From Lester He, Chief Arbiter
New Millennium Standards
According to the 2020 announcement, the results of the 2020 World Memory Championships Global Finals will not be combined with the previous world records or millennium standards.
Following some spectacular performances at national and international level, the millennium standards have been analysed and revised. (Where the MS has been broken by at least three competitors, excluding electronic competitions, a new standard is derived).
As of January 31st 2021 the following standards will apply. Please see the table below:
the International Master of Memory requirements
1) Compete in all 10 disciplines of the WMSC approved championship(s) counting towards your IMM
2) Achieve at least 3000 cumulative championship points in each championship counting towards your IMM
3) Correctly memorise 14 decks of cards (728 cards) in 1 hour
4) Correctly memorise 1400 decimal digits in 1 hour
5) Correctly memorise a single deck of cards in 40 seconds
3), 4) and 5) above may be achieved over more than one championship. (all three norms do not have to be achieved in a single competition). Previously achieved IMM norms at old standard do not count towards new IMM.
5) may be set in any WMSC approved championship. Since hour long disciplines only apply to the World Memory Championships, 3) and 4) must be set at the WMC.
Grandmaster of Memory will be awarded at the World Memory Championships to the top five placed competitors, who are not already GMMs and have achieved a total score of 5,500 or more cumulative championship points.
International Grandmaster titles will be awarded at the World Memory Championships to competitors with a total score of 6,500 or more cumulative championship points.
* indicates revised standard.
| Discipline | Millennium Standard 2020 | Formulae |
| Spoken Numbers | ~447 digits | √(raw score)* 47.30 |
| 5 Min Speed Cards | 16.02 seconds | 8007.5/(time ^ 0.75) |
| 5 Min Binary Digits (mean top 3 + 10%)* | 1246 digits | |
| 5 Min Names & Faces | 95 names | |
| 5 Min Random Numbers (mean top 3 + 10%)* | 659 digits | |
| 5 Min Historic/Future Dates (mean top 3 + 10%)* | 154 dates | |
| 5 Min Words | 125 words | |
| 10 Min Cards | 407 cards (7 decks + 43 cards) | |
| 15 Min Random Numbers (mean top 3 + 10%)* | 1217 digits | |
| 15 Min Names & Faces (mean top 3 + 10%)* | 200 digits | |
| 15 Min Random Words | 312 words | |
| 15 Min Abstract Images | 761 points | * |
| 30 Min Binary Digits (mean top 3 + 10%)* | 7654 digits | |
| 30 Min Cards | 1014 cards (19.5 decks) | |
| 30 Min Random Numbers | 1999 digits | |
| 60 min/Hour Cards* | 2600 (50 decks) | |
| 60 min/Hour Random Numbers (mean top 3 + 10%)* | 4493 digits |
| Discipline | Recall Time |
| Spoken Numbers | 5 /10/15/25 mins (No Change) |
| 5 Min Speed Cards | 5 mins (No Change) |
| 5 Min Binary Digits | 20 mins |
| 5 Min Names & Faces | 20 mins |
| 5 Min Random Numbers | 20 mins |
| 5 Min Historic/Future Dates | 20 mins |
| 5 Min Words | 20 mins |
| 10 Min Cards | 30 mins (No Change) |
| 15 Min Random Numbers | 35 mins |
| 15 Min Names & Faces | 35 mins |
| 15 Min Random Words | 35 mins |
| 15 Min Abstract Images | 35 mins |
| 30 Min Binary Digits | 90 minutes |
| 30 Min Cards | 60 minutes (No Change) |
| 30 Min Random Numbers | 60 minutes (No Change) |
| 60 min/Hour Cards | 2.5 hours |
| 60 min/Hour Random Numbers | 2.5 hours |