counting question

[renegadexxxx]

Is it easier to count the cards as they are dealt out or would you wait until the hand is over and the dealer is paying the players??? seems to me it would be confusing to do it while they are dealt.... is there enough time to keep up with the count at the end?

 

[ScottH]

Is it easier to count the cards as they are dealt out or would you wait until the hand is over and the dealer is paying the players??? seems to me it would be confusing to do it while they are dealt.... is there enough time to keep up with the count at the end?

Count the cards in pairs of two as each player is getting dealt their second card. Then count each hit card as they come out.

 

[Canceler]

It's better to count the cards as they are being dealt, for two main reasons. One is that you'll want the most information you can get for playing decisions, and especially insurance decisions. The other is that if the dealer has a blackjack, and you're counting the cards as each player plays his hand, you might have a lot of cards to count in a very short time.

And yes, you've got to be quick, but there is just enough time to get it done, even if you're playing first base.

Side note: I've been playing for almost four years now, and it was just 3 or 4 months ago that I finally switched to counting the cards in the right order.

 

[person1125]

renegadexxxx

I also am new to counting. I tried to learn about 1 year ago - didn't have much success and gave up. Now I'm giving it a go again, but since I found this website I have learned a lot and would recommend to keep on reading here the ppl are very helpful.

With all that said I have been learning to count when the second card is dealt as supercool recommends. At home I have 4 decks to deal. What I have been doing is this: start out dealing 2 hands, so I deal 2 cards and then as i put the second card on each I do the count for those 2 hands. I keep doing this until I can do 2 hands pretty easy (at this point I'm not doing a running count just the count on the cards i have in front of me). Then increase to 3,4,etc hands until you reach 7 (since this is the max you would be playing with). Then i go back and do the running count this way. I also have been dealing a dealer up card and drilling BS on what to do.

I have been up to the casino to just watch and see how i do. After doing this drill this past week I went yesterday and noticed that it was much easier to keep count (not easy just easier than before). So you can keep up with the pace it will just take time and the money will wait.

 

[renegadexxxx]

Re

ive been drilling myself with bs and the rc for weeks now... its becoming more like second nature.... you mentioned insurance decisions.... i have kevin blackwoods book and i dont remember him ever saying to take insurance.... i figure when the tc reaches a certain number it would be wise to do so.... but at what specific tc would you bet insurrance?.... and what source (book?) was this information found?

 

[positiveEV]

ive been drilling myself with bs and the rc for weeks now... its becoming more like second nature.... you mentioned insurance decisions.... i have kevin blackwoods book and i dont remember him ever saying to take insurance.... i figure when the tc reaches a certain number it would be wise to do so.... but at what specific tc would you bet insurrance?.... and what source (book?) was this information found?

http://bjmath.com/bjmath/tcindex/i18index.htm (Archive copy)

 

[EasyRhino]

Side note: I've been playing for almost four years now, and it was just 3 or 4 months ago that I finally switched to counting the cards in the right order.

What was the wrong way, counting em as soon as you see em?

 

[supercoolmancool]

Really I don't think there is a wrong way. I know a successful counter who counts them one at a time just as they come out. I count them in pairs as the second round of cards come out.

 

[Canceler]

What was the wrong way, counting em as soon as you see em?

No, I was waiting until each player's hand was being played before counting the cards in it. At the time I was struggling to be able to count cards at the casino, it seemed easier to do it that way. Needless to say, that was bad, for the reasons I mentioned above.

 

[shadroch]

You really should learn multiple ways of counting. Get used to counting only from shoes,and you'll be lost when you encounter a good pitch game.

 

[ScottH]

Really I don't think there is a wrong way. I know a successful counter who counts them one at a time just as they come out. I count them in pairs as the second round of cards come out.

I'd say try the most recommended way of counting them as described. But if you find another way that's easier for you, like counting them one at a time, then go for it. It's really a personal decision, so just do whatever works the best for you.

The one advantage to counting them as the second card is dealt, is that you dont have to look at the table as much. As the first cards are being dealt you dont even have to look at the table. It will look like you're not watching the cards to the casino, because you aren't. It's natural to look at the cards as the second card is coming out because you want to see what hands everyone is getting.

 

[EasyRhino]

No, I was waiting until each player's hand was being played before counting the cards in it.

Yeah, that's my "backup" method if I zoned out while the cards were dealt, I can usually catch up just watching one hand at a time... this way I don't "lose" any cards that players are drawing. The one disadvantage of temporarily ignoring the table is if I'm at first base, and I wouldn't be able to take the account when playing my own hand. But in a shoe game, with fairly few indices learned this isn't an issue.

As for shifting from shoe to pitch, I was completely befuddled when I sat down in front of my first pitch games a month ago. Compared to a nice orderly shoe game, a pitch game is SHEER MADNESS!

But if you're already comfortable counting one (that's the important part), it only takes like an hour to adjust. And adjusting back to shoe only took like a minute.