Criss Cross

Criss Cross

The Number 1 Mind Reading Secret You Must Know

There is ONEtechnique all mind readers and mentalists MUST know..

This is called Card Forcing

What IS Card Forcing?

Card forcing is where you get a volunteer to 'randomly' select a playing card but you really 'force' that card on them. This means that it looks like they've selected a random card that you, the mind reader, have no idea what it is, when in fact, you do. (You actually choose which card you want to force beforehand). There are literally thousands of ways you can force a card, some easier than others, but in reality they are all as powerful.

Why card forcing?

The reason it is the number 1 trick you should master is because mind reading & mentalism is ALL about the performance. The only difference between a mind reading trick and a magic trick is the way it is dressed up. Often the same methods and principles apply in magic, mind reading and mentalism.

The card force is also one of the easiest, yet one of the most powerful tricks you can perform at a moments notice with any regular pack of playing cards. It also lets you perform an endless display of mind reading, psychic predictions, influence techniques. All depending on how you want to 'dress it up'.

For example, if you wanted to take on the persona of a 'psychological type expert' like Derren Brown who makes it look like he's influencing your decision with either body language or through conversational hypnosis etc.. You can use a card force to do this.

An example of a type of card force..

The Criss-Cross Performance

The mind reader produces a piece of paper and while covering the paper, he writes down something in permanent marker pen on the paper and places it face down on the table in full view of the audience. The mind reader then pulls out a normal pack of playing cards and places the pack face down in a pile on the table also. The mind reader asks a volunteer to 'cut' the pack and asks them to place the cut half next to the remaining pile, he then asks the volunteer to criss-cross the remaining pile on top of the cut pile like a 'plus sign' to show where the volunteer made the random cut.

The mind reader says “So that was a completely free choice where you cut the cards, right?” and the volunteer agrees.

The mind reader asks the volunteer to lift the top half of the crossed over cards and to look at the bottom card. The volunteer says it's the 4 of spades and shows the audience.

The mind reader smiles, turns over the piece of paper he wrote on BEFORE the spectator cut the cards and it reads 'You will select the 4 of spades...'

The Criss-Cross Revealed..

This is one of the more simpler card forces, although it is simple, it is surprisingly very deceptive and a good place for the beginner to start as it is completely self working and you can concentrate on the performance where your confidence will act mostly towards the misdirection. I don't actually use this force any more as I have other favourites which I reveal in my Secret Ultimate Mind Reading Manual along with step-by-step full colour photos. Nonetheless, Here is how it is done..

You need to know the bottom card of the pile of cards when it is face down on the table. This is the card you will be forcing! This is so when they cut the cards, and place the remaining pile on top of the cut in a criss-cross, the bottom card is brought to rest on top of the criss-cross cut so when they pick up the top half and look at the bottom card of that pile, this will be the card you already know. Don't be fooled by the simplicity of this, I have performed this hundreds of times and have never been caught. It is all about keeping the attention of the audience on YOU and not the cards. This is the misdirection that is needed to pull this off.

To understand what I mean, you will need a pack of cards in front of you so you can follow the bottom card and see for yourself.

To know the bottom card - for beginners I recommend you have the bottom card in position before you bring out the pack, otherwise, while handling the cards before you place them on the table, get a sneaky peek at it. When you take a peek, make sure you are talking and do it casually. I usually shuffle the pack and take a peek while I've finished shuffling and while I'm squaring up the cards.

Have fun with this one as it's self working and you can really work on your performance.

From Mind Reading Trick

About the Author

What is the difference between ballet shoes that have a criss cross strap and a straight strap?

there is no difference. Its just the way you decide to sew them.

Kriss Kross