Shadow System Worksheet

[BradenExplosion]

As some of you may know, I am a big fan/believer/user of the 2 Card system known around here as the Shadow System. I also use a 4-3-3 binary system that the creator of the Shadow System, Lance Tschirhart, developed to go along with the Shadow System.

There is a lot of confusion about the Shadow System. As great as Lance’s original post about it was (he since updated it and I will link to it at the end here as it is arguably the most important post ever made on this forum), I decided to make a spreadsheet to help others visualize how the various card combinations line up with the every 3 digit combination. And for those of you curious about adopting a 4-3-3 binary system, I’ve included a column for that in there too, as well as a column for all 1100 dates as well.

I have separate columns to add phonetics and images, but they are currently blank. I may still add the phonetics in if people think it will be useful. I also might possibly do this on separate tabs, or I may just leave it all out entirely. I’m not sure yet. If anyone has any feedback about this or any other aspect of the worksheet, please let me know. I should mention I still need to do one final proof read of this, so if you notice any errors then let me know as well!

And without further ado: SHADOW (Pegs) system card memorization - Google Sheets

Lance’s original SS Post:

A New 2-Card System (Shadow System)

A note from the author, five years later: The text at the bottom of this post, which is stricken out, has been left in for historic and informative completeness. It is stricken out because it should not be applied, and because it may mislead. The Shadow System’s name has been problematic for a long time. If the method does not include shadows, as I’ve suggested openly for four years now, surely it can not be referred to as the “Shadow” System must be the rationale. Credit is due and that cr…

Lance’s original 4-3-3 SS Post:

A new 10-digit binary system

The advantage of Ben’s 10-digit binary is that there is a perfect consistency in how the digits are read. In mine, there are new rules to be learned. Let’s start with the first 8 out of 16 groups of 64 images each. 0000 - 0 0001 - 1 0010 - 2 0011 - 3 0100 - 4 0101 - 5 0110 - 6 0111 - 7 Examples: 0000 001 010 - Sudden (012) 0001 001 010 - Titan (112) 0010 001 010 - Newton (212) 0011 001 010 - Maiden (312) 0100 001 010 - Rotten (412) 0101 001 010 - Olden (512) 011…

This worksheet is meant to help those who want to take on such a large system better understand it and also work through all the images required. In total there are 1381 images required.

Thank you!

[Hannes]

Hi Braden, by accident you posted the doc ling twice instead of the link to the original post from Lance.

[BradenExplosion]

Thanks Hannes!

It is fixed!

[sofianedjeklil7 (sofiane djeklil)]

yo branden… thanks a lot the sheet helped me so much in understanding and completing the system …thanks again

[BradenExplosion]

Glad to hear it @sofianedjeklil7!! That’s why I did it. The system is complicated, but it is easier to understand with some visuals. Hit me up if you have any further questions!

[sofianedjeklil7 (sofiane djeklil)]

I would love to to know ur facebook so we can contact each other more freely @BradenExplosion

[woodrow-m]

You are a ■■■■■■■ king thanks for the doc!

[Rajadodve786 (Raja Dodve)]

@BradenExplosion .

If there is a case where we have a choice. What you think is the best option braden.

1. first card - suit - second card.

2. Suit - first card - second card.

[BradenExplosion]

The rules are straight forward Raja, there isn’t ever a choice of how to read them.

Are you simply asking me which I prefer? Two numbered cards vs a pair that opens with a face card?

[Rajadodve786 (Raja Dodve)]

@BradenExplosion

The rules are straight forward Raja, there isn’t ever a choice of how to read them.

yes , according to lannes tschirt way rules are straightforward (in his way).

But I don’t use it exactly because I have slightly different 3 digit system, so I made half 2 card by my 3 digit with some my rules that gives me benefits.
(and for putting the card images, I use mallow style.)
But concept is totally same.

1 minor example will be, like I don’t have separate s letters sets.
like st, sr, sm… or sat, sar , sam (they are mixed in my system for just 1 particular set.)

for face cards I have different rules.

@BradenExplosion

Are you simply asking me which I prefer? Two numbered cards vs a pair that opens with a face card?

I am just asking this, in your opinion which one is fast to read. (and yeah after lot of practice at one point I don’t need to read but currently which option you will prefer.
And yeah don’t see it like it starts with face card or digits. I am just asking which option you think is best between them.

1. • First card => K
   • suit =>
   • Second card => 9

2. • Suit =>
   • First card => K
   • Second card => 9

[BradenExplosion]

For which is quicker, it’s close, but Option 1 I think (Card, Suit, Card)

[zoderfit]

@BradenExplosion I noticed that you generate image pegs for years 1000-1999 by dropping the millenium from the year and using your 3-digit number peg for what remains (e.g., 1492 → 492 → haRPooN). For my purposes (I’m more interested in long term memory and history than competition right now) it works better to associate a 3-digit number peg with the millenium-century-decade and use a 1-digit number peg for the remaining year (e.g., 1492 → 149 → DRaPe; 1492 → 2 → Noah; 1492 → Noah wearing drapes). This seems more natural to me. People will talk about the millenium-century-decade but they won’t ever talk about the century-decade-year. E.g., you’ve probably heard someone talk about the 1960’s (just one image, DeBauCH) but it’s unlikely you’ve heard someone talk about those 492’s (i.e., …492BC, 492AD, 1492). I figure this approach wouldn’t work for you because you need speed and 2 images per year would slow you down?

[Rajadodve786 (Raja Dodve)]

@zoderfit

I figure this approach wouldn’t work for you because you need speed and 2 images per year would slow you down?

yes 2 images would slow down for sure.
If it’s like this 3 digit - 1 digit (XXX - X)
Or 1 digit- 3 digit. (X - XXX)

But if you are using 2 digit system than the case is different. you can get close scores like 3 digit system user.
2 digit - 2 digit (XX - XX)

So 1960 will be - 19 - 60
1492 => 14 - 92

[BradenExplosion]

@zoderfit

I figure this approach wouldn’t work for you because you need speed and 2 images per year would slow you down?

Yeah It would slow me down in a competition for sure. But outside of competitions, I would consider something like this if I needed to memorize a bunch of dates for something else perhaps.

@Rajadodve786

But if you are using 2 digit system than the case is different. you can get close scores like 3 digit system user.
2 digit - 2 digit (XX - XX)

So 1960 will be - 19 - 60
1492 => 14 - 92

The option I used to use when I had a 2 digit system was removing the 1.
So, for 1492, I’d remember ‘49’ and ‘92’. That way, if I forgot 1 of the images but remembered the other, I could at least narrow it down since they share a digit. If the date started with a 2 (ie. 2092) then I did something different so I’d know it was a 2000’s date. I first read about this on the old memory-sports.com site that was run by @Flauwy (I think it’s been taken down, but it was a HUGE resource for me when I was new, so big thank you Florian!)

[Rajadodve786 (Raja Dodve)]

@BradenExplosion

, for 1492, I’d remember ‘49’ and ‘92’. That way, if I forgot 1 of the images but remembered the other, I could at least

I use 3 digit from the beginning for dates when I started dates memorization.

For example - 1492 => 492
2402 => 402 (well, I do mostly mistakes in it.)
I typed mostly 1402.

I went to fastly in that moment I didn’t give too much attention to the first digit 2.

[Tuan2002 (Tuantran)]

Dear @BradenExplosion
I’m so sorry because i have just closed the accession to the sheet.I hope you can open it and forgive me​
Sorry my english is worse

[Harvinder518 (Harvinder singh)]

Hello All,
please help to share phonetic for Binary System in Shadow System.
0000
0001
0010
0011
0100
0101
0110
0111
1000
1001
1010
1011
1100
1101
1110
1111

Thank you,

[BradenExplosion]

If you read the link i shared in the original post here, it explains everything. Its called ‘a new 10 digit binary system’. Read through thar first. If you have questions after then let me know.

[Harvinder518 (Harvinder singh)]

I am afraid…!!! is it correct ?
0000 - 0
0001 - 1
0010 - 2
0011 - 3
0100 - 4
0101 - 5
0110 - 6
0111 - 7
1011 - 8
1101 - 9

But I am bit confused with “Delayed”, meant “later”, right ?
**1010 - Delayed 8
**110 0 - Delayed 9

I think, I have to re-read these posts many time to understand better.

Thanks

[TheHumanTim]

@Harvinder518 It took me a while to get it to click too. Hopefully I can explain it in my own way and see if it helps. @BradenExplosion, please correct me if I’ve completely missed the boat on my understanding here!

When you see a 10-digit binary sequence formatted 1010-XXX-YYY, the format for its translation will be XY8. These would correspond to 3-digit numbers ending in 8, so the idea of the “delayed 8” simply means the F/V sound that is encoded by the first four binary digits gets “delayed” until the end of the base10 number that it translates to.

This is possible because a 3-digit binary number combo only goes from 0 to 7. (000 = 0, 111 = 7), leaving the ending 8’s and 9’s free for this expansion.

So for a full example, if you have 1010-001-111 the first four-digit chunk (1010) represents a delayed 8, the second chunk with three digits (001) represents a 1, the second three-digit chunk (111) represents a 7. So the complete translation becomes 1-7-8 and its associated image (a bowl of “DoGFood” for me.)

Similarly, 1100 = XY9, the 3-digit numbers ending in 9, so the P/B sound from the 9 is delayed until the end. So, 1100-001-111 would translate to 1-7-9 (TeaCuP for me.)

Sidenote here:
Braden, I’ve been wondering what you use for phonetics for the 1000 and 1001 binary sequences that are unused in the #Queen and #Jack Shadow System pairs. You’d usually add the S-blend prefixes like SW for 0, ST for 1, SN for 2, etc…

1001-011-100 = S3-4-1 (SMaRTee)
1000-010-100 = S2-4-4 (SNoReR)

What do you do for the S4 (1001-100-XXX and 1000-100-XXX) combos? Those don’t exist in Shadow as there is no “R” suit combo, since R is used for Queen-first pairs, so I’m not sure how to convert them to sounds.

1001-100-101 would translate to S4-5-1.
1000-100-111 would be S4-7-4.

What other S-blend prefix is there for those missing 16 sequences? SR? SCR? SPR? (STR is already taken by S6…)