Mentalism tricks for beginners: how to choose your first one

Pick your first mentalism trick by where you’ll actually perform it, not by the trailer. If you want something you always have on you, choose a pocket piece. If you already carry cards, a mind-reading deck gives you the most routines. If you’ll be standing in front of a room, choose a prop people can see from a few metres away. And if you want to learn how mentalists think before you buy props, start with a download.

Why choose by situation?

Our beginner’s guide to mentalism covers what mentalism is and the main kinds of effect. This guide is the next step: turning that into one purchase you’ll really use.

A first trick usually ends up in a drawer because of a mismatch. Someone buys a gorgeous parlour prop and then only ever meets friends at a bar, or buys a deck and never has it with them. So before you look at any product, answer four questions:

• Where will I perform it most? At a table, standing in a group, or in front of a room.
• What will I have on me? Keys and a phone, a deck, or a bag of props.
• How many people will be watching? One or two, a small group, or a crowd.
• How much do I want to learn? Something to perform this week, or a tool to grow into.

Which mentalism trick fits which situation?

Situation	Product	What the audience sees	Good to know
Pocket, impromptu	Prophekey	Keys reveal the name of a chosen card	Lives on your keychain; deck not required
Pocket, impromptu	Stone Code	You know which hand holds a stone	Hands-free; works with your back turned
Close-up with a deck	Savant Deck	Lightning calculations and card divinations	Over a dozen effects taught
Close-up with a deck	Evoke	Cards carry emotive words and phrases	Includes a class on cold and warm reading
Walkaround to stage	Big Blind	A thought-of card printed on three poker chips	One basic sleight; perform surrounded
Parlour, séance style	Spirit Bell	A bell that rings in answer to questions	Display-size prop; fully examinable
Learning at home	The Vault: Get Nyman	A full show, then the explanations	Digital download, nothing to ship

What works in your pocket, with no setup?

Impromptu mentalism is the kind you do when someone says “go on, show me something.” The best pocket pieces are things you’d carry anyway, so the trick is always with you. Browse tricks that perform impromptu or tricks that fit in a pocket for more.

Prophekey by Paul Fowler is two keys that, after a card is freely chosen, reshape to reveal the name of that card. It’s instantly repeatable with a different card, you don’t need a deck, and everything you need is included. Because it lives on your keychain, it’s one of the easiest pieces to always have on you.

Stone Code by PITATA is built for the classic “which hand” game: a stone is hidden in one hand and you know which. It’s hands-free, so you never touch or lift their hands, and you can even perform with your back turned. Choose it if you like quick, playful moments with one or two people.

What if you already carry a deck?

A deck is the most flexible thing a beginner mentalist can own, because one deck can hold many routines. If you’re new to gaffed decks, our guide to trick decks explains the main types.

The Savant Deck by Craig Petty and Lloyd Barnes is a specially gimmicked deck with every card present and no duplicates. In one routine the audience shuffles, spreads some cards face up, and you total their values in under a second. The 3+ hour tutorial teaches over a dozen effects, from book tests to magic squares. Some routines need extra props, such as coins or blank decks.

Evoke by Craig Petty, designed by Phill Smith, swaps the usual card values for emotive words and phrases, so a card reveal becomes something personal. It’s pitched as a stepping stone into proper mentalism, and it includes a two-hour class with Ian Rowland on cold and warm reading using the deck, plus ideas from Peter Nardi and Peter Turner.

What reads in front of a room?

Parlour and stage mentalism has one extra test: can the back row see it? Our post on close-up vs parlour vs stage magic explains why some tricks don’t scale up. You’ll find more in our stage and large audience collection.

Big Blind by Craig Petty is a good bridge between settings. Someone thinks of any playing card, you bet three poker chips on it, and the backs of the chips spell out their card. The description lists no switches, no forces, perform surrounded, and one basic sleight, and says it suits walkaround, parlour and stage. There are over two hours of tuition and performances, plus a bonus session with Lloyd Barnes.

Spirit Bell by Tony Anverdi is a large, resonant bell on a hand-crafted wooden base with a matching arm holder. It can ring on cue or seem to ring on its own, it’s fully examinable, and spectators can even assemble it. Two sets of oversized cards are included: a standard ESP deck and a storytelling set. Pick it if you like a slower, atmospheric séance style.

Should you start with a download instead?

If you’re still working out what kind of mentalist you want to be, watching a working performer is worth more than another prop. Downloads have nothing to ship, and many teach several routines at once. See all our downloads.

The Vault: Get Nyman is a three-part video set. Part one is Andy Nyman performing a show for a real audience at a private club in London’s West End. Part two explains every routine in full, with Ali Cooke and Pete Firman. Part three has over an hour and a half of extras, including a segment on spectator selection.

How do you decide between two you like?

1. Pick the one you’ll carry. A trick that lives in your pocket gets performed; a trick that lives in a box gets admired.
2. Check what else it needs. Some routines ask for extra props, a deck, or charging. Read the full description before you buy.
3. Think about repeat requests. People often ask to see it again. Pieces described as instantly repeatable make that easy.
4. Be honest about sleights. “Easy” can still mean one move to learn. Check whether that move is one you’re happy to practise.
5. Write your script first. In mentalism, the words carry the effect. Plan what you’ll say before you rehearse the handling.

What should you avoid as a first buy?

• Buying for the stage when you perform at tables. Match the prop to the room you’re actually in.
• Buying three things at once. Learn one piece until you can perform it without thinking, then add the next.
• Skipping the tutorial’s presentation advice. The handling is usually the easy part; the framing is what makes it feel like mind reading.

Ready to browse? Start with the full mentalism and mind reading collection, or narrow it to beginner-level tricks.

Frequently asked questions