How to count cards in blackjack – full player guidance

13/05/2019

How to count cards in blackjack: main nuances and strategies

If you know how to count cards in blackjack, you can get an advantage of 1% over the gambling establishment and will consistently earn good money by playing.

The Absolute Card Counting System was founded by Edward Thorp back in 1962. But this system was very difficult to count, not everyone could easily use it. So, it needed to be simplified, which was made a little later.

How to count cards in blackjack basic strategy

When counting, all cards are divided into 3 categories: from 2 to 6 give +1, 7-10 are zeros, any pictures, including aces are -1. The sum of the two cards will give the current score. This simple arithmetic is the key to success. The calculation mechanism is extremely simple: thanks to the older cards, the player has more chances to hit blackjack and get paid 3: 2, while the pictures for the dealer are the way to go over.

The player gains an advantage over the croupier when high value cards dominate the deck. The reason is simple – according to the rules of most gambling houses, a dealer is prohibited to stop if he plays with less than 16 points. It turns out that if he has 14 or 15 points, there are great chances that after the next card he will lose due to bursting.

As soon as you “counted” to +2 or +3, immediately start playing more aggressively – raise the stakes and often use doubling. If the score comes with a minus sign, then it is better to return to the basic strategy, or not to play at all (if this is permissible).

How to count cards in blackjack: Hi Lo system

This is one of the simplest and most popular blackjack card counting systems. With this system, one adds values to each card that is open on the table. There are three values: +1, 0 and -1. Each of the deck cards is assigned one of these values. All pieces (Jack, Queen, and King), as well as an Ace, are assigned -1; neutral cards, i.e. 7, 8, and 9 assigns the value 0, and 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 is assigned the value +1.

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The counting starts from scratch, and each card that comes to the table adds its own value. Let’s assume that there are three players and a dealer at the table. Player 1 gets 5 and 8 (+1, 0), player 2 gets a jack and 3 (-1, +1), and you get 2 and 3 (+1, +1). The dealer gets the queen, i.e. -one. When you add all these values, it turns out that you end up with a value of +2.

How to count cards in blackjack with different amount of decks

Before learning how to count cards in blackjack with multiple decks, It is necessary to deny that if the ratio of high and low cards is above the norm (that is, there are many more high cards in the game), the player can make big bets to increase the amount he / she can win when circumstances are favorable. To track the ratio of high to low cards (thus, knowing the deck to use the information to your advantage or not), you will need to assign a value to your cards.

Start with 0 and so on for each card, adding their cost to your count:

  • Cards 2-6 are set to 1;
  • Cards 7-9 have no value;
  • Cards 10 are -1;
  • Aces are also -1.

How to count cards in blackjack with 1 deck

The system assumes the assignment of a certain value to each released card. Straight arcane – -1, Junior – +1, 7,8,9 – 0. During the game, the values of all the cards that have come out are summed up with the values of the subsequent ones.

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The total score can be both positive and negative. And depending on what kind of player he can understand which cards are out of the game more. With a positive score increases the chances of winning.

How to count cards in blackjack with 6 decks

For every 13 cards, there should be one Ace. If it so happened that in these cards the Ace never met, it means that a unit is added to the account. If 2 Aces fell, then the score becomes less than one point. This calculation of aces is carried out every 13 cards, and the result is added to the main account.

The overall result shows which dignity cards are mostly left in the game deck. The fewer cards left, the more likely to win a large amount of money. Therefore, in this case, you also need to calculate how many cards remain in the game. To do this, from the total number of cards at the beginning of the game, you must subtract the number that has already been played, and divide this number by 52.

So, if the game started with 8 decks, 26 cards have already been played, then 7.5 decks are left. This is called a real game account. It is necessary to determine the size of your bet, based on a real account. The higher it is – the more prerequisites for increasing rates.

How to count cards in blackjack with 8 decks

In order to play blackjack with eight decks, you need to learn how to carry out the so-called true score (or “true count”). This means that you must take into account the number of decks left in the shoe. Then you will need to divide the current account by this number to determine the true score that is taken into account when choosing the size of the bet.

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For example, you play with eight decks. At the moment there are approximately two decks in the bump stop. This means that there are six in the shoe. The current score has risen to six. Accordingly, you divide it by the number of decks (six) and get one. That is the real score, and you should bet on it.

Conclusion on strategies

Any calculations, while they are done solely in the mind, are allowed. A player can use his mental abilities in a casino. An accurate and fast blackjack score is not as simple a skill as it may seem. The game is played dynamically according to chart, you need to count your own cards as well as the dealer’s, while at the same time you need to keep track of how many cards came out of the deck and have time to keep score according to instructional guide.

Even to play according to the simplest system, plus or minus will need training. At the first stages it is easy to get confused and just make mistakes. The blackjack score goes smoothly only when the player has gained enough experience.