Blackjack Card Counting Tips
Counting cards is used to give a player an edge over the casino. Contrary to popular belief, counting cards is not that difficult to master.
Card counting is one of the great skills that can be mastered when playing blackjack and it can greatly increase the chances of winning. While some players think that counting cards is almost impossible, there are some easy ways to begin and these are covered with the following tips. One thing to remember is that card counting is frowned upon by gambling establishment, so players may also want to take some time to learn how to hide these skills after they are learned.
Tips on How to Count Cards
Counting Cards in Blackjack Running Count and True Count. Keeping a track of the numbers of cards that have been dealt is what is commercially known. Strategies Used. As mentioned, as the number of the card values dealt gets higher, the player knows there are more high. Advanced Strategies. Card counting systems have three levels of complexity. The simplest systems are Hi-Lo Counts. You count low cards as +1 and high cards as -1. The higher the count, the bigger the proportion of. Employ the Wong Halves card counting strategy. When using the Wong Halves counting method, the 3, 4, and 6 cards are valued at +1, the 2 and 7 cards are valued as +0.5, and the 5 is worth +1.5. All 8s are 0, 9 is valued at -0.5, and all Ace and face cards are valued as -1.
1. Always take time to review and choose the right card counting system. For beginners, the KO and Hi-Lo systems are great since they are a bit less complex. As players gain more confidence and can master these systems, they can start to use more advanced systems for better results.
2. Start with small stakes. When learning how to count cards, it is better to do this while only risking a small amount when playing. Start with $5 games or even lower if they are available and practice skills with these games. Once basic card counting skills are developed and mastered, try them with games for higher stakes.
3. Keep an eye on the bankroll. Most players will not have a good idea of how much money they will need to survive as a card counter. There will be plenty of losing hands, so make sure the bankroll can support the games that are being played.
4. Master the Hi-Lo Strategy of counting. With this, cards that have a value between 2 and 6 will be counted as 1. Cards between 7 and 9 have no value. Cards worth ten have -1 and aces also have a value of -1. Start with 0 and count the values to determine the possibility of the next card being hi or low.
5. Using the Hi-Lo strategy, increase bets when the count is positive, +2 or better. The higher the count, the more players should bet on the game. When the value is a high number, this means that more high valued cards are left in the deck.
6. Consider both cards in the hand. If one is holding a Jack and a 4, the values are -1 and +1, which will cancel each other out. This does not matter much as counting cards has everything to do with remembering the tally and being able to do it with speed and accuracy.
7. Hide the ability to count cards. Many card counters are known for playing the game for hours on end with no breaks. It is important to blend in, so act like a tourist or a general beginner when taking a seat at the table.
8. If there is a need to increase the bet, it is better to let the current bet rise. Most live dealers are trained to shuffle the deck when there is a suspicious increase of betting at the table. Only increase bets in small increments and at random to avoid suspicion.
9. Keep it fun and have realistic expectations. Even though card counting can improve the chances of winning, there is never a guarantee.
10. Do not rely on card counting to be the ticket to winning. However, when used properly, especially with the Hi-Lo system, players will improve their game and make better decisions based on cards already played.
In Conclusion
These tips will not make any player a professional blackjack player, but they do provide a baseline for getting started with card counting. With a bit of practice and some knowledge, any player can successfully count cards and enjoy more winning hands.
Read Also:
How to Hide Card Counting
Betting Systems for Baccarat
Counting cards in blackjack is a technique used to give the player an advantage over the casino. And unlike the card counters depicted in Hollywood movies, you do not need to be a math genius from MIT or the Rain Man to count cards. There are several systems of counting cards used by the pros, and they range from basic card counting to more advanced counting systems. Like any system, practice makes perfect.
Wait. Isn’t Counting Cards Illegal?
Card counting is not technically illegal unless you are using a card-counting device of some kind. However, card counting in blackjack is frowned upon by casino owners for the simple reason that the strategy leaves the casino with a very slim edge to win against the player, unlike casino games that rely on luck only, like slot games. Gamblers who play blackjack using card counting systems are known to win consistently at casinos and their success is attributed to this strategy. You can also practice counting cards by playing blackjack online.
The important thing to remember is that casinos have to the right to ask any player to leave the casino at any time, for any reason. They don’t have to tell you that they suspect you of counting cards, they will just ask you to leave. But don’t worry, you won’t get roughed up like you see in the movies. But don’t be obvious when counting cards if you do choose to do so, and politely leave the premises if the casino staff asks you to.
Also, it is not advised to engage in card counting in casinos where you do not have the same legal rights you normally would, like a tribal casino. Since a tribal casino is located on tribal land, it is not subject to the same laws as the state where it is located. Simply stated: you can’t sue them if, while being escorted out of the casino for suspected card counting, you “accidentally trip and fall into a hard object.”
So Why Doesn’t Everyone Count Cards While Playing Blackjack?
Even if people aren’t afraid of being bounced from the casino by muscular thugs, there are several reasons why blackjack card counting is not widespread. The reasons range from the obvious to the sublime:
- The casino has methods of detecting card counters, including video surveillance.
- Blackjack dealers often use multiple decks, making it more difficult to count cards.
- A casino pit boss can order a change of dealers and a re-shuffling of the cards.
- Most people don’t know enough about blackjack betting to grasp card counting.
Thanks. Show Me How to Count Cards, Please.
How To Card Counting Blackjack
Before you begin learning how to count cards in blackjack, it’s best to review a good blackjack game guide to make sure you fully understand the game. Once you are confident in your blackjack skills, you can try some basic blackjack card counting.
Blackjack card counting systems range from the simple to the complex, and follow a system of ascribing a positive, negative or a null value to each card.
Players maintain a running count of the cards, adding or subtracting as they appear. The count keeps track of the cards that have been played. The running count also reflects the value of the cards that have not been played. A higher count denotes the presence of aces and the high value cards in the pack, and gives the player an advantage.
Conversely, a negative count reflects the presence of low value of cards yet to be played. This would be to the casino’s advantage.
The Hi-Lo Card Counting System
A number of blackjack card counting systems are in use, but the Hi-Lo system is most commonly adopted by players. It assigns all cards between 2 and 6 a value of +1, and face cards and 10 a value of -1. Cards 7, 8 and 9 are null, valued at 0. The idea of the Hi-Lo system is to keep track of each and every card dealt during a blackjack round and assign them a value.
You do not need to remember the value of each card; just add and subtract the values continuously to get the ‘running count.’ The idea behind this method of counting cards is to get the running value of the cards that remain in the deck. When you determine whether or not the dealer is holding high cards or low cards, this is when you bet high or low.
Advanced Card Counting Systems
More advanced blackjack card counting systems like the Zen Count are fine-tuned to give players a higher level of accuracy and you can try them here at CoolCat Casino. Values of +2, -2 are given instead, with a separate side count of the aces being maintained by seasoned players.
Blackjack card counting needs plenty of practice and an understanding of the technique. Devised by Dr. Edward O. Thorp in 1962, an American mathematician, blackjack card counting has ensured that blackjack players always have the upper hand!