Pick Six Effect

Take half a TRACS deck - 6 Red cards and 6 Blue cards - to make a pile. As you do, remind the audience that TRACS is a Tool for Research on Adaptive Cognitive Strategies, with the emphasis on cognitive. Say to a spectator, “In a moment, I’m going to ask you to choose 6 cards at random from this set of 12 cards. But minds are not random. Minds are balanced - usually. Of course, everybody has a little different balance but that should not affect this trick." Take the cards in your hand so only you can see the fronts (colors). You ask the spectator to tell you his Zodiac sign and then you arrange the cards in a sequence that reflects the balance of the spectator's mind, saying: "OK. I think I've got your balance here."

Take the cards that you have arranged and hold the pile face down in your left hand. Remind the spectator that he will choose 6 cards, one at a time, and that you will take the other 6 cards. Say, "This trick would be easy if you did something simple, like choosing every other card, or choosing six cards in a row. So try to pick at random, OK?" Start by asking the spectator if he wants the top card. If he says yes, tell him to take it and place it (face down) on the table. If he says no, you take the top card (face down) into your right hand. Continue through the pile of 12 cards, allowing the spectator to take or skip whichever cards he wants, as long as he ends up with 6 cards on the table and you end up with 6 cards in your hand. Place your stack down on the table next to the spectator’s stack and say, “OK. Now let's check the balance.”

Take the top card off each stack and turn these two cards face up on the table. The spectator will see that the pair has one Red and one Blue card. Say, "Red and Blue together. That's balance." Repeat, pairing each card in his stack with the corresponding card in your stack. Every pair will have one Red and one Blue. End by saying, "Yes, I think our minds are balanced."