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One of the most succesful parts of my table-hopping routine is when I ask a punter to think of their favourite card in the deck, find that card, and place it face down on the table. The deck is of course "special" and once I have discerned the card, I give a Kenton Knepper inspired reading and then "psychicly" reveal the card that they have chosen. This simple routine is hugely effective and always gets a great reaction.

However on 2 occassions recently I have presented the punter with a "straight" packet of cards by mistake, and only once they have selected their card and placed it face down on the table have I realised my error. So I'm sat at a table in a restaurant, with 4 people staring at me, all of them waiting for me to not only provide an accurate character reading of the volunteer but also correctly reveal the card that they have chosen. Talk about high pressure!

Gathering all the knowledge I could remember from the many volumes that I have read on mentalism and mind reading, I scored two very close hits. The first was a King of Hearts that I had predicted would be a Queen of Hearts (& those of you that know this subject well will realise that this wasn't a very difficult prediction), the second was a 6 of clubs which I predicted as 8 of clubs. I was actually well chuffed, and the punters loved it too.

From those two experiences I learned exactly how to act when doing a gimmicked mind reading act! I could feel the sweat pouring down my back, my face was beetroot red, and my brain was screaming "What now smart boy?!" Luckily I kept in control, remembered all I'd learned and most of all believed in myself. It's also quite a buzz! I'm almost tempted to do this section of my performance "straight" everytime. Now when I use my "special" deck I feel almost like I'm cheating (which I am of course, but we've had that particular discussion before!).

Two things I've learned then are 1) exactly how to "model" real mind-reading, and 2) always check which deck you're pulling from your trouser pocket!

But this set of circumstance should likewise be showing to you the real reason for Swami's and Pocket Writing...

Craig Browning wrote::lol:

But this set of circumstance should likewise be showing to you the real reason for Swami's and Pocket Writing...

Indeed. I guess I really ought to have more of an "out" for when things go wrong other than flying by the seat of my pants!

We all do it!

I still do not know how I got away with it, but I managed to use the ash in an ashtray one night, for writing out a message on a napkin... spirit writing! It drove everyone crazy and all the while I just knew they all saw me doing the dirty work.

I've done similar things with nearby candle wax too.


Many years ago Juels Lenear told me to always keep a tube of chapstick in my pocket. He then showed me 101 things you could do with it in case you forget to bring allyour other junk.

It's amazing just how much folk fail to notice even when it's right before their eyes!

I performed close-up at a party last Monday. It was full of accountants and lawyers and other such straight-laced folk. I sat down with one accountant who proceeded to tell me that he was a great believer in Arkhams (sp?) Razor, and that he doubted that I'd manage to impress him.

Fearing the worst, I did a little routine with the esp cards. After the routine the accountant informed me that he believed something "beyond normal understanding" must have occured. He deduced that the only possible explanation was the paranormal. I naturally agreed.

ACCUM's Razor... though it has its validity it is likewise one of the favorite contentions by most skeptics.

It's Occam's (or Ockham's) Razor. Commonly restated as 'the simplest possible answer is usually the correct one' (my emphasis). With good magic and mentalism you'd still be hard-pushed to think of a simple possible answer though.