What is so important about 25 seconds...

[Jack_Black]

To each his own cup of tea. To me it does not matter. I keep count perfectly with all the distractions going on so I must be under 30 seconds. I guess it's all right if you are trying to impress someone or are a act in a circus side show. If you are doing all you say you are slowing the game down. Maybe you should keep your head straight down at the table and never move it would maybe knock off a few seconds. It's all about the accuracy. Give me that all the time rather then warp speed. That's my take.

Not sure why I'm bothering to respond to this but.....it's about camo and blending into the casino environment. of course, I'd rather get heads up time with a dealer, but circumstances don't always lend to that. heads up time usually occurs during slow hours, giving pit and surveillance more time to watch you play. playing during busy hours, there are many more distractions and you might be able to buy some time with the pit if you can talk and keep count at the same time. Circus side show....WTF.

Please explain the correlation between real speed in a live casino vs simulated speed on a machine and accuracy.

if you can do it quickly and accurately, then you're ready for anything. my take on the 30 sec standard is that I liken it to a punching speed bag. A boxer needs to practice on a speed bag, but just having good rhythm on a speed bag is not enough to win a match.

 

[FLASH1296]

Accuracy is the crucial factor. Not speed. Speed is secondary.

Practicing counting down decks at max speed is useful because it requires concentration.

In a casino you will very often have to focus in order to block out multiple distractions.

If you cannot demonstrate near-perfect accuracy AND good speed, then you (yet) lack the requisite focus to justify investing cash.

Learn to find small chunks of spare time to reach into your pocket for that deck of cards that is your "constant companion".

I specifically suggest counting down cards face-up in groups of 2's, 3's and some 4's — grabbing these cards quickly and randomly.

Counting cards singly will leave you dependent on staring at the cards, dependent on the speed of the dealer's hands.

Leave two (2) cards uncounted — by removing them beforehand.

See if you can declare the possible hand(s) that the final two (2) cards represent.

 

[Blue Efficacy]

The point is that when you are counting down a deck, 100% of your attention is on the cards. When you are in a casino, your mind is occupied and annoyed by many things. You need to practice at a far higher rate than the cards appear in a casino.

This means you should practice in a setting where 100% of your attention is not on the cards. Such as a $5 blackjack table.

 

[FrankieT]

Have you ever been dealt playing heads up against the dealer 6 rounds in 25 seconds or less in a single hand held game I don't think so. So what is the point ?

The point is I guess that you'll be able to do it with ease no matter the interruption if you can do it in 25 seconds at home all alone. You can concentrate more on looking like a regular gambler at the casino if it takes just a couple seconds or less to count a round worth of cards.

The faster I practice at home the more at ease I become at the casino. I play with the speed jacked up to the max on casino verite and I look like i'm barely concentrating at the casino. I actually noticed that I get lazier and slower if I spend too much time at casinos even when I try to stay motivated (it's too easy compared to the way I practice).

 

[zengrifter]

The faster I practice at home the more at ease I become at the casino. I play with the speed jacked up to the max on casino verite and I look like i'm barely concentrating at the casino (cause it comes so naturally)

THAT is the need for speed.

Lawrence Revere called it "unlocking the mind." He didn't teach using flash cards, though. He developed a simple little chart of card-combos to count (its printed in PBJAAB and in the little system booklets he sold - using the chart (with my mind unlocked) I could count 6 decks in under 60 seconds.

As for two cards at a time face up/real deck, 20 seconds should be the goal. zg

 

[QFIT]

This means you should practice in a setting where 100% of your attention is not on the cards. Such as a $5 blackjack table.

And, how do you know if you are doing it correctly? The dealer isn't going to test you. And how much practice will you get? You must compress practice time. Time is money. As has been said here, over and over, the casino is slow.

When you count in a casino, you count in bursts. So, you really are counting at the fastest rate that you are capable. A counter must chat with others, and look at them when chatting. Not stare at the cards. Then quickly scan the cards and count at high speed.

 

[zengrifter]

This means you should practice in a setting where 100% of your attention is not on the cards. Such as a $5 blackjack table.

Disagree - best practice is hard-drilling with software. zg