"The fastest memorized deck to learn is Doug Dyment's Quickstack. "

With all due respect to Dennis who wrote this (who has some excellent articles on memorized stacks) and Doug D. (a wonderfully thoughtful creator) I can't say I agree with this. I think it depends on the individual. I actually found it easier to memorize the Aronson stack using mnemonics than Doug's stack. I'm not saying I'm typical on this--I'm probably not--but nevertheless, it's an individual taste.

By the way, if you use mnemonics, may I suggest the excellent system for memorizing cards that Bob Farmer has come up with? It will cut your work literally in half. You can find it on Scott Cram's Be a Genius site.

Jack Shalom

Hi,

I'm trying to learn a tetradistic stack, I saw it on an Allan Akermann video I have. The thing I really liked about it was it was with two perfect faro shuffles it will present you with a deck that four of a kind after four of a kind and I think it's alot easier to memerize than a shuffled deck.

To get a tetradistic stack simply arrange the card ace though king in any suits, shuffle and arrange the following three sets of 13 in the same order.

Allan Akerman makes the brilliant statement that the triumph effect won't disturb ther order of the deck. His video, Las Vagas Card Expert will explain more, and is very good.

I'm off to do some more research into the Arson Stack which I've never heard of.

See ya

I know this is an old topic, but I can't decide between Aronson and Tamariz. Could you say some good stack specific tricks? I'm not really interested in spelling tricks, because I don't perform in english.
Thank you for your help in advance.

I had the same dilemma 3 years ago and I decided to buy Simon's Bound To Please and Tamariz's Mnemonica. I learned the Aronson stack and have never looked back. 4 great books with incredible mem deck work in them.

I learned Mnemonica, and I think Aronson is a fine stack, but I just prefer being able to shuffle into it because I'm lazy like that! That said, the ONLY stack-specific effect I wish I could find a decent adaptation for from the Aronson stack is Eric Richardson's Tsunami Sevens. This is a great effect by itself, but the real beauty is that at the end you've secretly ordered the entire suit of hearts in order - perfect for performing something like Play it Straight Triumph or Joshua Jay's Trumped Triumph, along with many other great effects that require such a stack.

Most of the best tricks with a memorized deck are independent, and when it comes to stacked deck effects - almost of the Aronson-specific ones I like I've been able to adapt to Mnemonica (and the reverse with Mnemonica-specific tricks can be done - Eric Richardson's trilogy on the Aronson stack is a good look at this and other stuff). The stacked effects that I like that can't be adapted to Mnemonica or Aronson use Si Stebbins, so I don't feel like I'm missing anything.

Honestly, just pick whichever sounds the best and get memorizing! It's far better to start memorizing now than agonizing over which to choose. If for some reason you regret the decision, you can memorize another deck - it really isn't as difficult as it sounds - just a few minutes every day for a couple of weeks and you'll have it down (and trust me, I'm no memory king - but consistent practice yields results).

Good luck!

Wow that is impressive!! Do you really have your very own stack?

I like both, but most of my favourite memdeck effects are stack-independent. The curious thing is that I have memorized Mnemonica, and have the book, but my favourite memdeck work comes from Simon Aronson's extensive stack-independent repertoire. Indeed, my favourite effects from the Tamariz book happen to be the stack-independent ones.

Simon Aronson presents a huge section on Aronson-stack-dependent effects in Try the Impossible, but they don't require memorization of the stack. His newest book, Art Decko, offers a couple of stack-specific effects, but neither of them seem to require memorization either. I carry with me always the Poker Bingo advert card from the Phoenix decks that lists Mnemonica on one side, Aronson on the other. And though it is great to get into Mnemonica from NDO, I can't perfect faro (yet), so I usually stack manually--in fact, doing this over and over again has made my memory rock solid for the stack. Eric Richardson has published how to go to Aronson from NDO (and back) in his excellent e-book Tour, but it is a tad complex.

It all boils down to personal preference.

Les

Who says you have to learn just one? I use both Aronson's and Tamariz's.

now that is impressive. What are your favorite effects with each stack?

Obviously, many effects are interchangeable, as they are not stack specific.
I use both Aronson's and Tamariz's poker deal demos, which are stack specific. It's fun to use both, simultaneously, in two-deck scenarios.

As to the comment about memorizing two stacks being impressive, it's really not so much. I'll bet you know the lyrics to many, many songs, and those surely outnumber two arrangements of 52 cards. And that's just one example. There are surely other things you have committed to memory that are more extensive than a pack of playing cards.

I like Tamariz because I love the book and it was the first one I learned. Even if you go with Aronson I recommend you get mnemonica.

Agreed! Mnemonica is chock full of stack-independent gems that are different in style from Aronson's work, plus a lot of stuff on technique especially useful when manipulating a memdeck.

Without looking at the books, I remember a nice trick from Tamariz's Mnemonica which is stack-specific: "la rutina de la suerte"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0JknsucvUI

It's a routine where you "predicts" the lucky of the spectator in a variety of subjects... like, "work", "money", "love", etc...
A really fun routine.

I have Tamariz's book, and I think it's great! I'm planning to buy some of Simon Aronson's as well. I've heard good things about it.
I also have the DVDs Mnemonica Miracles, from Dan And Dave, which is a marvelous addition to the book.

There is also some great stack independent material in a free ebook by Simon called Memories are Made of This which you may find fascinating.

Just wondering if the explanation for this routine "la rutina de la suerte" is in any of Juan's published material?
Thanks

It is in Mnemonica p71 as The Good Fortune Routine and also explained on the Mnemonica DVD set.

Thanks.

I like Tamariz mem-deck because can be set from new deck but for the tricks I prefer Aronson. it suit better for me as a mentalist.

Tamariz can be gotten into from New deck... Aronsons has nearly "built in" deck switches...

Aronson, Tamariz, and Ortiz have all said versions of the following:
'It is not important which stack you memorize... so long as you actually memorize one!!!' They go on to say: 'You might be using the decision over which is best as a form of procrastinating over learning it' (Not saying the OP is, but who knows... we have all fallen in to traps like these before )

Just my two sense, which really wasnt mine at all haha

PS: If you pick one and hate it (never happened), then you can always learn the other! (I learned both just cause I have free time lol)