The goal of the game is for your friends or the audience to figure out how two people can “telepathically” talk to each other. You will need a partner in crime if you want to make people think you are using black magic. You can keep the game fun and different as long as you have a sense of humour and are interested in what’s going on. Here is a guide to playing black magic well and driving everyone in the room crazy while trying to crack the code.
Get Set
Start by putting your accomplice or helper in a different room before you meet up with your friends. Tell your assistant the game’s secret when no one else is around. Tell them you’re going to point to different things in the room and ask if each one is what you’re thinking of. They should keep saying “No” and pay attention to the colour of the items that are pointed out. Once you point to something black, your assistant should say “No” again, but they should agree that the next object you point to will be the right answer.
Time to put on a show (The Pledge)
Go back to your room by yourself. Your assistant should stay behind, where they won’t be able to hear you. This shows that your “psychic” assistant can’t listen in on conversations. Ask someone in the crowd or a volunteer to choose or point out something in the room. Ask them what it is, because you’ll be sending a psychic message to your assistant to let him or her know what it is.
Ostensive Description (The Turn)
Once you’re sure everyone in the audience knows what was chosen, ask a few people to bring your assistant back into the room. A group is needed to clear up any questions that might come up if just one person was sent, since that person might give away what the object is. Point to different things in the room and ask if they are “it.” Make sure not to point to anything black. Put your fingers on the sides of your head and look at your assistant as you point to “transmit the psychic message.”
The Status
Show the person something black that they would never choose. When you ask if it’s the right thing, your assistant should tell you, “No.” After you point to the next thing, your assistant should answer “Yes” to your question, since it’s the right thing. People will be surprised at how you were able to tell them the secret.
Black Magic in different versions
At this point, most people will try to figure out how you did the trick. Show them that they are wrong by doing the trick again but in a different way. You can do the “black” method first, then switch to the “number” method, and so on. You can tell your assistant that the right answer is the eighth, ninth, or tenth thing you point to. If you choose a number bigger than five, it will be less obvious to your audience that you have a plan. If you let a volunteer point out the objects, your audience will be even more amazed by the coded gestures you use with your assistant.
