Pick an Item

Magician Ryan Oakes shows you how to read your friend's mind as easily as reading a menu with the Pick An Item trick. It's Dinner Table Magic that will surely leave your friends amazed!

6 index cards
Pen or marker
Envelope
Tape

SOMETIMES WE USE MATERIALS THAT REQUIRE ADULT SUPERVISION…LIKE SCISSORS SO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE FRIENDS AND FAMILY AROUND WHENEVER YOU DO MAGIC TRICKS!

1. To prepare, take four index cards and write a different kind of food on each: French, Italian, Indian, and Chinese. This example uses food but you could also write things like friends’ names, states, or anything else you want.
2. Write an X on the back of the card marked 'Indian.'
3. Place the four cards into an envelope for now.
4. On your fifth card, write 'You will pick French' on one side and 'You will pick Italian' on the other. Place that one in the envelope as well.
5. On the final card, write 'You will pick Chinese.' Tape this card around your pen or marker with the written statement facing out.
6. To perform the trick, hold the pen naturally in your hand, concealing the written statement wrapped around it.
7. Pull the four cards out of the envelope that have different kinds of food written on them (French, Italian, etc.) and lay them out of the table where your friend can see the foods written on them. Make sure the fifth card with statements written on both sides remains in the envelope.
8. Have your friend pick one of the foods written on the cards in front of them.
9. If your friend picks Italian, tell your friend that you wrote down a prediction earlier. Put the pen down (making sure no one can see the card wrapped around it) and reach into the envelope for the card left inside.
10. Pull the card out and reveal the side saying 'You will pick Italian' to your astonished friend.
11. If your friend picks French, repeat steps 9 and 10 but reveal the side of the card saying 'You will pick French' instead.
12. If your friend picks Indian, tell your friend that you marked the card he or she would pick earlier and flip over the Indian card to reveal the X you made. You can even flip over all of the other cards to show that no others were marked.
13. If your friend picks Chinese, say you wrote a prediction and wrapped it around your pen, then reveal the statement wrapped around your pen. Your friend will be amazed no matter which card gets picked!