ESP Card Tricks in PDF Format
Performing mentalism with ESP cards offers a unique and powerful way to create the illusion of genuine psychic ability. Originally developed for Dr. J.B. Rhine at Duke University, these cards feature five different simple symbols (circle, star, wavy lines, square, and cross.) They were first used in Rhine's groundbreaking experiments designed to test telepathy, clairvoyance, and precognition. Today, magicians and mentalists use ESP cards to present various mental tests, giving their performances an air of authenticity rooted in real scientific inquiry.
Photo Credit: Undated Zener test, Duke University Archives Photograph Collection.
Dr. Rhine ESP Deck or Zener Cards?
In the United Kingdom, ESP cards are commonly referred to as Zener cards, named after Dr. Karl Zener who originally designed the symbols for Rhine’s tests. Regardless of what they're called, ESP or Zener cards remain a staple in modern mentalism. Their clean, unpretentious symbols make them ideal for demonstrations that feel less like magic tricks and more like controlled experiments in thought transference. Whether you're performing close-up or on stage, ESP card routines are simple to understand, easy to follow, and incredibly engaging for audiences. You'll find a range of excellent ESP card trick PDFs below.
Some titles below are also available in our Symbol Sorcery Bundle.
The Ultrasensory Connection $5.00 PDF (or just $3.50 when you buy 3 or more PDFs)
Magic Ronnay of Vienna was famed for his clever and original packet effects. Now, his standout ESP card routine — The Ultrasensory Connection — is available in PDF format. A five-phase showpiece...
The Zenner Effect $4.00 PDF (or just $2.80 when you buy 3 or more PDFs)
Killer mentalism made easy. Based upon David Britland's "Zennerism," The Zenner Effect offers you the cleanest and easiest to perform handling for this devastating mentalism effect to date. You and a spectator each begin with a...
Superior Perception $4.00 PDF (or just $2.80 when you buy 3 or more PDFs)
First released in the late 1950s, Superior Perception is a routine that blends five powerful mental effects with ESP cards. Outdo Dr. Rhine himself by performing a series of ESP coincidence, matching, prediction and symbol design duplication tests with uncanny accuracy...
40 New Mental Mysteries $5.00 PDF (or just $3.50 when you buy 3 or more PDFs)
40 varied stage mentalism presentations. Material includes billet switches, book tests, impression devices, ESP card effects, predictions, design duplication, ad tests, psychometry, and much more. Plus, nearly every routine...
← View all magic PDF categories | Files are licensed for personal use only. No resale or re-distribution.