---
title: 'Card Counting Speed Test (1x to 2x) — Where Are YOU?'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=MQu_Ip1qmFI'
video_id: 'MQu_Ip1qmFI'
date: 2026-08-13
duration_sec: 1373
channel: 'A1 Blackjack'
---

# Card Counting Speed Test (1x to 2x) — Where Are YOU?

> Source: [Card Counting Speed Test (1x to 2x) — Where Are YOU?](https://youtube.com/watch?v=MQu_Ip1qmFI)

## Summary

This video is a practical demonstration of card counting in double-deck blackjack, where the host plays through multiple shoes at increasing playback speeds (1x to 2x) to test counting accuracy and bet spread execution. It shows real-time counting, bet spreading, and variance management, ending with a small loss but emphasizing the long-term edge of card counting.

### Key Points

- **Setup and Bet Spread** [00:01] — The video uses a double-deck game with a bet spread shown on screen, starting with one spot and potentially spreading to two spots when the count is high. The host mentions using payouts for the card counter but not for other players.
- **Speed Progression** [00:27] — The video progresses through speeds: 1x, 1.25x, 1.5x, 1.75x, and 2x. As speed increases, the host removes some spots to focus on fewer hands.
- **Cut Card Placement** [01:23] — The host explains that 31 cards are behind the cut card (1.4 decks played, 6 cards cut off). This is a common cut for double-deck games, and the host counts out the 31 cards to set up the shoe.
- **First Shoe Verification** [05:42] — After the first shoe, the host verifies the count: the running count was +3, and the remaining cards (including burn card) should sum to -3 to balance to zero. This confirms counting accuracy.
- **Second Shoe with Negative Count** [09:44] — The count was very negative (-11). The host verifies the remaining cards sum to +11, confirming accuracy. The shoe had many blackjacks.
- **Reducing Spots at Higher Speed** [10:29] — At 1.5x speed, the host removes one spot, playing only three spots, with the option to split to two spots (four total) if the count is high.
- **Variance and Bet Spread** [13:11] — The host discusses variance: splitting to two spots reduces variance but also reduces the number of hands played. Colin Jones is quoted on how fast you can play your hand affects the decision.
- **Third Shoe Verification** [17:14] — The count was +3, and the remaining cards summed to -3, confirming accuracy. The host notes some big bets were pushed (both 20s).
- **Chip Management** [18:05] — The host trades in $2.50 in chips for a $5 chip, showing how to manage chip tray and color up.
- **Final Shoe and Loss** [20:48] — The final shoe had a count of +12 (all small cards were hiding). The host lost about $62.50, which is not bad given the large bet spread. The host emphasizes that over the long run, placing bigger bets at advantageous counts is why card counting works.

### Conclusion

Card counting works because you place larger bets when the count is favorable, even if you lose more hands overall. The video demonstrates that accuracy and discipline are key, and losses are part of the variance.

## Transcript

chips for you over here. And uh we're going to be playing some double deck bit. Is one that you want to see more spots, which we're going to be playing with today. You want to see a bigger bet spread, which we're going to also be
faster. All right. Every time I do a video where it's like 1.5 speed or of those videos. All right. So, here it is. This is going to be kind of a mix of shoes of double deck today. I'm going use this bet spread that you see on the
screen here. And we're going to do it for this spot and if we can hopefully spread to two spots when the count allows, when it's high enough. All these guys, these three spots kind of playing along. I'm not going to be using
payouts for them. I will be using payouts for the card counter. These guys This guy's using all sorts of deviations and of course counting correctly. All right. As the video goes on and we uh get faster, we're going to start off at
one time speed. Then we'll do 1.25, one and a half, 1.75, and then two times speed. As we get faster and faster, I will probably start to take away a few focus in on these ones. Right. By the way, this is the same series that I'm
doing on my Patreon currently. So, if you want to see more videos like this, I'll put a link to down below. Otherwise, you can check out the best spread again while I get this shuffled up.
saw on the screen there come from Blackjack apprenticeship. And if you are interested um in writing your own numbers, I'll put that link down below as well. One of the numbers that you see on there is that there's 31 cards behind
our cut card or 1.4 decks that are played and 6 are cut off. So, I'm going to count out 31, which is that 6 cut off.
you're walking through the casino and you see a dealer with a handheld game with about this much cut off, that's 6 of a deck. And this is 1.4 decks that we are going to play. And when the cut card comes out, of course, we will shuffle
these spots. Starting with that bet spread that you saw earlier. We'll do spread to two spots eventually. And then I have a burn card I'll throw into our our discard tray. Ready to count. This
our discard tray. Ready to count. This is the one time speed. Let's go.
[Music] Hey,
underneath uh this card here. Let's see if our count plus or the rest of these we'll know that it comes back together to be zero. We have D1 or minus one. Um,
to be zero. We have D1 or minus one. Um, zero. One, two, one, zero. One, two, zero. One, two, one, zero. One, two, three, four, three, four, three, two, three, two, one, two, three, two, three,
and still three. So, this was plus three. We needed minus three. And so, I right, I'm going to get these shuffled up again, and we'll do it a little up again, and we'll do it a little faster next time.
All right, got the cards all shuffled up. Um, and the 31 cards put behind the cut card. Our minimum bets out there. Here's the burn card. Um, again, this is going to be a little faster. 1.25 speed. Ready? Let's count.
count there. I have a very negative. Um so again this plus the burn card should be the opposite if we are right. Let's see we have one two one two three four three four five 6 7 8
6 7 8 7 8 9 10 and 11. This was plus 11. We needed minus 11. Yeah, I thought I might have done something wrong, but yeah, minus 11 is the count that I had. So I think by
correct. A lot of black jacks in that hand as well. All right, we'll get it shuffled up and even go faster next time.
All right, once again, got my cards cut and stuff like that. The um cards behind the the burn card or the I have a burn card. The cards behind the cut card. I And let's take, since we're going to be going a little faster here, I'm going to
take this guy out. And we're only be playing with these three spots. And if the count goes high enough, we will split to two spots here, which will be four spots. Okay. Ready to count 1.5 speed. Let's go.
[Music] Hey,
hey. [Music]
[Music] Mat.
Everybody [Music] [Music] All
losing a couple bigger bets, which kind of stinks, but let's count this up. See what we got. I have one 0 1 0 D1 0 D1 D2 D1 D2 D1 0
D1 0 1 0 0 1 0 D1 D2 D3 D2 D1 D2
D3 D2 and D1 so this was minus one we needed + one and yeah I had us at plus one as Well, okay. So, two more. Again, this time I'm going to take one more off and we're just going to be playing in these
two spots for the last two rounds. Um, for the bet spread that we're using, by the way, if you do split to two spots, um, I think it's relatively I don't know kind of proven that if you're going to split to two spots with your bet spread,
you do want to have another person at the table. Um, now it's kind of a the table. Um, now it's kind of a double-edged sword sword because um your it it curbs the variance a little bit, but um obviously if that person wasn't
in one spot, you know, really fast. Some people even like to go in two spots really fast. Um I've heard Colin Jones say that it's kind of dependent on how fast you can play your your hand. And so if you're really fast at one hand, a
what makes the difference. But that's why I'm leaving this guy out here because um for the way that we play, I think it's going to help with some of think it's going to help with some of the variance.
in here. Our minimum bet. This is going to be 1.75 speed. So, let's count. to be 1.75 speed. So, let's count. [Music]
All right. had some nice big bets out there for that one, but I think we end up pushing both those 20s. So, it's how it goes sometimes. All right, our it goes sometimes. All right, our counts. We have one, two, one, two,
three, two, one, two, three, two, three, two, three, four, five, four, three, two, and three. This was plus three. We needed minus three. That's what I got.
All right. So, the last time here, it's going to be double speed or two times leave out this guy and us. And hopefully we can split to two spots. I get the card shelf up. I'll be right back with you.
next one here, I am out of two 250 cent pieces or $2.50. So, I'm going to take pieces or $2.50. So, I'm going to take these two back, trade in for a $5, put those, try to hide them back here in my chip tray. So, now you know my secret.
And anyway, five of these is a green. So, I'm just going to do a little color up there. And it'll put that there. Okay. Otherwise, our minimum bet is out here. Got a burn card. And this is going to be double speed or two times speed.
Ready to count? Got to be quick. Let's go. go. Heat. Heat.
[Music] Hey,
Um, yikes. So, let's uh count this up, see if we were right, and then we'll see if we won or lost anything today after that. All right, we got zero. One, two, three, two, three, four, three, four, five, six, 7, 6, 7, 8, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,
12, and still + 12. That's where all the little cards were hiding. And yeah, I had us at minus 12. So, I think our counts were right the whole time, which is good. Okay. And um again, before I
get these count up, if you liked this, right, where there's kind of kind of a bigger bet spreads that we didn't get a spread too much today, unfortunately. Like that last time 12 goodness. But um with double deck, that count can really
shift up and down fast. If you'd like to see more of that, please check out my access to all those videos. All right, I'm going to get these count up for us I'm going to get these count up for us and see how much we won or lost today.
Looks like we still have our 2,00. This is also in a group of 1,000. So 3,000 is also in a group of 1,000. So 3,000 4,000. This is 500 500. So 4,000 here 4,000. This is 500 500. So 4,000 here and then 100 200 3 4 5 6 7 8 900
and then 100 200 3 4 5 6 7 8 900 and then 25 35 and 3750. So um we lost and then 25 35 and 3750. So um we lost right around 60. What was that? 6250 or so. And so that's actually not too bad for playing with that big of a bet
spread. Um, and again, over the long run, we would hopefully catch more of those higher counts. And that's where we push out our bigger bets. And even though you lose more hands and you win, because you place those bigger bets at
advantageous times, that is why card counting works. So, if you are interested in more of that and about bet spreads, you can check out this video. Otherwise, until next time, this is A1 Blackjack.
Blackjack. [Music]