How to count cards in blackjack? If there is a hotly debated topic, between experts and amateur players, here it is, and in this guide, we will explain what it is, briefly cover the basic card counting methods, and also provide you with useful resources to explore the topic further.
What is card counting?
Blackjack card counting is a system that, at least by design, serves to reduce the house edge. How? Just make decisions based on the "density" of the cards in the deck. What does it mean? It's very simple: the more high cards left in the deck, the more likely it is to immediately get a very high score, with the dealer dealing the first two cards.
Usually, in scoring systems, the value is assigned to blackjack cards, and the summation / subtraction is performed based on the cards already played. Once a certain parameter is reached, the player can change their decisions about calling cards/stand/doubling down or splitting, being able to predict with a good approximation what the value of the next cards will be. How to play this game without gamstop, read on this page.
When to use blackjack counting?
Knowing when to use card counting in blackjack is not as difficult as learning how to count cards in blackjack. Scoring, in fact, must be applied immediately, at the beginning of the game, i.e. when even a hand has not been surrendered. If you think about it, this dogma is absolutely logical.
In fact, starting to count cards after the start of the game simply means the risk of counting incorrectly. This is due to the fact that in already played hands, several cards may already come out, which greatly affects the overall score. This would lead to rash decisions with the exact opposite of what was expected: thus increasing the house edge! What are the taxes on online casino winnings, read in this article.
There are three possible uses for card counting in blackjack:
- In land-based casinos
- Live casinos
- At ams online casino
Counting cards on blackjack sites doesn't make much sense as the decks are shuffled automatically after each deal. In land-based casinos and live casinos, it depends: since shuffling does not always happen automatically at the end of each spin, it may make sense to implement a scoring system. But be very careful.
Is card counting legal in blackjack?
While it is legal to count cards in blackjack, the practice is discouraged by casinos. If they notice that you are doing this, they may ask you to move away from the table or even the establishment itself. Some famous card counters are permanently banned from land-based casinos!
It is for this reason that many casinos now adopt the method of shuffling the decks after each hand rather than at the end of the deck, effectively preventing card counting from being thus less efficient.
Best Blackjack Card Counting Systems
There are many card counting systems in blackjack today. However, according to many experts, the best is always the original, i.e. the so-called "Hi-Lo system", invented by the American mathematician Edward O. Thorp, author of one of the most valuable books of all time (as we will see in a while). We also don't forget to take into account the blackjack tables in order to implement the correct game strategy.