What is card counting?

Card counting is a blackjack strategy that tracks the ratio of high cards (cards worth ten and/or eleven) to low cards still in the deck. A deck that is rich in high cards offers a player an advantage over a deck that isn’t, because a player is more likely to receive a blackjack. And since a blackjack pays out at 3 to 2, raising the size of your bet when a blackjack is more likely results in a long term mathematical advantage.

Other factors that add to the mathematical edge include the greater chance the dealer has of busting a stiff hand when the deck is rich in high cards, and doubling down becomes more profitable when there are a lot of high cards left in the deck.
How hard is card counting?

You don’t have to be a genius to count cards. You do need to be able to concentrate in conditions which aren’t favorable for concentration. (casino conditions) You also need the self-discipline to sit down and master the actual skills involved before trying to count cards in a casino. Most casinos bar card counters from playing their blackjack games, so you have to be able to keep track of the ratio of cards without looking like you’re counting. That part is probably harder than the actual counting.

Counting cards does not involve keeping track of every card that’s been played. A card counting system will give a value to certain cards, usually +1 or -1, and you keep a running total in your head. Based on that running total, you’ll raise or lower your blackjack bets.

Blackjack was derived from the French game vingt-et-un or twenty-one which originated in the 1700s. The Blackjack name came about as casinos in the USA, in order to attract players offered odds of up to 10 to 1 to any player who’s hand consisted of an Ace of spades and a blackjack (jack of spades or clubs).

Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games due to the simple fact that BlackJack like Poker is a game of luck as well as skill and therefore the casino can be consistently beaten by a skilled player using a proper strategy. More complicated strategies such as ‘card counting’ described below have added to the game’s popularity.

In 1956, a paper was published by Baldwin, Cantey, Maisel, and McDermott in the “Journal of the American Statistical Association” laying out a set of recommendations for the play of the game, these recommendations were very close to today’s basic strategy. The following year, they published a manual for the public with this system of play, but it attracted little interest until, Edward O. Thorp (PhD), saw the paper and understood that there were parts of the game that had been missed in the past. The first being that the composition of the deck changed with each card dealt, also, some combinations of the remaining cards favoured the house and others favoured the players.

In 1962, Dr. Thorp published his now famous book, “Beat the Dealer”, which contained a simple yet profound message that decks of cards have memory. Each hand is dependent on the makeup of the deck at that time and by paying attention to the cards already played, the player can almost predict what will be appearing in the deck next.

An easy card counting system

The Wizard of Odds (Michael Shackleford) offers an easy card counting system called the Wizard’s ace five count. The count starts at 0, and ever ace counts a -1 and every five counts as a +1. You’ll bet one unit when the count is 0 or negative. When the count is positive, you’ll bet two units times the amount of the count, so two units at +1, four units at +2. six units at +3 and so on.

This strategy is most effective in a six deck game where the dealer stands on a soft 17, late surrender is allowed, and the player is allowed to resplit aces. The strategy yields a small advantage of only 0.22%, but combined with comp drinks and a few other perks you might get for your blackjack play, it could be quite profitable. This counting system has the advantage of being very easy to learn and implement.

Simulation and Card Counting

With the help of a computer, Thorp did a statistical analysis called the Monte Carlo simulation and discovered that 10’s and Aces remaining in the deck put the player at an advantage, while 5’s and 6’s being left in the deck put the dealer at an advantage. Thus, card counting was born.

If the player could keep track of the cards left in the deck, they could decide how to bet on each hand. For example, if there are many 10’s and aces left they would be smart to bet high, and if there are lots of fives and sixes left they might want to bet low.

Purely monetarily, for a year at these levels of play, counting is far superior to basic strategy. Even with the wider bankroll swings counters can anticipate, folks who fret over fleeting yet painful setbacks will find this approach less perilous. Perks for basic strategy players but not card counters moderate the effects somewhat. Basil can figure his action will bring at least $2,000 in comps and a plethora of priceless recognition and kow-towing if not respect, which he knows is pandering but relishes anyway.

Single visit results are less pronounced. Basil has a 25 percent shot at ending worse than $2,000 down and the same for exceeding $1,600 up. The chance he’ll drop below $5,000 before completing 500 rounds is only 7 percent. Courtney’s swings will be wilder, giving her the same 25 percent chances of being below a $2,000 loss or above a $4,000 gain after this much play. However, she’s running a 21 percent risk of $5,000 or more red ink during the trip. And, of course, Basil will get fancy quarters and food on the house; Courtney will pay her own way at the Linoleum Lodge a few leagues out of town, and fund her own all-you-can-eat buffet.

Software :

Best blackjack card counting software – beat casino : Blackjack card count software.

Source :

The Easiest Card-Counting System Ever Devised

Orfej blackjack tips

So, is card counting worth your while?

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