Abiator's MAGIC LESSONS

MENTAL TRICK


Effect:
The Magician has five volunteers write their names on five separate postcards.
The magician gives the volunteers each an envelope.
All the volunteers are instructed to put their postcards on it into their envelopes.
Then, they all mix up the envelopes, and give them to the magician.
The magician, looking confused, gives everyone an envelope.
When the volunteers open their new envelope, it contains their name.

Setup:
You need 5 postcards, 5 pencils, and 5 envelopes.
On the envelopes, you are going to make a small mark, with which you can identify the owner of the card.
Before you give the volunteers their card, prepare each envelope like this:
With the first envelope, you make a small mark on the back, in the top left. That is number one.
When you give someone that envelope, in your mind, associate them with number one.

Do the same with the next envelope, except make the small mark between the middle of the envelope, and the left side. Remember who is number two when you give this out.

With number 3, make the mark in the middle of the envelope.

With the 4th, make the mark between the middle, and the right side.

Obviously, with the fifth, you put the mark on the far right.

All you have to make sure you do, is remember who is what number.

Performance:

  1. Begin by handing out the postcards. Have the audience members focus more on them than the envelopes.
  2. Instruct everyone to write their name, and even make a little drawing, or distinguishing mark, etc.
  3. Hand out the envelopes and number the people in your mind.
  4. Have the audience seal the postcards in the envelopes and mix them thoroughly. Once the envelopes are out, you shouldn't touch them except for handing them back.
  5. Hand the envelopes back to their owners.
Tips:
The only thing difficult about this trick is actually remembering whose envelope is whose.
Once you get that down easily, you're all set for this trick.