Smart ESP

Thanks for buying Smart ESP By Matt Smart

New from Matt Smart comes Smart ESP, an extremely clever ESP prediction effect.

When Matt first showed us this, we loved it and knew it was going to be an instant hit. The method is very clever and it fooled us, so don’t be surprised that it may fool many magicians.

Explanation video

Studio Performance

Explanation : 2:20m 

The basics The number is used to force one of two symbols (the cross and the square) although the backs of all the cards are shown, only 3 cards are left reversed (but they will assume you turned them all over) showing either all black symbols except the chosen one (the square) or all cards to be circles except the chosen one (the cross).

Set up: In your packet you will have 5 double sided ESP cards. Lay them out in front of you like this, from left to right:

Green circle (black wavy lines on back)

Blue cross (black cross on back)

Yellow wavy lines (black circle on back)

Red square (red circle on back)

Black star (yellow circle on back)

This is easy to remember if you’re familiar with ESP symbols as it’s numbered from 1-5, left to right. Circle (ONE solid line) Cross (TWO lines) Wavy lines (THREE lines) Square (FOUR lines) Star (FIVE points) and if you make sure all symbols are different colours then you can’t set it up wrong.

The force (yes it’s a force of 1 of 2 symbols!) “I have here 5 ESP cards in different colours. On their backs is a different combination of shapes and colours. I won’t show you the backs just yet, as when you see them, you will see there is clearly one ‘odd one out’ and it is your job to find it using your intuition. Now I don’t want you to pick a card based on its shape or colour, you’re going to just name a number (not yet) and we’ll count back and forth to a card. The card your number falls on is the card we’ll use. You get to choose the number and you get to choose which end we count from.” (as you say “back and forth” you tap the cards back and forth along the line, stopping on the wavy lines.) “To make it more random, you can name any number between say, from ten and twenty-five.” (They name a number) “Now don’t say yet, but do you want to count from here, like this, one, two, three...” Now depending on what number they name, you will demonstrate how to count in two different ways. Place your finger on the circle. If they name an odd number (like 11) you will count the cross as ‘one’, the waves as ‘two’ etc. (you don’t count the card you start on). If it’s an even number (like 12) you will count the circle as ‘one’, the cross as ‘two’ etc. (you do count the card you start on). (This is easy to remember as the way you count affects whether you land on the force cards on odd or even numbers.) Continue to count back and forth along the line up to six/seven, stopping in the middle. Demonstrate counting from both ends (if their number is odd you don’t count the first card, but you do if it is even) Now get them to choose the end to count from. No matter which end they start from they will always end up on one of the force cards (blue cross or red square). Push the chosen card forward and explain that “if they had chosen another number like one more or one less they would have ended on another symbol”, which seems super fair. You can then even explain that if they had started from the other end and counted they would have ended on a different symbol. This is great because it’s still one of the force cards. So you can even ask if they want to change their mind at this point and count from the other end. (This is an idea by Michael Murray. Note they can’t change their number.) Once they have made their mind up you explain “Brilliant you have picked the odd card out.”

If they picked the RED square “Amazingly you chose the only square” (then as you show the other cards point out they don’t have squares on either side.) Show both sides of the ‘star’ card, placing it back star side up. Turn over the ‘cross’, placing it back black side up. Pick up the ‘circle’ and the ‘wavy lines’ and hold them in a wide fan. Turn over the fan showing the backs and place the cards back in position (the symbols should stay in order circle, cross, wavy lines, square, star, but now all the symbols are black except the square. By turning over these cards together you swap the cards’ positions. The reason for doing this is it suggests the 3 cards you turn over all have the same shapes on their backs as their fronts, hiding the possibility of another possible ‘out’.) “Not only did you pick the only square, you also picked the only card without a black shape on it.” (You can pause at this point as you haven’t yet shown the back of the square, and the audience may think they are on to you.) Turn over the square showing it has red shapes on both sides. Place the card back, square side up.

If they picked the BLUE cross The moves are exactly as above, but are mirrored. “Amazingly you chose the only blue shape” (then as you show the other cards point out they aren’t blue on either side.) Show both sides of the ‘circle’ card, placing it back circle side up. Turn over the ‘square’, placing it back circle side up. Pick up the ‘wavy lines’ and the ‘star’ and hold them in a wide fan. Turn over the fan showing the backs and place the cards back in position (the colours should stay in order green, blue, yellow, red, black, but now all the symbols are circles except for the cross. By turning over these cards together you swap the cards’ positions. The reason for doing this is it suggests the 3 cards you turn over all have the same colours on their backs as their fronts, hiding the possibility of another possible ‘out’.) “Not only did you pick the only blue shape, you also picked the only card without a circle on it” (You can pause at this point as you haven’t yet shown the back of the cross) Turn over the cross showing it has a cross on both sides. Place the card back, blue cross side up.

Notes Don’t worry about not leaving the first card turned over. Once you have turned over the other three they will not remember that you didn’t leave it turned over. Even we didn’t when Matt first showed us! It flies by. Also you never say that you turned over all the cards (though you clearly show all the fronts and backs) and as there are so many shapes and colours to keep track of, people can’t remember exactly what started on the fronts.)

Re-set To re-set the cards, starting with the end where you turned over 3 cards, pick up the end card, stack it on its neighbour. Then stack the pair on its neighbour. Flip the 3 card stack onto its neighbour. Finally stack the 4 card pile onto the last card. This corrects the order and orientation of all the cards and can be done in front of the audience. Simple.

Bonus Idea This could be made up with different things on the cards, like words. We did experiment with words when playing around with the effect but decided that the ESP symbols worked best. However should you wish here is the word idea and how to make it up. The method is exactly the same.

Effect Five envelopes are laid on the table and the spectator chooses one (Using the same force as above). You proclaim “brilliant, you have picked the one that is unique and the odd one out.” You open the envelope showing that written on the card is the word Unique. You pause before stating “ok I had all my bases covered” and open all the envelopes showing that the other cards have one word printed them also like Different, Odd, Distinct, Unique and Unlike. You then turn over the other cards showing that all the other words are black on the other side, or that they all say “Different” (same as above, depending on which card they choose).

Here’s what to write on the cards from left to right

Card 1 Front – Different (green) Back – Distinct (black)

Card 2 Front – Odd (blue) Back – Odd(black)

Card 3 Front – Distinct (yellow) Back – Different (black)

Card 4 Front – Unique (red) Back – Different (red)

Card 5 Front – Unlike (black) Back – Different (yellow)