Blackjack Card Counting - Basics
Any player regardless of what he says he wants from the game truly hopes for winning big. As you know, there is no method to eliminate the casino edge; even basic strategy cannot do that. Therefore, players who wanted to win more decided they needed a stronger tool against casinos. Card counting is the only legal method to reduce house edge and to feel more confident in the casino.
What is Card Counting?
Card counting is a system of keeping track of dealt cards in the game in order to find when the deck favors the dealer and when the player has higher odds. The odds are determined by the number the counter keeps in his mind. This number is found by adding or subtracting a definite number to a starting count of zero as the cards are dealt on the table.
The player determines the odds in the game and can vary his bet, betting more when the deck has high player odds and betting less when the deck favors the house.
Values of Cards
To keep track and count dealt cards in blackjack game all the cards in the deck have particular values which are different from the traditional values used for counting the hand total. So, the blackjack card counters use the following values of cards:
count as +1
count as 0
count as -1
Card Counting in Action
Let’s consider an example of a real blackjack game and count cards as they are dealt.
In the example above you can see two players at a blackjack table. The cards are dealt and the counter starts counting in his mind.
The first cards are:
If you look at the section Values of Cards above, you will see the values of each card. All you have to do is to add them to have number you need.
1+0−1+0+0 = 0
The game goes on and the players are now to choose from the available options.
The player on the first base stands and takes no more cards. The player on the second base, splits and gets a 9 and an Ace. The dealer reveals the hole card and has a total of 17. The new cards here are:
Now we add the value of these cards to the count we had before.
0+0−1−1 = −2
The overall count for this game now is -2.
This count means that mostly all high cards have been dealt and now the deck is full of small cards, which favors the dealer. The counter will most probably decrease his bet and play the game with smaller risk.
The game goes on and the next hands are dealt. The counter now keeps on counting the cards proceeding from the number he had on the previous game (-2).
However, this сount can be applied only when the game is played with 1 deck of cards and is called a Running count. Due to the fact the running count is used only for the game with one deck and the results would not be precise if used in the game with more decks, the system is called an Unbalanced card-counting system.
Balanced vs. Unbalanced Count
Unbalanced card-counting system – is a system that uses the count of a cards one by one as they are dealt and is used in a 1-deck blackjack game.
Balanced card-counting system – is a system that applies the method of Unbalanced count and modifies it according to the number of decks used in the game. This method allows to find more correct result of card counting and apply it in the game.
The balanced count is most of the time viewed as the application of the Running count and converting the result into the True count.
In order to convert the Running count into True count the counter should divide the result of the running count into the number of decks left in the game.
For example, if the running count is 12, and there are 4 decks in the shoe left, the player gets a true count of 3 (12/4=3)
True count is the basic system of card counting. This method helps you choose how much and when to bet. In addition it tells you when it is better to switch from the recommendations of basic strategy and either risk or surrender.
What do I do with the result of the count?
Remember that positive count tells you it's time to bet more as high cards are in the deck. In general, when the true count is higher than 4 you should know that there are lots of high cards in the deck and you should bet more and be careful when you hit. However, this rule may vary for different number of decks and no one is qualified enough as to tell you when to risk and when not to.
The most difficult part in this count is to predict the quantity of decks of cards left.
In order to find out more about the average results of the count and how often this or that outcome may occur, you may proceed to the tables with generated hands for a game with One, Four, Six or Eight decks of cards.
Getting the Edge
Card counting is based on the fact that when the deck is full of high cards, it has a big advantage for the player and when the deck is full of small cards it is good for the dealer. When the deck favors you, you are to make bigger bets and to make smaller ones when it is good for the dealer.
This is because the dealer has to take cards when he has 16 whereas you can stop any time you wish and not risk busting when the deck has lots of 10 cards. Likewise, the deck is for the dealer when is full of small cards as he is less likely to bust when he hits.
Needless to say card counting requires much practice, but when you do, the correct use of this technique may give you 2% edge over the casino.
Advanced counting systems
Best books on Card Counting
- Standford Wong — Professional Blackjack (High/Low Strategy)
- Ken Uston — Million Dollar Blackjack (Plus/Minus Strategy)
- Arnold Snyder — Blackbelt in Blackjack
