hand down and slap slap the coin to to a standstill. standstill. Tell him that w ichever way way up it has landed, he is to pick up in his left left hand the coin that m tches (heads or tails) from from the 2p or 50p. 50p. Next, tell him to pick up the £1 coin and dr p it in his his back pocket out of the way, so that you y ou have no clues when you turn back around. Finally, whichever coin remains remains of the the table he is to pick pick up and conceal conceal in his his r ght hand Since you have controlled the spin, as soon as you turn away it is as easy matter to reach into your pockets as you are giving the instructions and withdraw the matching coins into the correct hands, in this instance, a 2p in the left hand and a 50p in the right.
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Turn to face him and explain that you have some coins in your hands too. Open your left hand and show the 2p. Ask what he has in his left hand. He will open it to reveal the 2p. Repeat with the right hand. Finally, tell him that you obviously already know that the £1 is in his back bac k pocket as you told him to place it there. But what he doesn’t know is that you also have a £1 coin in your back pocket. Invite someone else to remove the coin from your pocket (to avoid thoughts of duplicates or switches, plus, plus, t’s funny!) and have that that person read out the date on your coin. The part cipant doe the same same with with his his coin coin and the the dates dates match. match. Credits and inspiration: Dave Arch, Lee Earle, ?, Mark Elsdon.
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Capped Effect: The performer performer vites a participant to try try a little little test test to see how strong his intuition is. They are in a bar so he asks the bartender bartender to grab all the bottle bottle caps that are in the in in th ittle ittle t ay where where the the bottle bottle opener is. There There are about about 20 or or so diffe different rent ones, so any duplicates are binned. They are then all turned logo side downwards and mixed up The participant selects four, four, and then narrows his choice choice down to one (without equ voque r any imilar force). The three rejected caps are shown to be random and diff diff rent The spectat spectator or turns turns over over the selecte selected d cap and it bears a Budweiser Budweiser logo. logo. Co gratulati gratulating ng the spectator spectator on his incredible incredible intuition intuition and excellent excellent taste, taste, the the performer performer b ngs an open, full full bottle bottle of Bud out of his coat and and enjoys a drink!
F.Y.I. This CAM is based on Dan Dan Alessini’s Alessini’s clas ic routine. If you think for for a moment about the effect effect,, you will will realis realise e that ther are o ly two two possibl possible e methods: methods: either either force force the the cap, or switch the cap cap following a genu nely free choice. I opted opted for the latter on this this occasion occasion for this this reason: reason: using using a sw tch allow allow for a much much greater greater number number of objects objects to be used. If we we were using using an equivoq e force we would be limited limited to to fewer bottle bottle caps, whereas with with this method we can use many mo e. This greater number number of caps makes the trick seem far more more impossible. As you will see when you try it, manipulating caps is far easier than manipulating coins. Purse palm is a type of finger palm where an object usually a coin but in this this case a cap, is held against the bottom phalange (fleshy bit if you don’t know technical terms!) of the the second finger, held on either side by the f rst and third fingers. The hand can then be be turned palm down and held held complete y flat whilst the thumb retains full full movement, which which cannot be done with with either f nger or classic palm. This CAM is designed to be performed somewhere where you can find twenty or more beer bottle caps, such as a bar or diner. Decide in advance which brand you want to force (I often seem to use Budweiser, since since it is instantly recognisable). You will also need a bottle of the matching drink. If you wanted to, you could of course 23
use a written prediction, although I think that to do so would be to miss the point of the trick.
Method and Performance: First unknown o the participant participant you need to buy buy a bottle bottle of Budweiser and hide it in y ur insi inside de jacke jackett pock pocket. et. Then, when you want to perform the effect borrow the bo ttle caps from the bartender and explain that they are perfect to use to test the participant’s intuition as they have ery varied branding and and are easy to visualise. Bin all the duplicates so that you only have one of each each design. Point out the variety of colours and designs, designs, so t at it is obvious that that they are all different. different. Tell Tell the spectator spectator that that one of the bee s i your favourit favourite e and he’s he’s going going to use his his intuiti intuition on to figure out which one it s. Turn the caps caps logo-side down and make make the Budweiser Budweiser cap the third one one you turn. Instead Instead of urning the cap over though, you slide slide it up into purse palm, keeping the logo s de away from the fingers (this is the the way you’ll pick it up anyway). At exactly the same moment as you pick up the cap, look up at the spectator and ask him to help you tu n the caps over, so that no one one will know which is which. By the time his, or anyone else’s, attention attention is back on the caps the Bud cap is safely palmed. After After all the caps are turned turned face d wn mix them them up. The The palmed palmed cap won’t won’t interfere with with this in any way. way. Have th spectator place place the four fingers of either hand into four caps and slide them out to one side. Ask him to choose just one of them by keeping his finger in it. Turn Turn the othe three over to show show the logos. logos. Apparently slide the selected selected cap over over toward th spectator, but in actual fact you bring your hand down over the cap so that the purse palmed cap is in front of it (from your viewpoint) and slide the the hand towards towards the sp ctator. Leave the Bud cap cap in front of them and slide the other cap back to to the main main gr up, ditching ditching it as you push them all further off to the side. There is no need to palm the actual selection as you switch it it out, simply simply slide it beneath your hand. Your attitude attitude as ou do this switch is simply to make a distinction, a visual separation, between the selection and the remainder. remainder. All that remains is to have the spectator spectator turn over the sel sel cted (?) cap and congratulate him on his taste. taste. Pull the Bud bottle out of your coat say “Cheers” and enjoy! Credits and inspiration: Dan Alessini, Lee Earle.
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The Key (2) Effect: Afte discussing the the ideomotor principle principle and how pendulums work, work, the performer performer offers to show the participants something weird. He borrows a key and balances it on a singl outst outst etched etched finger. finger. Directin Directing g all his his attentio attention n towards towards the key, key, it slowl slowly y and eerily turns on the performer’s performer’s finger, although there is clearly no motive power and he is not moving his finger.
F.Y.I. This is one of my favourite CAMs and something I have used for over 30 years. It can be used anytime but makes great follow up to The Key (1) earlier in this booklet. The meth method od really really is is just just th ideom ideom tor tor princi principle ple!! Detail Detailss below below..
Method and Performance: You will need a heavy-ish heavy-ish lever key. These are he keys with a long round round shank and are usually used in older locks. You need to hold up your closed fist and then extend your middle finger (as if you were flipping someone the bird). The key is the placed carefully right on top the upward-pointi upward-pointing ng tip o this middle finger, finger, running left to right so that the bow is to the left and the key wards or notches (the part that turns the tumblers inside the lock) are to the right. It will take you a second second or two to find the the right balance Make sure the key is entirely on the fingertip flesh, not touching the nail. Also the wards or notches should be pointing down towards the floor. Now you just focus all your attention on the key, and will it to tu tu n. Keep your hand and arm as still as possible. The ideomotor response will cause the key to slowly turn as if in a non-existent lock. With some practice, you can get the key to stop and go in the other direction! Obviously you should practice this at home, with various weights and lengths of lever key. When performed well it really freaks people out. Credits and inspiration: Dr. Stanley Jaks. 25
Acted Here Often? Effect: Talk ng about about h w easy easy lies are to detect detect if you you know what to look look for, for, the perf rmer borrows borrows three three different different coins and has three participants participants each choose one and hid in th ir hand behind behind their their back. All this is done with with the perform performer’s er’s back turned. They each now tell a lie, saying that they have a different coin to the one they actually hold. The performer correctly identifies which coin each person has. The whole th ng can be repeated (more (more than once) and he is once again again 100% correct.
F.Y.I. No electro electronics nics,, just just norma norma oins ar used for for this. this. It It is not just just a single single effect effect,, but a system. It allows for a lot of var ation both in effect effect and presentation. presentation. I will will teach you several several of each each in this this explan explan t on and you will will no no doubt doubt develop develop more more of your your own once you start to use it. I have found this CAM to create a sensational effect and use it constantly.
Method and Performance: Those of you with good anagram a nagram skills skills will know from the title of this CAM that it uses a confederate. The first participant of the three is helping you. This person doesn’t need to to be a fellow performer, just a friend friend who is a ound you often. often. I would advise against using your partner, as they are too close to you. Ideally you should pick someone who is around you a lot socially, but that you are not especially close to. They will love being ‘in on’ this and feeling that they are privy to something that no one else else is. Oh, Oh, and make make it someon someone e who can keep keep their mo mo th shut! shut! I’ll describe the the basic version version first. Ask Ask to borrow three coins which which we’ll ssume are a 5p coin, a 10p 10p coin and a 20p coin (US: (US: a nickel, a dime and a quarter. El El ewhere: whatever you’ve got!) Note: I’m using using these coins for ease of explan tion. In performance I would always use larger, more visible coins – 50p coin, £1 coin and £2 coin.
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The confederate picks us the 5p coin, c oin, allowing the other two participants to pick up either of the others. Each puts their hand ha nd behind their back to hide the coin. As you turn back to face the participants you notice whether your confederate’s right or left hand is behind his back. If his left hand is behind his back that tells you that the second participant took the 10p coin. If his right hand is behind his back then you know that the second participant took the 20p coin. You ow ask ea h person to lie lie to to you and tell tell you they hold either either of the other coins to the one they really have. You are able to tell them what they are holding behi behind nd the their ir ba ba k. To repeat, the confederate takes the 10p coin this time. He then holds it in his left hand if partic pant two takes the 5p coin or in his right if participant two two took the 20p. This time time the part cipants can lie about which which coin they have or tell tell the truth. You can identi identify fy w o is tell tell ng the truth, truth, who is lying and and that case which which coin coin they they actually hold. However, that is just just the star ; there are multiple ways ways to strengthen it. If you turn turn away right at the start, you can c an ask your confederate to “Grab any three coins out of your pocket – make them all different though…” Now he simply grabs a bunch of change and removes a 5p, 10p and a nd 20p as planned. The other participants participants will think it is a random choice. Now when they lie to you, tell them that they can lie and say it is any coin. coin. Since Since you apparent apparently ly do t know the values values of the coins in play, play, this this makes it massively more impressive when you reveal exactly what they are holding. The second phase changes too: you sk e eryone to speak three times, each time time they are to say that they hold a different one of the coins: “I am holding the 5p. I am holding the 10p. 10p. I am holding holding the 20p.” This time, time, you re able to tell tell them when they are telling the truth. You then add add a third phase. phase. After After you turn away, away, the conf conf derate derate picks picks up the 5p coin, allowing the others two two to choose choose a coin as well. well. Then h puts a finger finger to his lips to to indicate indicate that that no one should should say say anything anything and and open y (to th other other two participant participants) s) puts puts the 5p in his his pocket pocket and removes removes a 2p coin coin a d hold that in in his hand instead instead.. This is is done conspi conspirat ratorial orially, ly, as if if he is trying trying to to me you up. Of course, it’s all planned. Proceed as if you are going to detect the lies again as a s in phase one and then tell the confederate that this doesn’t make sense, but that you think he is lying twice, twice, even though he only spoke once. ‘Figure ‘Figure ou ’ why that is as you reveal that you can c an tell that he switched the coin and then reveal what the new coin is. Make sure he doesn’t overdo it with the acting about how impressed he is…
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Another possibility is to involve a fourth coin and fourth person. We’ll assume assume the coins are a 5p, a 10p, a 20p and a 50p coin. The confederate takes the 5p. If participant two takes the 10p he puts his left hand behind his back. If it’s the 20p he puts his right hand behind his back and if it’s the 50p he puts both hands behind his back. Then when you reveal his his coin (make this reveal the second one, after you’ve revealed participant two’s coin) and he opens his hand for confirmation, if it is heads up it i dicates hat participant participant three has the larger of the two two remaining remaining coins and and if it is is ails up the participant three has has the the smaller smaller of the two two remaining remaining coins. A different presentational approach is to have each of the three participants say absolutely othing Best poker face. face. You then ask them in turn turn if they have each of the three coin . They say nothing, give nothing away. And you can still identify who has what. It doesn’t have to be coins f course. course. You can use exactly the same same system with balled-up bank bank notes: notes: £5 £5 £10 & 20. I prefer to use coins, but your mileage may vary. Finally, Finally, I often often finish finish this pi e by do do ng a date date reveal reveal.. Here is how how to to handle handle it: it: first first,, make sure that the confederate can get the required coins into play easily. He should have just just one 5p, 5p, one 10p 10p nd one 20p amongst a bunch of other mixed mixed coins. This means he can get them into p ay without having check whether whether it is the ‘correct’ ‘correct’ 10p 10p or whatever. whatever. Obvious Obviousll you need need to know the dates dates on the the coins. coins. This date reveal then then becomes the third third an final phase. phase. This time the the confederate again takes the 5p first and holds it in the necessary hand. After revealing who has what, ask each participant participant to look at the d te on their coin. coin. Get participant participant two’s two’s correct, then get the confederate’s wrong, by being off a year Conclude by getting getting participant three’s date correct. There are many many more paths paths that this principle principle can lead lead down nd I hope hope you enjoy enjoy discovering some of them for yourself. I’ve been been using thi got a long time time and can promise you that in the right situation, it is a killer! Credits and inspiration: Al Koran, Tony Corinda.
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