Reply #5: If the child is old enough, here's a mind-reading trick [View All]

[pokerfan]

that is 98% accurate.

1. Think of a number from 1 to 10
2. Multiply that number by 9
3. If the number is a 2-digit number, add the digits together
4. Now subtract 5
5. Determine which letter in the alphabet corresponds to the number you ended up with (example: 1=a, 2=b, 3=c,etc.)
6. Think of a country that starts with that letter
7. Remember the last letter of the name of that country
8. Think of the name of an animal that starts with that letter
9. Remember the last letter in the name of that animal
10. Think of the name of a fruit that starts with that letter

Are you thinking of a Kangaroo in Denmark eating an Orange?

Like I said, it doesn't always work but when it does, it's pretty effective. First, it's a simple math trick involving casting out the nines which forces the result of step 5 to always be the number 4. After that, it relies on the fact that there are only four countries that begin with the letter D: Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica and Dominican Republic. Denmark is obviously the most well known so then it's on to animals whose name begins with the letter 'K'. The mark could choose Kiwi or Koala but is far more likely to pick Kangaroo. Then fruit beginning with the letter 'O' is fairly obvious.

If the child isn't old enough to go through all of that, then some simple sleight of hand tricks can be learned in short order.

French Drop: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeyG8FZMcKw
Card swap: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n016q1w8Q30
Penn & Teller explain sleight of hand: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXGr76CfoCs