People resort to the services of psychics, hand readers, and mystics because they are drawn to the idea that it is possible to read minds. You can take advantage of this interest by learning some magic tricks that give the impression that you know what's going on in volunteers' minds. The three tricks described in this article will allow you to wow the audience.
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Name the Dead
Step 1. Ask for three volunteers
This is a nice trick when you have an audience in front of you, since you'll need three volunteers to get it right. Make sure you name exactly three; the trick won't have the same effect with two people, and it won't work with four. It's best to pick people you don't know well so that the audience doesn't think you've got your makeup ready before the show.
Step 2. Give each volunteer a piece of paper
This part is very important. Take a piece of paper and tear it into three parts. Give the first part, which will have a straight and a torn side, to the first person. Give the second part, with two sides torn, to the second person. Give the third part, which will also have a straight and a ripped side, to the third person.
- You can't do this trick unless you tear a piece of paper into three pieces, so make sure you have it ready.
- Pay attention to the person who has the torn part on both sides. This piece of paper is the secret of the trick.
Step 3. Tell each person to write a name
The first and third person should write the name of a living person. The second person (who has the paper torn on two sides) should write the name of a deceased person.
Step 4. Announce that you will extract the name of the deceased person
Leave the room or turn your back as the volunteers write the names. Without ever touching the pieces, ask the volunteers to put the tickets in a hat or box.
Step 5. Extract the name
Tell the volunteers to focus hard on the name they wrote. Hold the hat or box over your head, or have someone else hold it, so it's clear you can't see inside. Tell the audience that you already know the name of the deceased person and look firmly at the volunteer who wrote it, as if reading their mind. Finally, put your hand in the hat and look for the card with two torn sides. Pull it out with drama and read the name to amaze everyone.
Method 2 of 5: Predict the Most Lucky
Step 1. Ask audience members to say their names aloud
Announce that you are going to write each name on a card and that you will put them all in a hat. At the end of the trick, you will predict which audience member is the luckiest, and write your prediction on a chalkboard. The luckiest person's name will then be drawn from the hat by a volunteer and will be the same as your prediction. If the audience is large, you can choose ten people as volunteers; if there are fewer people, they can all participate.
Step 2. Write the same name on each card
When the first person says his name, write it on a card. Write the same name when the second person says his name. Keep writing the same name on every ticket, whatever names the audience calls. Put all the cards in a hat when you are done writing them.
- Make sure no volunteers are close enough to read the names you write.
- If you are showing your makeup at a birthday party or event honoring someone, you might want to write the name of the person being celebrated on each card to make sure they are the "luckiest" person.
- Instead of saying that you will predict who the luckiest person is, you could predict who will get married, who is the most mysterious person or the most unfortunate person. Make your choice based on the event and audience.
Step 3. Write the prediction on a chalkboard
When everyone has finished speaking and the cards are in the hat, write the name of the special person in big letters and show it to the audience. He announces that he undoubtedly knows that he is the luckiest person.
Step 4. Have a volunteer extract a name from the hat
Hold the hat over the volunteer's head and ask him to draw a name and announce it to the public. People will gasp when they hear the name. Make sure you put away any remaining tickets right away so that no one can discover your trick.
Method 3 of 5: Choose a Card
Step 1. Cut a hole in the box of a deck of cards
You will only need a regular deck of cards in a cardboard box. Remove the cards from the box and use scissors to drill a small hole in one of the corners of the box. Put the cards back in place and look into the hole. You should be able to see the top corner of the last card in the deck and figure out which one it is.
- Show up at the show with the box ready. Keep the side with the hole away from the audience as you prepare to perform the trick.
- If you can find a box with an image of a printed card, as many regular decks have, better - the hole will be practically invisible.
Step 2. Ask an audience volunteer to choose a card
Start by having the person shuffle the deck a couple of times. Tell him to choose a card and show it to the audience while you remain turned, then put the card on the bottom of the deck. Hold the box of cards in front of you, with the hole side facing the palm, and tell the person to put the cards in the box.
He will almost certainly put the cards in the box face down, so you can't see the chosen card. If he doesn't, ask him to start over and choose a new card
Step 3. Pretend to read the volunteer's mind
Hold the deck of cards in front of you, with the hole facing you, and announce that you will read the volunteer's mind to figure out which card he or she has chosen. Look into the hole to figure out what paper it is, then close your eyes and tilt your head towards the ceiling. Announce "I understand!" and proclaims the name of the card.
Step 4. Confirm your prediction by showing the card
Take the deck out of the box, being careful not to show the side with the hole, and hold it so that the audience can see the last card.
Method 4 of 5: The Dictionary Trick
Step 1. Before performing this trick, memorize the ninth word on page 108 of the dictionary
Write it on a card that you will put in an envelope. Keep the envelope in your pocket.
Note that this is the most important part of the trick. If you don't follow this step, you won't be able to perform it successfully
Step 2. When you start the trick, ask for two volunteers
Give the first a dictionary, the other a calculator.
Step 3. Ask the volunteer with the calculator to choose any three-digit number
The only requirement is that the number cannot contain repeating digits. For example, he could choose 365, but not 222.
Step 4. Ask the person to reverse the number (example 563)
Then, ask him to subtract the larger number from the smaller one (example 563-365 = 198). Finally ask to reverse the number obtained (example 891).
Step 5. Ask the volunteer to add the last two numbers
In our example, 198 + 981 = 1089. The result will always be 1089 regardless of the number initially chosen.
Step 6. Now ask the person for the first three digits of the number
There will always be 108. Ask the volunteer with the dictionary to go to page 108.
Step 7. Now ask the second volunteer what the last digit of the number is
It will always be 9.
Step 8. Ask the volunteer with the dictionary to stare at the ninth word from above
You stare at the volunteer and pretend to read his mind, then, when you have "read" the number, take out the envelope and reveal the note. The audience will be amazed when you show the same word found by the volunteer.
Method 5 of 5: Guessing the Thoughts of a Volunteer
Step 1. Tell a volunteer to think of a number between 1 and 5
This spectacular trick exploits some peculiarities of human psychology. Even if you will give your viewer a choice that apparently has many possible answers, most people will think the same thing, and this will allow you to perform this jaw-dropping trick. Start by asking the volunteer to think of a number between 1 and 5, but not to reveal it.
Step 2. Ask the volunteer to multiply the number by nine, then add the two digits obtained
For example, if the volunteer chooses 5, 9 x 5 = 45, and 4 + 5 = 9. He should do it mentally and not aloud.
Step 3. Ask the volunteer to subtract 5 from the number
9 - 5 = 4, so the volunteer should think about the number 4 at this point.
Step 4. Tell the volunteer to find the letter of the alphabet that corresponds to the number
For example, number 1 will correspond to A, 2 to B and so on. At this point, he will think of number 4, regardless of the starting number, so he will think of D.
Step 5. Tell the volunteer to choose a country whose name starts with that letter
Most people will answer Denmark.
Step 6. Pretend to read the volunteer's mind
Pretend to commit and mind-bending. Tell the viewer that you are searching the depths of their psyche.
Step 7. Look confused and say you see the countryside of Denmark
Nine times out of ten, the volunteer will react with amazement, even if it is possible to find a spectator who chooses "Dominica".
Advice
- Don't tell anyone the tricks. Remember, a good wizard never reveals your tricks.
- Speak confidently - your tricks will be much more believable.
- Don't repeat a trick in front of the same audience. Someone would understand your "magic".
