Pick a Number from 1 to 50--Mentalist Trick

[W. Watson]

I recently saw a mentalist perform a trick in which he asked the audience to
pick and number from 1 to 50 (49?) and not tell him what it was. Both digits had
to be odd. After a 10-15 seconds he guessed what the audience was thinking. He
hit it right on the nose for maybe 70% of the audience, and very close, within 3
or 4 digits for another large percentage. I think I understand how he did it,
but does anyone know this trick. I suspect it is widely known.

[Reg Coppicus]

David Blaine did this one on TV. It is a way of guiding the subject to a
specific number. Start with picking a number between 1 and 50, WAIT make
sure it has 2 digits, two odd digits, make sure each digit is odd, two
different odd numbers......

you have just successfully removed the numbers 1-10, the 20s, the 40s and
50. Most people will not pick the teens, so 11 to 19 (odd) are fairly safe,
that means the number starts with 3. Different digits removes 33. So you
have a 1 in 4 chance to hit 31, 35, 37 and 39. Most people will pick 37,
probably to over 80%.

When you are guiding the picking and saying pick a number from 1 to 50, say
it a few times and each time say 50 slightly louder, and they will be more
likely to pick a higher number.

Reg

Post by W. Watson
I recently saw a mentalist perform a trick in which he asked the audience
to pick and number from 1 to 50 (49?) and not tell him what it was. Both
digits had to be odd. After a 10-15 seconds he guessed what the audience
was thinking. He hit it right on the nose for maybe 70% of the audience,
and very close, within 3 or 4 digits for another large percentage. I think
I understand how he did it, but does anyone know this trick. I suspect it
is widely known.
--
Wayne T. Watson (Watson Adventures, Prop., Nevada City, CA)
(121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N) GMT-8 hr std. time)
Obz Site: 39° 15' 7" N, 121° 2' 32" W, 2700 feet
"The easiest way to refold a road map is differently."
--Jones's Rule of the Road
Web Page: <home.earthlink.net/~mtnviews>

[David]

From experience, I've never had anyone pick 35 or 39. Most go for

either 37 and the next most popular in my experience is 13. Then 17,
and then 31. I'd say that 13 and 17 are about equal, with 13 holding a
slight edge. A few have gone for 31. I like the idea of emphasizing
the 50 to get them to go higher....

Dave

[W. Watson]

Thanks. Ah, it's a bit more complicated than I thought. Very clever, and subtle.
In psychology, the technique sounds like what is termed anchoring. Here's an
example. One group of people is given the problem of quickly (say 5 seconds)
estimating 10*9*8 ... *3*2*1, and another 1*2*3*4 ... 8*9*10. In the first case,
the estimate is too high, and in the second too low. I plan to try the '37'
trick in a short lecture I'm giving on numeracy (math 'literacy'). Is there a
name for the trick? Did Blaine reveal the solution? Is there a good book on
mentalism on this sort of approach?

Post by Reg Coppicus
David Blaine did this one on TV. It is a way of guiding the subject to a
specific number. Start with picking a number between 1 and 50, WAIT make
sure it has 2 digits, two odd digits, make sure each digit is odd, two
different odd numbers......
you have just successfully removed the numbers 1-10, the 20s, the 40s and
50. Most people will not pick the teens, so 11 to 19 (odd) are fairly safe,
that means the number starts with 3. Different digits removes 33. So you
have a 1 in 4 chance to hit 31, 35, 37 and 39. Most people will pick 37,
probably to over 80%.
When you are guiding the picking and saying pick a number from 1 to 50, say
it a few times and each time say 50 slightly louder, and they will be more
likely to pick a higher number.
Reg

Post by W. Watson
I recently saw a mentalist perform a trick in which he asked the audience
to pick and number from 1 to 50 (49?) and not tell him what it was. Both
digits had to be odd. After a 10-15 seconds he guessed what the audience
was thinking. He hit it right on the nose for maybe 70% of the audience,
and very close, within 3 or 4 digits for another large percentage. I think
I understand how he did it, but does anyone know this trick. I suspect it
is widely known.

[Reg Coppicus]

I don't know the name, nor seen it written up, and really there is not any
more to it than that! Rather than more complicated than you thought I
submit it is more subtle than you thought. It really is all in the way you
say it, how you emphasize it, make sure you introduce the concept of
thinking of a number between 1 an 50 and then QUICKLY (before they can
generate a number) emphasize it as two digits, two ODD digits (now they have
to think and they will think "well the 2 and 4 are even, so 30-something it
is") and two DIFFERENT odd digits (33 is out, and 31 and 35 are next to each
other) so 37 is now the strongest candidate. Catching them quickly before
they can formulate a number is key, and then you can coach them by creating
the anchor as you say.

Reg

Post by W. Watson
Thanks. Ah, it's a bit more complicated than I thought. Very clever, and
subtle. In psychology, the technique sounds like what is termed anchoring.
Here's an example. One group of people is given the problem of quickly
(say 5 seconds) estimating 10*9*8 ... *3*2*1, and another 1*2*3*4 ...
8*9*10. In the first case, the estimate is too high, and in the second too
low. I plan to try the '37' trick in a short lecture I'm giving on
numeracy (math 'literacy'). Is there a name for the trick? Did Blaine
reveal the solution? Is there a good book on mentalism on this sort of
approach?