[Red_Diamond]

I only play lowstakes so maybe I have no business posting here, but I have a terrible short term memory as well. However, I think I do ok at stud counts, despite this is one issue that used to make me worry in the beginning. I'll do 3 tables now and it just comes naturally, but I do have some short cuts.

Any time I play a hand on third street, I always look AT EVERY card first. I don't need to memorize here, just look at what's visible. Most times I'm not playing a weak burried pair for example, if even one of that rank is already out. And if my kicker is out, that is instantly commited to memory(and fairly hard to forget for the next 40 seconds). I am always keeping count of my visible outs. The same goes for straight and 3-flush starts. I always count how many cards are avail. And update the number on the next round of betting. At any round, I don't have a need to go back to a previous round and try to remember what was out there by every one.

Extra notes, ALWAYS use 4-color decks. When most cards out are red on 3'rd, and suddenly a low blue card starts out betting on fourth when catching another blue, that should tell you something. This is pretty different from a red card catching a red and then betting in the same spot.

Yes, maybe he spiked trips if the 4'th card is live, but sure be scared if he hits another diamond. A little count of your OUTS, and 4-color deck goes a long way.

BTW, I NEVER run exact counts of every suit out (maybe some ultra high-stakes players do). The human brain is good at pattern recognition, so clumps of colours gives me a good ballpark figure.

It doesnt matter if there was just 1 blue card out or 2, earlier that you've seen and can't remember for sure. You do know that the number was quite low and that's a good bonus.

Why some people would still use 2-color in stud I have no idea(aside from a site giving no option), except that bad habbits die hard and some people are very resistant to change. That is good for the rest of us though.