Hi My name is David Russell, I would like to share what I have been working on for the last little while.
Shadow Plus System(SPS)
Or whatever you want to call it.
Two Card or Three Digit Memory System
Digits 000-999 are represented by Mnemonic Images(1552) which represent every possible two card combination from one deck of cards(2704 possible combinations).
More specifically, the images from 100-799 and 900-999 represent all 2704 possible two card combinations. The numbers won’t add up without understanding the system better.
The SP system has unique features and is also a hybrid using portions of three other systems:
• The Major System
• The Ben System (BenPridmore)
• The Shadow System (Lance Tschirhart)
The SPS is probably best described by example
ie. 242 is the Street Lamp from the film “Narnia” but can also be the Ship called the “NonSuch”
Narnia, is the Mnemonic based on the verbalization using the Major System which states:
• 2 represent “N” Consonant Sound
• 4 represent “R” Consonant Sound
• 2 represent “N” Consonant Sound
NonSuch, is the Mnemonic based on the verbalization using the Major System for the first and last digit and the Ben System for the middle digit:
• 2 represent “N” Consonant Sound
• 4 represent “O” Vowel Sound, as in “Tom”
• 2 represent “N” Consonant Sound
In this example 242 also represents four possible two card combinations:
• 4
2
=242, NonSuch
• 4
2
=242, NonSuch
• Q2 =242, Narnia
• Q2 =242, Narnia
In the SP System, if neither cards of a pair has a face card, then the Major-Ben-Major Hybrid is used to represent all three digits; ie Consonant, Vowel, Consonant = NON.
All other two card combinations that contain a Face Card use the Major system to represent all three digits; ie. Consonant, Consonant, Consonant = NRN. A face card is Jack, Queen, King and can be either in the first, last or both positions of two cards.
The example is not finished as we must decode the cards further.
In the first 2 card combination above, 42 can be broken down with the three digits 242. The first digit, or 100th place, determines that the suit combo. So 2 must be either or .
No other combination can be accepted, as for example, would be a 9 as in 900; not 2 as in 200. The same goes for , if it was in the order, , it would also represent 9 as in 900.
In the first two card combination above, 42, the two values, between A-10 of the cards represent the second and third values. To summarise:
• = 2 = Consonant = N
• 4 = 4 = Vowel… = O
• 2 = 2 = Consonant = N
With all cards, the suit combo dictates the first digit. For Non-Face cards 2nd is Ben, and 3rd is Major.
Digit 01= Suit Combo; Digit 02= 1st Card Value; Digit 03= 2nd Card Value
SPS System; Ben System; Major System;
0(as in 000-099) NA…NA; 0 oo as in scooter; 0 S, Z
1(as in 100-199) ## ##; 1 a as in bat; 1 T,D
2(as in 200-299) ## ##; 2 e as in bed; 2 N
3(as in 300-399) ## ##; 3 I as in sit; 3 M
4(as in 400-499) ## ##; 4 o as in top; 4 R
5(as in 500-599) ## ##; 5 u as in butter; 5 L
6(as in 600-699) ## ##; 6 A as in tape; 6 J,SH,CH
7(as in 700-799) ## ##; 7 E as in beet; 7 K,G
8(as in 800-799) NA…NA; 8 I as in kite; 8 F/V
9(as in 900-999) ## ##; 9 O as in boat; 9 P, B
Notice, this does not apply for face cards. Any time we get a Jack, Queen or King on either the first or second card of the 2 card combo, a different system applies.
Lets use the same 242, example from above.
• Q2 =242, Narnia
There are two scenarios, in which the value 242 for Q2 was made. If the two cards had a mix of face card(J,K,Q) and regular values(A-10) in any order, then we rely on the SPS Index below. As always the first of the three digit number will be the suit combo. The second digit will use a Face/Value or Value/Face Index as shown below. There are only 6 potential variations. Using our previous example of 242 for Q2, we would break it down as:
2 Suit combo= =Consonant = N
4 Face/Value= Q/# =Consonant = R
2 Value= The Value of the Non-Face Card =Consonant = N
Note, that the Value of the Non-Face Card in a Face/Value Value/Face scenario is always represented by the 3rd digit. You may also notice that the Face/Value, Value/Face or Face/Face systems us a True Major system for the three consonants that represent the mnemonic. This Differs from the #/# or Value/Value where no face cards are present in the combo. That scenario requires the use of the consonant, vowel, consonant system Or Major, Ben, Major to make the mnemonics, as described earlier.
Face Card Mixed
SPS System; SPS Face/Digit Mix; Major System;
0(as in 000-099) NA…NA; 0 NA; 0 S, Z
1(as in 100-199) ## ##; 1 #/J; 1 T,D
2(as in 200-299) ## ##; 2 J/#; 2 N
3(as in 300-399) ## ##; 3 #/Q; 3 M
4(as in 400-499) ## ##; 4 Q/#; 4 R
5(as in 500-599) ## ##; 5 #/K; 5 L
6(as in 600-699) ## ##; 6 K/#; 6 J,SH,CH
7(as in 700-799) ## ##; 7 NA; 7 K,G
8(as in 800-799) NA…NA; 8 NA; 8 F/V
9(as in 900-999) ## ##; 9 NA; 9 P, B
For Face/Face card combos, the first digit is Suit, The second is always zero from the Major system and the third is SPS Face/Face combo Index, seen below:
Only Face Cards
SPS System; SPS Face/Face only; Major System;
0(as in 000-099) NA…NA; 0 NA 0 S, Z
1(as in 100-199) ## ##; 1 JJ; 1 NA
2(as in 200-299) ## ##; 2 QQ; 2 NA
3(as in 300-399) ## ##; 3 KK; 3 NA
4(as in 400-499) ## ##; 4 KQ; 4 NA
5(as in 500-599) ## ##; 5 QK; 5 NA
6(as in 600-699) ## ##; 6 JK; 6 NA
7(as in 700-799) ## ##; 7 kJ; 7 NA
8(as in 800-799) NA…NA; 8 JQ; 8 NA
9(as in 900-999) ## ##; 9 QJ; 9 NA
Ie. Q K can be broken down like this:
• 1st Digit = 2 = = Suit = Consonant=N
• 2nd Digit = 0 = NA = Always 0 = Consonant=S
• 3rd Digit = 5 = Q K = Face Combo = Consonant=L
I believe, this leaves two things that have not been addressed.
The System also places the 10 Cards as a value of 0 in the 3 digit system. ie 10 8= 208
SPS also uses a Shadow system. You may have noticed that our first example says that NonSuch equals two suit combos and so does Narnia.
• 42 =242, NonSuch
• 42 =242, NonSuch
• Q2 =242, Narnia
• Q2 =242, Narnia
This is the SPS shadow system, Inspired by the original shadow system.
Using a shadow system cuts the Mnemonic image required to memorize for all possible 2 card combinations, by half. So instead of 2704, we only need 1352 mnemonic images.
We still end up learning an additional 200 images for numbers 000-099 and 800-899 which don’t represent Card combos as it gives us a 3 three digit system for minimal effort.
Notice that the SPS system always starts each combo with a Red card or a Black card.
Each value of 1-7 and 9 from the SPS Index Represents one combo starting with Red and one with Black.
Just like the original shadow system we skip all 800-899 for cards as they are more difficult for translating into images. Also like the original shadow when memorizing, we place combos that start with black in the same memory location and only move to the next when we get a combo that starts with red.
In summary, the system sounds complex, but its not. You simply, have an image for each card combo.
The benefit of the system is that for Face/Value or Face/Face combos, the system absolutely follows the Major system. For Value/Value combos Its mostly the major system, where the middle of the three digit value is the Ben system. This allows us to always stay within the realm of 3 digits with a few variations. It also allows you to refine the words and make them personal using other major system tools or list such as “2Know”. If you did have an absolute brain fart, you could figure out your image by using the system. It sounds complex but that’s only for the design of the system, when in use, you would never vocalise or sub-vocalise Narnia was 242, or Narnia for that matter, it should just be the image of the Lamppost with a flickering flame in the winter landscape.