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I've noticed a distinct pattern in my performance. It seems that the more chances I take the more psychic I become!

EG: Part of a routine of mine involves asking a spec to try to guess or divine the number and suit of a card I hold in my hand. After playing this game for a minute, a spec then asked me to name the card she was thinking of ("If you're really psychic you'll know what card I'm thinking of."). Now a few years ago I would have made up some excuse about the environment being too noisy, or conditions being unfavourable for such a revelation etc. This is afterall a no win situation for a guy who sells himself as "the psychic magician". However the specs were a friendly bunch, so in this new atmosphere of taking more chances to become more psychic I chose a card completely at random from the deck and put it face down on the table. The spec named her card (7 of spades out of interest), and lo! Was it not true that I had indeed chosen the 7 of spades. There was much whooping and gasping.

In fact I like the idea so much that I think I'll work on a "more reliable" method of producing this revelation. However, the gist of my post is to take more chances and see what happens. Fortune, as they say, favours the brave...God helps those who help themselves...and, um, allow your psychic juices to flow!!!

I've just realised how utterly inane my above posting is. Please ignore it. I was in Merthy Tydfil (sp?) til very late last night and it was a long journey home. I need sleep...

Note to self: If I've nothing interesting to say, don't say anything.

As you know Mr Wand there are a few cards the lay people will guess 9 times out of 10. I havent got the list but theres a list what lay people will do and a list that magicians will do. Its not an exact science and sometimes you will be miles off. Hope this helps in some way. I usually say the 9 of clubs by the way.

Hi Markidini - yes i think the choices made by folk have been mentioned before. Queen of hearts, seven of hearts etc.

My original post was meant to be a rallying call to fellow magi to take more chances and to actually attempt to answer questions that a spec might ask, such as "What am I thinking?"

But then I realised that most magi would follow that path anyway.

Btw - I was fairly chuffed with myself at "guessing" the 7 of spades correctly, 7 of spades not being a "top 3" fave card. I was just lucky I guess...or do my powers increase with the passing of each day? Mwu-hah-hah!

Actually Derren Brown's "The Devil's Picturebook" has an effect that is similar to the one you are after, it's called "Double Think" if I recall.
It's not as clean, and you work with 2 spectators, not one, but if done correctly it has the same powerful impact.

Hmm theres this I have just thought. Of if you miss the card. "What was the card you was thinking of" the spec says what ever then you give it large from the tarot. "The 9 of spades? This tells me that you are etc etc" Just link that card to the tarot card. Or any basic cold reading you care to throw in.

iummydd - Yes, I have seen and indeed used Double Think. I quite like it.

Markdini - That's quite a nice idea. Other ways of achieving a similar effect are quite obvious - using a swami for instance. But I like the idea of a clean and genuine prediction based on the person you are performing for. The spec was a dark haired American girl who told me that her mother was a reader. She believed 80% in psychic power, mediums, etc. and believed she had at least an intuitive side. After speaking with her, and on reflection, it becomes more reasonable to assume that she was more likely to choose a spade rather than the more obvious heart. And the 7 - well, it is a "lucky" number for many people, and those with an interest in matters "occult" (for want of a better word) are more likely to believe in magical lucky numbers. So one can see how she would choose the 7 of Spades.

It's this genuine prediction that interests me very much. But it is heart (or spade) in the mouth time when the revelation comes!

BTW - as an aside, using a "more predictable" way of naming a chosen card is a good way of answering those "So what am I thinking then Mr. Smartypants?" type questions. Explain to your challenger that you need to make sure he (it usually is a "he") actually has something on his mind that is quantifiable, so instruct him to think of a card, any card. Then embark on your card revelation routine of choice.

Thats half the battle right there. If there belive its a lot easier, With suggestion I always do a sure fire routine that doesnt use it but appears to. Then something that would work nicely with a little but doesent have to ..always sowing the seeds you see.

Here is another idea instead of some one going well Mr Fry tell me what I am thinking, Give him a pendulum to hold and tell him to think 3 things that are the truth and one thats a lie. This should be stong enough on its own. But a cleaner then clean methood its usually , cars , sex or money. And if you wins the others around him over to you this will help. And of course sometines it always seems more real when you miss.

i love it when a risk pays off...

i held one card in my hand, told my ex-grilfriend's dad to name any card. he names it, I turn it over and it is the card!

i was shocked...but turned it into magic of course...he said it was the best thing he had ever seen!

he then asked me to do it again...now obviously I couldn't, as it was pure luck, but I thought "meh - wat the hell" and riffled through, took out a random card, and placed it face down on the table, he named a random card, i got him to turn it over, and it was the correct card again!

now the odds of that happening i believe are 1 in 2704

now THAT is a prediction

Fantastic Chris! Now that's what I'm talking about!

I like Markdinis reading idea- I'll probably find it useful in the future.
I have a routine with a little less risk. I have on the bottom of the deck a 7D with the 7H on top. On the top of the deck, I keep the 7S with the KS and the QH beneath. The King and Queen aren't necessary if I'm doing a quick set-up. I leave the 7C in the card box.

"Now, in a moment, I want you to think of a number between one and ten... [slip of the tongue] nah, make it five and thirteen."

This makes it seem like they had a bigger choice than they did. It eliminates the oh-so-common three. If they say something that's not seven [lets assume they say eight] then I do a shuffle retaining top stock and turn the deck face up. I glide the top card and count seven indifferent cards. I name the eighth card [7S] and play it big.

If they say seven, I ask them to attach a suite to it. I win no matter what now. The most common seven I've had named so far was the seven of clubs. It being in the box is killer.

Out of interest, has anyone had consistent success with Derren Brown-type "mental forces"? I sometimes use his "Invisible Deal" when asked to do something unprepared, which is surprisingly easy and gets great reactions, but haven't much tried the more "bare bones" approach.

In terms of narrowing down possible selections, a throwaway remark not to think of something I could guess, "like the Ace of Spades or Queen of Diamonds or that sort of thing" generally steers the way towards a numbered heart, I find. Although, of course, this kind of thing will never be 100%. Or even 75%!

I have used the invisible deal with some success.
I have also used it alongside bang on, allowing me to bring the prediction into play earlier than usually possible with either effect.

I have tried both versions of derrens and have had some success. You really do need to make sure your have the laymans whole attention though.

I have had a case when messing around with a id. I asked for a card and low and behold they named the top card. *Suppress joy*

As has been stated there are several pieces that work off of this "theme" as it were and various methods I'm reminded of an old Docc Hilford bit that plays very much along these lines too, Rick Maue has a piece coming onto the market sometime later this summer that will most certainly blow your mind (it's based on a principle not used in this manner before and is 100% awesome!)

Then again... just so you know it's me saying all this I find it amazing how fast a Card Trick spawns such a long thread...