Counting

I am a beginner to counting and was hoping I could get some advice from the expertise on this forum. I really enjoy the questions and responses I've seen. I am using KO presently, I feel HI-LO with true count conversion and ace side count would fry my brains. What are some ways to speed up my time counting? I count a deck in about 35 sec's., I saw a post recently some one counts in 13 sec's(thats ungodly)I can barely get a deck of cards out of my hands in less then
20-25 sec's. I'd like to hear how some of you guys practiced and what helped ya'll!(sorry I'm from Texas)Also from the experienced I'd like to see if I can get a feel for how fast you need to be to implement a counting strategy. Your comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

To build your speed, you must learn to eliminate combinations that cancel each other out. Also watch for two hands on the table that cancel one another like K,K vs. 6,7,8. While I consider myself slow at counting, I rarely have any trouble in the casino, except for when a lightning fast dealer scoops up a busted hand before I can see it. For this, it helps to know your card faces from all views, because you may only catch a split-second glimpse of an upside-down 9 as it is whisked away to the discard tray. Study your pips, too, it may come in handy someday.

Continue to work on your speed, but spend as much time learning your indicies.

Sentry

Sentry is right...look for combinations that cancel each other out..,

When practicing, try two cards at once, then four at once. You will find that you can get through the deck much faster...Indeed, if you are counting one card at a time, most of the time is wasted just turning over the cards in your hands. But your mind can process much faster than you can turn the cards.

So try it that way. You are probably better than you think!

(This little tip I learned reading "Bringing Down the House", the MIT Team story.)

it's easier and more productive than manual cards, especially muti deck. When you see cards in groups and the computer is dealing them, it's a lot easier to get 13 secs for one deck.

I had the same problem, until one day I just timed how long it took to turn the cards over as fast as I could. Takes me over 20sec just to turn the cards over. It finally dawned on me that their turning the deck face up to count at those speeds. My time droped dramatically when I tried it.

Personally I've found eye exercises have improved my counting accuracy more than gaining count speed.

I can get through a deck in 28 Seconds Dealing them one by one comming from the deck face down then being fliped, using Hi-Lo. Ive been counting for about 1 1/2 weeks.

Subtitled: "How a team of six M.I.T. students took the casinos for millions." Should be a sequel follow-up subtitled "How they gave it all back without a great deal of difficulty."

Here Here, I'm with you man. Those M.I.T. guys are highly
overrated. Typically when you see a television program like
that it is for entertainment pourposes only. It generally
has no basis or value for real life play.

lol well I have only done a 13 second deck maybe twice, but I can do acurately do a deck basically every time in 15-17 seconds.

I started counting about a month or 2 ago and have never even done it in a casino... just played with cards once in a while and on internet games.

It just takes practise I guess.

-jj

ps: the only way I can get through a deck that fast is by placing the deck face up in my right hand and chopping into my left palm grabbing one card at a time with my thumb.

Have been counting cards almost 2 years, still consider myself new to this world after reading all the posts from the veterans.

I found that I could count down a deck as fast as I could flip them. the problem was that I am not coordinated enough to flip the deck (By 2) in under 30 seconds. I could flip them onto the table in less time, but when praticing on say the train for instance, I have to flip the cards back into the bottom of the deck I am holding.

What worked for me, and is only a suggestion, is that I bought a deck of really cheap cards, the kind that are a bit smaller than regular playing cards, and I was then able to speed up my flipping.

BigDawg the best way i know of to increase speed is to use practice charts you can make them yourself(i wrote a post on this before you can search for it using my name) i came across this idea from jady davis (australian counter)any way he says using charts is the best way to increase speed ,recommends 10-12 seconds for professional(when reverting back to a real deck) might seem crazy judging by the times posted by some here but i use charts and can count down a deck in 10 secs and the bonus is they cost nothing to make.

http://www.robtougher.com/servlet/web.games.blackjack.counting.index

Best greatings from the Old Europe........

Practice practice practice.

That said, accuracy is more important then speed, speed will come over time.

Start turning 2 cards at a time and cancel, pick a goal time say 20sec, when you can do that constantly say 100 times in a row, then start turning 3 cards at a time and pick a new goal time say 16sec. Then move on to 4 cards at a time and shoot for 13sec.

Myself I find 4 cards at a time easier then 3 cards at a time.
I also like to take 1-4 cards out of a deck to use as my "check"; I use (balanced systems). Taking a few cards out I can then check and see if my total equals zero when I look at the cards I removed. When I don't remove cards I find myself seeing what cards I need to end up at zero even if there not the cards I turn over. I.e. seeing a 7 and counting it as a +1 because I am at -1 and it�s the last card.

This is just me but I think if you can count a deck down in 20sec constantly your good enough to keep up with any dealer.

Keep a deck of cards handy, I have a deck in my car and in my locker at work. Lots of times durning the day where your just waiting or wasting time you could use to practice counting.