Does counting ever become virtually effortless?

[TAGR]

I have been training for the last 8 months or so and while I'm ready for play in the casino, I still need to be in a state of intense concentration to keep up.

For the experienced counters on here, does counting ever become second nature to where it's pretty much effortless and you can mess around, talk with other players, talk to pit boss, etc. while also keeping up with the count?

[Old, but not dead]

It does quickly become easier with actual play. I would recommend when starting actual casino play to just worry about the running count for the first few sessions, and just play basic strategy. Once you are confident that you are not missing any cards, or dropping the count when the waitress or pit critter arrives at your table, then add deck estimation and TC. Then work on your betting ramps. Then add indices. Then add more indices. Then consider adding side-counts or going to a higher level count. Don't try and sit down and play Hi-Opt II with multiple side-counts on your first session. Work your way up and it will be easy. Try and do too much the first time and it may well be overwhelming.

[ZeeBabar]

[QUOTE=Then consider adding side-counts or going to a higher level count. Don't try and sit down and play Hi-Opt II with multiple side-counts on your first session. Work your way up and it will be easy. Try and do too much the first time and it may well be overwhelming.[/QUOTE]

Is this not good enough to start a count debate? Should people be ditching their HiLo, Reko, others?

[PinkChip]

It does quickly become easier with actual play. I would recommend when starting actual casino play to just worry about the running count for the first few sessions, and just play basic strategy. Once you are confident that you are not missing any cards, or dropping the count when the waitress or pit critter arrives at your table, then add deck estimation and TC. Then work on your betting ramps. Then add indices. Then add more indices. Then consider adding side-counts or going to a higher level count. Don't try and sit down and play Hi-Opt II with multiple side-counts on your first session. Work your way up and it will be easy. Try and do too much the first time and it may well be overwhelming.

I would strongly recommend to omit deck estimation and TC, side counts and "more indices". He is a novice counter (like me) and it is sufficient to use an unbalanced count like KO or REKO with no or few indices at start. Can't understand why pro or semi-pro players nowadays still insist on balanced counts with lots of indices like during the 1970s, and even recommend this to beginners, although KO has long been proven to be in a par with Hi-Lo.

He has enough problems keeping the RC and I understand why. For instance, it is for complex hands like split or soft hands tedious to keep and update the correct RC whilst checking the quickly changing player or dealer hand totals. Let alone to simultaneously have a conversation with staff or other players.

[Stealth]

Yes

[Norm]

The problem comes when you get to the point you can't see license plates or anything else with numbers without counting them.

[ummagumma]

The problem comes when you get to the point you can't see license plates or anything else with numbers without counting them.

Too true. I play rummy and watch a deal of poker on TV and can never get away without counting the cards or seeing great blackjack hands right from the get go....

[21forme]

Yes. I've been doing this a long time and can count and carry on a coherent conversation at the same time. I can count down 2 tables simultaneously. It gets difficult for me to count 2 tables simultaneously while maintaining a side count.

[ferenc11]

yes

[ZeeBabar]

yes

Yes? Yes what? Yes, its time for a count debate or yes, we should change to a higher level count?

[krly]

ZeeBabar, today is the day you decide to become a PRO card counter----Knowing everything you now know.....what would be your step-by-step to achieve your goal?

[GMass]

You'll realize it's "clicked" when you're driving home still repeating in your mind the last count you walked away from.

[Meistro123]

Yes, which is good because it leaves you the mental time to double check hand totals (to see if the dealer made an adding mistake), calculate the true count, carry on casual conversations, and plan your next bet.