Card Counting Technique

[maddencutter]

What have you found to work best as far as actually counting the cards?

Do you count one by one as they are dealt? I am still mastering card counting, and I try to update my count after each entire hand is played. Where I have trouble on occasion is when playing my own hand, and I get a 5 or 6 card hand, you know, an ace or two and a bunch of 2s and 3s. Especially if it's a bust, and it's swept away quickly. It's hard to focus on playing the hand correctly and counting at the same time, and aces make it more difficult.

Any suggestions?

 

[kewljason]

What have you found to work best as far as actually counting the cards?

Do you count one by one as they are dealt? I am still mastering card counting, and I try to update my count after each entire hand is played. Where I have trouble on occasion is when playing my own hand, and I get a 5 or 6 card hand, you know, an ace or two and a bunch of 2s and 3s. Especially if it's a bust, and it's swept away quickly. It's hard to focus on playing the hand correctly and counting at the same time, and aces make it more difficult.

Any suggestions?

Counting each card as dealt isn't the greatest of ideas, especially if you are turning your head as each card is dealt. Kind of a dead give-away. I personally use the few seconds that the dealer is dealing to do almost anything other than look at the table. Look at the ball game on a nearby TV, take note of what is happening in my surroundings and/or in the pit or check out and maybe pick up the count on a neighboring table. As the dealer dealts the last of the second cards, I glance at the table and quickly pick up the count, mostly cancelling cards. As each player plays out there hand it is ok to look at the cards as that is a much more natural thing. Almost everyone at the table is looking at the player playing out his hand.

 

[Sonny]

Wait until the dealer has given everyone their first 2 cards and do a quick scan of the table to get the count. Then count each hit/split card as they are dealt. Here is some info from the Frequently Asked Questions thread:

Q: Should I count the cards one at a time or in pairs?
A: You should practice counting the cards in pairs and in groups of three. You will be able to count much faster and easier since most cards will cancel out.

http://www.blackjackinfo.com/bb/showthread.php?t=10616
http://www.blackjackinfo.com/bb/showthread.php?t=5201
http://www.blackjackinfo.com/bb/showthread.php?t=9392
http://www.blackjackinfo.com/bb/showthread.php?t=9518

-Sonny-

 

[NightStalker]

try hand count

update your count for every hand-2+cards...
Sometimes I combined 2-3hands if they cancel each other..


It's all about whatever you are more comfortable with.. There are pros who count card by card-esp using higher level counts..

 

[creeping panther]

madden

What have you found to work best as far as actually counting the cards?

Do you count one by one as they are dealt? I am still mastering card counting, and I try to update my count after each entire hand is played. Where I have trouble on occasion is when playing my own hand, and I get a 5 or 6 card hand, you know, an ace or two and a bunch of 2s and 3s. Especially if it's a bust, and it's swept away quickly. It's hard to focus on playing the hand correctly and counting at the same time, and aces make it more difficult.

Any suggestions?

Practice alot, play alot, use cancellation techniques and a few others I will not mention. If you get confused revert to basic for that shoe, slipper, and keep on counting as it is the basis for all other advantage play, just about.

And do not stare at the cards, look around, check out the people etc. develope fine peripheral vision.

Have fun.

CP

 

[maddencutter]

So I got to play today, and I was counting hand by hand. Only problem I had was when the dealer had blackjack, you gotta count em' all fast, and I ruined my entire count a couple times that way. Works great all the other times, count as people play....

Then I tried card by card. That is nice because after the deal, you only have to worry about hit cards. However, I can see if you were sitting at the middle of the table, watching every card dealt, you would not look casual.

 

[Harry1941]

I waite until each player has two cards, and then I start counting. I do the ones that cancel each other out first.

Harry

 

[BillytheBJkid]

Just count em! don't matter how.