--- title: 'Blackjack Card Counting Practice: Speed Drills' source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=ho3osp1aqvA' video_id: 'ho3osp1aqvA' date: 2026-08-14 duration_sec: 552 channel: 'A1 Blackjack' --- # Blackjack Card Counting Practice: Speed Drills > Source: [Blackjack Card Counting Practice: Speed Drills](https://youtube.com/watch?v=ho3osp1aqvA) ## Summary This video is a blackjack card counting practice session where the host counts through a shuffled deck at decreasing time intervals (50, 40, 30, 25, and 20 seconds) to improve speed and accuracy. The host explains that faster counting frees up mental capacity for other important aspects of advantage play, such as bet sizing and table selection, and uses the Hi-Lo counting system throughout. ### Key Points - **Why Count Fast** [00:16] — Counting faster at the blackjack table frees up brain capacity for other important tasks like bet sizing, true count conversion, bankroll management, and assessing dealer speed or table changes. - **Setup and Hi-Lo System** [01:01] — The deck is shuffled, and two cards are removed to create more variety in possible counts (ranging from -2 to +2). The Hi-Lo card counting system is used. - **50-Second Practice** [01:26] — The host counts the deck in 50 seconds, achieving a running count of +2, which means the removed cards are either two high cards or a combination totaling -2. - **40-Second Practice** [02:48] — The host counts in 40 seconds, ending with a running count of 0, indicating the removed cards are either two neutral cards or a high and a low card. - **30-Second Practice** [04:08] — The host notes that 30 seconds is the maximum time most professional counters aim for, but suggests being even faster. The count ends at 0 again. - **25-Second Practice** [05:27] — The host counts in 25 seconds, again ending at 0, which is the most common result, typically from a high and a low card or two neutrals. - **20-Second Practice** [06:21] — The final timed practice is 20 seconds or less, ending with a running count of -2, meaning the removed cards are two low cards (a three and a four). - **Counting Out Loud** [07:23] — The host demonstrates counting out loud to show proficiency, ending with a side count of 1, and explains the need for a neutral and a high card to return to 0. - **Sponsor and Closing** [08:36] — The host promotes Casino Supply with code A1BJ for 10% off, and reminds viewers to remember A1 Blackjack. ### Conclusion The video provides a practical, timed practice routine for improving blackjack card counting speed, emphasizing that faster counting enhances overall advantage play. The host demonstrates consistent accuracy across various time intervals, reinforcing the importance of speed and mental efficiency. ## Transcript Alright guys, I'm back with another deck count practice video for you today. We're going to be counting through the deck in kind of increments of 10 seconds or so until we get down to about 25. We'll start at 50 seconds, 40, 30, 25, and then 20 or less. Alright, now, in the last video, I think I told you I was going to just tell you why. I never did. Why do we want to count fast? And the idea isn't just, oh, I want to count fast just because I'm better than you. No, it's because if we can count faster at the blackjack table when we're playing advantage blackjack, that's going to free up our mind, kind of free up that brain capacity for other things that might be more important, like putting out the correct amount of bets or something with the true count, or working on bankroll management type things. Maybe you have to kind of, in the back of your head, you're keeping a count, but you're also wondering, is that dealer, are they having fast rounds per hour, or is it slow? Should I jump to the other table? things like that that might be a little bit more important that can get you more easy. All right, these are already shuffled up. Let's take out two cards. I think that's what I did last time. This gives us a little bit more variety as to what those counts could possibly be. Remember, we used high-low card counting, and so because of that, these two could either be worth minus 2, minus 1, 0, 1, or 2. So we have kind of five possibilities as opposed to just three if I were to take out one card. All right. starting with about 50 seconds, 5-0 seconds or so. Let me hit start. It's upside down for me, so hopefully you can see it. And go. Thank you All right right at 50 seconds and I have a set account of plus two which means that together these three worth minus two, or we need two high cards, ten value cards, or aces. Yeah, and there are two queens. Ooh, nice. Two red queens. Okay, so I'll get these shuffled back up for us and then we'll try 40 seconds. Alright, those are all shuffled. Let's take out two cards again. We'll go those two this time. And we'll try to count right at 40 seconds. Hopefully you can progress this far in the video. Reset and go. Thank you. Alright, right at 40 seconds that time. This time, I have us at a count that, well, first off, what's your count? I have us at zero. So, we either need two neutral cards or a high and a low. And, yeah, we have a high card and a low card there, which, again, gets us back to zero. Alright, this time, 30 seconds. This is kind of the max time that most pros go for. I would suggest being even faster, but anyway, we'll try 30 seconds here. All right. I think three ripples is enough, some cuts, and then take out two cards. All right. Put those underneath. Let go chip That fun And 30 seconds it ready reset it ready get set and count Alright, a little fast. Again, I have us at zero. And so, same thing as last time. Yeah, we have a high card and a low card. Alright, reset that. Let's go 25 seconds this time. Alright, take out two cards here, put those underneath a poker chip, and then 25 seconds. Ready, let's go. Okay, a little bit shy there of 25. I have us at zero once more, so that's probably the most common. You should probably get a high and a low most times, or two neutrals. And it was. So, yeah, a high card and a low card. All right. Now, the last one is going to be 20 seconds or less. so I'll reset that to be shuffle up all right this is gonna be pretty quick here so let's take out oops not three just two put those back together and are you ready Get set and go And go All right. I was at D2, or minus 2. So we need two low cards this time. and yeah we have a three and a four right at 20 seconds that's perfect all right and then just so you know I actually know what I'm talking about I'm gonna count out loud I'll try to go as fast as I can here I like to end all these all right might not be as fast as this is pointed towards you but that's fine usually I have it pointed towards me and it's easier for me to hit start I got two cards. $5 trip that time. Alright, put those back together as fast as I can counting out loud. Let's go. 1 0 D 1 0 1 2 3 2 3 4 3 2 1 0 D 1 D 2 D 1 0 1 2 3 2 3 4 5 6 7 6 5 6 5 4 3 3, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, 1. All right, I have a side account of 1. And so I finally have a neutral card, hopefully, in here. I need a neutral and a high card to get back to 0. Neutral and a high card. All right, guys, hopefully you liked this video. 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