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How to Memorize a Deck of Cards
originated by:Anonymous, Jack H, Memeluke, Lalaloser (see all)
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Imagine being able to memorize the order of cards in an entire deck (or two) as quickly as they can be dealt. The secret of the card counters is a secret no more. Using the memory palace technique below, you too can memorize a random (or stacked) deck of cards in order with one viewing. It takes a little time to set up and a lot of practice, but once you’ve got it down, you’ll be able to amaze your friends.
edit
Steps
Stacked Deck Method(cheating)
1
Memorize the rhyme "Eight kings threatened to save ninety-five queens for one sick knave" This is the order the cards' ranks will run in 8-K-3-10-2-7-9-5-Q-4-A-6-J
2
Memorize the word "chased" This is the order the suits will run in C-H-S-D
3
Arrange your deck according to the pattern, 8C-KH-3S-10D-...
4
Use this in magic tricks that require a pre-arranged deck or pretend to have "memorized" it
Memory Palace Method
1
Build a memory palace. A memory palace is a place in your mind (often based on a real place) with many rooms that you can “place” things or people in that you can associate with things you need to remember. Then, when you need to recall those things, you mentally “walk” through the rooms. Constructing a memory palace takes a little time and persistence, but once you have it, you can use it for just about anything you need to remember.
2
Memorize the following sequence:
A=1, B=2, C=3, D=4, E=5, F=6, G=7, H=8, I=9 O=0. Note there is no ten, only 0. Zero becomes O (sounds like oh) for convenience. It looks the same.
3
Think of a two digit number. Now convert it using the table above to letters:
For example: think of 34. Take the 3. Using your fingers, count out the letters to 3, A, B, C. Do it for 4, D. So you have CD. Now comes the tricky bit. You need to somehow associate those letters, CD, with a person.
4
Make a list of 100 people. Use the number alphabet described above to come up with 100 people whose first and last initials correlate to each number from 00 to 99. You can use famous people, friends, and colleagues—whomever it takes for you to get your 100 people. As an example, take number 48. This would translate into DH (4=D and 8=H), so you could list Damon Hill, the famous motor racing champion. In order to memorize a deck of cards, obviously, you will need only 52 people, but having 100 will be useful for other endeavors, as well.
5
Assign an action to each of your 100 people. The action for Damon Hill, for example, could logically be driving a race car. The action you assign to each person can be anything you want, as long as it’s something you strongly associate with that person and can easily recall. You also have to make sure that each person has a unique action. That’s the hard part, but it’s very important.
6
Assign every card a person and an action, using this method. For example, the six of clubs would translate numerically to 63 (the 6 remains a number, and “C” in “Clubs” equals 3 according to the chart above.) Your number 63 person might be Frank Capra, the director of the classic film “It’s a Wonderful Life”. His action might be directing a movie while in the snow. Thus the six of clubs becomes Frank Capra. The suit of spades poses a difficulty because there is no numerical equivalent to the letter “S” in the chart above. To solve this, you can make spades equal another letter other than 3 (clubs), 4 (diamonds), or 8 (hearts). An even easier way, perhaps, is to just make 6=S instead of F.
Remember, the face cards are important, too, so make sure you have a person and an action for those cards. Since all your numbers will now be taken (except the number “1,” which you can designate as aces), you will need to simply memorize names for the face cards. Since the system covers all cards except jacks, queens, and kings, you’ll only need to memorize 12 people outside of the system.
7
Make sure you have all your people and their actions committed to memory. You should be able to instantly picture the person associated with any number from 00 to 99, as well as those people associated with each of the face cards.
8
Memorize a deck by placing each card in your memory palace. When it comes time to actually memorize the deck, simply put the cards into the rooms of your memory palace. Thus, if the first card is the six of clubs, you may want to place Frank Capra at the first stop in your memory palace (the front steps for example).
9
Walk through the memory palace to recall what cards have been turned over and in what order.
Double Pegword Method
1
Study the article Memorize a List Using Numbers and Rhyming Words to learn how to use pegwords. It is a fairly simple concept.
2
Study the article Memorize Numbers You must be adept at this to use step 3
3
Learn these pegs for the numbers 1 through 52:
see chart here>http://www.wikihow.com/Memorize-a-Deck-of-Cards
For these pegs, the first letter is the same as the suit,The last letter (A-10 10 treated as 0)is from the major system, Jack is the name of the suit, King and Queen (sort of) rhyme with the words "king "and "queen". As with the previous list, if any of these give you trouble, make up one of your own.
5.Associate the card pegs with the number pegs. If your first 5 cards are KC,9D,10S,3H,8C, visualize a king (King of Clubs ="king") wearing a tie (tie=1) for the first card, a debutante(Deb nine of diamonds) on Noah's arc (Noah=2) for the second, Your mother (ma=3) making (or covered in) sauce (sauce=10 of spades) for the 3rd card, a ham(3 of hearts = ham) on rye (rye=4) sandwich, and a policeman(5=law) coughing (8 of clubs = cough) for the fifth card.
6. Practice. Practice. Practice. Instantly memorizing an entire deck is quite a feat. Do not expect to get there right away.
edit
Tips
Combine the action of a person with a different person. When you need to memorize a lot of different things (a whole deck of cards, for example), you may find it easier to combine one person with another person’s action in order to save time and “space” in your memory palace. For example, suppose the first card that comes up is the six of clubs (Frank Capra) and the next is the 4 of hearts (Damon Hill). You can then picture Frank Capra driving a race car instead of directing.
This method can take a lot of time to establish, but in the long run it is well worth it. Once you have all your associations memorized you will be able to slowly remember the order of a deck of cards. With practice you will be able to recall the cards very quickly.
Create a list of people you are familiar with and who you can picture. It’s very important that you be able to vividly see the person in your mind.
You can use this method and the memory palace to remember any long string of numbers, as well as many other things. See the related wikiHow for details.
You can modify the system to work best for you, but always be consistent. If you decide, for example, that 6=S instead of F, 6 must always equal S.
originated by:Anonymous, Jack H, Memeluke, Lalaloser (see all)
Featured Article
Article
Edit
Discuss
View History
Imagine being able to memorize the order of cards in an entire deck (or two) as quickly as they can be dealt. The secret of the card counters is a secret no more. Using the memory palace technique below, you too can memorize a random (or stacked) deck of cards in order with one viewing. It takes a little time to set up and a lot of practice, but once you’ve got it down, you’ll be able to amaze your friends.
edit
Steps
Stacked Deck Method(cheating)
1
Memorize the rhyme "Eight kings threatened to save ninety-five queens for one sick knave" This is the order the cards' ranks will run in 8-K-3-10-2-7-9-5-Q-4-A-6-J
2
Memorize the word "chased" This is the order the suits will run in C-H-S-D
3
Arrange your deck according to the pattern, 8C-KH-3S-10D-...
4
Use this in magic tricks that require a pre-arranged deck or pretend to have "memorized" it
Memory Palace Method
1
Build a memory palace. A memory palace is a place in your mind (often based on a real place) with many rooms that you can “place” things or people in that you can associate with things you need to remember. Then, when you need to recall those things, you mentally “walk” through the rooms. Constructing a memory palace takes a little time and persistence, but once you have it, you can use it for just about anything you need to remember.
2
Memorize the following sequence:
A=1, B=2, C=3, D=4, E=5, F=6, G=7, H=8, I=9 O=0. Note there is no ten, only 0. Zero becomes O (sounds like oh) for convenience. It looks the same.
3
Think of a two digit number. Now convert it using the table above to letters:
For example: think of 34. Take the 3. Using your fingers, count out the letters to 3, A, B, C. Do it for 4, D. So you have CD. Now comes the tricky bit. You need to somehow associate those letters, CD, with a person.
4
Make a list of 100 people. Use the number alphabet described above to come up with 100 people whose first and last initials correlate to each number from 00 to 99. You can use famous people, friends, and colleagues—whomever it takes for you to get your 100 people. As an example, take number 48. This would translate into DH (4=D and 8=H), so you could list Damon Hill, the famous motor racing champion. In order to memorize a deck of cards, obviously, you will need only 52 people, but having 100 will be useful for other endeavors, as well.
5
Assign an action to each of your 100 people. The action for Damon Hill, for example, could logically be driving a race car. The action you assign to each person can be anything you want, as long as it’s something you strongly associate with that person and can easily recall. You also have to make sure that each person has a unique action. That’s the hard part, but it’s very important.
6
Assign every card a person and an action, using this method. For example, the six of clubs would translate numerically to 63 (the 6 remains a number, and “C” in “Clubs” equals 3 according to the chart above.) Your number 63 person might be Frank Capra, the director of the classic film “It’s a Wonderful Life”. His action might be directing a movie while in the snow. Thus the six of clubs becomes Frank Capra. The suit of spades poses a difficulty because there is no numerical equivalent to the letter “S” in the chart above. To solve this, you can make spades equal another letter other than 3 (clubs), 4 (diamonds), or 8 (hearts). An even easier way, perhaps, is to just make 6=S instead of F.
Remember, the face cards are important, too, so make sure you have a person and an action for those cards. Since all your numbers will now be taken (except the number “1,” which you can designate as aces), you will need to simply memorize names for the face cards. Since the system covers all cards except jacks, queens, and kings, you’ll only need to memorize 12 people outside of the system.
7
Make sure you have all your people and their actions committed to memory. You should be able to instantly picture the person associated with any number from 00 to 99, as well as those people associated with each of the face cards.
8
Memorize a deck by placing each card in your memory palace. When it comes time to actually memorize the deck, simply put the cards into the rooms of your memory palace. Thus, if the first card is the six of clubs, you may want to place Frank Capra at the first stop in your memory palace (the front steps for example).
9
Walk through the memory palace to recall what cards have been turned over and in what order.
Double Pegword Method
1
Study the article Memorize a List Using Numbers and Rhyming Words to learn how to use pegwords. It is a fairly simple concept.
2
Study the article Memorize Numbers You must be adept at this to use step 3
3
Learn these pegs for the numbers 1 through 52:
Code:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
0 tie Noah ma rye law shoe cow ivy pie
10 toes toad teen time tire towel teach(er) taco TV tub
20 nose nut nun Nemo nair nail notch nuke knife knob
30 mouse moat moon mummy mower mule match mug movie mop
40 rose rod rhino ram error roll roach rake roof rope
50 lasso lid lion
Code:
A 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 J Q K
C Cat Can Comb Core Coal Cash Cookie Cough Capo Case Club Cream King
H Hat Hone Ham Hare Hill Hash Hog Hoof Hippie Hose Heart Queen Hinge
S Suit Sun Sum Sore Sail Sash Sock Safe Soap Sauce Spade Steam Sing
D Date Dune Dam Door Doll Dash Dock Dive Deb Dose Diamond Dream DrinkFor these pegs, the first letter is the same as the suit,The last letter (A-10 10 treated as 0)is from the major system, Jack is the name of the suit, King and Queen (sort of) rhyme with the words "king "and "queen". As with the previous list, if any of these give you trouble, make up one of your own.
5.Associate the card pegs with the number pegs. If your first 5 cards are KC,9D,10S,3H,8C, visualize a king (King of Clubs ="king") wearing a tie (tie=1) for the first card, a debutante(Deb nine of diamonds) on Noah's arc (Noah=2) for the second, Your mother (ma=3) making (or covered in) sauce (sauce=10 of spades) for the 3rd card, a ham(3 of hearts = ham) on rye (rye=4) sandwich, and a policeman(5=law) coughing (8 of clubs = cough) for the fifth card.
6. Practice. Practice. Practice. Instantly memorizing an entire deck is quite a feat. Do not expect to get there right away.
edit
Tips
Combine the action of a person with a different person. When you need to memorize a lot of different things (a whole deck of cards, for example), you may find it easier to combine one person with another person’s action in order to save time and “space” in your memory palace. For example, suppose the first card that comes up is the six of clubs (Frank Capra) and the next is the 4 of hearts (Damon Hill). You can then picture Frank Capra driving a race car instead of directing.
This method can take a lot of time to establish, but in the long run it is well worth it. Once you have all your associations memorized you will be able to slowly remember the order of a deck of cards. With practice you will be able to recall the cards very quickly.
Create a list of people you are familiar with and who you can picture. It’s very important that you be able to vividly see the person in your mind.
You can use this method and the memory palace to remember any long string of numbers, as well as many other things. See the related wikiHow for details.
You can modify the system to work best for you, but always be consistent. If you decide, for example, that 6=S instead of F, 6 must always equal S.
