[perfecto]

I'm not sure I'd say this skill was of 'utmost' importance. Reading hands and players, choosing starters, choosing games and varying your play are all equally important. However, it certainly is a nice ability to cultivate.

Here's what I do...treat the third street visible cards as a phone number. I start with the card after the low card and skip my showing cards to derive a 7 'digit' number. Then I make another quick scan to identify any 'dead' suits (3 or more showing). Then I repeat the 'phone number' and dead suit(s) to myself a few times just like I would if I had to remember a phone number long enough to walk to a phone and dial it. If you can remember the suits of the aces, even better.

Then you need to be able to put folks on hands and remember just a few more cards that may make a difference. That part just kind of flows with experience and becomes almost second nature.

Many new stud players get hung up on card memory as an issue. Try a few techniques. Practice a bunch. It'll come. The other skills are far more difficult to master.