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Hi,

I am new to Card counting and I am still practicing my card counting before I try it in a casino. I am having a few problems remembering the count after I have added my cards up.I am using basic strategy. Is there any way I can remember the count by using my hand discreetly? While adding the cards up?

I am studying the book Stanford Wong professional blackjack. I am enjoying it. I wondered if anyone has had experience of what to do when the dealer has a 10 and you are on a 15 or 16? On basic strategy Stanford advises to hit or surrender but then when I read further and the book talks about strategy numbers Stanford says that when the count is correct you are best to stand on 15 or 16 against a 10? What does the count have to be to stand on 15 or 16?

Great site

Paul

We need to know what count system you are learning. Otherwise we can only assume it is Basic Hi/Lo.

Practice and repetition will eventually resolve this problem, as I'm sure you already assumed that. However, I think in the beginning of the learning process, you need to put more effort into remembering and not losing the count. This is done completely with the left side of your brain. At least the cards are something you can see which will allow you to use both right and left portions of your brain. Eventually you will use your right brain nearly 100% when deciphering your hand values in card sets. Also, if you are struggling with the mental processing of reciting subconsciously the count number while trying to add up your cards, just ask the D; "What do I have?" They will tell you. This also gives you more time to keep track and stay in control of everything.

Never lose count regardless of anything. Make an extra effort to practice playing your hands during large + number counts. That's when you're bets are max, your heart pounds and your nerves get tested.

Do it all in your mind not on your hands. Later you may want to add in some side counting with your fingers.

Once you know BS inside and out. Take a deck of cards with you every place and practice. You should get to the point that your counting the license plates of the cars on your way to work with out meaning to. I think the best system for starters is the KO due to the fact there is no TC conversion. Check out the book KO the casino" onmouseover="window.status = 'goto: casino';return 1" onmouseout="window.status=''">Casino. Remember the most important thing in BJ, it's not what count system your using it's the game conditions your playing in.

haha its true. When I was training I had a deck of cards at work (for breaks), in my car (during traffic jams), all over my apt, I felt like I was in a fairy tale...."And the new counter left a deck of cards wherever he would go so that he could find his way back!"

haha

D

Thankyou for all your advice.

I am using the Hi-low count system at the moment. I think I will stick to the Hi-low count for now cause I spent quite a time studying it.

I am practicing trying to remember the count when I am adding my cards up. I have memorized basic strategy. I am not sure what side of my brain I use to memorize the count. I think this is the problem, I have goto use the left side of my brain like Stealth Bomber suggests but how do I suddenly do this, I guess its practice.

Thanks again for your help

Paul

We all use both sides of our brain naturally. Some of us are better with either one side or the other. The right side of your brain will determine the value of your hand not by adding each card but rather noticing two and three card combos are what creates a certain hand value, i.e. two face cards are 20 rather than 10+10=20. Or five/six, four/seven, three/eight, two/nine combos are all the same. You don't need to actually add them, you just know it is what it is. Soon you will do the same with three card combos. Easiest ones are 7,7,7 and 6,7,8 and 5,7,9.

Personally, I am so far right brained that recently I tossed out a pair of Kings as if they were a BJ. The reason for this mistake is because of the beauty of such a hand somehow makes me think it's a BJ and also that my left brain is loaded with it's own job of keeping the RC and the TC conversions for the next bet. I associate beautiful two card hands as if they all were a BJ. Oh well, tossing out those pair of Kings made me look a little stupid. But looking a little stupid is good when you're a counter.

Another suggestion that may help you with adding your soft hands is to think of the hand as it is in it's large denomination first, i.e. ace/four is soft 15 or it is a 5. Don't think of it the way ploppies teach it at the tables, i.e. 5 or 15.

Following up on your right brain stuff. I came from the medical field and I am going to go a little off the beaten path here. There are several ways a person can improve their cognitive ability at the table. The #1 way is to make sure you body is getting the right amount of hydration it needs each day. Look it up on the web.. It is well documented that if the body doesn't get the water it needs each day the brain will begin to have problems computing basic math. They are now recommending to properly hydrate your body you need to drink your weight in ounces each day instead of the 8 oz( ie 200lbs 200oz). There is also some great vitamins that are targeted to the brain that help with memory recall. So to be a super counter you not only need to hit the books and the decks you need to make sure the day you hit the casino your in top shape just like a pro football makes sure when he hits the field he's on the top of his game.

What are the supplements. Does anybody really know?

I have noticed some days at the table my mind is significantly sharper than others.

When I first started I would constantly repeat the count in my head as if it were a mantra. This is the best way to remember the count during breaks in the action, for me at least.

Bee pollen is one. Ginko Biloba, Lecithin are others. Do a search on the web for memory vitamins. There are total supplement available and they do work. Here's what I use I pasted and copied it from the web.

Ultra Plan� Memory Nutrition Formula

$29.77

Enhance Memory & Concentration Get it all memory improvement and mental clarity with 17 memory-aiding nutrients and Ginkgo Biloba.

I find cocaine keeps my skills sharp. The more the better. If you find that makes you edgy, try tempering it with lots and lots of Valium.

I tried a web search on 'Ultra Plan' and all I could find mostly were web hosting services. Could you post for us a link please?

www.hihealth.com/shop/category.aspx?catid=1021&catuid=1020_1021

www.hihealth.com in the memory nutrition menu.

I bet you don't have a need to file a schedule C on you winnings with that nutrition formula SeaSpike. I hope your joking...

The way Stealth bomber has descibed how to recognise combinations rather than add them up, this is the solution I have been looking for as Prior to this advise I had been counting the hand I had been given in my head while trying to keep the running count then getting that confused with the cards I have been dealt.

I have written down on a piece of paper different 3 card combinations so say it is a 8,6,3 I would know by recognition that this is 17 without actually adding it up in my head. This enabling me to concentrate on the RC. Do you think I should practice 4 card combinations as well?

I am flying to the USA Thursday so I will have a good chance to practice on the plane.

Thankyou again for all your advice its really helped.

Paul

Yep...of course I was kidding! I heard someone somewhere ask once, "What does cocaine make you feel like?" To which the person asked responded "It makes me feel like I want more cocaine." Been there, done that. No thanks.

Seriously, though, I find my counting skills are sharper if I'm mildly (not heavily) caffeinated. A couple of cups of coffee and/or shots of espresso make me more alert and attentive. Of course there might be those who say this is not good advice since it's a stimulant. But hell, I'm a smoker and a red-meat eater too. You can't live forever!

I never really had that difficulty. I just began pairing off with first base ending with the dealer and then the hit cards. I never considered my hand until it was time to act. I know people that used there chips to help them when starting out by marking the TC by the clock position of the chip. My opinion ( and we know what those are like) and I could be wrong, is that you need to practice more on your counting skills so they become more like "telling time" and not "watching the clock" so to speak. This is a spot we all have been in. You should practice with the number of decks you play reguarly. I used to travel and I got a program for my Ipaq Pocket PC from Deepnet called Blackjack counter and Expert I wore them out on the plane and they were big on helping me hone my skills. Counter will count down a 6 deck shoe as fast as flashing 2 cards at you from 2.0 to .25 seconds. Great tool.

Glad to here you were kidding.

I think you should switch to KO Paul. Take a look at it.

Thanks for the idea about switching to KO Scott. I think I will do that if I don`t make an improvement on Hi-lo over the next couple of weeks. I have got the Blackjack counter for my palm from Deepnet. I learned basic strategy off by heart in a very short time using this product.

I am hoping it will do the same for my counting.

Good luck to you all.