I was always a little bit frustrated by having to check my whole cards again once the board had possible flushes out there. While I had no problem remembering what the cards values were oh, I would often forget if there was two different suits what they were. I mean, sure, if they are the same suit it's pretty easy to remember "98 of Spades”. However, what to do when it is 9c8h?
And, of course, when that 3rd or 4th card of a suit comes, how many of us have to check to see if we have one of that suit? I have found that it is a lot more psychologically effective to not check your cards. It makes you look stronger or weaker depending on what you are doing. Now you can check your cards. For example, if you just rivered the nut flush out of position and are planning on check/raising or something, you can peek, pause, and then check as if you didn't have it. (Complete with bummed out face.)
But the point here is that you don't have to keep looking because you didn't process it. (And we all know how Norman Chad makes fun of people checking their cards again.)
So I ended up starting to use some mnemonics that I would say in my head (“silently out loud”) that would help me remember what my suits were. I gradually expanded the list over time to cover everything. Turns out there are 10 of them total. The 4 suits and 6 combos.
, in a second I am saying "Ace 6 red".
is "Jack Ten round"
is "King Queen pointy"
is "8 7 up/down" or "8 7 arrows"
Those are far more efficient and easier to remember than "Ace of hearts, 6 of diamonds" or "Jack of clubs, ten of hearts". You are reducing some of your information to a single word or concept. (This is called "chunking" in psychology, btw.)
Seriously... try it next time you are playing live. Just by making the mental note of it at the time, the suits become as easy as remembering the values. It will make you more efficient at the table, look more confident (if you want), and it won't annoy Norman Chad when you're on a TV table at wsop!
And, of course, when that 3rd or 4th card of a suit comes, how many of us have to check to see if we have one of that suit? I have found that it is a lot more psychologically effective to not check your cards. It makes you look stronger or weaker depending on what you are doing. Now you can check your cards. For example, if you just rivered the nut flush out of position and are planning on check/raising or something, you can peek, pause, and then check as if you didn't have it. (Complete with bummed out face.)
But the point here is that you don't have to keep looking because you didn't process it. (And we all know how Norman Chad makes fun of people checking their cards again.)
So I ended up starting to use some mnemonics that I would say in my head (“silently out loud”) that would help me remember what my suits were. I gradually expanded the list over time to cover everything. Turns out there are 10 of them total. The 4 suits and 6 combos.
- Obviously the suits themselves: hearts, diamonds, clubs, spades
- ♥♦ = “Red” (duh)
- ♣♠ = "black" (duh)
- ♥♣ = "round"
- ♦♠ = "pointy"
- ♥♠ = "up/down" or "arrows"
- ♦♣ = "baseball". (This one took me a bit... but what's a diamond where you use a club?)
, in a second I am saying "Ace 6 red". is "Jack Ten round" is "King Queen pointy" is "8 7 up/down" or "8 7 arrows"Those are far more efficient and easier to remember than "Ace of hearts, 6 of diamonds" or "Jack of clubs, ten of hearts". You are reducing some of your information to a single word or concept. (This is called "chunking" in psychology, btw.)
Seriously... try it next time you are playing live. Just by making the mental note of it at the time, the suits become as easy as remembering the values. It will make you more efficient at the table, look more confident (if you want), and it won't annoy Norman Chad when you're on a TV table at wsop!
