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Name : Mindpower deck by John kennedy
Price : usually $29.90 to $30, but I found it on EBay for $15
Diffuculty : 2

Effect: In this trick, a deck of 52 (can be counted) cards and a joker are shown. they are all different. The deck is spread face up, and each of the spectators merely think of any card. They don't touch it or say what it is, just think of it. By asking each of the spectator some questions, the magician is able to reveal the thought of cards!

Comments : The deck of cards is gimmicked and can't be examined. The method really is pretty simple, and you don't have to memorize anything.

Rating: 10/10

[Anonymously Posted by: 'Shachaf Ben-Kiki']

If you can get hold of Derren Browns video "Devil's Picture Book" there is a presentation of this deck on there that almost eliminates the fishing, at least as far as the udience is concerned, it will appear that you ask an absolute maximum of two questions, but sometimes you won't have to ask a single one.

i have seen the video of this and it does look impressive, i know how it is done, but wondered is it not cheaper to make your own

You could make a version of the mind power deck, but there is a subtlety in the design of the cards which makes it possible to show the John Kenedy one as a full deck, which, without getting cards specially printed you wouldn't be able to do yourself, which would make it more expensive.
I would also say that you should buy John Kenedy's as he came up with the idea, or was at least the first to put out on sale, which he didn't have to do, he could have kept it to himself.
The small problem of the non bicycle backs can be solved by adding a bike card to the front and back of the deck.
Nick

Well said, Nickj! It is important that the creaters of magic are paid for their ideas. This is the reason we do not allow the sale/exchange of booklets where you can learn the trick then sell it on.

This seems a bit expensive for what seems a common mind reading trick performed by many mentalists.

Ahhhhh..... the Mindpower Deck.

Let's clear some things up...

1: No, it's not a rip off. As Nick says, most of the time there's a new idea that you pay for - and sorry, but it's not expensive - if you consider that you get a routine which can be performed on spectator's simultaneously.

2: There's no possible way I could imagine this deck being re-created after just watching the video (unless you work at a card factory). There's a lot of thought, time and effort gone into the generation of the effect - and that includes the specially printed cards.

3: The 'moonface' cards supplied are horrifically ugly - and won't match your Bikes at all. Unless, of course, you use your loaf:
Put them in a Blue Bike pack, put a Blue 8 of Diamonds on the top and replace that horrible 'All knowing' Joker with an Ace of Spades from a Blue Bike deck. They now look just like Blue Bikes - if you're careful

You've probably guessed, but I'm defending this strongly: it's simply one of the most versatile gaff decks you can use. Derren Brown uses one, so surely that's justification enough.

I felt so strongly, in fact - that I've done my own review AND posted a routine using this deck in the MO section.

Give tricks a chance. It's impossible for you to comment negatively until you actually own these things. It's very difficult to justify your hard earned pennies being spent on magic - especially if, like me, you've bought some of the rubbish available out there.

But this is one mentalism effect that won't dissapoint. It really does work.

I've got a confession here; this was my first plus £20 (expensive to me) trick I brought. I'd been totally hooked by the concept and couldn't wait to get it. Anyway, probably like a great many others my inexperience consigned this excellent trick to my drawer.
Although the trick is well made (ignoring the moonface cards), and the instructions are very clear... it had failed for me.
Why? well yes I know I didn't give it a fair chance and just had to perform before I'd mastered the handling, but because of that and the fact the deck wasn't a 'bicycle' set, I lost confidence, thinking because it was a 'different' pack of cards when I pulled it out everyone would know something was up.
So where does that bring me to, well, having sat in my drawer for the last two years along with 'NFW', and 'club sandwich'... I've sent off for RRTCM and am looking to invest of in a 'card video'... and hopefully sometime in the next three months I will be astounding my friends with these awesome tricks.
To conclude, 'the mindpower deck' is a gem of a trick, but from my experience as a novice, I would recommend getting used to handling a regular deck, just to build your own confidence in your ability before going for some of the excellent specialist decks.
Cheers
Vats

IMHO NFW! is one of the most astounding routines available and has great 'WOW!' factor potential if you watch the demo vid on penguin it all looks so smooth and astounding - even if you have the instructions in front of you!

My problem was with the count involved but I'm getting better at it each time so drag it out of the drawer and give it another go - I'm sure it will be worth it!

snap
it was the 'count' that did it for me, I really struggle to get the handling by just reading the instructions... still I'll take a look at the clip you mentioned and will definitely be opening up my drawer in the near future... I'll let you know how I get on!
cheers

Vats...

The Mindpower deck is very easily disguised as a bicycle deck - with minimum handling change.

I cannot post details in this section, but I will hunt down my article and private message you the details.

pssst seige.... your gonna have to change the "coming soon: July" bit on the NUMS frontpage....

The logic of the count is quite straightforward and, as it was developed by an Englishman, it ought to be brilliant. (OK, flag waving over for the time being.) However, it does require a bit of work to become comfortable with it. The key word there is comfortable rather than expert as you can practice something to death over many years and never be 100% excellent. As long as the illusion works, then I'll settle for 99% - or possibly somewhat lower down the numerical scale if I can get away with it!

I think we sometimes tend to forget that, if you don't know there's a move going on, you wouldn't know about it and we often worry unnecessarily. If I can paraphrase from 'Deep Astonishment', take the Cross Cut Force, if you don't know it you've probably been fooled by it many times, Once you know the move you seriously doubt it would fool anyone - but it does! TT's are another aspect - we worry that they are so obvious because we know about them but the spec's don't and are very unlikely to spot their use unless the performer makes it glaringly obvious.

Yankee Tom's motto of it all being a bit of fun is just about right - but it does require some background work to make it fun!

I think I'll get off me soapbox now!

Mandrake

Totally agree, its all in the performance, unless 'we' make it obvious somethings odd or happening noone ever notices.

I was really disappointed when I got my first 'TT', I just couldn't get over the fact the colour was all wrong etc..... it took me a long while before I dared to use it in front of someone and then I made sure I was in the shadows!!!!... however once I had done it and got great facial reaction when someone just can't believe what you've done I just went from strength to strength as my confidence became sky high....

My problem is sometimes I just can't follow the instructions or I can follow the instructions but feel so awkward in doing the routine that I don't have the confidence to perform to anyone....

Vats

My problem is sometimes I just can't follow the instructions or I can follow the instructions but feel so awkward in doing the routine that I don't have the confidence to perform to anyone....

Welcome, brother, join the clan!! To be honest, most instructions are easy enough to follow but there are some which defy understanding unless your IQ is larger than the National Debt. Another of my pet gripes is where I've shelled out many of the readies for what I assumed is a completely self contained miracle, I'm ploughing through the instructions OK and then get to the bit where it says, 'now simply perform the Aardvark Count and....' This is when deep, deep despair sets in!

However, once the 'Aardvark Count' is discovered and 'mastered' the whole thing takes on a new dimension because now you're entertaining people instead of worrying about moves etc. I've become quite used to TT's, in the form of D'Lites, by wearing them when I take the dog for a walk at night. The reactions from motorists stuck at the traffic lights as I transfer lights from one ear to the other, from the dog's ear to my pocket and so on is quite astounding and I'll probably be arrested for flashing soon! However, I can wear the things with great confidence and not worry - the hands assume a very natural and relaxed position because they're forgotten about.