MEMORY MATTERS [From the MSO 1997 News Day 4]
One of the media darlings of the MSO has been reigning World
Memory Champion Dominic O'Brien. His amazing skills are readily
accessible to the public - everyone can understand the magnitude of
the feats performed in this event. O'Brien started today's
championships with a record-breaking performance. At the same time,
rival Andy Bell made it clear that this year's Memoriad will be a
vicious battle.
The first of the 12 challenges is the memorisation of a multiple
digit number in an hour. This year the test number totalled 4,000
digits since the customary 2,000 was considered too low(!). O'Brien
shattered his own world record of 1,392 by raising the mark to
1,512. Incredibly, Bell took an early lead in the competition by
toppling Dominic from this list for the first time - the world
record is now 1,620 digits!
O'Brien then resumed his customary spot at the head of the leader
table by winning the 100 names and faces event, as well as the 500
random words (with another world record). Bell moved closer by
winning the 300 spoken numbers - another O'Brien speciality - and
another double world record, Andy raising the bar in this
competition to 228.
The tension escalated as these titans continued to vault over
earlier mental landmarks. In the one hour recall of packs of playing
cards another double world record ended in a new theft of an O'Brien
speciality. Bell managed an astonishing 1,170, eclipsing Dominic by
over 200 cards. Nevertheless, O'Brien managed to extend his slender
lead with an unmatched world record in the speed numbers.
After the seventh event, the recall of screen images, the first
day of competition ended, and the warriors could retire to tend to
their aching brains. O'Brien took another first, and must still be
the overall favourite. Nevertheless, with Bell scoring remarkable
successes in some of O'Brien's favourite events, tomorrow should
provide further drama. As O'Brien remarked somewhat shakily early
today: 'I'm a good each-way bet, but I wouldn't put any money on the
nose.'
'I memorise ten packs of cards a day. When it's over, I
usually have a headache.' - Dominic O'Brien,
The Daily
Express
THE £1 MILLION BRAIN [From the MSO 1997
News Day 5]
'Yes, I was worried - I was worried before the event and I was
worried after the first round. But when I went home after the first
day, after Andy (Bell) had crashed out, I knew I was safe. Andy knew
he couldn't win then. You just can't crash out and still win.' -
Dominic O'Brien
Dominic O'Brien retained his title as World Memory Champion
yesterday after a tough battle. His win was celebrated in great
style when the sponsors, Skandia, presented him with a certificate
insuring his brain against accident for a year, to the tune of
£1,000,000. Dominic accepted the award in evening dress and a blue
crash helmet, demonstrating both elegance and due care for his
valuable equipment.
This year O'Brien had to fend off a determined challenge from
Andy Bell, who set three new world memory records before stumbling
in the sixth event, speed numbers. Until this moment Bell and
O'Brien had been neck and neck, but when O'Brien set another record
here and Bell crashed out, the duel was effectively over.
Bell explained that he had lost his rhythm in the speed numbers
(five minutes to recall as many digits as possible), having
accomplished after three minutes what he felt he should have managed
in one. Andy refused to post a low score: 'On the spur of the moment
I walked out. I was very disappointed.' He added that he felt he
would have moved ahead of O'Brien here.
Asked if he had concentrated his training on his rival's
specialities, Bell offered a flat 'no'. 'That's just the way the
cards fell. I think I could have done even better; there is huge
room for improvement. It wouldn't surprise me if someone new came
out of the blue next year and won this event at their first attempt.
All it takes is a good technique.'
Watching the final event, speed cards (one deck, best of two
attempts), it was clear that the rivals were both straining to set a
new world record but, sadly for the spectators, both fell short.
This event illustrated a clear contrast in style between these
two great memorisers. O'Brien speeds through the deck methodically,
rarely pausing. When finished, Dominic sits with his eyes closed as
he burns the sequence into his brain. Bell does bursts of several
cards at a time, repeating this after a brief delay. He appears to
fix his images while staring into space.
'Yes, I do them three at a time, Dominic does two,' Bell
explained. 'I form an image like a kangaroo through a pineapple, and
then assign a location to it.'
Record-Breakers
Six new records were set at the MSO:
One hour random numbers
A. Bell 1,620 digits; D.
O'Brien 1,512 (Old Record: 1,392 D. O'Brien)
500 words
D. O'Brien 155 words
Spoken number
A. Bell 228 digits; D. O'Brien 207 (OR:
200 D. O'Brien)
One hour multiple decks of cards
A. Bell 1,170 cards;
D. O'Brien 936 (OR: 780 D. O'Brien)
Speed numbers
D. O'Brien 240 digits (OR: 200 D.
O'Brien)
Binary number
D. O'Brien 2,385 digits; A. Bell 2,058
(OR: 1,926 D. O'Brien)
Final Results of the Memory Skills Championship
1 D. O'Brien (England) gold
2 A. Bell (England) silver
3 D. Thomas (England) bronze
Click here for Part 1
