What if you had the power to predict the future?
Imagine knowing the hole card in your opponent’s poker hand. What if you could read minds at a party, on a date or during a business lunch?
If anyone can do it, mentalists can. Or at least make you believe they can.
Mentalists are magicians of the mind, using trickery to display feats of psychological manipulation and mind control.
To find out more, we asked three local mentalists to reveal their favorite routines.
PENDULUM POWER
Revealed by Neil Tobin, a self-described necromancer, part magician, part psychic. Tobin stars in “Supernatural Chicago,” a one-man show that examines the city’s paranormal past, Fridays at Excalibur (632 N. Dearborn St., 312-266-1944, www.supernaturalchicago.com).
THE EFFECT: Through the movements of a necklace, the mind reader discerns an object the participant is thinking of.
WHAT YOU NEED: A necklace or cord with a pendant. Four or five objects from a table, such as a candle, salt shaker, sugar packet, wine glass.
TOBIN EXPLAINS HIS METHOD:
1. While sitting at a restaurant table, ask your willing participant to pick one of the items silently, and to burn that choice into his or her mind.
2. Introduce the necklace and explain how it works:
“Have you ever used a pendulum? It’s a direct pipe-line into your subconscious. If you want it to work, and if you are truthful, it will accurately convey your thoughts.
“Hold the chain at the end and let the pendant hang straight. When I ask a question and you know the answer is ‘yes,’ it will swing in a straight line. If the an-swer is ‘no,’ it will swing in a circle, like the ‘O’ in no.
“But don’t try to fool it. This isn’t a lie detector test. Let’s make this a true test of the power of your thoughts.”
3. Have the participant relax and hold the necklace at arm’s length. Name each object on the table.
“Is it the salt shaker? Think yes or no.”
Be patient and wait for the pendulum to swing. If they follow your suggestions, their body’s ideomotor response will answer with small, imperceptible movements in the arm. If the answer is “no,” have the pendulum stop, then ask your next question.
“Is it the candle? Think yes or no.”
4. Eventually the pendulum will swing “yes” for one of the objects. When that happens, smile wisely and compliment your participant on having such a strong mind.
WHY TOBIN THINKS IT’S COOL: This routine uses no trickery. It is based on scientific principles of the ideomotor effect, that is, the human body making movements based on subconscious thoughts.
TOBIN’S TIPS: The most important requirement is the ability to present this mystery confidently but without turning it into a you-versus-them challenge. Make sure the participant uses the barest amount of energy to keep his or her pendulum-holding arm extended; if he uses too much muscle, his vibrations will be stifled, and the pendulum won’t work.
TO LEARN MORE: Join the Society of American Magicians, the world’s oldest magicians’ fraternity. Anyone can join. The Chicago assembly, of which Tobin is the current president, was founded by Harry Houdini in 1917. For more information, visit www.magicalchicago.com.
THE WIZARD KNOWS
Revealed by Bill Pack, who has performed mentalism and magic for the past 27 years. He’s the manager of Magic Masters at Navy Pier (600 E. Grand Ave., 312-321-1100, www.magicmasters.com), and is currently working on a book about the history of magic in Chicago.
THE EFFECT: The performer calls a “wizard,” who reveals the spectator’s card selection over the phone.
WHAT YOU NEED: A deck of playing cards. A co-conspirator with a phone who knows the secret system.
PACK EXPLAINS HIS METHOD:
1. Have a friend willing to play the part of the wizard. You’ll need to teach this person a secret code: Anytime you call this friend and say, “Hello, I’d like to speak to the wizard, please” ask your friend to slowly count from one to five. This will make sense later.
2. When it’s time to perform, have a spectator select five random cards from a deck. Lay out the cards on a table in a row face up. The first card on the spectator’s left will be position one, the second position two, etc.
3. Have the spectator point to one of the cards. That is now their card. You will secretly remember the position where the card lies. In this example, let’s say the card is at position four.
4. It’s time to call the wizard. When your friend picks up the phone, say, “Hello, I’d like to speak to the wizard.” Your friend will begin to slowly count, “One … two … three …”
5. As soon as the wizard says, “… four,” immediately cut in and say, “Thank You.” The wizard now knows the card is at position four.
6. Hand the phone to the spectator. Have the spectator name the playing cards aloud from left to right. The wizard knows that the fourth card named is the participant’s selection. The wizard triumphantly reveals the playing card.
WHY PACK THINKS IT’S COOL: “The wizard” on the phone can be anywhere in the world.
PACK’S TIPS: If you are using your cell phone, be sure to program it with the name “Wizard.” It would look strange if someone looks at your phone and sees that you really called some guy named Lenny.
Also, when it’s time to name the card, make sure your friend playing the wizard draws out the revelation. Let’s say the card is the three of diamonds. The wizard might want to present it like this:
“OK, I can see that it’s a red card, I got that right away. Concentrate on the suit a little better … I see it’s more pointy than roundy, it must be a diamond. Keep focusing … I don’t see a lot of ink, so it’s not a picture card, it’s more of a lower value card. An odd card. It’s a three. Your thought-of card is the three of diamonds.”
TO LEARN MORE: Read “Magic for Dummies” by David Pogue.
THE NUMBER DIVINATION
Revealed by Tim Felix, who was recently voted magician of the year by the performing fraternity Knights of Sleights. He’s been a performing mentalist and magic consultant for more than two decades, and is the owner of Midwest Magic in Franklin Park (9706 Franklin Ave., 847-455-4288, www.midwestmagic.net).
THE EFFECT: A spectator thinks of a random, three-digit number and the mind reader divines it.
WHAT YOU NEED: A spectator who can subtract three-digit numbers. The mind reader needs a pen and a sheet of paper with the following digits written on it: 99, 198, 297, 396, 495, 594, 693, 792, 891.
FELIX EXPLAINS THE METHOD:
1. In the midst of a phone conversation, ask your friend to grab a pen and a paper. Tell the person to write down any three-digit number, with all the digits different. Now reverse the three digits and write that down too (e.g. 123 and 321).
2. Ask your friend to take the smaller number and subtract it from the larger number. (e.g. 321-123=198). You friend should circle this new number and focus on it. Unbeknownst to the spectator, their new number will always be one of the digits written on the mind reader’s sheet of paper. You’ll now fish out their number through a series of innocuous statements.
3. “It’s a three-digit number …” If they say yes, eliminate 99 on your sheet and continue. If they say no, you know their number is 99. End here and take a bow.
4. “… And it’s less than 600 …” If they say no, it’s either 693, 792 or 891. At which point, you narrow it down, “It’s an odd number, right?” Let’s say it’s odd. You’re down to 693 and 891. “I see a six? You don’t see a six? I meant a six upside down. Is your number 891?”
5. Let’s say they answered yes to “And it’s less than 600 . . . ” Continue narrowing down the possibilities by asking, “… but greater than 200, correct?” If they respond no, you know they’re thinking of 198. If they respond yes, you’re down to 297, 396, 495 and 594.
6. “I see that it’s an even number.” Let’s say they answer yes. You’re down to 396 and 594. “I see a six?” If they answer yes to that, it’s 396. If they answer no, say “I meant a six upside down. You’re thinking of 594.”
7. If they answer no to “I see that it’s an even number,” then you’re down to 297 and 495. “I see a four? There isn’t a four? Oh, then your number is 297.” Obviously if they do see a four, the number is 495.
WHY FELIX THINKS IT’S COOL: The spectator can try to work back the method and chances are, they’ll end up with a different three-digit number. Which means the trick doesn’t work the same every time.
FELIX’S TIPS: The method seems longer than the trick really is. It goes by super fast once you get the presentation down. Remember, you’re narrowing down a field of nine numbers through yes and no questions. And be sure to cross out the numbers on your sheet as you’re narrowing down the spectator’s selection.
TO LEARN MORE: Read “Self-Working Mental Magic” by Karl Fulves.
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kpang@tribune.com
