Win in Blackjack with Card Counting

Definition of Card Counting

Card counting in blackjack is any counting system that keeps track of cards as they are played so the player can have an idea which ones are left. By knowing what cards remain in a blackjack shoe or deck, a knowledgeable player can tell whether it is in his/her favor or not, and bet accordingly.

How Card Counting in Blackjack Works

Blackjack experts discovered that some cards are more helpful to the player while others are better for the dealer. High cards aces and tens (including face cards) are good for the player because then more blackjacks occur and the dealer busts more frequently. Low cards from two to six are favorable to the dealer for the opposite reasons. Middle cards seven through nine favor neither side.

What does that mean? Well, when you have been playing blackjack for a while and counting the cards, you know the game is in your favor when more low cards have been played, thus leaving high cards in the deck(s). You are more likely to win so you bet more. Similarly, when a lot of high cards have been played and mainly low cards remain, you know it is unfavorable to you. So you bet less money.

What of middle cards? They are usually ignored. You don't count anything when you see middle cards.

That is basically how blackjack card counting works. Using a card counting system, you can get anywhere from 1.5% to a 2.5% edge over the house. It seems small but people have brought home thousands of dollars in a short time using card counting.

Card Counting and the Casinos

Blackjack players have used card counting successfully. Some even went to so far as to form blackjack teams for this purpose. One part of the group may sit at the table and bet low during an unfavorable count. When it turns favorable, another part of the group comes in as high rollers; they bet bigger and the team wins money.

Needless to say, casinos aren't happy to see card counting experts in their blackjack tables. That is why pit bosses always keep an eye out for them. Blackjack heroes like Ken Uston and Edward Thorp battled the casinos for years in and out of the house, sometimes even in the courts. Blackjack players should always do their best not to make their actions obvious. While not illegal, card counting can still get you banned from the casinos if you are caught or suspected of such.

Lately a new technique has been developed from card counting, namely shuffle tracking. Instead of starting a new count after each shuffle, the player keeps track of the counted cards during a shuffle and continues the count. This gives them an even greater advantage.

Alas for players, casinos are now introducing continuous shuffling machines into their blackjack tables. As these machines become more perfect, card counting is rendered more useless. So it is a good idea to get started in the technique now while you can still use it.