How to memorize the outstanding hidden cards at bridge?

General Memory Chat
1

I’m experimenting with a system to remember the outstanding hidden cards at bridge. I’m not an expert in memory systems or bridge.

Here is a typical bridge situation after the bidding has finished. As soon as dummy goes down, and before a card is played, it’s immediately obvious that the outstanding cards could be represented by (for example):

  • Spades: 7, 8
    7 cards outstanding in Spades. Outstanding HCP (High Card Points) is 8. (That can only be A, K, J.)

  • Hearts: 6, 4
    6 cards outstanding in Hearts. Outstanding HCP is 4. (That could be A, or KJ, which I can determine by looking at my own cards.)

  • Diamonds: 7, 5
    7 cards outstanding in Diamonds. Outstanding HCP is 5. (That could be AJ or KQ.)

  • Clubs: 6, 1
    6 cards outstanding in Clubs. Outstanding HCP is 1. (That can only be J.)

My previous method of memorization was as follows. If I always remember the suits in the usual bridge sequence of Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, and Clubs, then before a card is played I memorized the following numbers, from the above example:

7, 8
6, 4
7, 5
6, 1

Assume W leads a Diamond, dummy plays low, East plays DQ.

The new sequence of numbers to be remembered is now:

7, 8
6, 4
5, 3 Changed!
6, 1

The problem with that method is that I would need to keep repeating to myself “7, 8; 6, 4: 5, 3; 6, 1”, until the next trick is played.

If I try a peg system of memory, I could use the following numbers before any card is played

1, 7, 8
2, 6, 4
3, 7, 5 (changes to 353 after Diamonds have been played)
4, 6, 1

The major number represents the ordinal number of the suit S = 1, H = 2, D = 3, C = 4

So, before a card is played, I memorize the pegs corresponding to 178, 264, 375, and 461.

And after a card is played, I need to change the Diamond peg from 375 to 353.

I think the images for the pegs would be much easier to memorize than abstract numbers that I need to keep repeating to myself.

That’s the scenario. Here is my question:

When pegs are constantly changing, how do I “forget” an “old” peg and remember the “new” peg?

I would be grateful for comments and advice.

BTW 1: The average bridge hand would need less memorization than my example above, because many hidden cards are “don’t care (DC)”. Therefore some pegs would not change from one trick to another, even when defenders play cards in the peg suit.

For example:

1, 0, 0: Number of outstanding Spades = DC. HCP = DC
2, 6, 5: Number of outstanding Hearts = 6. HCP = 5
3, 0, 2: Number of outstanding Diamonds = DC. HCP = 2
4, 0, 0: Number of outstanding Clubs = DC. HCP = DC

So the pegs for Spades (100) and Clubs (400) will never change during a deal.

BTW 2: IMHO, the Major system would take too long at my age, along with all the other things that need to be remembered at bridge: the bidding, the opening lead, defender’s signals, and so on. If there are roughly 26 deals in a session, that’s a lot of time to spend memorizing 1,352 cards. I’d probably be banned from the club.

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Memory techniques and the game of bridge
What system would you recommend for card games?
2

I don’t know if I know enough about the game to help.

How many decks are used? When re-shuffled?

Are there any counting systems used, as in Blackjack, or would you definitely need to remember the actual cards?

Don’t you play in pairs? If so, is there any advantage to spitting the job of memorising?

3

Any memorization that I plan to do in bridge will be identical to any memorization in the much simpler game “Minibridge”. Minibridge has no “bidding”, but the play of the hand is identical in both games.

Therefore, the half-page description of Minibridge here will hopefully answer most of your questions:

You only need to read down to “The winner of a trick leads to the next trick.” (In my browser, that’s only about 25 lines.)

Here are some of your questions that the Wikipedia article might not answer.

How many decks are used?

Each game uses one deck of 52 cards. You can either shuffle that same deck for the second game, or you can use a second deck that has already been randomly shuffled. And so on. Knowledge of any previous decks is irrelevant and has no value.

Are there any counting systems used, as in Blackjack?

There are no counting systems such as Hi-Lo. The suit is important in bridge, - but not in Blackjack. In bridge, players must follow suit. So if Spades are led, then you might want to know if SK is still outstanding so that you can sneak a trick with your Queen.

Would you definitely need to know the actual cards?

(a) I want to be able to keep track of outstanding honours, AKQJ. Some players with good memories will remember right down to maybe the 10 or 9. (Experts remember every card.)

(b) For some suits, I might want to know the NUMBER of cards remaining in a suit. For example, assume I hold 8765432 in Spades, and my partner has no Spades. My S2 can win one trick if the remaining cards are split 6-0 between the defenders. I can win two tricks if the remaining cards, are split 5-1, and so on.

So, I need to remember the suit, number of cards remaining in that suit, and number of high card points remaining in that suit. (I’m only interested in remaining cards. The experts are interested in cards that have already been played, and cards that are still to be played. They can do that for all games played in the last 6 months - or more.)

Don’t you play in pairs. If so, is there any advantage in splitting the job of memorising?

All my text in this thread assumes that I’m “declarer” (see the Wikipedia article). Declarer has no partner during the play of that hand - declarer plays both of the hands. Dummy’s job is just to order the next round of drinks.

Legally, there’s no way for the two defenders to share the memorization. If they did, they would need to illegally transmit that info to each other.

BTW: memorization for defenders is much more difficult than memorization for declarer. I’m not interested in that at the moment.

If you need any more info, just ask :slight_smile:

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4

So, I need to remember the suit, number of cards remaining in that suit, and number of high card points remaining in that suit.

Hi I was interested if you have any progress on remembering these three.

I usefully play whilst that is bridge without dummy and biding.
any other though on the game is useful too

thanks in advance