Advancing my skills

dj56

Active Member
#1
I am getting pretty good at counting I've been using the KISS III count and I can count 1 deck in 47-49sec. What should I do to keep advancing my skills?
 

ChefJJ

Well-Known Member
#2
My opinion:

Get through the deck quicker, but more importantly, learn to count pairs or sets of cards to get the hang of cancellation...this is what you'll be doing at the table rather than counting down a deck straight. But counting down quickly is a good foundation.

Finally, before you get into your casino trips heavily, simulate your play...either via a good simulator (e.g. Casino Verite) or by dealing out a casino-like game on a table.

good luck
 

dj56

Active Member
#3
Cancellation like say dealt out one hand has K5 second person has A3 and the third has JQ and dealer is showing a 6. like the first 2 hands would cancel out each other the third would minus 2 and dealer add 1. Right?
 

itakeyourmoney

Well-Known Member
#4
dj56 said:
I am getting pretty good at counting I've been using the KISS III count and I can count 1 deck in 47-49sec. What should I do to keep advancing my skills?
I recall reading that you should be able to go through a deck in about 20-25 seconds -- I was barely able to flip through the cards (not even trying to count) in that amount of time. Nevertheless, 49 seconds is WAY too slow, keep practicing that.
 

shark

Active Member
#5
Keep working on counting down your deck, should be less than 30 seconds. But, more importantly is actual play. Counting down a deck one card at a time has a much different feel than dealt hands that are played, so make sure you work in a live-type practice environment too.
 

ChefJJ

Well-Known Member
#6
dj56 said:
Cancellation like say dealt out one hand has K5 second person has A3 and the third has JQ and dealer is showing a 6. like the first 2 hands would cancel out each other the third would minus 2 and dealer add 1. Right?
Exactly. Of course, cancellation depends on the counting system you plan to use as well. This is good preparation that should lead you into working at simulated play.

good luck
 

bjtocki

Well-Known Member
#7
dj56 said:
I am getting pretty good at counting I've been using the KISS III count and I can count 1 deck in 47-49sec. What should I do to keep advancing my skills?
I think 47-49 is too slow, should be at least around 30sec for quick dealers and 40sec for slow dealers. When I started and have been practicing intensively for 4 months, I was able to reach up to 16 seconds, but after hitting the casinos, I found out 40 is probably enough for most of the games, using cancellation.

But I think the best way to practice it is buying a 4 or 6 deck shoe, simulate the dealer playing 2 or 3 hands to yourself, it is much more effective because it's quite different from counting a single deck.

A tip about quick counting is, specially for high counts over +21, don't say "t-wen-ty-one" instead read as "two-one", for zero don't say "ze-ro" just say "o". For minus counts, don't say "minus one" just say "mi-one", etc. It really does help to speed it up. If you have trouble with negative numbers, then 0 will be 100, so if the running count is -3, you say 97, if it's -10, it's 90, if it's positive count like +5 just say "five" instead of "hundred and five" this also speeds it up for negative counts, for example for running count -21 instead of saying "mi-two-one" just say "se-nine" for 79 where "se" stands for "seven", it's much quicker, hope it makes sense.

Of course, you have to count in your mind only, not using your mouth...
 
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dj56

Active Member
#8
its summer so I dont have classes right now and i work early so ive been practicing alot ive got to the point where for 1 deck it takes me right at 32-33sec, now and am starting to practice the 6 deck game with cancellation using the KISS III.
 

bjtocki

Well-Known Member
#9
dj56 said:
its summer so I dont have classes right now and i work early so ive been practicing alot ive got to the point where for 1 deck it takes me right at 32-33sec, now and am starting to practice the 6 deck game with cancellation using the KISS III.
Forgot to mention that in your case 32-33sec is only good if you are able to do so by watching TV, talking to somebody, drink and eat snack at the same time, while being able to retain the running count on your mind... and needs some acting so you won't appear thinking too hard on counting... because it's not hard to spot newbies in casinos, :grin:
 

dj56

Active Member
#10
I have been trying stuff like that, I usually have my tv on and I tell my fiance to talk to me about the book shes reading and ask me stuff so hopefully when I do go to the casino again it wont look like im counting. I havent tried eating anything when counting that would be hard flipping the cards with one hand and holding the deck with the other. but keep the suggestions coming I want to get as good as possible and with the stuff ive read and been practicing so far I can see a big improvement already.
 
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