As I've recommended before I think the best way to memorize them is to break them up into small blocks of information. I would start by learning all the replies to the opening rolls that everyone plays the same, 31P, 42P, 53P, 61P, 65R. Be patient. Don't try to do it all overnight. That may commit it to short term memory for a hot minute but it will fade and you will end up being aggravated. Instead on the first day take your time and look at all the replies to 31P. Look at the position in a bot, it's very easy to set it up and change the dice to see the actual position, and then look at the rollout results and make sense of what's going on.
For example, after an opening 31P-62/63/64 you're supposed to split/split/run respectively. Why is that? Does the difference in the rollout results from one play to the next make sense? Yes, it does. En bref, after 31P-62? if you run you leave the most shots, have the smallest racing lead, are least likely to get your checker to safety, and don't create as many good outfield point making numbers when not hit. After 31P-63? your racing lead is larger than a 62, it's less shots, it aims at more of your outfield however your point making numbers are somewhat duplicated since the 15 point and 13 point are two pips apart as are the 8 point and 6 point. If you look at the rollout of 31P-62 and 31P-63 given what you noted about the position you would expect that it is not as wrong to run with a 63 as it is with a 62. This is confirmed by the rollouts:
- 31P-62 [S R34] /5
- 31P-63 [S R21] /15
Now if you think about how to play your 64 after 31P-64? you should realize that you're now ahead more in the race, your checker is a lot more likely to get to safety when missed, you've minimized shots, and you have diversified your point making numbers in comparison to 31P-63R. If the swing from 62 to 63 was roughly .013 you would expect the swing to be at least that much and likely more than that since it improved in every aspect. Checking the rollout results it swung a lot and running is actually correct now.
- 31P-62 [S R34] /5
- 31P-63 [S R21] /15
- 31P-64 [R P19 S21] /5
Now after the first day of doing the responses to an opening 31P you get to day two and you review the replies to an opening 31P and move on to the replies to an opening 42P. On day three you review the replies to both 31P and 42P and add on the opening 53P replies. Etc... If you really want to understand, memorize, and properly apply the replies this is the best method I suggest. Not only will you realize things like what I noted above but in doing in a slow methodical way you will also 'accidentally' commit to memory how close plays are and that can swing how you play in match situations or against stronger/weaker opponents.
For example, I can mentally run through all the replies because I've looked at them and studied them so damn much and tell you what plays are considered tied. After an opening 31P it would be [11 32]. If you know for money 31P-11 that S=N and you're trailing 5 away 2 away it's safe to say that N is clearly correct. The other side of the coin is that with any lead almost splitting will become more and more clear.
Reference positions in general are a different beast. While I have a good idea of opening phase of the game blitzes for example, or holding games or bear off positions, most parts of the game you can't memorize reference positions for. I find it's more useful when you hit a position that you have trouble with playing it out over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again until you understand what is going on is much more useful. Here is a position that I've recently used to demonstrate how important it is to pick up a second checker, how you best go about picking up that second checker, what you are trading off on certain plays (gammon losses v. wins, this is handy to know if the position comes up at dmp), and when you should go about recubing such positions. Reference positions that you should 'know' but no need committed to absolute memory are 'holy shit, I win a TON more games with two checkers closed out compared to one checker closed out'. From memory I believe it's 21.5% with one closed out compared to 68.5% with both men closed out. The exact percentages aren't important. What is important is that you remember I need that second checker!
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