We propose a method to obtain long memory retention time and high contrast ratio in a tristate liquid crystal display device. The proposed device has three unique liquid crystal (LC) states that are known as splay, π twist, and bend, with different operating schemes for the two modes of operation, which are the memory (M) mode or dynamic (D) mode. A form of selective vertical or horizontal switching changes the optically compensated π twist LC as a common black state in both the M and D modes into a bend LC state for the D mode or into the splay LC state for the M mode, respectively.