I'm trying to compile a list of sources on "Think of A Card" effects. So far, here's what I know of:

Derren Brown: "Pure Effect" & "Devil's Picturebook"

Docc Hilford: "Real Mindreading"

Banachek: "Psychological Subtleties"

Kenton Knepper: "Kolossal Killer"

And I think Harry Lorayne has one in "Close-Up Card Magic" -- but I can't remember the name of the trick off the top of my head.

Can anyone add to this list?

Thanks,
kou

Get Roger Crosthwaite's Roger's Thesaurus. There is a fairly large section of this book dedicated to the "Think of a Card" plot, and he is one of the world's leading exponents of it.

Thanks, Scott.

Does anyone know of any routines that use no cards (more along the lines of a psychological force)?

-kou

The "THOUGHT OF CARD" I'm uncertain who gets proper credit on this... my version is based on Eddie Joseph's "PREMONITION" (another Thought of Card routine but uses a physical deck... the former employs an imagined deck that narrows to a single card.)

You may check some of Maven's material... I think he and T.A. Waters both had some thinking along those lines.

Thanks, Darmoe. Would you happen to know which Maven book in particular I should check out? I only have his Video Mind tapes (and I don't remember that effect being on there, but I could be wrong about that. I'll have to check them again.)

I have an interesting "think of a card" effect called Blank Thought, by Raven.

What makes it intersting is that the whole deck is actually completely blank, which you revea; to the spectator AFTER you verbally reveal the specs thought of card.

BroDavid

I forgot to mention that there's also another neat 'no-cards' routine in Richard Osterlind's Dynamic Mysteries. I think he calls it the $100,000 trick. Anyway, it's great -- the few times that I've tried it, it gets just as good a reaction if you get it wrong but come close.

I have a simple yet extremely effective routine called "The Magician's Dream" in my lecture notes Enigmas 2001. Somewhat of a "magician killer" it has been used in my lectures as a lesson in presentation. I do use it in actual performances however, and may be included in an upcoming mentalism video project.

The Magician's Dream will be available to readers of TMC in the password protected area of my website for a short period of time.

Instructions for entering the password area are given at the bottom of the following entry page.

http://waterloomagic.com/Max.html

Best,

Michael Sibbernsen

Mark Mason's 'Think of Card' on his Real World Magic video is a fine 3 phase routine but cards in the performer's hands.

Kevin Gallagher has a strong think of a card routine that is done mainly in the spectator's hands. Sorry, don't know it's name.

Groovy

Thanks for the link, Michael. It's a very clever idea. I'm sure I'll be trying it out some time soon.

Paul Hallas decribes an excellent version and discusses the effect in the book "Mindful Mentalism 3"

Far better than the "magician's" approach of fanning cards in front of someone.

Paul.

Allan Ackermans IMPROMPTU ULTRA MENTAL is a great "think of a card" routine. Not easy but extremely nice, you can do this effect with a borrowed deck.

He spreads the deck on the table, but I do a pressure fan to expose the reversed card in the deck and that card is the chosen one.

You can find it in The Las Vegas Card Expert; Allan Ackerman Video; Volume 1

I perform the classic "Al Koran Deck" routine, it takes experimentation to make the "fishing" process work well but it worths the trouble.
There´s also something in "Theater of the Mind" but as I don´t have it I can´t say anything about it.

John Kennedy's "Mindpower" deck is
great.
I just stick a bicycle back on the last card, flash this when I pull out the deck.

I use Mark Mason's "Think A Card" from an early version of his "Real World Magic" tape. It gets a strong reaction!

Hi,
Don't forget Osterlinds Radar Deck
or my favorite scince I bought it at Blackpool in february Bob Sheets flash deck
3 people each think of a card you reveal 2 of them and show that the 3rd is the only odd coloured card in the deck
Phillip

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I use Mark Mason's "Think A Card" from an early version of his "Real World Magic" tape. It gets a strong reaction!


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Alan Munro

I agree, this routine can be made fun as well. Anyone that goes straight into the last phase ruins the whole idea of the routine, or has completely messed it up.

Like most of Mark's material, this is simple but brilliant piece of thinking.

Groovy

There are two in AoA by Harris & Ray Kosby, I rather enjoy doing it by not fanning the faces to the spectator 1st & taking the chance of getting either a direct hit or coming very close.

Danny Korem published one of his versions - "A Way Out", in John Racherbaumer's book, "The Last Hierophant"; although it relies at least as much on probability as on psychology.

As I've mentioned elsewhere, a description of what is perhaps the ultimate "Think-a-card" routine can be found here:

http://195.172.98.200/rogerc.htm

Two great think-of-a-card effects come to mind that I have used successfully for many years -- Derek Dingle's mental fan force in his collected works is very strong, and "Would You Believe in Mindreading?" from Harry Lorayne's Quantum Leaps (I think) and his card tapes series is a great impromptu effect.

Joe Z.