Blackjack Card Counting

Blackjack is a game of skill that encourages players to have fun while trying to outwit each other or the dealer. To win, players must employ a series of techniques. Of the various blackjack techniques, card counting remains the most popular. This is a technique that many players used to win big from casinos. It is so efficient that many casinos termed it illegal.

Basic Blackjack Rules and Strategy

To better understand the card counting technique, you need to understand the game of blackjack. It is only through knowledge of the basic strategy that you can win at casinos. Card counting only helps you make informed choices. Unlike most other casino games (that are based on independent events), blackjack is based on dependent events. Past events influence the outcome of future events.

In a blackjack game, you are playing against the dealer. To win, you have to score a number higher than that of the dealer, equal to 21 or closer to 21 than the dealer. You also win if your cards equal 21 before the dealer’s own does. Face cards like J, Q and K have a value of 10 while Ace cards have a value pf 1 or 11 depending on the situation. You lose when the dealer reaches the 21 mark before you or your cards are further from 21 than the dealer.

Card Counting Technique in Blackjacks

The blackjack card counting technique works with placing value on the cards. Most card counters use the hi-lo technique. Cards high numbers will help you reach the “21” mark quickly than low cards. To this effect, card counters assign a positive value to low cards and negative value to high cards. These figures serve as a warning. When the dealer deals a high card, it means that there is one less high card on the deck. The same applies to the low cards.

The player assigns a value of +1 to low end cards and -1 to high end cards. As the croupier deals the cards, the card counter adds the values (+1 and -1) together. After the card is dealt, the player will have an idea if the cards left are low cards or high cards. If the value is positive, it means the cards left are most likely high cards. The value obtained from this case is the “running count.”

To obtain the true count, card counters divide the running count by the number of decks left. If the running count is 9 and you have 2 decks of cards left, you simply divide 9 by 2. This will give you a value of 4.5. Your true count is 4 as decimals do not apply in card counting. To apply the blackjack card counting technique, you stake high when the count is positive and stake little or nothing when the count is negative.

Does Card Counting Still Work

Yes, the blackjack card counting technique still works at land-based casinos. However, casinos are implementing house rules to make card counting even more difficult. One of such is the use of multiple decks of cards. Casinos also forbid blackjacks from playing as a team. Many blackjacks are currently investigated for card counting.

Card counting barely works at online casinos. The software reshuffles the card after dealing each hand.