Blackjack Card Counting Guide
Card counting is a controversial and polarizing topic among both casino players and providers. Some believe that it is not in the spirit of the game and that casinos will not treat you kindly if they find out you are trying to card count at their blackjack table.
However, there's nothing illegal about card counting, and due to the effectiveness of the strategy when executed correctly, thousands of people try to commit the basics to memory to get an incremental edge over the house. While it can be difficult to commit card counting to memory, and the risks of doing it incorrectly can result in considerable losses, many people commit dozens of hours to learning how it is done and give themselves a slight edge over the dealers and casinos.
The Foundation of Card Counting
Understanding the Deck Composition
Each deck of cards includes 52 individual cards divided into four suits of 13 cards, including clubs, diamonds, hearts and spades. To mitigate card counting, casinos have introduced several decks into their games, and online casinos use programmed algorithms to generate random cards, making card counting at an online casino virtually impossible. Each suit has a set of numbers ranging from two to 10, and jack, queen, king and ace make up the composition of the rest.
High vs. Low-Value Cards
In card counting, the roles are reversed. Lower cards (usually between two and six) are rated and categorized as +1, and anything worth 10 or more is -1. So, if a string of low cards comes out, this drives the overall figure into a higher, positive margin as the chances of getting a better hand increase.
Card Counting Methods
Some card counters believe there are dozens of effective methods, but the primary ones that the majority of people use are the high-low, KO count and Omega II strategies. Other systems implemented include Back-Counting, Shuffle Tracking, Red Seven, Zen Count and Kiss I, II and III.
The Principles of Card Counting
While casino bosses would argue that there are no principles to card counting, given that it is considered a shady area of the game, there are systems, calculations and strategies that act as a springboard to successful card counting. Let's take a look at some of the most popular:
The High-Low Strategy
By far the most popular strategy among people looking to card count is the high-low strategy. This involves earmarking an amount for two groups of cards. The numbered cards two through six all count as +1, and anything equal to 10 or above acts as -1. Theoretically, the more low cards that are dealt, the greater the opportunity to unlock a stronger hand. Dividing this number by the number of decks used in the shoe will provide you with the true count.
There is a balance between not sticking out and raising any suspicions, so some will aim higher at +4 or +5 before beginning to place their higher bets. If this count drops below -2, most card counters will surrender or move to another table.
The KO Count System
Short for the knockout count system, this strategy is popular with people due to its simplicity. It bears many similarities to the high-low system and is essentially the same as the high-low strategy. It involves applying the same sums to the same individual cards in the deck; the only critical missing ingredient is that you don't have to divide the number of decks left in the shoe.
You do need to address how many decks are in the shoe, but you use it as your starting total. For instance, if six decks are in the shoe, you start your total off at -20. Once it becomes a positive number, card counters will start doubting down on their bets and increasing their individual wagers.
The Omega II System
Of all the card counting strategies that bettors use, the Omega II system is the most challenging one to remember. It requires immense concentration during the game and follows a far more difficult principle than the KO or high-low strategy. While some components remain the same, such as putting your foot on the gas and increasing your bet when your total count is +2 or above, there's a lot more to remember. Here are the main calculations you need to remember:
- Ten = -2
- Nine = -1
- Eight and Ace = 0
- Five and Six = +2
- Two, Three and Seven = +1
The omission of the royal cards makes it slightly easier to remember, but because of the different numbers involved, it requires more concentration. If your calculations aren’t 100% accurate, you could lose a lot of money quickly; the stakes are high.
True Count Calculation
Card counters using this method will increase their bet, and they will divide the number tallied by their and the dealer's hands by the number of decks that remain in the shoe. The current running tally is divided by how many decks are still left, so if the true count is +2 or higher, then this is when card counters will up the ante and increase their wager. Depending on the strategy, the true count calculation can differ. Casinos will use methods to disrupt your true count, so you should be aware of this before trying to card count.
Advanced Card Counting Techniques
Shuffle Tracking
If you have learned the basics of card counting, shuffle tracking is an advanced way to monitor the card action within the deck. Cards clump together and can form large sections within a deck. Once the dealer compounds them, shuffle trackers will look for a string of low or high-value cards indicating where the deck currently lies.
Again, this method had more success before the emergence of online casinos and multiple decks, but for those players who can master the reading of a shuffle and where the clumping could occur — this could prove to pay off handsomely. However, not only is it a risky strategy, but it takes a long time to master, so it is best to stick to KO or high-low strategy first before learning about shuffle tracking.
Back-Counting
Back-counting or "wonging" is when a player counts the cards and decides to join the game when it becomes profitable. It is a smash-and-grab technique that can prove risky and offer solid returns. However, engaging a table without placing a bet will quickly grab the attention of pit bosses, and many casinos will stop players from joining the table when wonging is most likely to pay off.
The Art of Card Counting Execution
Initial Card Count Setup
Every card counter must commit the basic terms to memory. This includes the calculations needed to calculate each card's true count and fundamental value. If you use some of the more popular methods and are competent at mental maths, this shouldn't pose too much of a problem, provided you have spent enough time practicing and committing the necessary info to memory. By applying the basic sums and strategy and seeking out simulators that show how it works in real time, you can give yourself the best chance of using this method successfully.
The Betting Strategy
One constant throughout any card counting strategy is to up the bet once the true count enters positive figures. If it remains low and continues to struggle to get above -2, this is a sign that the strategy might not pay off or that the casino has implemented rules that mitigate card counting.
On a broader scale, betting within your means should be part of your strategy to ensure you gamble responsibly. By sticking to monetary limits and not exceeding any time limits, and avoiding getting kicked out of the casino, you will be able to learn the ropes of card counting and can try to make it work in your favour.
Adjusting Bets Based on Count
As long as you can tally the true count correctly, you will stand a better chance against the house. If you have made even the slightest error, it could cost you dearly, especially when you begin to increase the value of your wager.
As the true count gets into positive figures, and there's been a significant run of the dealer getting high cards, card counters will adjust their bets accordingly. If they have done it correctly, this means they will make themselves favourites against the dealer's hand, usually by anywhere between 1% and 2.5%.
FAQs
Does counting cards in blackjack work?
Card counting is one of the infrequent occasions where "the house always wins" isn't automatically true. The success rate on paper for card counting is favourable compared to the house odds, and you are at a slight advantage. However, with other external factors at play, like pit bosses actively looking for card counters and comprising the tables so that it is more difficult to count, many elements also work against you.
What is the success rate of card counting?
This varies depending on the casino you use, so there are no definitive statistics to say how successful it is. If you spend days or weeks learning how to count cards and then get kicked out of the casino within a few hands, then it won't be successful at all, so you need other bits of luck to go your way.
Card counting is unique because there is proof that it can work, unlike many other self-professed strategies that bettors post on social media in roulette or even slot machine gaming if you put the time into learning it. If you can fly under the radar for long enough, you stand a better chance of coming away from the table with a profit in the long run.
What is the best blackjack card counting strategy?
The most straightforward card counting strategy you can use at the blackjack table is the High-Low strategy. Although some people may hold a different opinion and have better success at learning other card counting strategies, overall, this strategy is the one that most card counters seem to have the best success with remembering due to its simplicity.
What are the odds of winning blackjack with card counting?
The odds vary depending on the number of decks used and how often they are shuffled. Statistically, somebody who knows how to card count will give themselves around a 1% higher probability of winning the hand than the dealer.
If we take the purest form of card counting, and a player is having a one-on-one game against a dealer, and the same deck is being used, these odds increase to around a 2.5% chance.
However, with the nature of casinos and the way blackjack dealers and pit bosses actively work against giving card counters the upper hand, it is very rare to encounter such a table.
When should you increase your bet when counting cards?
Once you have assigned a number to each card in the deck and several low cards have been dealt, this signals that there could be a better chance of solid starting hands, such as 10 or 11.
Again, as we have discussed already, casinos are actively looking for ways to stop this practice, so they will often change decks or switch them up if there's a chance that a card counter is gaining an advantage. Dealers are given training to combat this, and with casinos having cameras focussed on each table, there will often be somebody assigned to spot a card counter and take the necessary steps to remove them from the table, so it is a dangerous business too.
How to learn how to count cards in blackjack?
As you have probably gathered from today's article, you need to commit time to learning this strategy, and there will be a lot of obstacles in your way. If you understand the basics of card counting, casinos will actively look to remove you from the premises. Such is the effectiveness of people who know how to do it accurately. Casinos will also implement ways to hinder people trying to card count, which includes introducing half a dozen or more fresh cards into the shoe to lower the strategy's effectiveness, which has been an issue for casinos over the years.