Al Mann - The Trionym Effect

·11 POST OFFICE BOX 144 • FREEHOLD, NEW JERSEY 07728

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(201) 431 -2429 POST OFFICE BOX 144 •

FREEHOLD, NEW JERSEY 07728

THE TRIONYM "EFFECT I

An Al Mann Exclusive FOREWORD

The Trionym Effect is the divining of three separate thoughts from the mind of one or more persons at the table. The effect is fabulous and profound and will make a reputation for the performer. . Unfortunately, many novices have steered clear of it simply because former methods called for dificul t moves and sleights that seem to take a lifetime ~o master. Here for-the first time is a method most easy to do. The 'umbrella' move has been eliminated and the secret reading of the billets is direct. Plus, there is nothing to forceS AndS no dummy billetsl Through eXperience, the billet worker discovers that the sitter cares little about the size or color of the paper used and gives no importance to the prefolding of the billets. The Mentalist therefore can use fleshcolor paper to his advantage, and choose the proper size of the billet to suit him. The Mentalist can also insist on prefolded billets as a necessary ritual, etc. The Trionym Effect offers the AME subscriber another fabulous billet test that you must master. Fraternally,

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\L MANN i8zc/~ POST OFFICE BOX 144 •

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FREEHOLD, NEW JERSEV 07728

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(Copyright 1983 by Al Mann Exclusives)

This introduces the streamline version of the Three Pellet Trick. EFFECTs Three slips of paper, three letter envelopes and a pencil (all may be borrowed) are used. A spectator is told to write three questions, one on each slip of paper, secretly, and to fold the slips. These slips are then placed inside the three letter envelopes, one in each envelope. The Mentalist without seeing the questions, answers them one at a time! The first question is answered and both the slip of paper and the envelope are given to the spectator to keep. The next two questions are answered without opening the slip of paper. These are just handed over to the spectator to keep. This effect is very strong and looks like a miracle to the viewers. The streamline version given here, uses the two-ahead system and all the moves are most easy to do. The umbrella move is made obsolete by the handling and some new sleights introduced in print for the first time. This effect was a favorite of Al Baker. He printed a version of it in his book, Mental Magic, that uses the umbrella move. Those readers who had trouble mastering the Al Baker method elementary in excecution. will find the Trionym Effect PREPARATIONs The effect can be done totally impromptu once the routine is mastered, simply by borrowing all the items needed. But as experience has shown, your audience doesn't give one hoot if you use your own paper and envelopes. These will remain with them for their inspection, so that there is no suspicion about any of the items used. While learning the routine, let us use our own well prepared props. You will needs 3 letter envelopes& size 3-5/8 in. by 6-1/2 inch. preferably similar to the ones shown in Fig. 6. These envelopes are prepared by folding the flap back once or twice so that the flap will stick up when the envelope is placed flat on the table address side down. The envelopes should be opaque, if possible.

3 slips of papers size 3 by 3i inches. (If the envelopes in use are opaque, security type, you may want to use flesh-color paper) Slips Should be prefolded although not necessary.

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THE TRIONYM EFFECT

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If possible, the paper used should be soft non-crinklimg kind or of soft card texture. . Before proceeding further, let's consider a very valueble sle1ght exclusive to billet workers. This secret appears in print for the first time. It is •

.,Ae 'f:'Jetlet (J~c/A,: Take a slip of paper or card

the same size as you will use in the Trionym Effect and fold it from right to left off-center as shown in Fig. lB. Then fold it a second time as shown in Fig. 1C. Next take the folded slip as shown in Fig. 2, with the tips of your right-hand fingers (assuming you are right handed) and insert it into the letter envelope as shown in Fig. J , while holding the envelope with your left hand. Please note that the slip is inserted into the envelope but going behind the lip of the back shown by the dot at "x." As soon as the billet is half-way into the envelope, bend the end you are holding, towards you, to form an inverted "U" shape as shown in Fig. 4. Please note that then, half of the billet will be inside 3 the envelope and half outside and bent around the lip "x." Without letting go of the billet, stiffen your hand solidly as in the shape shown in Fig. 5 and insert your stiffen hand into the envelope so that only the fingers go in while the thumb stays outside the envelope. Push your hand in that fashion all the way into the envelope until the tips of your fingers touch the inside bottom of the envelope, When you do that you will notice that your thumb will clear the edge of the billet on the outside and then the billet will fly into your palm! Do not move or bend your fingers. Your hand must remain stiffen and in that condition pullout your hand and you will notice that the billet remains clipped in your palm and out of sight! This is indeed a beautiful sleight which usel

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Fig. 1

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Fig. 2

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J THE TRIONYM EFFECT

AK AL MANN EX CLUSIVE

Fig. A. The folded billet is inserted into the envelope half-way behind the lip.

Fig. A

Fig. B

Fig. B. The thunb bends the top of the billet around the lip of the envelope into an inverted "U" shape. Fig. C. The stiffen hand goes all the way into the envelope. The tips of the fingers touch the bottom inside of the envelope while the thumb remains outside. The billet jumps into perfect palm position and the hand, still stiffen, is pulled out of the envelope and the billet comes with it, totally out of sight. The flap of the envelope is then folded down and the envelope is placed on the table seam-side down. NOTE. The four fingers of the right hand are never curled or separated. The viewer must not see any visible movement of the fingers. The above action is done fast and smoothly.

THE TRIONYM EFFECT.

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The Pellet Catch move is done in a second of time. Just as long as it takes to stick your hand into the envelope and take it out. Only a little practice will teach you how easy and effecttive it is. When doing the Pellet Catch before an audience, you can let them see the billet going in and then move the envelopes towards you and do the sleight. Then close down the flap of the envelope and throw the envelope seam-side down on the table. NOTE. Always use fresh paper when doing this test. The fresh paper has 'spring' to it and it is this spring tension that makes the billet fly into your palm and remain therel Prepare the envelopes as follows. Mark the envelopes, 1, 2 and

J, in the inside of the envelope or flap as shown in Fig. 6. No. J envelope need not be marked.

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----':-.,-,:_/'~ Fig. 6 Next turn envelopes No. 1 and 2 Gver and place secret marks on the address side so that you can tell what they are. Fig. 7 shows the two envelopes secretly marked with dots.

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Fig. 7 Next, prepare the three billets thusly. Billet No. 1 is left totally blank and then folded as shown in Fig. SA. (ALL BILLETS SHOULD BE FOLDED AND THEN OPENED OUT AND REFOLDED THE OTHER WAY SO THAT THEY WILL OPEN OUT EASILX) Place the folded billet A into envelope No.1. Take billets No. 2 and J and fold them and then open them out and write your name on top of each and then the words "City" and "number" as shown and then insert them into envelopes 2 and J respectively, still opened and on one side as shown in Fig. 6 ..

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.5 THE TRIONYM EFFECT

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!he Set-Up. Place the three envelopes in front of you, seams-side up as shown in Fig. 9. Envelope No. 1 is on top and No. J on the bottom. Flaps sticking up. Envelope No. 1 has a folded blank billet inside. No.2, has a prefolded billet opened-out inside with the word, "City" and your name at the top. No J, has a prefolded billet opened-out inside with the word, "number" and your name at the tOPD

Fig. 9

NOTE. Your audience must not be appraised of the condition of the contents of the envelopes. THE PRESENTATION~ (Everything that you say and do during the presentation is of vital importance.) Proposing a test, you pick up envelope No.1, saying, "I am going to use three envelopes. Each one of these envelopes contains a folded slip of paper." Turn the envelope in your left hand over so that it is mouth down and STICK THE FINGERS OF YOUR RIGHT HAND INTO THE ENVELOPE AND WIGGLE THEM, causing the folded pellet inside to drop on the table top. (this proceedure of turning the envelope mouth down and sticking your fingers into the envelope, supposedly to dislodge the folded pellet, must be followed with everyone of the envelopes!) Next pick up the folded billet and place it between the tips of the first and second finger of your right hand as shown in Fig. 10, and point to the sitter saying, "I want you to think of the name of a person, but do not tell me the name. Think of someone that I do not know." Open out the slip of paper and make sure that the sitter sees that it is blank, then iCk up the envelope and place the slip on 1 "ofthe envelope for wr~"to~ng. Fig. 0 ~ he seam-s~de (this is only a misdirection play, so that the sitter becomes programed to seeing you write on the back of the envelope. So do not write on the table. Use the envelope every time) "I am going to write my name on this paper so that you will remember it." etc. So write your name on the top of it and then write the word "Name" and a line and give the person the paper and pencil saying, "Please write the name you are thinking on the paper and don't let me see what you write. I will turn my head while you are writing. When you have finished please fold the paper." " of 1 m~s . dO~rec to~on. FO~rs t you have All of this is Just beaut~ u

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THE TRIONYM EFFECT

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shown the sitter that the envelope did contain a folded piece of paper. Then he saw the paper that was blank. Then you tell him that you are going to write your name on it, etc. and you do and he sees where you have written just what you said. All of this is of vital importance for what follows. After the billet is folded, take the billet and excecute The Pellet Catch. Then fold down the flap of the No. 1 envelope and place it on the table seam side down. In your right hand you have secretly palmed the first billet while No. 1 envelope is empty! Next pick up with your left hand the No.2 envelope and turn it mouth-down and stick your finger tips of the right hand into the envelope, Being careful not to expose the open-out billet inside, wiggle your fingers and release the palmed folded billet in your right hand and let it fall to the table. If you see this action in a mirror you will see that the billet appears to come from the envelope. The illusion is perfect! The sitter sees a folded billet drop from the envelope, as he expected, since you told him at Fig. 11 the beginning that each envelope contains .. a folded billet. So everything looks normal! Take the folded billet at your fingertips as shown in Fig. 10, as you point to the sitter again saying, "Next, I want you to think of the name of a city. Any city in the world. You have a free choice-," etc. As you say that open out the billet, being careful no to flash the writing inside. The sitter assumes that this billet is also blank! Place the open out billet on the back of the No. 2 envelope saying, "I am going to write my name on here also and the word City." You only pretend to write but actually you are reading the °nameo of the person written on the slip. Fig. 12, shows the way things look to the performer. You are holding the No. 2 envelope in front Y of you with the No. 1 slip of paper showing, while the No. 2 slip of paper is inside the envelope at "Y':" So You now know that the name written by the sitter is "Joe!" As soon as you read the name and while both hands are behind the envelope, refold the No. 1 billet secretly, and then take out the No. 2 billet from inside the envelope and hand it to the sitter. This slip already has your name on it and the word 'cit yO which the Fig. 12 sitter assumes you just wrote! So while the sitter writes the name of the city, turn aside and secretly drop the folded No. 1 billet into the envelopel

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7 THE TRIONYM EFFECT

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After the sitter refolds the No.2 billet, take it from him and again excecute The Pellet Catch. Then fold down the flap of the envelope and place it on top of the No.1 envelope seam-side down. In your right palm you now have the No. 2 billet with the name of the city on it. Repeat the same action with the No. J envelope. Take out from it the folded billet that you have palmed. Say, "Now I want you to think of a J-digit number. It must be a number connected with you, like part of your Social Security number." etc. Open out the folded billet and proceed as shown in Fig. 12. You will now be looking at the name of the 'City!' So now you will be 2-ahead on the sitter. Pretend to write your name and the word 'number' on the slip and take out the slip inside the number J envelope and give it to the sitter to write his chosen J- digit number on. Again turn aside while he writes and secretly refold the No. 2 slip and silently stick it into the envelope. NOTE. Instead of inserting the folded billet into the envelope you may want just to fold it and hold it behind the envelope and then insert it in the envelope while doing the Pellet Catch. It is an easy matter to do it either way. After the sitter refolds the third slip, take it from him and again do The Pellet Catch and turn down the flap of the envelope and place it on top of the other two, seam-side down. You are now ready to do some fabulous mindreading! As matters now stand, there are three envelopes on the table. No.1 envelope is empty, unknown to the sitter. No. 2 envelope has the 'Name' billet inside. No. J envelope has the 'City' billet inside You have the 'Number' billet palmed in your right hand. Patter about what has been done. Tell the sitter that he has written three different items of which you know nothing but that you are going to try to learn by reading his thoughts. As you talk, toy with the three envelopes and disarrange them a bit so that the sitter loses track of any order. Then proceed. 1. Look for the secret mark on the No.2 envelope and pick it up. The No.2 envelope contains a slip with the name "Joe" which you know. Without looking at the envelope, open it and stick your right hand into it, but do not remove the 'name' slip. Just take out the slip that is secretly palmed in your right hand. Place the folded slip to your temple and say, "Please think of the name that you wrote down. Concentrate." Then take a pencil and write the name "Joe" on the address side of the envelope. The sitter should be amazed. Then open the folded billet to check. Smile and say, "That is simply beautifull" What you have just done is that you have now seen the chosen number, but you make believe it is the 'name' slip. So refold it and say,

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THE TRIONYM EFFECT

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"I am going to give you these pieces of paper and the envelope for you to keep." So saying excecute the Pellet Catch and then give the envelope to the sitter. If he opens it now he will find everything in order as the slip inside does have the name "Joe" on it. 2. Next pick up the No. 1 envelope. This envelope is empty. Reach in and pretend to take out the slip but actually just take out the palmed °number , slipo Place the folded slip to your temple again and tell the sitter to concentrate on the J-digit number. Write the number on the outside of the envelope and then hand both the envelope and the folded slip to the sitter. You didn't have to open this billetl J. Next pick up the No. J envelope. This envelope has the 'City' slip inside folded. DO NOT OPEN THE ENVELOPE OR LOOK INSIDE, OR TAKE OUT THE BILLET. Place the envelope to your temple and then ask the sitter to concentrate on the name of the city. Then write the name on the outside of the envelopel End of Miracle! There it is, Gentlemen. A fabulous routine. It has taken a lot of words to eXplain it. You must do it and practice it several times and then you will realise that the whole effect can be presented in a few minutes. After you have mastered it you may not need to mark any of the envelopes and then you can present it at any time with anybody's paper and envelopes. All the moves are very easy but they must be done in order. When presenting the effect with borrowed articles, just write the word 'City' on one slip and place it inside the No.2 envelope and write the word 'number' on another slip and place it into No. J envelope. Prefold the billets, etc and the whole setup can be done in a stolen moment. THE FINE POINTS, The reader will discover that after he learns the routine he will invent his own moves to suit his own hands and personality. While doing The Pellet Catch, the back of your hand must be towards the sitter. And at all times while a billet is palmed the hand must act in a natural way, relaxed but with the fingers closed together. The letter envelope while held with the right hand can cover a multitude of sins. Your left thumb can wiggle behind it at will and none will be the wiser. There is nothing in the rules that says that the performer must remain sitted or motionless. You can get up and turn your back or walk about the room while the sitter writes his questions or whatever. During this time many things can be done like secretly refolding and inserting the stolen billet into the envelope. Or you can figget with the envelope and make noises, etc. while sitted and turned aside.