Casinos can’t have you arrested for counting cards, but they can ask you to stick with the other games in the casino—not blackjack. They can also ask you to leave and never come back. If you return to a casino that’s done this, you are breaking the law. It’s called trespassing, and they can all the police on you. Don’t get scared, though. You can read about how to count cards in a casino here. If you want to learn how to count cards, you need to practice, and you need to practice often and consistently. Repetition is the mother of learning. The first thing you need to do is to pick out a card counting system to use. I recommend starting with the Hi-Lo Count, since it's generally.
Card counting is one of the most infamous strategies in blackjack, but it is also one of the least understood by the general public. Movies and television have portrayed card counting in blackjack to be a way to get rich quick. In films like Rain Man, we’re given the idea that card counters crush the casinos, winning hand after and hand and calling out exactly what cards will be coming. But of course, not just anyone can card count; it takes a mathematical genius who can calculate complex equations on the fly while keeping track of the positions of hundreds of different cards.
However, the truth behind card counting – for better and for worse – is very different. In truth, card counting doesn’t guarantee that a player will win big in the short run. Instead, the techniques used in card counting only serve to give the player the same sort of small edge usually held by the casino. On the other hand, there is good news; it doesn’t take a genius to count cards. Most people can learn simple card counting systems relatively quickly, and if you’re willing to put in the time, chances are that you’ll be able to learn more complex systems that promise the player a slightly bigger advantage over the house. However, it does take some hard work, and it’s certainly not an easy road to getting rich.
If you just want to jump straight in and get started, you can learn how to card count using our infographic here.
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How Card Counting Works
Typically, casino blackjack is dealt from a shoe of somewhere between six and eight decks. The cards are dealt until a certain amount of the shoe has been dealt – often, something like 75% of the shoe will be used before reshuffling. This means that by tracking which cards have come out of the shoe during play, we can have a pretty firm handle on which cards are still waiting to be dealt.
How can this information help the player? It turns out that having certain cards in the deck is great for the player, while other cards are better for the dealer. As a general rule, big cards favor the player, while small cards favor the dealer. More specifically, aces and tens are very good for the player, while fives and fours are great for the dealer.
This is mostly because aces and tens do a lot of things that the player can take advantage of with the options they are given. For instance, the player will get more blackjacks, which pay the player 3-2, while the dealer only “wins” the player’s bet if they make a blackjack. The player can also stand on hands below 17, while the dealer cannot, meaning that the dealer will bust quite often in shoes that are still rich in tens. Furthermore, the player will do better on double downs (when the player almost always will be happy with a ten and often with an ace), can start taking insurance if the deck is rich enough in tens, and can surrender more confidently in spots where the dealer is likely to have a very strong hand.
In short, everything the player can do works even better when the deck has plenty of tens and aces available to him. Conversely, small cards thwart these efforts. If many small cards have already come out of the shoe, the rest of the deck is very, very favorable to the player.
Card counters can take advantage of knowing how good the remaining deck is in several ways. As we said earlier, card counters will sometimes take insurance based on the remaining cards in the shoe, and on rare occasions, they might even deviate from basic strategy based on their counting. However, the biggest way that card counters pick up an advantage is by simply betting more money when the player has the advantage, and betting less (or avoiding playing altogether) when the odds swing too far in favor of the dealer.
Dangers and Challenges of Card Counting
Here’s the good news: contrary to popular belief, card counting is not illegal. As long as you’re not cheating or using a device to help you play, you’re welcome to play each hand however you want, including mentally keeping track of the cards that have been played and adjusting your play accordingly.
But that doesn’t mean that casinos can’t fight back against card counters. While you can try to count cards, casinos can also try to make the conditions for card counters difficult or impossible. For instance, a suspicious casino may start shuffling their cards more often to lower the deck penetration, thus making counting much less effective. If you’re a known counter, they may even bar you from playing blackjack entirely, as the casino has the ability to simply refuse to let you play at any time.
This means that one of the biggest challenges for a card counter is properly balancing taking advantage of the information they have with covering up the fact that they’re counting at all. If there was no danger of being caught, the player could simply bet the minimum until the odds were in the player’s favor, then switch to betting the table maximum. However, trying this strategy is a sure way to get yourself banned from playing blackjack! Instead, most blackjack systems rely on small, incremental changes that hope to keep the player from getting caught, while still doing enough to overcome the house edge.
One other danger in card counting is overestimating how big an edge you have over the house. Yes, in the long run, a good card counter does expect to come out ahead of the casino. However, your results will prove to be just as volatile as they are when simply playing basic strategy; it’s only in the long term that you’ll see your small advantage realized, while in the short term, you’ll see significant wins and losses.
Card Counting Systems
There are a number of different card counting systems available, including the following:
Ace-Five Counting Systems – Easiest card counting system to learn
Unbalanced Counting Systems
The Knock-Out Count (and derivative systems)
Revere Counts
Wong Halves
These systems vary from very simple (Ace-Five and Hi-Lo) to devilishly complex (Wong Halves), but most of them share some common elements. For instance, different cards are given values that the player must keep track of during the course of a given shoe. Cards that are good for the player are given negative values (since we’d rather they stay in the shoe), while cards that are bad for the player are given positive values. In many systems, this number is then divided by the approximate number of remaining decks to get a true count, which tells the player how rich the remaining shoe is in good cards.
In most counting systems, the player will use this true count to decide how much to bet on a given hand, and whether or not to take insurance if the dealer is showing an ace. Occasionally, the count will also tell players when to abandon basic strategy and play a hand differently, based on the fact that the remaining composition of the deck has changed the odds in favor of an alternative play.
Some card counting systems also ask players to keep a separate side count of aces. This is because aces have a very different effect on the game than other cards. While players want to bet more when there are lots of aces available (thanks to the fact that they make blackjacks more common), they don’t have as much impact on how you should play hands as tens. Thus, more complex systems will keep an ace count independent of an overall count, in order to make this distinction.
This brings us to an important point: there is a tradeoff to make when choosing a card counting system. More complex systems offer bigger potential rewards, but also come with more risk. Players are much more likely to make mistakes when trying to keep track of extra information, and just a few mistakes can be enough to remove whatever advantage the player has gained. If there’s a choice between using a simpler system that you’ve mastered, or a more complex system that you’re unsure about, it’s almost always better to pick the simple system, even if the more complex system promises a bigger edge against the house.
Ace-Five Counting Systems
Perhaps the simplest card counting system around is the ace-five count. This is a name given to a variety of different card counting systems that share one thing in common: they only keep track of aces and fives, ignoring all the other cards in the deck. This is done because aces are the best card in the shoe for the player, while fives are the worst.
The basic idea is simple. Start with a count of zero. Each time you see a five, add one to your count. If you see an ace, subtract one from your count. Higher counts will be better for the player.
Where counting systems vary is in how you use this information to change how much you bet during play. Some will advise you to double you bet every time the count gets beyond a certain point, while others say to bet a certain number of units based on the given count. Many try to reduce your losses in bad shoes by having you quit at a certain negative count. However, the basics are the same; when the count gets high (at least +2 or higher), the player should bet more than the minimum. The higher the count goes, and/or the longer it stays high, the more the player should bet, up to a maximum amount that the player is comfortable betting on any single hand.
Ace-five counting systems usually don’t require changing the way you play; you should simply use basic strategy and rely on your bigger bets making you a winner when the shoe is good for the player. The advantage gained by the player using these systems isn’t big, but it usually gives the player a slight edge over the house – and combined with the comps and rewards players earn while playing, can turn blackjack into a game that’s more lucrative and more fun for the player.
Final Thoughts on Blackjack Card Counting
Before learning a card counting system, it’s essential to first master basic strategy. The basis of any card counting system is playing perfect basic strategy, since making simple mistakes will undermine whatever advantage you hope to gain through counting. Even if you have to use a basic strategy chart to help you at the table to help you, always remember that you need to master the fundamentals before moving on to more advanced strategies if you want any hope of succeeding.
It’s also worth noting that there are a large number of blackjack games in which you won’t be able to effectively count cards at all. For instance, many casinos now use continuous shuffling machines, which essentially remove all deck penetration. This is also true in most online casinos. Some online casinos use a shoe made up of infinite decks, meaning that your odds of getting any given card are always exactly the same, no matter which cards you’ve seen. Other online casinos deal out of a regular (simulated) shoe, but shuffle the cards after each hand. This has the same effect of eliminating penetration, just as with a continuous shuffling machine, making card counting impossible.
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Many blackjack players have a general idea what counting cards is, but they don’t understand the actual mechanics of it. Others may think counting cards is too hard for them to learn and implement a card-counting strategy.
Card-counting is a big deal in popular culture thanks to dozens of books, magazine articles, and movies made about teams of card counters and their exploits. In this article, I take some of the mystery out of card-counting and show you how you can learn this valuable strategy with just a little practice. Desert night casino.
Every card that is removed from a deck of playing cards either makes it more likely the dealer will win or more likely the player will win the next hand.
When you find a blackjack game with favorable rules you can keep track of the cards that have been played (removed from the deck) and increase your bets when the count favors you.
When the count is in your favor
This works in part because blackjacks pay more than even money and when the deck is rich in 10 count cards and aces you are more likely to get a blackjack
This works in part because blackjacks pay more than even money and when the deck is rich in 10 count cards and aces you are more likely to get a blackjack
Big names are NOT a guarantee, but they are a pretty good indication that those sites are doing it right.
Dozens of card counting systems are available. It’s downright easy to get lost in an almost endless series of questions and a calculation trying to determine which one is the best. You have to balance the ease of use of any system with the strength of the system.
This chart lists the seven most-popular systems used by card counters:
The numbers with a (+) or (–) symbol underneath the card values row indicate what that card does to the count.
For example, under the Hi Lo count, you’ll add 1 for every 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 you see and subtract 1 for every ace and 10 count card you see. Another example – the Red7 count is almost the same as the Hi Lo except you add 1 for every red 7 you see.
Differences Between Balanced and Unbalanced Systems
The main difference is that a balanced count will finish with the same count you started with and an unbalanced count will not end with the same count you started with.
So by that logic, we can conclude that from the above chart:
If you start with a count of 0 using a Hi Lo count your count will be 0 when you finish counting a deck, assuming you don’t make any mistakes.
Red 7 Count = Unbalanced System
If you start counting at 0 and use the Red 7 count you will end up with a count of +2 after counting a single deck of cards. If you were to count two decks your count would be +4, etc.
Another big difference between balanced and unbalanced counts is that you have to make a conversion to get a true count with balanced systems. That means unbalanced systems are theoretically easier to use.
When you are using a balanced count you have to divide the count by the remaining decks to get a true count. So if your running count is +8 and there are 4 decks remaining your true count would be +2.
The good news is that just about anyone can learn how to count cards if they are willing to work at it. Unlike the common belief that you have to remember every card in the deck, you actually only have to be able to remember a number as you add or subtract one or two as you see the cards.
For example, if the count is 5 and you see a card that is a +1 you make the count 6. The next card is a -1 so you make the new count 5. See how easy that is? Most systems only use +1 and -1 but there are some that use +2 and -2 or higher. I strongly suggest only using a +1 and -1 count while you are learning. Most players never use a higher counting system because they don’t have to in order to make money.
A few higher count systems exist, literally squeezing a few extra tenths of a percent advantage if played 100% perfectly, but the advanced complications of the system often forces players to make an occasional mistake that costs more than the small extra edge.
Now that you have learned why you should learn how to count cards, here is a step-by-step method to easily learn how to do it yourself.
Step 1:Buy eight decks of cards with the same backs
You can usually find cards at the dollar store or online at closeout places or auction sites. I like using the ones that the casinos used and then sold. They usually have a hole drilled through them but they tend to be high quality cards that will put up with a great deal of play and practice.
It doesn’t really matter what system you use as long as you know the basic set up and you’re willing to learn the correct variations of basic strategy to use with it once you learn how to count cards.
Step 3:Start with a single deck and flip the cards over one at a time and keep a running count according to the system you selected
It doesn’t really matter what system you use as long as you know the basic set up and you’re willing to learn the correct variations of basic strategy to use with it once you learn how to count cards.
Step 4: Once you are really comfortable with a running count, begin flipping cards over in sets of two or three or four
Continue this until you master your count quickly. Then add a second deck and continue practicing. Keep adding decks of cards until you can quickly count an 8 deck shoe dealt out in sets of two to four cards correctly every time.
Step 5: Once you have mastered step 4, if you are using a balanced counting system, start converting the running count to a true count every so often
If you can find a timer that will cycle to go off every 30 or 60 seconds you can use it to signal when you need to make a conversion.
Head to a local casino and find the lowest level blackjack table they offer and start playing. You will find it difficult at first, but as you keep working you will get to the point where you can count while doing other things. The best counters can talk to other people and act like they are just another blackjack player while maintaining 100% count accuracy.
CONGRATULATIONS! – YOU’VE DONE IT!
(And yes, that’s really all there is to learning how to count cards!)
Just follow the steps listed above and practice. You can even practice counting cards while playing for free at an online casino. Just realize that the online casino software actually shuffles the deck after every hand so you can’t get an edge, but you can still practice your skills.
Read much about card-counting online and you’ll come across post after post about the importance of being a quick card-counter.
You should be able to count down a deck of cards in a matter of seconds before you hit the casino – I read that statement over and over again.
Truth is; the only reason it is important to be able to count down a deck as fast as possible is so you have the confidence to do it as you are learning.
Once you learn how to count and start doing it on a regular basis you will find that being able to count a deck down in seconds is not important at all. The actual game does not play that fast.
Can You Count Cards Online Game
Sure, the game can feel like it is progressing at breakneck speed when you first start counting, but with just a little experience it slows down a great deal.
So don’t panic if you can’t count a deck down as quickly as some people claim. Just make sure you get the count right every single time and work on improving your speed.
Three words you often find when learning about counting cards in blackjack are:
Heat
Cover
Camouflage
Can You Count Cards Online Without
Heat
Heat is when the casino personnel are watching you play trying to determine if you are counting cards or not. While it is not illegal to count cards in most places, the casinos do have the right to not let you play. So if they figure out you are counting cards, they more than likely will ask you to stop playing.
Cover and camouflage are both actions you can take to try to make sure the casinos don’t figure out you are a card counter.
There are things you can do to disguise your play in the playing of your hands and in your actions at or around the table. Casinos know that certain plays in certain situations are made by card counters so when you make these plays you may draw suspicion to yourself.
Of course if you don’t make the most profitable plays you end up giving away some of the advantage you are working for. You need to learn the plays that don’t cost you much in expected return and make them the same way players who don’t count cards do.
One of the biggest ways a card counter can signal to the casino that they are counting is when they never take insurance and when the count is high they start taking it. When the count goes back down they stop taking it again. While most dealers and pit personnel can’t count cards, the surveillance teams often have a person who can count or have a computer that takes care of it.
Some players act like they have had too much to drink and / or act like they aren’t paying attention at the table. The less you seem like you are counting cards the better.
Don’t stare at every card as it is being dealt and make sure you aren’t moving your lips as you add or subtract from the count.
Entire books can be written about heat, cover and camouflage, but the important thing is to know what they are and take action to avoid being tossed from a profitable game.
Back counting, also called Wonging (named after the author Stanford Wong), is when you stand behind other players and count cards and only start playing when the count is in your favor.
While this sounds like a great idea because you don’t play hands where you don’t have an advantage, the casinos are well aware of this tactic and keep a close eye out for it. It is best accomplished with two or more players where the person back counting doesn’t actually enter the games. The counter signals a partner and the partner enters the game.