Intelligence Intensification/Memory Techniques/Memorizing Playing Cards

This module assumes you are familiar with pegwords (see parent module) and the major system. If you are not, study them before continuing.

Using the major system a set of pegs was constructed for the playing cards:
 * For these pegs, the first letter is the same as the suit
 * The last letter (A-10, Ace treated as 1, 10 treated as 0)is derived from the major system,
 * Jack is the name of the suit
 * King and Queen (sort of) rhyme with the words "king "and "queen".


 * If any of these give you trouble, make up one of your own.
 * Memorizing this list will require practice.

Linking
To quickly memorize a run of cards visualize the first card, visualize it associated with the second, visualize the second associated with the third,and so on. For example to memorize the sequence 8H,QC,2H,KD,4S,3D, Visualize a giant hoof for 8 of hearts, link it to the next card by imagining it stomping in a puddle of cream (QC=cream)Now associate cream with Hone (2H) by imagining a pencil sharpener floating (or swimming) in that lake of cream. Associate Hone with drink by imagining yourself drinking from a pencil sharpener. Associate drink with sore by visualizing an anthropomorphic bottle or shotglass (with a cartoon mouth) yelling "Ouch!", now associate the sore with a dam by imagining a dam with an oozing sore (not a water leak but a bloody sore) on it.

Destroying
This is a quick method for keeping track of which cards have been played and which have not. When a card is dealt out, visualize its peg and imagine that item destroyed. When you want to know whether a particular card has been dealt, visualize the pegword, and you will immediately notice whether or not it's been destroyed.

Example

 * 1) the 6C is dealt out imagine cash being destroyed (a $100 bill on fire)
 * 2) next the 10H is dealt imagine a hose chopped in half
 * 3) 4H- a rabbit (hare) is run through a meat grinder
 * 4) 2D- a sand dune is washed away in a hurricane
 * 5) 8C- cough - someone coughs so hard they are turned inside out
 * 6) AH- a hat is stomped flat
 * 7) 6S- a sash is ripped from the window and torn to shreds
 * 8) 4D- a door is kicked in so hard it bursts into a million pieces
 * 9) AC- cat-picture the most gruesome cruelty-to-animals you can imagine
 * 10) 3H-Ham- throw it down the garbage disposal
 * 11) QD- dream- you are awakened suddenly, destroying your dream. Picture a dream cloud vanishing
 * 12) KH- break a hinge in half
 * 13) 8H- hoof- a blacksmith pounds a horseshoe on so hard that the hoof shatters into pieces
 * 14) 5D- Doll- tear its head off
 * 15) 2H-Hone- Smash a pencil sharpener with a hammer
 * 16) 9C- Capo- Tony Soprano is gunned down
 * 17) 10S- the sauce is burning on the stove. Imagine the smell.
 * 18) QS- steam- a meteor crashes into the Old Faithful geyser, destroying it
 * 19) 3D- Dam - the dam breaks open with a massive flood
 * 20) 6D- Dash- a runner does the 100 yard dash-right off of a cliff
 * 21) 8S-Safe-a safe is blown up with dynamite
 * 22) JH-a heart (bloody organ-not the valentine) is chopped up on a cutting board
 * 23) 3S- sum- smash a calculator with a hammer
 * 24) 9D- Destroy a debutante somehow- dump a bucket of blood on her like in the movie Carrie
 * 25) JC-A (golf)club is mangled by an irate golfer. Imagine it twisted like a pretzel.
 * 26) AD- Date- You are so mad at your date that you hit her/him with a baseball bat

Without looking above see if you can answer the following questions:
 * Which Jacks are still unplayed?
 * Has the King of diamonds been played?
 * How about the 2 of hearts?
 * How many Aces remain?
 * Can you make a list of the remaining cards?

Double Pegword System
You can memorize the entire deck (or any sequence of cards) by associating the card pegs with these number pegs:


 * This will take a lot of practice!
 * Even if you can't memorize an entire deck error-free with one run, you can still learn it fairly quickly and can amaze anyone by handing them a deck, asking them to name a card, then instantly telling them where it is with an answer like "that's 24th in the deck".