Card Counting
Card Counting is a tactic utilized in blackjack that calls for designating a point value to the cards that have been revealed so one can measure and predict whether the shoe is plentiful in higher cards or cards that are lower. A shoe that is rich in low cards is one that accommodates hitting, while a shoe filled with mostly high cards increases the likelihood that the next card dealt could bust a player.
Card counting increases a blackjack player’s chances of winning for two reasons. Firstly, the blackjack player is collecting information when he is counting cards. This information is utilized to adjust or modify his strategy, most specifically in marginal situations where he is torn between hitting and standing. When the deck is rich in high cards, he stands in marginal situations, while hitting in those situations where the card count suggests that the deck is plentiful in lower denominated cards. Thus, he can adjust his actions intra-hand, while the dealer is bound to the rules that dictate the dealer’s play, regardless of the card count.
In addition to online blackjack players adjusting their decisions during the hand, card counting blackjack players often adjust their bet sizes based on the card count. In situations where the player knows that the deck is rich with high valued cards, the player would be wise to increase their bet, as the chances of the dealer busting would also be high.
Basic Hi-Lo Card Counting System
The Basic Hi-Low system of counting cards in blackjack assigns a point value to each card. You may first start by memorizing these point values.
2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are given the value of +1
7, 8 and 9 are given no value and are not counted
10, J, Q, K and A are given the value of -1
After the deck has been shuffled, the player should then pay attention to all the cards that are dealt to themselves, the other players and the dealer. Each card’s value should be tallied to the values of the previous cards played, creating a running total. This running total should be zero after every re-shuffle.
The running total offers the player a value which to base their decisions on. A positive running total indicates that that deck is rich with high cards. In this case, the game would be in the favor of the player and not the dealer. There are a number of great books on card counting, but my favorite is Knock-Out Blackjack.
In the case that there is a low running total, the deck is in the favor of the dealer. A low running total indicates a deck that is rich with low cards. Although the deck is in the dealer’s favor, this situation gives the player more time to adjust their bets (as they are less likely to bust with many low cards).
