Pascal`s Other Wager

Michel W. Potts
( A K A
K H U N
M I C H E L )
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PASCAL’S
OTHER WAGER
....
A N D OT H E R E CC E N T R I C I T I E S
© Copyright 2015 by Michel W. Potts. All rights reserved.
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MP
PSYCHOMETRUS INTERRUPTUS
This effect will work best for those of you who are resident magicians with a restaurant or a
pub; street performers will find it a novel way for soliciting tips.
When I created this effect as a promotional gimmick for the Londoner Pub, I didn’t think it
would be all that magical or mystifying. In fact, the effect seemed so simple to me that I was
sure I would be caught out half the time. Nevertheless, my intention was to have a fun effect
in which the customers, especially those who gathered in the outside smoking area where I
performed, came away with a free gift, compliments of the pub. Surprisingly, Psychometrus
Interruptus proved to be an exceptionally strong piece of magic and became my signature
effect.
PREPARATION: Bic lighters are ideal, because they come in a variety of solid colors, white and
orange being the best for our purposes. Next, have a sheet of transparent stickers with the
restaurant or pub’s name printed in black and scaled in size to the width of the lighter made
up at a local printing store. Have a second sheet printed with scaled-to-size numbers, ranging
from 2 to 9, each with one of the four pips, in horizontal alignment. Each card, such as 5 of c
or 7 of
2, for example, should be in black or red, respectively. Each sheet should provide you
with enough logos and card numbers for 50 lighters.
Bic lighters have a small logo on one side near the metal head. On that side, affix the sticker
with the card you plan to force. On the plain side, affix the stick with the restaurant or pub’s
name.
The lighter is placed on its side in the right front pants pocket. With a little experimentation,
you can find out of your own what might be the best method for removing the lighter so that
the name of the restaurant or pub is seen.
PERFORMANCE: Let’s say you have in your pocket a lighter that says 2 of c. Force the Two of
Clubs on a spectator using your favorite method. After the spectator has looked at his card,
memorized it and returned it to anywhere in the spread, square the deck, drop it on the table
and ask, “Are you are familiar with Psychometry?”
Usually, the spectator says no. “Psychometry,” you say, “is a supernatural phenomenon in which
a person’s psychic energy is transferred to an inanimate object, which in turn acts as a catalyst that
transmits the mental images of what a person has in his mind. Let me show you what I mean.”
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Bring out the lighter with your left hand and, using a Paddle Move, show the restaurant or
pub’s name on both sides (for a description of this sleight, see NOTES). “These are our new official lighters,” you say. Perform the Paddle Move only one and a half times (and no more; don’t
over emphasize), ending with the bottom of the lighter facing toward you, the name of the
restaurant or pub clearly visible, and place it near the base of your fingers in your right hand.
As you do this, open your left hand and say to the spectator, “Put out your left hand like this.”
When the spectator complies, use your right thumb to roll the lighter over as you turn your
right hand palm down and place the lighter in the spectator’s left hand. This move gives the
illusion that the spectator is seeing the other side of the lighter as you place it in his hand. With
your right hand, take hold of the spectator’s hand from underneath and use your left hand to
gently roll his left hand into a fist, trapping the lighter.
Holding on to the spectator’s hand with both of yours, you attempt to read the spectator’s
mind. At this point, I perform a bit stolen from Dave Solomon. I already know the spectator has
the Two of Clubs in mind, but I feign reading his mind and suddenly say, “Ah, you’re thinking of
a red card!” The spectator will naturally say no. “That’s what I said. You’re NOT thinking of a red
card.” I feign some more mind reading, then blurt out, “You’re thinking of a high card, eight, nine,
ten, somewhere around in there.” Again, the spectator will say no, to which I reply. “That what I
mean, you’re NOT thinking of a high card.”
Given my performance personality, I always get laughs with this comic bit. It works well for me,
but it may not fit the style of other performers. Whatever the patter, it should conclude with:
“I can feel the psychic energy, but it also feels like there’s an interception, like it stopped short. Can
you feel the psychic energy?”
Regardless of the spectator’s answer, tell him, “Open your hand.” When he does, he will see written on the side of the lighter the name of the card he is thinking of staring him in face.
Once his amazement dies down, pick up the lighter and hand it to him, saying, “This is your
card, this has your psychic energy; therefore, this is your lighter, compliments of (the restaurant or
pub).”
In lieu of a restaurant or pub name, a street performer can have his name and contact details
printed on a transparent sticker on one side of the lighter. On the other side, I would suggest
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he write the number and draw the pip of the force card in indelible ink on the other side,
preserving it with a fixative spray. This makes the revelation of the spectator’s thought of card
look more spontaneous.
By giving away the lighter at the end of a performance, a spectator will be more inclined to
give a tip. This is based on the Principle of Reciprocity, a sales technique in which a potential
client, in receiving a free gift, feels obligated to give something in return.
– NOTES –
The Paddle Move is one of the simplest and most deceptive moves in magic.
Lay the lighter perpendicular, with the head toward you, on the first two fingers of your right
hand (or left hand, depending on which is the most dominant) just above the second joints.
The weight of the head, which is almost touching the ring finger, will provide balance.
To perform, place the tip of your right thumb against the right side of the barrel, just below the
midway point, and begin to turn the lighter over. The right forefinger will naturally curl inward
to hold the lighter in place against the tip of your thumb.
Continue to turn over the lighter, but once the bottom of the barrel passes the 90 degree point
and is pointing straight up (held in place by your thumb and forefinger), push your thumb
forward slightly, which rotates the lighter a half turn.
The turning over finishes with the bottom of the lighter pointing to your left, your thumb
underneath the barrel and the tip of your forefinger on top holding it in place. In this position,
you are (apparently) showing the other side of the lighter.
To return the lighter back to its original position, push slightly forward with the tip of your
finger and pull inward with your thumb, again giving the lighter a half turn rotation once the
bottom of the barrel passes the 90 degree point, and display.
The illusion created is that you have shown both sides of the lighter, when in actuality you’ve
shown the same side twice.
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When you are ready to place the lighter into the spectator’s hand, perform the first half of the
Paddle Move again as you lay the lighter perpendicular to the first, second and third fingers of
your left hand just above the joints that connect them to the hand. The bottom of the lighter
should be protruding about an inch to the left of your forefinger.
Gesture with your right hand to have the spectator do likewise with her right hand. As you go
to place the lighter in her open hand, place the tip of your thumb gently against the midway
point of the side of the barrel toward you and, as you turn your hand over, push forward with
your thumb and give the lighter a half turn.
Your left hand should be moving toward the spectator as you give the lighter a half turn,
which is concealed by the movement of your hand turning over. After you have completed the
half turn, and just before you place the lighter in her hand, curl back your second, third and
fourth fingers, so that the lighter is being held by your thumb and the tip of your forefinger.
This subtlety allows the lighter to be freely shown as blank on the other side.
Place the lighter across all four fingers of the spectator’s hand just above the middle joints and,
using your right hand, fold her fingers over the lighter and hold her fist in place as you perform
the rest of the routine.
NOTE: A friend of Michel’s uses this move with a computer flash drive!
For more information or to order “Pascal’s Other Wager” online, go to:
http://trickshop.com/michel-potts-book.html
SAMPLE EFFECT COURTESY OF MICHEL POTTS
© Copyright 2015 by Michel W. Potts. All rights reserved.
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