memory sport
{{short description|Memory competitions}}
{{More citations needed|date=February 2024}}
Memory sport, sometimes referred to as competitive memory or the mind sport of memory, refers to competitions in which participants attempt to memorize then recall different forms of information, under certain guidelines. The sport has been formally developed since 1991 and features national and international championships. The primary worldwide organizational bodies are the IAM (International Association of Memory) and WMSC (World Memory Sports Council).{{Cite web|url=http://iam-memory.org|title=International Association of Memory {{!}} International Association of Memory|website=www.iam-memory.org|access-date=2017-12-07}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.worldmemorychampionships.com/|title=World Memory Championships {{!}} World Memory Championships|website=www.worldmemorychampionships.com|access-date=2017-12-07}}
In response to a conspicuous rivalry between two challengers to the same Guinness Book Record, Memory Sports Promotion and Control Ltd., (Company number 3548879) was incorporated on 6 April 1998, by the invigilators Dr Peter Marshall and Ms Anne Perrett. The company operated under the business name The World Memory Sports Association.Companies House record, number 3548879, South Wales Echo 2 December 1998, p17
One common type of competition involves memorizing the order of randomized cards in as little time as possible, after which the competitor is required to arrange new decks of cards in the same order.
Mnemonic techniques are generally considered to be a necessary part of competition, and are improved through extensive practice.{{cite web | url=http://www.worldmemorychampionships.com/about-2/ | title=Contact Us – The World Memory Championships | work=worldmemorychampionships.com | access-date=July 6, 2016}} These can include the method of loci, the use of mnemonic linking and chunking, or other techniques for storage and retrieval of information.
History
Techniques for training memory are discussed as far back as ancient Greece, and formal memory training was long considered an important part of basic education known as the art of memory.{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/02/20/magazine/mind-secrets.html | title=Secrets of a Mind-Gamer | work=The New York Times | date=February 15, 2011 | access-date=July 6, 2016 | author=Foer, Joshua}} However, the development of trained memorization into a sport is only a development of the late 20th century, and even then has remained relatively limited in scope. The first worldwide competition was held as the World Memory Championships in 1991, and has been held again in every year since, with the exception of 1992.{{Cite web|url=http://www.world-memory-statistics.com/c_world.php|title=World Memory Championships {{!}} World Memory Statistics|website=www.iam-stats.org|access-date=2017-01-02}}
Competitions
Following the establishment of the World Memory Championships in 1991, national competitions have been set up in more than a dozen countries, including the U.S., India, Germany, UK, Italy, Sweden, Australia, Singapore, China, Japan, South Korea, Mongolia, and the Philippines, among others.{{cite web | url=http://www.usamemorychampionship.com/faqs/ | title=FAQs {{!}} USA Memory Championship | work=USAMemoryChampionship.com | access-date=July 6, 2016 | archive-date=July 19, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170719162034/http://www.usamemorychampionship.com/faqs/ | url-status=dead }}{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/grandmaster-of-memory-stays-on-top/article881249.ece | title=Grandmaster of memory stays on top | newspaper=The Hindu | date=November 12, 2010 | access-date=July 6, 2016}}{{cite web | url=http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100831-289636/Filipino-nurse-kristo-excel-in-UK-memory-tilt | title=Filipino nurse, 'kristo' excel in UK memory tilt | work=INQUIRER.net | date=August 31, 2010 | access-date=July 6, 2016 | author=Gemma Luz Corotan | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100901110621/http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100831-289636/Filipino-nurse-kristo-excel-in-UK-memory-tilt | archive-date=September 1, 2010 | url-status=dead}}{{cite web | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8202827.stm | title=Memory champs meet for UK contest | work=BBC News | date=August 15, 2009 | access-date=July 6, 2016}}{{cite web | url=http://mt.artofmemory.com/wiki/Category:Memory_Competitions | title=List of Memory Competitions | work=Memory Techniques Wiki | access-date=July 6, 2016}} An up-to-date list of competitions can be found at the International Association of Memory statistics website.{{Cite web|url=http://iam-stats.org/competitions.php|title=Competition {{!}} International Association of Memory Statistics|website=www.iam-stats.org|access-date=2016-07-05}}
In 2016, due to the dispute between players and the WMSC (World Memory Sports Council), most of the organizations except China and Arabia withdrew from the WMSC and launched the IAM (International Association of Memory).{{Cite web|url=http://memory-sports.com/blog/memory-championships/the-international-association-of-memory/|title=International Association of Memory {{!}} Memory Sports|website=memory-sports.com|date=21 June 2016|access-date=2017-12-06}} Beginning in 2017, both organizations hosted their own world championships.
The Guild of Mnemonists Ltd was incorporated 6 April 1998, Company number 03541058,http://www.companycheck.co.uk, http://www.ukcorporations.org to foster communication and technique sharing as well as to develop ethical controls for competitions and guaranteed standards in memory training courses. The Guild has since ceased to function.
Techniques
Competitors describe numerous methods and techniques for improving their memorization skills, with some having published and named their specific methods. These include, for instance, the Dominic system, named after former World Champion Dominic O'Brien, the mnemonic major system, as well as the person-action-object system which involves encoding cards and numbers into sequences of persons, actions, and objects.{{cite web | url=http://mt.artofmemory.com/wiki/Person-Action-Object_%28PAO%29_System | title=Person-Action-Object (PAO) System | work=Memory Techniques Wiki | access-date=July 6, 2016}} These methods are sometimes referred to as "mnemotechnics".
O'Brien's Dominic system is a powerful memorizing strategy that combines both traditional and innovative techniques. These include techniques like assigning easily remembered people to unmeaningful things such as numbers, and more known techniques like the memory palace.
Joshua Foer has written, "Though every competitor has his own unique method of memorization for each event, all mnemonic techniques are essentially based on the concept of elaborative encoding, which holds that the more meaningful something is, the easier it is to remember."{{cite web|url=http://iam-stats.org/master.php|title=Special Titles {{!}} International Association of Memory Statistics|website=www.iam-stats.org|access-date=2016-11-26}}{{Dead link|date=March 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Disciplines
{{Main|World Memory Championships}}
Sanctioned memory competitions comply with one of four formats for competition depending on the level. At the World Championship, all ten disciplines are conducted at maximum timing, while at other international competitions some disciplines are shortened to a 30-minute format. As the competitions become more regional, some disciplines are cut while others are shortened.
According to the World Memory Championship Competitors Handbook, the ten disciplines are as follows:
- Names and Faces – "Memorize and recall as many names as possible and link them to the right face."
- Binary Numbers – "Memorize and recall as many binary digits as possible."
- Random Numbers – "Memorize as many random digits as possible, in complete rows of 40 digits, and recall them perfectly."
- Abstract Images – "Memorize and recall the sequence of abstract images in as many rows as possible."
- Speed Numbers – "Memorize as many random digits as quickly as possible, in complete rows of 40 digits, and recall them perfectly."
- Historic/Future Dates – "Memorize as many numerical historic/future dates as possible and to link them to the correct fictional event."
- Random Cards – "Memorize and recall as many separate packs (decks) of 52 playing cards as possible."
- Random Words – "Memorize as many random words in complete columns of 20 as possible and recall them perfectly."
- Spoken Number – "Listen to, memorize, and recall as many spoken numbers as possible."
- Speed Cards – "Memorize and recall a single pack of 52 playing cards in the shortest possible time.
In addition to the traditional competitions organized by the World Memory Sports Council or International Association of Memory, memory athletes often compete at alternative-format competitions. These include the Memory League Championships (formerly the Extreme Memory Tournament), Memoriad, and the MAA Memo Games.{{Cite web|url=http://memoryleague.com/|title=Home {{!}} Memory League|website=memoryleague.com|access-date=2019-10-02}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.memoriad.com/|title=Home {{!}} Memoriad|website=www.memoriad.com/|access-date=2019-10-02}}{{Cite web|url=https://memory-sports.com/maa-memo-games/|title=Home {{!}} Memo Games|website=memory-sports.com|access-date=2019-10-02}}
Other types of memory competitions may not feature timed events. For instance, records for the memorization of π (known as piphilology) have been recorded since the 1970s, with the current record holder having produced from memory more than 70,000 digits.
Records
Memory sport continues to have its records broken rapidly. A recent world speed record for memorizing a deck of cards was 12.74 seconds, held by Shijir-Erdene Bat-Enkh of Mongolia.{{Cite web|url=http://iam-stats.org/discipline.php?id=SPDCARDS|title=Speed Cards Record {{!}} International Association of Memory Statistics|website=iam-stats.org|access-date=2019-10-02}} A recent world record for the most digits memorized in five minutes was 642, held by Wei Qinru. There are two different up-to-date lists of world and national records: 1. The International Association of Memory statistics website{{Cite web|url=http://iam-stats.org/records.php|title=World Records {{!}} International Association of Memory Statistics|website=iam-stats.org|access-date=2019-10-02}} 2. The World Memory Sports Council Official Statistics website{{Cite web|url=http://www.world-memory-statistics.com/disciplines.php|title=World Records {{!}} World Memory Statistic|website=www.world-memory-statistics.com|access-date=2019-10-02}}
Designations
The highest designation set up by the World Memory Sports Council, which organizes the World Memory Championships, is the Grand Master of Memory. Subclassifications include international grandmaster (IGM), grandmaster (GMM), and international master (IMM). As of November 2016, there are approximately 200 grandmasters in the world.
Abilities
Researchers have looked to discover the differences between brains with superior memory and those with average memory both in structure and capabilities, and whether their capabilities are innate or developed. Some research has found that there are no fundamental differences between brains with superior memory and the average person. Instead many superior memorizers, like those in the World Memory Championships, use mnemonic learning strategies to practice preferential engagement of areas of the brain such as the hippocampus and the medial parietal and retrosplenial cortices which allows them to store and access more information in their working memory.
However, other research into the causal factors of superior memory found that such performance could derive from either the practice of mnemonic strategies or in some cases a natural superiority in memory efficiency. The research also concluded that for those with regular natural ability, the superior memory they gain from using mnemonic strategies is typically limited by the applicability of their strategy to the task at hand. However, users of mnemonic strategies often perform exceptionally well with "less meaningful materials such as numbers."
Well-known competitors
Up-to-date world rankings can be found at the International Association of Memory statistics website.{{Cite web|url=http://iam-stats.org/rankings.php|title=World Ranking {{!}} International Association of Memory Statistics|website=www.iam-stats.org|access-date=2016-07-05}}
= World champions=
- Dominic O'Brien (UK): 8x world memory champion (1991, 1993, 1995–97, 1999–2001){{Cite web|url=http://www.world-memory-statistics.com/c_world.php|title=World Memory Championships {{!}} World Memory Statistics|website=www.world-memory-statistics.com|access-date=2016-12-29}}
- Jonathan Hancock (UK): world memory champion (1994)
- Andi Bell (UK): 3x world memory champion (1998, 2002–03)
- Clemens Mayer (Germany): 2x world memory champion (2005–06)
- Ben Pridmore (UK): 3x world memory champion (2004, 2008–09)
- Gunther Karsten (Germany): world memory champion (2007)
- Wang Feng (China): 2x world memory champion (2010–11)
- Johannes Mallow (Germany): world memory champion (2012)
- Jonas von Essen (Sweden): 2x world memory champion (2013–14)
- Alex Mullen (US): 3x world memory champion (2015–17)
- Munkhshur Narmandakh (Mongolia): 2x World Memory Champion (WMSC 2017, WMSC 2021), International Grandmaster of Memory, world record holder.{{Cite web|url=http://iam-stats.org/competitor.php?id=13868 |title=International Association of Memory Statistics|website=www.iam-stats.org|access-date=2017-12-17}}
- Andrea Muzii (ITA): IAM World Memory Champion (2019), World record holder,{{Cite web |title=IAM Statistics |url=https://iam-stats.org/records.php |access-date=2023-06-05 |website=iam-stats.org}} first Gold Grandmaster{{Cite web |title=IAM Statistics |url=https://iam-stats.org/competitor.php?id=15150#! |access-date=2023-06-05 |website=iam-stats.org}}
- Ryu Song I (DPRK): WMSC World Memory Champion (2019) and highest score of all-time of combined rankings
= Other =
- Yanjaa Wintersoul (Mongolia, previously Sweden): international grandmaster, double world record holder.{{Cite web|url=http://iam-stats.org/discipline.php?id=names15|title=15 minute Names & Faces Record {{!}} International Association of Memory Statistics|website=www.iam-stats.org|access-date=2019-10-02}}{{Cite web|url=http://iam-stats.org/competitor.php?id=13559|title=Yanjindulam Altansuh {{!}} International Association of Memory Statistics|website=www.iam-stats.org|access-date=2019-10-02}}
- Shijir-Erdene Bat-Enkh (Mongolia): International Grandmaster, World Record Holder.
- Enkhshur Narmandakh (Mongolia): international grandmaster, world record holder.{{Cite web|url=http://iam-stats.org/competitor.php?id=13869 |title=International Association of Memory Statistics|website=www.iam-stats.org|access-date=2017-12-17}}
- Lkhagvadulam Enkhtuya (Mongolia): international grandmaster, world record holder.{{Cite web|url=http://iam-stats.org/competitor.php?id=13867|title=International Association of Memory Statistics|website=www.iam-stats.org|access-date=2017-12-17}}
- Joshua Foer (US): author and USA memory champion (2006).{{cite web|url=http://mt.artofmemory.com/wiki/List_of_USA_Memory_Champions|title=List of USA Memory Champions – Memory Techniques Wiki|date=30 September 2024 }}
- Ed Cooke (UK): author, grandmaster, founder and CEO of Memrise.{{Cite web|url=http://iam-stats.org/master.php|title=Special Titles {{!}} International Association of Memory Statistics|website=www.iam-stats.org|access-date=2016-11-07}}{{Dead link|date=March 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
- Simon Reinhard (Germany): international grandmaster, 4x German champion, 2x vice-world champion, 2x Extreme Memory Tournament champion.{{Cite web|url=http://iam-stats.org/competitor.php?id=12989|title=Simon Reinhard {{!}} International Association of Memory Statistics|website=www.iam-stats.org|access-date=2019-10-02}}{{Cite web|url=http://championship.memoryleague.com/2014/#/home|title=2014 Extreme Memory Tournament {{!}} Memory League|website=www.memoryleague.com|access-date=2016-12-29}}{{Dead link|date=December 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{Cite web|url=http://championship.memoryleague.com/2016/#/home|title=2016 Extreme Memory Tournament {{!}} Memory League|website=www.memoryleague.com|access-date=2016-12-29|archive-date=2017-04-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170411065001/http://championship.memoryleague.com/2016/#/home|url-status=dead}}
- Marwin Wallonius (Sweden): international grandmaster, 2x Swedish champion, vice-world champion.{{Cite web|url=http://www.world-memory-statistics.com/grandmasters.php|title=Grandmasters {{!}} World Memory Sports Council Official Statistics|website=www.iam-stats.org|access-date=2016-12-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161211182112/http://www.world-memory-statistics.com/grandmasters.php|archive-date=2016-12-11|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=http://iam-stats.org/competitor.php?id=12075|title=Marwin Wallonius {{!}} International Association of Memory Statistics|website=www.iam-stats.org|access-date=2019-10-02}}{{Cite web|url=http://iam-stats.org/records.php|title=World Records {{!}} International Association of Memory Statistics|website=www.iam-stats.org|access-date=2016-11-07}}
- Nelson Dellis (US): 5x USA memory champion (2011–12, 2014–15, 2021), grandmaster.
- Ron White (US): 2x USA memory champion (2009–10).
- Lance Tschirhart (US): international grandmaster.{{Cite web|url=http://iam-stats.org/competitor.php?id=11672|title=Lance Tschirhart {{!}} International Association of Memory Statistics|website=www.iam-stats.org|access-date=2019-10-02}}
- Huang Shenghua (China): international grandmaster, vice-world champion.{{Cite web|url=http://iam-stats.org/competitor.php?id=11181|title=Huang Shenghua {{!}} International Association of Memory Statistics|website=www.iam-stats.org|access-date=2019-10-02}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.worldmemorychampionships.com/wmc-2016/|title=WMC 2016 {{!}} World Memory Championships|website=www.worldmemorychampionships.com|access-date=2016-12-21}}
- Shi Binbin (China): international grandmaster, 2x Chinese champion.{{Cite web|url=http://iam-stats.org/competitor.php?id=12950|title=Shi Binbin {{!}} International Association of Memory Statistics|website=www.iam-stats.org|access-date=2019-10-02}}{{Cite web|url=http://iam-stats.org/discipline.php?id=cards60|title=60 minute/Hour Cards Record {{!}} International Association of Memory Statistics|website=www.iam-stats.org|access-date=2019-10-02}}
- Su Zehe (China): international grandmaster.{{Cite web|url=http://iam-stats.org/competitor.php?id=13073 |title= International Association of Memory Statistics|website=www.iam-stats.org|access-date=2017-12-17}}{{Cite web|url=http://iam-stats.org/discipline.php?id=binary5|title=5 minute Binary Record {{!}} International Association of Memory Statistics|website=www.iam-stats.org|access-date=2016-12-17}}
- Zou Lujian (China): grandmaster, world record achiever.{{Cite web|url=http://iam-stats.org/competitor.php?id=14044 |title= International Association of Memory Statistics|website=www.iam-stats.org|access-date=2017-12-17}}
- Prateek Yadav (India): international grandmaster, 4x Indian champion.{{Cite web|url=http://iam-stats.org/competitor.php?id=12644|title=Prateek Yadav {{!}} International Association of Memory Statistics|website=www.iam-stats.org|access-date=2016-12-29}}
- Ola Kare Risa (Norway): international grandmaster, Norwegian No. 1.{{Cite web|url=http://iam-stats.org/competitor.php?id=12444|title=Ola Kare Risa {{!}} International Association of Memory Statistics|website=www.iam-stats.org|access-date=2016-12-29}}{{Cite web|url=http://iam-stats.org/discipline.php?id=binary5|title=5 Minute Binary Record {{!}} International Association of Memory Statistics|website=www.iam-stats.org|access-date=2016-12-29}}
- Boris Konrad (Germany): international grandmaster.{{Cite web|url=http://iam-stats.org/competitor.php?id=10430|title=Boris Konrad {{!}} International Association of Memory Statistics|website=www.iam-stats.org|access-date=2019-10-02}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.memoriad.com/index.asp?s=yarismalar&b=rekorlar&lang=EN|title=Memoriad World Records {{!}} Memoriad|website=www.memoriad.com|access-date=2016-12-29}}
- Christian Schafer (Germany): international grandmaster.{{Cite web|url=http://iam-stats.org/competitor.php?id=10628|title=Christian Schafer {{!}} International Association of Memory Statistics|website=www.iam-stats.org|access-date=2016-12-29}}
- Katie Kermode (UK): world record holder in words, names and faces.{{Cite web|url=http://iam-stats.org/competitor.php?id=11532|title=Katie Kermode {{!}} International Association of Memory Statistics|website=www.iam-stats.org|access-date=2016-12-29}}
- Sengesamdan Ulziikhutag (Mongolia): international grandmaster.{{Cite web|url=http://iam-stats.org/competitor.php?id=12925|title=Sengesamdan Ulziikhutag {{!}} International Association of Memory Statistics|website=www.iam-stats.org|access-date=2016-12-29}}
- Purevjav Erdenesaikhan (Mongolia): international grandmaster, Mongolian champion, 2015 junior world champion.{{Cite web|url=http://iam-stats.org/competitor.php?id=12660|title=Purevjav Erdenesaikhan {{!}} International Association of Memory Statistics|website=www.iam-stats.org|access-date=2016-12-29}}{{Cite web|url=http://iam-stats.org/competition.php?&id=WMC2015&cat=3|title=World Memory Championships 2015 Junior {{!}} International Association of Memory Statistics|website=www.iam-stats.org|access-date=2016-12-29}}
- Takeru Aoki (Japan): Grandmaster of Memory, Japanese champion
- Daniel Tammet (UK): writer and autistic savant.
- Astrid Plessl Austrian national champion and grandmaster.
See also
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
- Anamonic
- Chunking (psychology)
- Eidetic memory
- Exceptional memory
- Haraguchi's mnemonic system
- Interference theory
- Linkword
- Memory
- Memory League
- Mentalism
- Method of loci
- Mnemonic dominic system
- Mnemonic goroawase system
- Mnemonic link system
- Mnemonic major system
- Mnemonic peg system
- Mnemonist
- Harry Lorayne
- Piphilology
- Serial position effect
- Spacing effect
- The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two
- Von Restorff effect
- Zeigarnik effect
{{div col end}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.worldmemorychampionships.com World Memory Championships website]
- [http://www.memoriad.com World Memory Olympics website]
- [http://www.usamemorychampionships.com USA National Memory Championships]
- [https://memoryathlete.angelotricarico.com Memory Athlete – for iOS and Android]
- [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mastersofmemory.memoryladder Memory Ladder – for Android]
- [https://memoryleague.com/#!/championships Memory League Championships]
= Software =
- [http://mytechit.blogspot.com.es/2014/01/rng.html RNG v1.0] Random Number Generator for training Working Memory
{{memory}}