1. Atchless mind reading

The performer reads the minds of the spectators and discovers which one of several match folders was selected be-hind his back.

Collect several match folders bearing different designs and place them on a table.

"I have discovered something," you say, "which will put the telephone company out of business. I have found out how to know what people are thinking before they tell me. Let's try it. When my back is turned I want someone to select one of these match folders, open it, tear out a match, close the folder, and put it back with the others."

Turn your back until this is done.

"Now, I am going to hold each folder to my forehead and concentrate. When I am holding the selected folder I want you all to think, 'That's it! just as hard as you can."

You do this and find the selected folder. The method is  extremely simple. At the beginning, as you collect and set out the folders, you push the flap of each folder down tightly behind the sandpaper strip. When the spectator opens a  folder, tears out a match, and recloses the folder, he never  pushes the flap in firmly. This is your clue. When you pick  up each folder, hold it between thumb and forefinger, the  thumb on the flap. Push the flap toward the sandpaper strip.  The folder whose flap moves slightly is the one that was  selected.

The trick seems even more like real mind reading if you  keep your eyes closed throughout, or, better still, do it blindfolded.

2. Upside-down matches

A box of safety matches is turned upside down and the  drawer is removed. The matches defy gravity: they do not  fall out until commanded to do so.

You prepare for this one in advance by breaking a match  in two and wedging it crosswise in the drawer (fig. 1). Then  proceed as follows:

Display the matchbox and push the drawer out a little less  than halfway so the spectators can see that it contains  matches. Remove one match, close the drawer, and turn the  box upside down.

"Did you know that if you hold a matchbox upside down  and then pass one match around it three times in a clockwise  direction this repeals the law of gravity so that the matches 
won't fall out when the drawer is removed?"

Push the upside-down drawer out, then hold it at the ends  between thumb and forefinger (fig 1). 

figure 1

"And if you make the same mystic pass around the box in the other direction, it breaks the spell."

You do this and the matches promptly fall from the drawer — because you squeeze the ends of the drawer slightly. This bends the sides of the drawer and releases the half-match, which then falls with, and is hidden by, the others.

Now use the matches for the Scrambled Arithmetic trick which follows.

3. scrambled arithmetic

A curiously baffling problem in arithmetic which becomes more baffling with each repetition.

"When you do arithmetic you are given a problem and you have to figure out the answer. Let me show you how to get a correct answer without even knowing what the problem is. Here are some matches. While my back is turned, make three piles of matches. Put the same number in each pile, but make ~ it hard for me by putting at least four matches in each pile.


"You are going to add and subtract some matches, and when you finish I'll tell you how many matches are in the center pile even though I don't know how many matches there are at the beginning."

Step 1. "Take three matches from each of the end piles and put them in the center pile."

Step 2. "Count the matches that remain in either one of the end piles, take that many away from the center pile, and put them in the left-hand pile."

It makes no difference how many matches are being used; at this point the center pile will always contain nine matches. You could announce this as the answer, but don't. Ask the spectator to transfer a few more matches from pile to pile, mentally keeping track of what these additions and sub-tractions do to the nine in the center pile.

For example, have five matches transferred from the left pile to the center pile (9 plus 5 is 14), then have three matches moved from the center pile to either end pile (14 minus 3 is 11). Give this as the answer. Since you know that the center pile contains nine matches after Step 2, you can bring the final total to whatever you like. .

The spectators may suspect that you are using some system which always produces the same answer. Disprove this by repeating the stunt and getting a different final total. Point out also that the spectator can begin each time with a different number of matches. The only restrictions are that the three piles must be equal at the beginning and that each must contain four or more matches.

You can confuse the issue even more by varying the procedure in Step 1. Instead of asking to have three matches transferred, have only one or two moved. If one match is transferred, the number of matches in the center pile, after Step 2, will be three. If two matches are moved, the center pile will contain six; if three are moved, it will contain nine.

The center pile, after Step 2, always contains three times the number you use in Step 1.

Since you can arrive at any total you like, you, can also predict the answer even before the spectator decides how many matches he will use.

When asked how it is done, say, "Nobody knows, but you don't need to know. Oddly enough, anybody can do it. You name any number between 1 and 12, the first one that comes into your mind."

Repeat the trick, bringing the final total to the spectator's number.

"The answer is always whatever you want it to be. Wouldn't it be nice if they taught this kind of arithmetic in school?"

The fact that you never give the same instructions twice, since you don't know how many matches are being used, makes this trick a real mystery.

4. the tramps and the geese

This one is for the small fry. Older children may sometimes figure it out, but the smaller ones like it for the story. Hold one match in each hand and put five on the table. "The five matches are five geese and the two I hold are hungry tramps walking along the road on Thanksgiving Day with nothing to eat. They see the geese and one tramp says, 'Look, Joe, there's our dinner.' Joe says, 'Oh, boy!' and he grabs one goose and puts it under his coat."

As you say this, pick up one of the geese with the right hand and hold it in your fist together with the match representing the first tramp.

"Then Sam took a goose, too. Then they took all the geese." Pick up the rest of the matches one at a time with alternate hands.

"Just then they heard the farmer coming and Sam said,

'Maybe we'd better put the geese back. So they did."

Lay the matches down, one at a time, from alternate hands, but start with the left hand. When the five geese have been replaced, you'll find that you have no matches in SR left fist, two in your right.

"The farmer didn't stay long, and as soon as he had gone the two hungry tramps picked up the geese again." Do as before but start picking up with the right hand.

"Then Joe, the thin tramp, said, 'Sam, I know why you are fatter than I am. Somehow you always get more geese. "

Open both fists and show two matches in the left hand and five in the right.

"This made Sam so mad he got into a fight with Joe.

Meanwhile, all the geese ran home, had a Thanksgiving dinner of their own, and lived happily ever after."

5. the illusive spots

The most effective and most intriguing of all tricks are those in which the magic happens visibly. In this one a penciled spot appears mysteriously on a paper match. It jumps suddenly to a second match, then back again to the first one. A second spot appears on the reverse side of the match, then both spots jump across to the second match and back again. Both matches then acquire spots on both sides and finally, all four spots vanish. This is the best of all match tricks; it looks like real magic.

In advance, secretly prepare two paper matches by drawing a spot or cross mark with pencil or pen on each match on one side only at the end opposite the head. If you mark all the matches in the front row of a folder in this way, you are always ready to do the trick simply by tearing out two matches.

You need to be able to do one very simple sleight-of-hand move, which can be learned in a moment or two. Hold one of the prepared matches with its head between your thumb and forefinger, the blank side showing (fig. 2A). Push the thumb toward the end of the forefinger, causing the match to make a half-turn. This simple half-twist of the match is the move that does the whole trick, but the spectators never see it. Here's why.

Display the match as in fig. 2A, then turn the hand over to the left so that it is palm down (fig. 2B). Twist the match while the hand is turning. The small half-twist of the match passes unseen because the hand is in motion. Don't turn the hand too fast; quick motions arouse suspicion. Turn it just as you would if you were showing both sides of the match naturally. You will find that you can turn your hand quite slowly without the secret twist being seen.

Now turn the hand palm up, again. As you do so, pull the thumb inward, giving the match a twist in the opposite direction. You will appear to have shown both sides of the match quite fairly, although actually the same side has been shown twice.

Now, instead of turning the hand over, simply move it quickly a few inches to the right, then back again. Make the secret twist at the same time. This causes the previously unseen spot to appear suddenly

Again turn the hand over and back, but this time, do not make the secret move. Simply show the match top and bottom without sleight of hand. One side has a spot, the other is blank.

Turn the hand once more, and make the secret move. Both sides of the match will now seem to have spots.

This secret action of giving the match a half-twist, which is sometimes hidden by turning the hand over and sometimes by giving a quick shake, sets you up in business as a sleightof-hand artist. Now run through the procedure given below a few times. It is an easy routine to memorize because each action logically follows the preceding one. When you have

figure 2

learned it, you will find yourself doing a magic routine in which there are several magical surprises and a mystifying climax.

1. Hold two matches, each of which has a spot on its underside, as shown in fig. 2C. Turn the hand over, making the secret move, apparently showing that the other sides are also blank. Turn the hand back again (making the move). (You will find that the secret move can be made just as easily with two matches as with one. )

2. Take away the left-hand match with the left hand. Shake the right hand (making the move), causing the spot to appear.

3. Turn the hand over (no twist this time) showing the other side blank. Turn the hand palm up again.

4, Put the second match back in the right hand. Shake the hand (making the move), and the spot appears to jump from match to match.

5. Shake the hand again (making the move ), and the spot jumps back to its original position.

6. Remove the blank match from the right hand. Turn the right hand over and show that a second spot has appeared. This match now has spots on both sides. Turn the hand back. (Make the secret move both times. )

7. Put the second match back in the right hand. Shake the hand (making the move). The visible spot again jumps from match to match. Now turn the hand over (making the move ) and show that the spot on the other side of the match has also jumped across. Turn the hand palm up again (making the move).

8. Take the spotted match in the left hand. Shake the blank match (making the move), and a third spot appears. Show that the underside is still blank (turning the hand without the move). |

9. Blow on the match. Turn the hand again (with the move), and a fourth spot is seen.

10. Hold both matches in the right hand. Turn the hand (making the move), and you are showing four spots, one on each side of each match.

Now say, "You may think you are wide awake. Actually you are daydreaming. None of this has really happened."

11. Shake the right hand (making the move), and both spots vanish. Then turn the hand over (making the move), and there are no spots on that side either.

Finally, toss the matches to the spectator. He examines them and finds that there really are no spots anywhere!

What he gets are two unmarked matches. You have been holding these concealed under the curled second, third, and fourth fingers of your left hand from the beginning of the trick.

The switch is made very simply. Bring the left hand over to the visible matches and take them between thumb and forefinger as in fig. 2D. Your left hand seems to toss these two matches to the spectator. Actually, you simply turn your left hand palm down and open your curled fingers (fig. 2E). The opening fingers release the hidden, unprepared matches and cover the others. While the spectator is examining the matches, drop those you still hold into your pocket. If you are seated at a table, simply bring the left hand to the table's edge and let the matches fall into your lap.

Youll have fun with this trick. The effect on the spectator will more than repay you for the small amount of practice which is necessary.

A word about paper matches. Some are white or yellow on one side, gray on the other. Avoid these. Use matches that are the same color on both sides.

Even better, using a razor blade, cut two pieces of wood from a tongue depressor. Make them the same width as a paper match, but half again as long. Use black ink for the spots. The trick is such a good one that it is well worth this extra trouble.