White Room Expanded- By Ran Pink This document is an addendum to the original White Room. Some things will not make sense if you have not read the original. I’d like to thank the original purchasers of White Room and offer here some additional thoughts, variations and some bonus effects. One of White Room's strengths is that it can be done over the phone. It's a purely verbally guided force; therefore let's explore some possibilities. Direct Mind reading of a playing card over the phone was mentioned in White Room and is probably my favorite way of handling it over the phone. With the different variations outlined later, you could repeat the force and try a different effect.
The participant thinks of a card via the procedure. He removes his card from his own mixed up deck and some additional cards. The participant lines up the cards in any order and calls out the cards one by one. The mentalist is able to discern which card the participant had thought of. The presentation for this could involve the spectators deck with a "reading" about the journey to the White Room. The other cards that are called out tell you about the journey. For example you would have them call out the names of the five cards in front of them, one by one. Once you know which card is from the forcing set have them repeat the names of the cards, but this time interrupt them after they call out the first card. Let's assume it's not their card and you know their card is the 7 of Spades. They
call out the Queen of Clubs. You say something like "The Queen of Clubs in the first position tells me you went to a dark room....a black room." The next card called out will, for whatever reason you come up with, tell you that they are the kind of person that handles themselves well under strange circumstances so it makes sense that they would think of an odd number and so forth and so on. When they name their card, the 7 of Spades, say something like "hmmm that card is not telling me anything right now, what's the next card?" You can play around with the order of the revelations. It may be better to work backwards instead of forward. You might also add some cold reading bits to make it more personal and move further away from this being just a neat little trick.
One can either perform White Room as usual but with 2 people. If they happen to think of the same card you can accentuate the “synchronicity” aspect of the situation and make it into a wonderful bonus to the effect. Otherwise fishing with 2 people is often easier because you have more chances to be correct. Try White Room with 2 people in a conference call. For some reason the long distance aspect makes it more unbelievable. Or, in person, you can have them decide on 2 different cards and make the pumping easier by turning around as they decide the color of the room, but they both need to be "sitting in different color rooms" they can silently signal or whisper to each other which color they are thinking. I would have the woman choose first and then tell her partner what she chose. So he can choose the opposite. She is more likely to choose red.
Keep in mind nobody knows that they'll be thinking of a card yet. ICAINU 2.0 There are different variations for performing ICAINU with a real deck handy and you'll also learn a version with no real cards at all. Each variation has it's benefits. Lets begin with the no cards version. INVISIBLE ICAINU This is a virtual version of Imagined Card at Imagined Number and perhaps my favorite. In the original ICAINU, in one example we use 4 as the multiplier. For this version we’ll do the same, but instead of multiplying, we’ll be doubling their card value…Twice. First present the White Room procedure, then you will have them come up with a number between 1-52 by doubling their card number. And then on second thought have them double it again just to make it interesting. Instead of having them actually deal real cards, they will deal invisible cards to your hand in the amount of their imagined number. Simply count as they deal, while pretending to look away. VERY IMPORTANT, it is key that the participant believes you are not paying attention. You can feign looking at your watch, just act uninterested for the moment. When they have stopped counting, you will know what card they are thinking of. Before revealing it, make a joke. Tell them that the card on the top
of their invisible deck is their thought of card. Tell them to look at it and confirm that it is their card. When they look at you like you are nuts and that you've wasted their time, tell them "I told you this depended on your imagination. But seriously, all you have to do is turn over the invisible card and you can see that it is the 8 of clubs. That is your card, right?" BEFORE I CONTINUE… I’ve been in contact with Alejandro Hinojosa or Alex also known as BMWGuy on The Magic Café. Alex had told me how he’s been using White Room and ICAINU and he was kind enough to write it up for this addendum. So let me present Alex’s White Room.
Effect: Magician has a spectator imagine that he is in an empty room, with 4 walls all around. In the middle of the room, lies a chair. Magician instructs spectator to imagine him/herself sitting down in the chair, and all is quiet and lonesome in the room. Magician then has spectator look around the 4 walled room, and imagine the colors of the wall changing to either red or black. Once the spectator confirms this, magician then asks spec to think of a person that only he/she will know that is close to them, this person will come into play later on. Once the spec confirms, the magician asks the spectator to think of a number from 1-10 inclusively. Once spectator has a number in
mind, magician asks the spectator to form an image in their mind of a playing card suit, either club, heart, spade, or diamond. Once this process is derived by the spec, the magi then restates what was done….. A thought of color, a thought of name, and a thought of playing card! The magician then proceeds to name the color of the card, the playing card, and finally the thought of person. Method: Sounds incredible, doesn’t it?? Well it actually is…….I have performed it many many times, never once failing, and people are doubfounded, awestruck, as the process to derive at the information is forgotten. So how does it work? Any peek or center tear will work fine with this. For those of you who have peek wallets, if you are uncomfortable performing a center tear or other types of billet peeks, you can resort to the wallet for help. I personally use Millard Longmans Acidus Globus peek. Setup: You need a blank business card on one side. Pen
Since you are reading this, you have White Room 1.0, so this means I don’t have to go through the whole process for you, so I will break it down. After they think of the color of the walls and the thought of person, I pull out my business card, and have them write both down. The name, and then the first letter of their color either: R or B. For example:
Robert
R
I get my peek and now I know the name and color they are thinking, I am two ahead now. 1) I have them think of a number 1-10, and then go through the process. Process: 1 = Ace = Hearts 2 = Clubs 3 = Hearts 4 = Clubs 5 = Hearts
6 = Spades 7 = Diamonds 8 = Spades 9 = Diamonds 10 = Spades
So now, they are thinking of a playing card, that they have formed in their mind. Ok, so now it is time for the revelations. I first tell them to concentrate on the color of the walls the person has painted in their mind, and I name the color. Then I tell them to think of the playing card, and I reinstate that they could have had a free choice of a 52 card deck, when
really we know that is not true, but that is the way it seems to them. I then tell them to think of the color of their card, and name it. Think of the suit, and name it Finally the number, using nonverbal clues, etc, etc, and name it. The last reveal is the name: Since I know it, I can play it up as big or small as I want it, but since we are dealing with the mind, I like to play it up….. I first have them think of how many letters lie in the persons name….and I tell them… Then I have them think of the last letter, and name it….. I finally reveal the name. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------Now for INVISIBLE ICAINU, plays the same way with the name…. Once I know the name, in my mind I count the letters…. For example: lets say the person wrote down: Gilbert Gilbert has 7 letters…… I have the person in their mind Multiply their thought of number from 1-10 that I had them think earlier by the number of letters in the persons name.
They don’t know that you know the name, that is why it is so powerful. OK so lets say that the thought of number they chose was 5, which you don’t know just yet. They will multiply 5 x 7 = 35. Ok so I then tell them to imagine them having a deck of cards in their hands, they pull the deck out, and they have the total in mind. I then have them invisibly one by one put one card for each number in my hand until their total is reached. I then mentally count the number of times their hand comes close to my hand to hand me the invisible card. In this example, it is 35, so since Gilbert has 7 letters, I mentally just divide 35 by 7 which give me 5. So now I know the thought of card as well, in this example it would be the 5 of Hearts. Plus I know the name, plus I know the color of the walls. Triple Climax!!!! You can play it up anyway you want. You don’t need cards, just a pen and paper, or business card. That’s it.
It has worked miracles for me, and my coworker said it was the best trick he ever saw! Thanks again, Alex Thank you Alex! I love the idea of applying a peek to White Room and taking it to another level. This is a really fun alternative to a typical peek and reveal of a name. You could also use Think Pink to get your peek ! (cheeky, I know) Now let’s continue expanding… ICAINU EXPANDED The following are ideas to expand the possible choices so that the selection procedure is even fairer and includes the Aces and court cards. These next options involve a real deck of cards.
This variation gives the spectator a free choice of suits once they have chosen a color. It’s also been expanded to include the Aces and Court cards. The great thing about this version is that you don’t have to explain too much about the suit selection. The cards will be setup so that the participant will either deal from a face down deck or a face up deck once you know a small piece of information. Collect all the red cards A-7 diamonds and hearts Collect all the black cards 8-K clubs and spades Pair up the hearts and spades into one ascending packet-face card
of this packet is the King of spades. And collect the diamonds and clubs into another ascending packet now reverse the order of this packet so if it were face up you would see an Ace of diamonds. Put the heart and spade packet on top of the deck and the diamond/clubs packet under the pack. Execute 1 faro shuffle so the top card of the bottom half of the deck will end up on top of the deck. Run through the deck to find the black kings. Split the deck between the kings and do the same faro. You will end up with the hearts/spades sequence of cards being 4 cards apart from eachother from the top of the deck and the diamonds/clubs sequence is set up 4 cards apart from the face of the deck. Now you can simplify the forcing procedure. They can choose any suit they want once they choose the color and are directed to think of a number from the appropriate range. "If you are thinking of red I want you to think of a number between 1-7 and if you are thinking black choose a number between 8-13. Now there are four suits in a deck of cards. I want you to choose any one that is appropriate for your color. Hearts and Diamonds are red and Spades and Clubs are black of course!" Then you will have them come up with a number between 1-52 by doubling their card number. And then on second thought have them double it again just to make it interesting. Remember from the original White Room that the reasoning here is to get their card somewhere in the middle of the deck.
Note: if the person you are performing for has a four letter name, first or last, you can use this reasoning to multiply by four, therefore personalizing the results. This applies for all versions of ICAINU. Now all you need to do is fish for the suit to find out whether they should deal from the top or from the bottom to find their card at their number. You really don't have to fish at all. For this version of ICAINU you could be false shuffling the deck while giving the instructions. Once they have a card and number in mind. You hand the deck to the participant and make a big deal about the fact that you can no longer alter the order of the cards. You can just ask for the suit, or even the card at this point. I prefer to just guess the suit and if I fail I just ask for it. Once I have this information, I know which side to have them deal from and count. If hearts/spades, deal from the top. If diamonds/clubs, turn the deck over and deal from the face.
This variation is similar in the technical way you setup the deck, except the cards are different. This version will allow the spectator to have a free choice of numbers from 1-13 no matter which color they choose. The rules are the same as in the original White Room procedure. They think of either red or black. But now they can choose any number from 1-13. The next step is where it is like the original in that you have them choose a suit based on if their number is odd or even.
If their number is odd, have them choose between hearts and spades, depending on their color. If even, they choose between diamonds and clubs. Following these rules, find the appropriate cards and set them up as in variation 1. This time though, one packet will be red and the other black. Remember each color set will be at multiples of 4 starting from the face down or face up deck depending on the color. In my deck if I had to deal to a red card, I would deal from a face down deck. If I have to find a black card, I would deal from the face. So all you need to know before you have them deal to their number, is their card color. Knowing this will tell you whether they should deal from a face up deck or face down deck. "For some reason I feel I'm going to be wrong about this but you seem like someone who would have chosen a red room… Did you?" This version can be translated to ULTIMATE INVISIBLE ICAINU. The only difference is that you have to fish for the color first before you can reveal the card. I think allowing a free choice from 1-13 is worth a little fishing. If you even want to call it that. The timing is important. You go for the color before they begin the invisible deal. I believe that it might actually be better to be wrong at this point, so you have nothing to lose. It helps disguise the method because you seem like you aren't completely in control of the circumstances and by virtue of time misdirection. You want them to forget how they came up with the number they are going to deal to. You want to reiterate at each step how there is no way you could know what card or number they are thinking of. Also by guessing the color of the "room", it doesn't seem like a
direct guess about the card. If you combine Ultimate and Suit Free you get a hybrid card set which is easier for a direct mind read. Keeping the part from Suit Free where you maintain a range of numbers based on the color 1-7 if red and 8-13 if black. Then apply the original rules for odd and even choices and here is the set. AH-2D-3H-4D-5H-6D-7H-8C-9S-10C-JS-QC-KS By now you should have the tools to work out a pumping set. It should be easy enough to find out if they chose a court card. “This is going to be really difficult, especially if it’s a picture card like a Jack, Queen or King…You didn’t choose one of those did you?” “You did. I knew it. I knew this would be really hard.” Or “You didn’t, great! let’s continue…” If they did choose a picture card it’s most likely Jack or Queen because 13 is a fringe number and least likely to be chosen. If you find out the color then you know which one it is. I wanted to make sure to mention that at some point you’ll want to tell the participant to translate their number into a court card if they are thinking of a number over 10. You might get your hint here.
Normally I’ll start with White Room's 1-10 range and then if asked to repeat it, I may decline, move on to something else or I might follow it up with ULTIMATE INVISIBLE ICAINU or some White Room Alternates. White Room Alternates I wouldn't perform this for the same group of people unless I could create alternate outcomes. In the White Room book I mention that changing the rules will create different outcomes. There are many possibilities and combinations. Just learn one additional combination. for instance instead of red being 1-5 and black being 6-10, flip it so they are reversed. Even more subtle and my preferred alternate is the changing of the suits. So they are thinking of a number between 1-5,6-10. Instead of having them choose Spades and Hearts for an Odd number and Diamonds and Clubs for an Even number, flip it so it's the other way. Spades and Hearts if an even number, Diamonds and Clubs if odd. This way you can repeat the effect to a group. Most people will not notice the discrepancy and if they do, you play it as if you are coming up with the rules as you go. This is a subtle convincer of the illusion that there are more options. Of course you'll have to work out and remember another pumping procedure that works for the new set but don't you love exercising your brain? Variation 1: Change the suits This is an easy variation because the numbers and the colors are the same, its just the suits that are different.
Pump for Variation 1 I would start by pumping to see if they are thinking of an odd or even number as in White Room. "Thats odd, for some reason I feel I'm going to be wrong about this but you seem like someone who would have chosen an odd number. Did you?" This way if you are wrong, you said you would be. So it's like a built in out. So you take a deep breath and pretend to "start over" or reset. If you are right, you are just modest about your abilities. It's 50/50 so far but from now on you'll be making more direct statements. Lets say I find out its even. If I feel confident about the clues the participant was giving me regarding their color, during the procedure, then I will use that to try to go for a direct hit. If I sensed she went with red then I’d go for the 4 of hearts in this variation. Otherwise I will use technique of calling out an option as I give instructions such as "just keep repeating the card in your mind over and over the 8 of clubs, 8 of clubs, whatever card you are thinking of." If they react as if you've said their card, you are done.
Otherwise you are left with either 2 or 4 of hearts where the 4 is most likely chosen. Remember you can use the T.A. Waters pip ruse here as explained in White Room because the cards are 2 apart… If they chose an odd card then I would start by having them repeat the card over and over “3 of diamonds, 3 of diamonds or whatever card you are thinking of.” If they react as if you've said their card, you are done. If not you are left with 7 and 9 clubs. Since their values are 2 digits apart…Thank you T.A. Waters. I hope you found this addendum useful. I wanted to demonstrate the many ways to expand on the White Room forcing procedure and share some bonus ideas. I get a lot of mileage out of the original White Room. It’s slightly ethereal because you are taking someone into an imaginary space. Yet it’s light hearted and ultimately its a card trick without cards. White Room is a solid impromptu mind-reading effect that gets wonderful reactions. The fact that it is accomplished with words alone makes me extremely happy. Thank you, Ran Pink
