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Mental Force by Wayne Dobson – an exclusive from www.emagictricks.co.uk


The Effect/What it says on the tin
A prediction card is shown face up, a deck of cards is shuffled by the spectator, they remove one card face down, when revealed the removed card matches the prediction card. The deck can be examined to find the only card missing is the prediction, fantastic effect, easy to do, you don’t touch the cards.

Cost
£13.00

Difficulty
(1=easy to do, 2=No sleights, but not so easy, 3=Some sleights used,
4=Advanced sleights used, 5=Suitable for experienced magicians only)

1 - just needs good presentation.

Review
Wayne’s routines are usually simple and easy to do so all the concentration is on presentation and this one is no exception. In a more expanded explanation, the effect is that the performer has a prediction card, the deck, still in the box if you like, is handed to the volunteer to check and genuinely shuffle. You declare that you will use the power of your mind to influence their actions so their freely chosen card will match your prediction which can be held in plain sight all the time. They spread the cards face down on the table and then freely select any card which, still face down, is then placed onto the prediction card and, just for fun, you declare that the cards do match because they’re the same size. Allow the groans (and possibly insults) to die down then turn both cards over to show an even more impressive match – the backs of each card are the same pattern and colour! More groans will probably ensue but then separate the cards, turn them both face up and show that they are indeed identical. Take the applause and, if you’re lucky, any cash being showered up on you. The spec genuinely checks and shuffles, genuinely selects any card in the deck and at no time do you touch the cards until they’ve made their single choice and hand it over.

Overall
Deceptively simple but needs a bit of thought in terms of presentation to make it memorable. There’s lots of scope for personalizing this in terms of patter and presentation and the wording supplied gives the basic structure to use. Despite the way that the spec has all that freedom of choice, good ol’ Miracle worker does it every time.

Rating: 7/10

Value for Money Tricky. For what you actually get, £13.00 is on the high side and, as previously mentioned, you need to adapt to your own style – as usual. Without giving too much away, this can be done with almost any suitable Poker size deck so you’re not restricted to using Bikes. It’s quite possible to prepare alternative versions in case you’re called on to do it again later in the same evening with a different, but equally well predicted, result. I can also envisage a version where the prediction card is kept secret until the end but, again, this would be personal choice.

On that basis I’d say another 7/10 for value, many purchasers will rate this higher as it’s very stunning when the two cards are revealed to be identical.

Oooh I feel very clever, tink I have this one figered from your description Mandrake, are you giving to much away or am I getting better at this

Only one question, can BOTH cards be examined by the specs after the said event has happened. If not then I guess I get it, if they can be examined both I'm flummoxed.

Perhaps I was being a little too explicit (so have pruned the wording a bit) but I'm sure only a fellow genius would be able to work it out ! As for your question, nuff sed........