| |
Blackjack Card Counting
| |
Learn how to use Blackjack Card Counting
Blackjack is a game that appeals to many people because of its simplistic
nature. The player and the dealer each try to make a hand closest to 21 without
going over, and the better hand wins the money. Seems easy enough, right? Well,
in theory it is, but the house still holds roughly a 2% advantage over the
player in most instances. While this is still the lowest house advantage of any
table game, a savvy player can further level the playing field by learning the
art of card counting. In this article, we will look at the simplest form of
card counting, and examine how a player can apply this system to achieve the
best possible results at the blackjack table.
|
|
Bringing Down The House
Card counting is not a new concept in the world of blackjack. Dr. Edward O.
Thorp's book "Beat The Dealer" has been in circulation since the mid 1960's,
and in it the mathematics professor introduced a counting system to keep track
of high and low cards remaining in the shoe, as well as more advanced
principles. However, it wasn't until the mid 1990's that casinos realized such
counting systems could cost them some serious money.
It was during this time
that a group of MIT math students began frequenting Las Vegas casinos on the
weekends, and making anywhere between $200,000 and $400,000 a trip. The group
and their exploits are featured in Ben Mizrich's book "Bringing Down The
House". So a word to the wise regarding card counting: While counting cards is
not illegal and not considered to be a form of cheating, casinos (especially
those in Vegas) are mindful of this practice and do reserve the right to ban a
suspected card counter. With that being said, practice card counting at home or
online before attempting the system in a brick and mortar establishment.
|
| |
|
| |
One of the simplest and most effective card counting systems in blackjack is
aptly named the hi-lo system. By tracking cards using this system, players are
able to adjust their betting, thereby maximizing gains and minimizing losses.
The system works as follows: Each card dealt is assigned a specific point
value. Aces, Kings, Queens, Jacks, and 10's are given a value of -1. 7's, 8's,
& 9's are given a value of 0. The remaining cards (2's through 6's) are given a
value of +1. Now, as the cards are dealt at the table, the player must keep a
running count of the deck, in an effort to establish the likelihood of a
certain card coming next. So, if player 1 is dealt a 4 and a J (+1, -1), player
2 is dealt a 3 and a 6 (+1, +1), player 3 is dealt an A and an 8 (-1, 0), and
the dealer is showing a 5 (+1), the hi-lo count at this point would be +2. A
high number means that there are more high cards remaining in the shoe, thus
making it easier for the player to have an advantage.
A few disclaimers should
be noted at this point. First, this system works best if the player sits in the
last position dealt at the table (this is also known as 3rd base). This gives
the player the advantage of seeing all other cards dealt before his own.
Secondly, and this is important, players must also take into consideration how
many decks are in the shoe. Many casinos will use anywhere between 2 and 6 shoe
decks, so a player will have to estimate this number, divide the running count
by decks remaining, and adjust his figures accordingly. For example, if after
the first round of play the running hi lo count is at +2 (as in our example
above), and there are 2 decks left in the shoe, the actual count would be +1.
Although this may seem a little overwhelming at first, with time it becomes
much easier.
Practice makes perfect
Practice, practice, practice! This final point can not be stressed enough. To
become completely proficient at counting cards in blackjack, a player has to
spend the time honing his skills, until they become second nature. There truly
is no simpler card counting system than the hi lo method, and with hard work
and effort, a player can make vast improvements in his blackjack game. Good
luck at the tables!
|
| |
|
|
Home
