A Dicey Trick

Trick Effect & Routine:

With your back turned, you give your friend a pair of dice to roll on the table. He stacks the dice and you write down a prediction on a slip of paper. Then, he totals the three sides not showing. He tells you his total and opens your prediction — they match!

Preparation:

What you need:

A pair of dice.
Paper and a pen.

Method:

With your back turned towards your friend, ask him to roll the dice on the table and to put one die on top of the other.

Quickly glance at the dice saying, "Just want to make sure you did that.... okay!") and note the top number on the top die. Subtract that number from 14 and write the result on the slip of paper. Fold it and drop it onto the table.

Say, "Looking at the dice, note that there are three sides you can't see — the one face down on the table and the two side touching each other. Now... I want you to add the three side that you cannot see, so carefully (!) pick up the top die and — without turning it — add the two sides that are facing each other... got that? Good... now, replace the die and pick up both dice and look at the side facing the table and add that number to the first number you have.

Now... what is the total you have?"

After they tell you, ask them to open the slip of paper and — of course — the totals match!

Mind Reading

Trick Effect & Routine:

The magician walks out of the room and someone points to any object in the room. The magician returns and is able to tell what the object was.

Method:

First, work out a secret color with a friend. When the magician returns, the friend points to a few different objects and asks the magician whether or not the spectator picked it. After a few objects, the friend should point to an object with the same color as the secret color you picked earlier. This tells you that the next object will be the selected one. You can have a lot of fun with this one and even have multiple spectators pick different things.

Choices

Trick Effect & Routine:

You remove a small coin envelope and dump out three coins: A quarter, a nickel and a dime. Then, you ask a friend to point to one of the coins. It's a free choice... really.

Let's say, he chooses the quarter. After asking him if he wants to change his mind, you tell him to turn over all the coins and written on a sticker on the back of the quarter is "I knew you would pick me!"

Preparation:

A small coin envelope.

Three coins. One must be large, like a US Quarter. I will assume, for the explanation, you will use a nickel and a dime, too.

A small index card cut to fit inside the envelope.

A small, round, white sticker, no bigger than the Quarter.

A pen.

The Preparation:

Write on the sticker, "I knew you would choose me!" You'll need to write it small, but make sure it can be read.

Next, write on the index card, "Because of your personality, I knew you would choose the dime!"

Finally, on the smooth part of the envelope, that is, the side attached to the flap, write, "I just knew you would choose the nickel!"

You no longer need the pen.

Place the card in the envelope and drop in all three coins making sure that the stick on the quarter is facing the smooth side.

Close (but don't seal) the flap and place the whole think in a pocket. You are now all set!

Method:

This one is easy to do, but you must use some psychology to make it play.

Remove the envelope, and do not flash the writing on the envelope. To them, it's just a plain ol' envelope, but please don't point that out to them.

Open the flap and gently allow the coins to slide onto the table. You will see that by placing the quarter the way I told you to that the sticker will now be facing the tabletop. To them, all you did was open a coin envelope and dump out three coins.

Place the envelope to the side, but not too far away from the coins.

Now, tell your friend to choose one of the three coins, the quarter, dime or nickel. After he does, ask him if he'd like to change his mind. Sometimes they do; sometimes, not. It really doesn't matter, but you want them to know that they had a completely free choice in the matter.

After he chooses a coin, you have three endings:

If he chooses the quarter, ask him to turn over all the coins and he will see your prediction on the back of the quarter! Then, drop the coins into the envelope, close it and place it into your pocket. Again, be sure not to flash the writing on the envelope.

If he choose the dime, open the envelope and slide out the card. Briefly show him the inside of the empty envelope (without exposing the writing on it) and have him read the card. As he does, gather up the coins, drop them into the envelope, retrieve the card and slide it into the envelope with the coins. Close it and place it into the pocket without flashing the writing on the envelope.

If he chooses the nickel, turn over the envelope and have him read your prediction. Then just scoop up the coins and drop them into the envelope, close it and place it into your pocket.

The Deadly Room

Trick Effect & Routine:

A "murder" is committed in a hotel room. You, the detective, draw a 3 x 3 grid and add room numbers in them. The "murderer" (the spectator) places a tiny toy gun on one of the squares. You then hand him a card with instructions on how to move the murder weapon and eliminating a room at a time.

After the final move, the murder weapon is in one room. The "murderer" turns over the card and the room number — predicted ahead of time — is written on the card!

The perfect crime...?

Preparation:

What You Need:

Three index cards (see below)
A pen
A very tiny toy gun or knife (about 1" long)
The Preparation:

You need to write a set of instructions on each card.

First, on the back of each card, write, "We found you, the murderer, in Room 5 !"

Then, on "Card 1", write:

Cross out Room #6
Move the weapon seven times and cross out Room #7
Move the weapon four times and cross out Room #3
Move six times and remove Room #1
Move five more times and take out Room #8
Then, move twice and cross out Room #2
Move once and remove Room #9
Now, just move seven more times and cross out Room #4
On "Card #2", write:

Cross out Room #7
Move the weapon four times and cross out Room #3
Move the weapon seven times and cross out Room #2
Move three times and remove Room #9
Move one time and take out Room #8
Then, move twice and cross out Room #6
Move five times and remove Room #1
Now, just move three more times and cross out Room #4
Place these cards in your pocket. Make sure you know where Card 1 is in relation to Card 2.

Method:

Tell your friend that he will play the role of the "murderer" in a hotel. You draw a grid on on of the index cards. It looks like this.

Now, if he places the murder weapon on an odd number, hand him Card 1; if it's placed on an even number, hand him Card 2. Then, he reads the card and follows the instructions.

When he gets to the end, the weapon will always be in Room #5! Tell him to turn over the card to reveal the prediction.

Book 'em, Dano!

Just Think

Trick Effect & Routine:

Holding your friend's two wrists with your two hands, you ask him to "just think of one of your hands". After a few seconds, you raise one of his arms, and (of course) you are right! (Correct, that is.)

Preparation:

None
Isnt it great!!!

Method:

Take your friend's right wrist with your left hand and his left wrist with your right hand. Talk you your friend about how you plan to read his mind.

As you are talking to him, shift your hands so that the forefinger of both your hands is directly over the pulse of his wrists. (Don't use your thumbs as they have a pulse of their own.)

Now, as you are holding his wrists in this manner, tell him to close his eyes and to just think of one of his hands. Tell him to visualize that hand.

As he does, an interesting thing happens: The pulse will change in the hand of which he is concentrating. It should slow down, then skip a beat or two, and then become faster. As people are different, however, what you feel from this individual may also be different, so just be aware of any change in the pulse rate.

When you recognize the hand, tell him to open his eyes. Then, just raise that arm and your friend will be amazed!

This can be repeated a few times, but please, don't over-do it.

Note: If the change goes from one hand to the other, note that and raise the arm with the latest change. Then, tell your friend that you know that he first thought of one arm, but then changed his mind.

This is a great trick to do when you have nothing on you at all. You can do this on the beach in your bathing suit!

The Magical Week

Trick Effect & Routine:

You give your friend a monthly calendar and have him or her flip the pages to any month. After you turn your back, have your friend circle three consecutive days on the calendar — any days at all, as long as they are consecutive.

After a question and a mental calculation, you reveal all three dates!

Amazing mindreading that you can do!

Preparation:

What you need:

A monthly calendar (where all of the dates for one month are on each page).
A pen or pencil.
A calculator, if you want to be really safe.

Method:

Give your friend the calendar and turn your back. Instruct him or her to flip to any page and to circle three consecutive dates on the calendar. These can be days he likes (vacation days, holidays, etc.) or whatever!

Instruct your friend to mentally add the three numbers (dates) and give you the total. Then, you mentally divide the total given to you by 3. This will be the second date of the three your friend circled. Since you know the middle date, subtract 1 for the first date and add 1 for the third date!

Presentation Tip:

Instead of just blurting out the three dates, "You picked the 23rd, 24th, and 25th!", ask your friend if those dates have any real meaning to him or her.

"Yes", your friend says, "It's the day I met my in-laws!"

"Ah!', you say, "That would be the 23rd, 24th, and 25th!"

See the difference?