This effect when performed correctly is probably the most baffling and amazing piece of magic you can perform.
I remember seeing this effect and I really believed it was real Mind Reading/ ESP, told my friends about it for many years before I knew what it was. It solidly convinces people of actual mind reading, it leaves them with no other solution to the problem.
Here is the effect: You have a pack of Bicycle Playing Cards that have a rubber band around the middle, you explain to the audience that you would like to try an experiment in Mind Reading.
So it is completely random, I will toss the deck out and whoever catches the deck will riffle through the cards and take a peek at just one card.
(This can be done for a small group of friends, a living room full of people or even on stage.) The spectator is asked to toss the deck to someone else.
That person peeks a card and again tosses the deck to someone else.
This can be done with up to ten spectators. Have everyone who peeked at a card stand up.
I ask them to concentrate on their cards… I stand with my eyes closed... I ask them to project just an image of the color of their card… I look out.. AHA! I see a red card.. and I smile as I look out…and a Black Card.. and I see a Five.. I see a heart… another Heart??? An even Spade.. an Ace, A king, A two, A five, A Black Eight, the Ace is Black… Yes a Club.. the King is Red.. A Diamond… As I call out I look at the people standing..
Usually one of them will give away their card, I will look directly at them and name the card I think is theirs.. I then repeat all ten cards.. If you have heard your card called, please be seated.
If they all sit, (This is usually the case) I take a bow, If some are still standing, you are now in a position to look at them and with a few questions name their cards and have them be seated also.
Know that you have completely fooled the most logical and smartest minds in the audience.
You will have left them with something to ponder for a very long time.
Many people in the audience will believe after witnessing this experiment that you can really read minds! In fact they will be lined up out the door wanting you to tell them the future. This effect needs to be used responsibly as I am certain you could start a New cult or religion with this effect.. It is really that powerful.
They will talk about you for the rest of their lives!
