We’ve all seen this trick performed by many a mentalist, from Derren Brown to Timon Krause. They play against random subjects who just can’t — no matter how they try — win in a fair game of rock, paper, scissors. Blindfolded or with back turned, mentalists always seem to have the upper hand.
How do they do it?
If you think that rock, paper, scissors is purely a game of luck, think again.
In this article, we’ll let you in on the secret. We’re going to discuss the rock paper scissors mentalism – how it’s done. This will help you win every rock, paper, scissors match against any opponent (except maybe another mentalist)!
So shall we?
Rock Paper Scissors Mentalism – The Two Ahead
If you’re a fan of the series The Mentalist, then you probably remember that iconic scene where Patrick Jane plays rock, paper, scissors against the Sheriff in episode 2 of season 1.
Well, the reason why he was able to win against all the Sheriff’s throws is that he was using the method called the “two ahead.”
Essentially, the two ahead is a technique wherein a mentalist thinks two steps ahead of his/her opponent or subject. This helps them predict what their opponent is likely to choose during every throw.
For this to be effective, you need to have at least a rudimentary knowledge of your subject’s characteristics and attitude.
Let’s take a look at the Sheriff from The Mentalist as an example:
So, what did you see? The Sheriff was an arrogant man and overall a skeptic; it only made sense that his advances (his throws) against Patrick Jane were going to be aggressive.
If you’ve ever played with someone who had a bit of an aggressive side, they almost always start the game by throwing a rock. (Try it out with one of your friends and you’ll see that this statistic is true.)
Now, after throwing the rock, the Sheriff pulls back — feeling a little surprised by Patrick Jane — so he ends up throwing paper on his second throw. But, of course, Patrick Jane had already anticipated this by using the “two ahead” method and plays scissors.
At this point, the Sheriff’s feathers get pretty ruffled, and he starts playing all rocks out of frustration. This, too, Patrick Jane — as a seasoned mentalist — anticipates and meets with winning actions.
Of course, this requires a lot of practice. You have to know what different characteristics and attitudes produce. You will also need to improve your body reading skills.
Rock Paper Scissors Mentalism – Subliminal Suggestion
If you’ve been following our blog or even just studying mentalism for a while, you’d know that much of the tricks involved in the practice are based on complex psychological techniques. One of those techniques is the subliminal suggestion.
Derren Brown is a master of subliminal suggestion. From tricking professional advertisers to draw images based on his own secret ideas to convincing everyday shop owners to let him pay for their wares with paper. He’s skillful with his suggestion — something that every beginner mentalist should strive to achieve.
There are several ways to deliver subliminal suggestions, but the three most common ways in rock paper scissors are:
- Through actions
- Through words
- Through images
Action
When you make a shape with your non-playing hand (rock, paper, or scissors) a few seconds before your throw, your opponent is most likely to throw the same shape after “shoot.” It’s such a simple suggestion that nobody could ever suspect you of doing anything sneaky or cunning.
Watch Timon Krause’s hands very carefully as he plays against these two random strangers he met on the street:
He was — very quickly — making shapes with his non-playing hand to subconsciously influence his subject’s decisions.
Words
The words you use and the way you use them also play a huge role in subliminal suggestions.
The right combination of words can conceal a suggestion without your subject ever noticing anything. That’s what makes Derren Brown a great mentalist, as he’s quite a gifted storyteller and can play with words in a way that helps him hide his intentions/suggestions from his audiences.
In this video, he shows how the human mind can pick up details about certain events unconsciously and how it incorporates these pieces of information in our everyday lives:
Images
Most of us are unaware of this (probably because they were designed to be that way) but most of the images and advertisements we see nowadays are full of subliminal suggestions. After all, what else could be pushing you to buy three sets of backyard hammocks and several rolls of toilet paper from Costco?
A lot of psychology and design is put into a single piece of advertisement. And knowing this, mentalists have come up with a way to use the very same technique in their own tricks.
Here’s another example of Derren Brown using subliminal suggestions, this time, with professional advertisers who have no clue what they just signed themselves up for:
Widen Your Horizons than Just Rock Paper Scissors Mentalism
You can use these techniques with other mentalism tricks besides rock, paper, scissors. For instance, mentalists like using subliminal suggestions for many of their card tricks and prediction tricks.
In drawing duplication mentalism, you can use subliminal suggestions to influence your subject on what they will draw on a blank sheet of paper.
The more creative you are with the ways you use subliminal suggestions, the more ways you can reap the benefits of the practice and become a better mentalist.
The Wrap Up
Rock, paper, scissors mentalism is possibly the simplest mentalism trick out there. Anyone, even the most inexperienced of beginners, can start doing it! All it takes is a little imagination, some confidence, and an audience that’s willing to let you into their minds.
Don’t forget to check out the other articles on our blog to learn other mentalism tricks you can try out on your friends and family.
Feel free to leave comments down in the comments section if you think we missed anything in today’s entry.