If you want to leave an impactful impression for a mentalism mind-reading act, don’t just limit the effect to some random numbers or words.
Instead, set up a couple of tricks that will make it more personal to your spectator. This will also present opportunities to come up with a more convincing storyline, strengthening the connection between you two.
For example, guessing names accurately will affect your spectator a little differently, simply because it’s a name that means something to them. It’s something personal that they don’t expect you to know unless you really do have mind-reading abilities!
So if you want to take part in mentalism guess name, then we’re going to discuss the 3 ways to get someone’s name without asking.
We’ve broken it down so you can do it, step by step.
Enjoy!
Trick 1: The Crystal Ball
In this trick, your main prop is a piece of paper with a crystal ball drawn in the middle. You’ll need to do a little bit of preparation for this.
1. Draw the crystal ball on a piece of paper
Make sure the figure is large enough for your subject to write a name inside. Having a sheet of paper with a drawing of a crystal ball may be a little random, but if you can build it into your script, it shouldn’t be a problem.
2. Fold the paper until it’s a fourth of its original size
Ideally, you fold it from right to left, then fold the bottom part to meet the top. You can leave it this way and make the unfolding of the paper part of your performance.
Once you have both things in place, all you need is a marker, and you’re good to go.
3. Call a spectator to join you and ask him to think of a name
To make it more significant, tell him to think of his name or someone important. Be as specific or vague as you prefer. Typically, the more personal the name is — such as a first love or a first kiss — the better the reaction you’ll get in the end.
4. Once he has a name, have him write it down inside the crystal ball and then fold the paper
This step will explain why it’s better to make time to prepare your props (although it’s possible to do the trick without any preparation) – because people will be less likely to fold a sheet differently if it already has creases.
Going back to the trick, the crystal ball creates a border, which assures you the name is in the center of the sheet.
5. Tell the spectator you’ll divine the name he wrote down. Then start ripping the paper into pieces
Now the trick is in how you tear it – make sure you begin with the edges and then make your way around the paper. You can practice this so it looks like you’re ripping different random parts but keep track of the movement so that you keep the central part intact.
6. When you’re down to the last piece (the central part), hold everything in one hand and ask your spectator to hold out a piece in his hand
Demonstrate how you want it done with your other hand — this serves as a cover and, at the same time, directs the spectator’s attention elsewhere. While you’re doing this, it’s the perfect time to take a peek at the name he’s written down.
7. Now it’s time for the reveal
Once you’ve seen it, make one last tear — this time making sure the name is ripped and put the shreds into his hand. Everything after this point is a matter of delivery.
Remember, build the tension — it won’t do your performance any good if you throw out the correct name straight away. In the end, though, do your reveal. Your spectator will be astounded — you’ve guessed the name!
Trick 2: The Nail Nick
This trick also makes use of a piece of paper.
1. Prepare the prop
- Tear the sheet of paper into four (instead of just folding it).
- Select one of the four pieces of paper and nick the top corner with your nail.
To make the nick, press down on it so that a crease appears on its surface.
The crease serves as your marker later, so make sure it’s visible.
If you want to play it safe, make a couple of nail nicks on the top piece. It ensures you won’t have difficulty spotting it.
2. Hand it to your spectator
Hand the piece with the nail nick to your spectator and tell him to write down the name of the person who plays a crucial role in his life.
You can even ask him to write down a connection to this person.
Once he’s done, have him put the piece face down on a table.
Have your spectator write down another name of someone he knows on the other piece of paper.
This person can be someone he is familiar with but not necessarily as significant as the first.
Once done, have him place it face down on the table as well.
Repeat this step twice more using the remaining pieces of paper. Remind your spectator to make sure it’s not the name of someone who does not mean anything to him.
Once all four pieces have names on them, have your spectator pick these up and shuffle them as much as he can. You can even turn around at this point — you don’t even need to see him do this.
Just before you face him again, tell him to check the papers to ensure everything is facing down so you can’t see the names.
Once your spectator confirms that all papers are facing down, have him hand the papers over to you.
At this point, a lot of the movement is happening in the hands of your spectator. This creates the illusion that you have almost no control over what’s happening.
In their mind, the possibility of you rigging anything becomes minuscule.
3. Now it’s time for the reveal
To add effect, give the papers in your hand a last bit of shuffle — all this time, watch out for the piece with the nail nick. Once you spot it, slip that piece underneath so that it’s the last one.
Tell your spectator you want to get a feel of the names and flip the first one over. It’s not going to be the name you’re looking for — you know it’s at the bottom of the pile. Have your spectator confirm that it’s one of the names he wrote down previously by holding the papers up.
It’s the moment when you do your peek. Since the name you’re looking for is at the bottom, holding it up allows you to see what it says. Say something about the name on top not giving the impression of a strong connection, then discard it.
You already have the name for the reveal, so you can shuffle the pieces however you want. The aim is to discard the two other slips of paper.
When you’re down to the last piece, you can play it several ways. There’s always a straightforward reveal. Another option is to hand back the paper to your spectator and write down the name on a separate sheet. You can do a parallel reveal.
If your spectator included information about how he’s connected to this name, you could quickly build that into your script to the point where you guess it.
All in all, though, you already have all the information you need, so it comes down to how you want to deliver it.
Want to see how this is done? Check this video out (minute 3:55 to 12:00):
Trick 3: The One Around
This trick is a bit longer since it makes you guess three different things — a name being one of them.
1. Prepare the props
You’ll need an ordinary deck of cards, a couple of blank business cards (you can use something else, just make sure it’s thick enough that the ink won’t bleed through the back or the indentations from a pen won’t show), and a pen.
2. Hand the deck of cards to your spectator
Tell him you want him to spread the deck to make sure it’s a full deck. Have him turn the cards to face you as well.
Use this opportunity to peek at the first card in the deck — let’s say it’s the Ace of Diamonds.
3. Ask the spectator to do a criss-cross force
To do this, tell him to cut the deck anywhere he wants and place the bottom half on top laterally (so it creates a shape of a cross). Once that’s done, tell your spectator you’ll get back to that in a bit.
This force works best with a time misdirection — it loses its impact if you use it and do a reveal right away.
At this point, you already know what card will show later — the Ace of Diamonds. This gives you your one ahead (hence the name of the trick!).
4. Take a blank card and tell your spectator you’re going to write down a piece of information
Don’t mention anything specific but write down the first card in the deck. Make sure your hand covers your card entirely. Once you’ve written down Ace of Diamonds (you can also draw it), turn it face down and set it aside.
5. Have your spectator call out a number out of the blue
Typically, he’ll start with something simple like a five or a ten. Say you want to make it random, so have them call out another one — something that’s three digits long, so you wouldn’t be able to guess it.
6. Take another card and say you’re going to write down your prediction
Because you’re already one ahead, write down the two numbers he just said. You can cross out the first one and emphasize the second. Once done, turn the card face down and set it aside.
It’s a good idea to carefully set up your patter to make it seem like what you’re writing is about the next question, which you haven’t even asked yet.
7. Your next question is going to be about a name. Have him choose the name of someone important to him
You can specifically ask him to choose a person that you would have never met or know about (this works particularly well if you’re performing for friends or family).
8. On the last blank card, say that you’re going to write the card that he cut to
This should be the only time you’ll be directing his attention back to the deck. In truth, you’re going to write down the name he called out a couple of seconds ago. Turn it face down and then take all the cards with your predictions and shuffle it around.
9. Now it’s time for the reveal
Make a show of setting aside your pen to make sure there’s no way you can alter anything you’ve already written down. You can choose to reveal the information first. Typically, you get the best reactions if you end with either the forced card or the numbers.
To force a card, tell him to remove the part of the deck that’s on top and turn the first card from the second half over. It’s the Ace of Diamonds. Show him your card — sure enough, your prediction matches it.
Repeat the reveal for the numbers and the name he chose.
This trick is so clean and straightforward that you don’t even have to be in the same room to do this. The only visual cue you need is the peek at the beginning — you can even do this over Zoom or Skype. It adds a layer of complexity to your performance, and your spectator is guaranteed to be baffled.
Want to see how this is done? Check out this video:
The Wrap Up
As with any mentalism tricks, there are two things to keep in mind — practice and perform. A lot of these tricks require sleight of hand or misdirection. So make sure you take the time to practice so it’ll look natural when you do it for an audience.
Of course, it’s not just about the steps. The way you deliver your performance changes the impression you leave with your audience.
Drama is a significant part of mentalism — the more you can build up the tension, the better the reveal will be. In turn, this leaves your audience with an unforgettable experience.
So, what are you waiting for? Choose any of these mentalism guess name tricks and amaze your audience!