Ok, here are a couple questions from a newbie. I started learning about six months ago and I'm making quite a bit of progress. I've hit the local Indian casinos for red chip practice and can keep count the majority of the time, calculate the TC, and bet properly. No indices yet, though I am using insurance when appropriate (God that is SUCH a killer feeling to hit insurance when you have a lot out there). After 35 hours of logged casino play I am down 1.4 units (last 4 hour trip I lost 40 units!!!) including what is spent on tipping. I'm not sure I have an advantage yet, but I'm pretty certain I've shaved my disadvantage considerably. Especially since I no longer drink at the tables... 
I have a couple questions based on what I know. I'm using the Omega II count (difficult for a newbie I know, but I like the challenge and won't feel the need to step up later).
1) Counting down a deck. I can currently count down a double-deck, two cards at a time in 40-45 seconds. Some people report 15 (or less!) per deck and my main book (Blackjack for Blood) says I should be at 35 before I'm truly ready. My problem is I can't flip the cards any faster and maintain any sort of organization. Can someone describe their card flipping process in more detail? I can barely hold two decks in one hand and get the first 10 cards out properly, and then if I flip too fast they end up in a messy pile and start to shift all over the place making it more difficult to keep track. Is this how I should be doing it? Do yours end up in a neat stack? Do you hold one deck and then pick up the other mid-count?
2) Calculating basic strategy, indices, and simulations. I'm not interested in "practice" programs. I'm in computers and could code my own simulations, but of course the complexity can be incredible. I already checked out SBA2000 and BRJM but the documentation was thin and I didn't make much headway. I'm planning to plow through it more this weekend to see what I can understand. It looks like the combo of SBA 2000/BJRM can do a lot for bankroll/betting management and calculating BS/indices but actually getting it to work is another matter. Am I barking up the right tree? Is this the best software for the job? (I realize this can be a bit "religious" so just opinions please!)
Thanks for your help!
I have a couple questions based on what I know. I'm using the Omega II count (difficult for a newbie I know, but I like the challenge and won't feel the need to step up later).1) Counting down a deck. I can currently count down a double-deck, two cards at a time in 40-45 seconds. Some people report 15 (or less!) per deck and my main book (Blackjack for Blood) says I should be at 35 before I'm truly ready. My problem is I can't flip the cards any faster and maintain any sort of organization. Can someone describe their card flipping process in more detail? I can barely hold two decks in one hand and get the first 10 cards out properly, and then if I flip too fast they end up in a messy pile and start to shift all over the place making it more difficult to keep track. Is this how I should be doing it? Do yours end up in a neat stack? Do you hold one deck and then pick up the other mid-count?
2) Calculating basic strategy, indices, and simulations. I'm not interested in "practice" programs. I'm in computers and could code my own simulations, but of course the complexity can be incredible. I already checked out SBA2000 and BRJM but the documentation was thin and I didn't make much headway. I'm planning to plow through it more this weekend to see what I can understand. It looks like the combo of SBA 2000/BJRM can do a lot for bankroll/betting management and calculating BS/indices but actually getting it to work is another matter. Am I barking up the right tree? Is this the best software for the job? (I realize this can be a bit "religious" so just opinions please!)
Thanks for your help!