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Think Of Any Card by Joshua Jay

Created by: Joshua Jay

Think Of Any Card is a stunning impromptu close-up card trick where a spectator merely thinks of any card from a shuffled, standard deck, and the magician miraculously identifies it without the spectator ever naming it aloud. This creates a powerful illusion of genuine mind reading, heightening mystery and impact. Inspired by Joshua Jay's 'Out Of Sight', the trick relies on clever psychological procedures and specific handling rather than difficult sleight of hand, gimmicks, or pre-set stacks, making it practical for any situation. Buyers should know that presentation and scripting are crucial to maintain the effect's impossibility, and it can be performed with any deck, as demonstrated with Monarchs Summer Edition cards.

Key features

  • Impromptu and can be done with any standard deck of cards

  • No difficult sleight of hand required; uses psychological procedures

  • Spectator never names their card aloud, increasing mystery

  • Inspired by Joshua Jay's 'Out Of Sight' effect

  • Presentation and scripting are essential for the illusion

Pros

  • Highly mysterious and impactful for spectators

  • Easy to learn with no advanced skills needed

  • Versatile for various performance settings

Cons

  • Relies heavily on presentation, which may require practice to perfect

Effect

The magician asks a spectator to think of any card from a standard deck. The spectator does not say the card name out loud. The magician then shuffles the deck and proceeds to find the exact card the spectator was merely thinking of. The effect is a direct and clean piece of mind reading.

Full details

Think Of Any Card is an impromptu trick. It works with any standard deck of cards. The method does not use a gimmicked deck or a pre-arranged stack. The trick is credited to and inspired by Joshua Jay's effect 'Out Of Sight'. The process relies on a specific psychological procedure. The spectator is guided through a series of actions that allow the magician to identify the card. The spectator never has to name their card aloud at any point.

Who should consider the trick

This trick is suitable for magicians who want a powerful impromptu effect. It is good for performers who like psychological magic. It is also ideal for those who perform in informal settings where they need a strong trick with a borrowed deck.

Information on how difficult it is to perform

The trick does not require difficult sleight of hand. The method is based on a clever procedure rather than complex moves. A magician can learn the handling with practice. The main challenge is the presentation and scripting. You must guide the spectator confidently to maintain the illusion.

What magicians say

AMillionCardTricks calls this a "true miracle" of card magic. They state that the trick is "seemingly impossible". They emphasize that the method "relies on a clever principle rather than a gimmicked deck". They note that "presentation and scripting are crucial for maintaining the illusion of mind reading". The effect is described as powerful because the "spectator never has to name their card aloud, which heightens the mystery and impact".

What people are saying about Think Of Any Card

AMillionCardTricks says...

The trick is impromptu and can be performed with any standard deck of cards. It is credited to and inspired by Joshua Jay's effect 'Out Of Sight'. No difficult sleight of hand is required; it relies on clever psychological procedures.

Tutorial videos