Anybody have a photographic memory, how much does it help?

[laja]

Is it true that some people can take pictures with their mind and store thousands in there head? I have a horrible memory but somehow remember poker hands well but nothing close to that extent.. Was wondering how much is has helped the few of you that do. I remember reading a poker book and it talking about the top no limit players keep tabs on exactly how players have played and acted during certain situations with them in the past to make decisions in the present.

[emonrad87]

My friend in high school could do that... so yes it does exist. He could look at a page of text fro 10 seconds, then write out the page from memory word for word. Man was he good at taking tests....

[tek]

That would be a great help in blackjack or stud poker. But the ability to reason and use logic instead of being a rainman is important too.

[BusterStacks]

I met a guy with a photographic memory, it was REALLY weird and cool.

[Scotch78]

I used to work with a girl who had a photographic memory. One night we all go out drinking afterwards and end up playing some game where you deal out the deck face down in a grid and turn up two cards at a time, trying to turn up a pair. The one who finds the most pairs wins. It's a pure memory game, so all of these drunks were trying to beat the girl with the perfect memory. So what do I do? I bet $50 that I can beat her. The only catch is that she has to go first. Nice, easy $50, and a bunch of bewildered drunks.

Scott

[laja]

Awesome, with practice alone some pretty amazing memory things can be done, I wonder if obtaining a semi-photographic memory is possible

[Scotch78]

Only on 2+2 could I tell that story and have someone understand how I beat the girl without having to explain it to them, gotta love it :-)

Scott

[Yeti]

I don't follow /images/graemlins/frown.gif

[Scotch78]

Strictly speaking, this is the correct strategy against any opponent . . . I just kept turning over cards that she had already turned over. First off, this significantly reduced the effect of her superior memory. Second, she only completed a pair by chance. I had the benefit of using the information she provided before taking my turns.

Scott

[TimM]

[ QUOTE ]
Strictly speaking, this is the correct strategy against any opponent . . . I just kept turning over cards that she had already turned over. First off, this significantly reduced the effect of her superior memory. Second, she only completed a pair by chance. I had the benefit of using the information she provided before taking my turns.

[/ QUOTE ]

She should have used a counter strategy: Turn over a new card first, but never pick an unseen card as the second card. In this way, she can make pairs sometimes, but you can never do so unless you start picking unseen cards as well.

(This assumes you get to see the first card before you choose which card to pick second)

[Scotch78]

Nice! I hadn't even thought of that. The second person will still have an advantage, but your counter-strategy should significantly reduce it.

Scott

[frank_iii]

It sure would make 8-tabling 7 card stud easier.