How to Memorize a Deck of Cards

Last Updated: August 10, 2021

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 a mental map and a celebrity matrix, you can memorize a random 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.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Creating a Mental Map

1
Take an imaginary walk. You will need to take a walk through a place that you are very familiar with such as your home. As you walk through your home you will need to be familiar with 52 spots within your home to store in your mental journal. Choose 5 rooms in your home.^{[1]
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- For example, choose your bedroom, bathroom, living room, kitchen, and office.
2
Memorize 10 pieces of furniture inside each room. Picture yourself at the doorway as you look around the room and spot 10 large pieces of furniture. Picture them as you look clockwise. The items must be large and avoid choosing the same item for different rooms. For example, don’t choose a tv in the bedroom if you’ve chosen it for the living room.^{[2]
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- Choosing items for your bedroom can be similar to, starting at your left, #1 computer, #2 bed, #3 dresser, #4 mirror, #5 tv, etc. Choose large items like your desk instead of the pencil on your desk.
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3
Repeat these 50 items in your head. Drill these items until you can repeat them with your eyes closed in rapid succession. You don’t want to stumble or be confused so if something persistently gives you trouble, think about finding an easier item to remember. You may use flashcards or physically walk around the room over and over, whatever helps lock the 50 items into your memory.^{[3]
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4
Add the final two pieces of furniture. You will need two extra pieces of furniture because a deck of cards has 52 cards to remember. You may choose two pieces of furniture in another room or two landmarks in your backyard or garage.^{[4]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Creating Images for Every Playing Card

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Convert 52 cards into 52 celebrities. Your mind will tend to remember the unusual and things that stand out. Celebrities are great to remember for the roles or infamy. You will systematically form a celebrity matrix to make memorization easier.^{[5]
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Remember each suit. Each suit will be associated with a personality type. Memorize the suits (personalities):^{[6]
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- Spades: absurd or amusing people
- Diamonds: rich and wealthy people
- Clubs: crazy or tough people
- Hearts: people you love or are fan of
3
Remember each card. Each card will be associated with a category. Females will always be even numbers and males will always be odd. Females and males will always be paired up. For example, 10s are powerful women so 9s are powerful men. Memorize the categories:^{[7]
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- Celebrity couples are royalty so they are the Kings and Queens.
  - King = male half of a celebrity couple
  - Queen = female half of celebrity couple.
- Jacks were clergymen and therefore bachelors.
  - Jacks = famous male bachelors
- The number 10 and 9 are the highest numbers in the deck so they are the most powerful men and women
  - 10 = Famous powerful women
  - 9 = Famous power men
- The number 8 looks like an hourglass so 8 and 9 are associated with hunks and bikini models.
  - 8 = Women known for their physique
  - 7 = Men known for the physique
- 5 and 6 sound like eff and sex so think about this pair as controversial.
  - 6 = Women known for controversy
  - 5 = Men known for controversy
- Think of celebrities or their characters who have been in movie trilogies for 4 and 3.
  - 4 = Females who have been in movie trilogies
  - 3 = Males who have been in movie trilogies
- 1 is better known as Ace, which is a sports term used in tennis. Think of 2 and 1 as famous athletes.
  - 2 = Female athletes
  - 1 = Male athletes
4
Create a 52 card matrix. You may use your computer or a pen and paper to create your grid to help you memorize the matrix. You have 13 categories and four personalities to memorize.^{[8]
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- For example, the ace (a male athlete) of diamonds (rich) could be Michael Jordan.
5
Practice using your matrix. Go through a shuffled deck and look at your matrix as each card is shown. Translate each card to the image you have created. Try to recall a card before looking at the matrix.^{[9]
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- Practice over and over until you can look at every card without needing to refer back to your matrix.^{[10]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Putting It All together

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Go through a deck of cards. Shuffle a deck of cards and use a timer to go through the deck as quickly as you can. Go through the mental map of your room and assign each character to the position at which they are drawn. Try to associate as much action and emotion into the mental map as you can with each character. The more bizarre you can make the image, the better chance you have at memorizing it.^{[11]
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- For example, if the first room of your mental map is your bedroom, the first location is your desk, and the first card drawn is the ace (a male athlete) of diamonds (rich), which you’ve assigned as Michael Jordan, you can picture Michael Jordan dunking on your desk.^{[12]
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2
Use a second deck of cards and reassemble the order of the first. Go through your mental map that you have created. Walk through your house and picture each celebrity in each room doing something different at each of the ten pieces of furniture. Remember what each suit and number means and remember to go through each room clockwise.^{[13]
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3
Keep training. Practice to sharpen your memory and improve your speed. Physically walk around your rooms to help better visualize each card and their associated celebrity. You won’t be able to memorize a deck without first remembering your mental map and celebrity matrix.^{[14]
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- Push yourself to go faster by using a timer and challenging yourself to break your own record.^{[15]
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