I have a question regarding card counting. I am in the process of learning how to do that now, but I was wondering: what happens if I lose count or get distracted?
Is there any technique that could keep me/get me back on track?
First of all, before we conclude a player is "ready" for casino action we require them to shuffle a deck of cards, remove 2 cards without seeing them and count down the remaining cards in less than 30 second and then provide the count of the two missing cards. If you can do this five times in a row without error then your counting skill is ready to go to the casino. There are other test for playing ability and keeping the count while playing. So, I would be certain that my skill level is at least this good before attempting in a casino. This is also a good "warm up" before going out to play.
If you are a skilled counter then determining what to do when you lose a count is rather simple. If you missed one or two cards then assume they were high cards and proceed. If you lost more or the entire count then wong out of the game and re-enter at a new shoe or flat bet at minimum until the shoe ends. There are some instances where you can infer enough information about the count to salvage a positive situation. One might be that the count is so high or low that missing a card or two is not relevant to the play.
I don't think you can get "back on track" you just need to minimize the risk until you reach a new starting point.
As a tip, if you are in the middle of a shoe and someone is about to distract you then use some chips as a memory aid for the count. Then you can go offline and reenter with an accurate count. Remember this does not work long if the game is proceeding without you.
Losing the count is not only caused by distractions but also by fatigue. You are burning up a lot of brain cells in those marathon sessions so be aware. Most of my occurrences of losing the count have happened after several hours in a day in several casinos. Who said card counters are not athletes! LOL Seriously, it is very draining to do this for long periods of time. PLAY WELL RESTED!