Easiest way to keep track of cards???

Hi all,

I've been playing basic strategy for years, but have recently started keeping track of the count as I play. However, I wanted to get a better sense of how the average card counter counts. I usually play on six-deck shoes, with the cards dealt face up. Do you count each card as it is dealt, or wait until all the cards have been dealt and then count them in pairs? I generally prefer the latter, but have trouble if the dealer gets a BJ and collects all of the cards very quickly.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

until the second card comes out and then cancell out as many as I can. High card cancells out low card. This works pretty good with Hi-Lo, but can get a little more difficult if you are using halves. I also prefer sitting at first base.

until the 2 cards are out for each spot & then I add/subtract the hit cards. Got to be fast on dealer BJ

try a dealer bj in a face down pitch game, WHEW!

that can be a bitch.

to count because the dealer will start fanning out the players cards starting at 3rd base before picking them all up. You just have to remember to start counting from 3rd base and work your way to first.

The best way is a continuous running count.

The easiest way is count the cards while the dealer is settling up the bets.

Not sure how to answer your question about how the average card counter counts, but the better than average counters will keep a running count.

but the shoes are just to damn boring

and they are easier for me

slow dealers & players. everything is very fast here

to slow that game down. Be creative on how to do it!

i mean the count moves slow in 6d shoes versus pitch

usually uneventfull versus the quick swings in pitch

the quickest without being detected. I don't like to count the first card out of the shoe for everyone. As that first card is being dealt out to everyone, I'm looking around the casino, looking at my watch, stretching & yawning. Basically I want to make it obvious I'm not keeping track of the cards in order to avoid suspicion. But as soon as that second card comes out at first base, I'm cancelling cards out in order to get the initial count as soon as possible. At first base I might just count the first three to four spots (including my hand) in order to handle the decisions on my hand without looking suspicious. Then I'll catch up on the initial count of the remaining cards on the table after my hands settled. Of course after counting and cancelling the initial cards on the table, I adjust the count for each card coming out of the shoe.

Bob

That's basically what I've tried to do, but I just wanted a reality check with what other counters are doing.

Thanks.

returning your count to 0 or IRC on every shuffle, so pitch changes more often than shoes

it does not normally do in the shoe game

i have had other players wong out because of a negative count only to have it shot up quickly

also S-T-ing pitch is an easier proposition, as well as dealer error and HC-play