I've been playing daily at my local casino for the past two months now. Counting cards again after a long hiatus.

I'm using Hi-Lo with the I-18, +4 other indexes, + 5 surrender indexes.
I have access to a 6 Deck shoe game and can manage to estimate in half deck increments.

At this point RC/TC are not quite second nature...it requires some effort/concentration, but it is in no way strenuous.

From the research I've done, it seems that mastering Hi-Opt II w/ASC, full indexes would be the optimal long term goal.

This involves:

1. Learning to estimate within 1/4 deck
2. Learning to ASC
3. Mastering the Hi-Opt II count
4. Mastering the Hi-Opt II indexes


Any feedback from the community would be appreciated about the worthiness/practicality of this goal; as well as advice on how best to tackle the learning process step by step.

I can also see value in keeping things simple: aiming to get to the point where it requires no effort whatsoever and then just working on cover.. From other things I've mastered in life, I know that within another few months, I'll be counting/deviating with my current method at a subconscious level with zero effort.

Thanks in advance for any advice.
Cheers.