Are there any 2-card systems besides Shadow and Ben system? Preferably a true 2-card system based on a variation of the major system. I’m in the process of filling out images based on the Ben system but am used to the major system. Also, why do people seem to prefer block card systems like the shadow system over true 2-card systems? Is it just because of the fewer images required? Is not having a set number of loci per deck or having to make a mental note worth the trade-off?
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Hi Astrema,
I had the same questions as you, and really stretched my mind to grasp the first steps of building a system, studying those of Joannes, Lance, and Alex, mostly. As I see it, most 2-card systems wind up being unique end-products – kind of like how each Jedi makes his own lightsaber (lol).
I went for the 1352-image approach, as you can recycle the images of a 000-999 number system for the first 1000-cards. It saves time if you’d like a 3-digit number system at the same time.
For the remaining 350-or-so cards (which I’ll call the “face-cards” for simplicity, although not exactly so), I had difficulty grinding out new images for each card-pair using other people’s systems, so I circumvented the laborious process and just used the Master-Key phonetics as with the initial 000-999 series, despite the overlapping phonetics, but this time using the Japanese language (which I’ve used for work and some daily life). That way,even though they overlapped with a lot of the 000-999 cards, it was impossible to mix them up. If its only ~350 extra words, you wouldn’t have to be a native speaker in another language of your choice to do that, I think.
Anyway, not every 2-card system is the same, and at the end of it, more than your card-system, you’ll be able to claim “system-building” skills as the larger benefit.
Best of luck!
James
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Today’s your lucky day!
Here’s a true 2704 two-card system (not a block system, although it IS possible to use it in 2-block form!) It’s a phonetic system foundationally based on Major, so within it contains complete 000-999 and 00-99 equivalent Major System number lists. It has a single simple reading structure that is unambiguous. Every pair is read the same way in the same direction.
Give it a look and let me know if you have any questions about it!
As for your other questions:
Mostly for the reason you mentioned. Half as many associations to learn. 2704 can seem like a pretty heavy lift. Keep in mind that with enough practice, either system approach can get someone to incredible times. So its really more about the ease of adoption and tolerance for variables in training that really determine which system is preferred.
I’m also not sure how many people have actually tried adopting a 2704 system once they’ve trained a 1352, since it usually requires a LOT of overwriting of existing associations and structural habits. I think most people are averse to that much re-learning, especially if they’ve gotten to a point where they are hitting strong times with their 1352 system.
It wasn’t worth it for me. I really hated variable image/loci stacking and not being able to lock in to palaces with set numbers of loci. I also didn’t like keeping track of the variations and exceptions to structure that came with other systems.
I previously used Shadow but didn’t like the 2-block setup and also got frustrated with the variations in how pairs were read. I dabbled with Ben like you but I also wanted something that mapped better to Major.
That’s why I came up with this system to simplify the rules and hit all my “wishlist” items in terms of structure and phonetics while providing a true unique single association for all 2704 pairs.
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