Card counting in Blackjack is one of the means used in advantage play wherein techniques such as mental computation, observation and card counting are employed to win more. These techniques have been used to a player’s advantage since the 1960s. Card counting is generally legal but it is advantageous enough to afford a player a longstanding edge in the game. This advantage is not good for the casino and such a player is deemed undesirable which could lead to him being ejected or blacklisted from a casino if he is detected.

How Does It Work?

 

As cards are being dealt from a blackjack shoe, the dealt cards are naturally seen by all players. A player with the ability to card count will be able to deduct which cards are not yet dealt based on the exposed cards. With these inferences, a card-counting player will be able to make larger or smaller bets, depending on the probable outcome of his or the dealer’s hand. He can increase his initial bet if he counts that there are still tens and aces in the deck. He can also opt to double down in losing situations if there is a significant number of tens in the deck as his chances of getting a good hand is increased.

Generally, a card counting system makes use of a point score for a group of cards. For example, -1 point is for cards 10-A; 0 point is for cards 7-9 and 1 point is for cards 2-6. A card counter then adds the score of an exposed card to the total of his count. He then uses this information to make playing and betting decision. The count generally starts at “0” for a balanced counting method but it can also start at a different value depending on the number of decks used. A card counter can have a house edge of 2% compared to the house edge of 0.5% to 1%.

Single deck games are easier to card count. In connection, casinos suggest to players that they do not reveal their cards to other players during a single-deck Blackjack game. Casinos also end the shoe and reshuffle when a deck or two remains un-dealt. In some cases, a reshuffling machine is used to reintroduce used cards.

Is Card Counting Cheating?

 

Well, is it? Is it possible to consider the act of mentally counting cards in Blackjack, cheating? Isn’t this act a merely intellectual process that some have and others do not? Isn’t it just like some people being good in Math and the others are not? To say that it is illegal to card count is akin to saying that a boxer cannot watch his would-be opponents past games so he can study his (opponent’s) movements and technique. It is just like saying it is cheating to review stock history before moving to purchase shares.

There are other forms of Blackjack than card counting, such as an external device that are illegal. However, card counting using one’s mental capability is not illegal. A Blackjack card counter Smart phone card counting application is illegal. But, a card-counting player may be asked to leave the gaming table by the casino and possibly banned for life in that casino.

Is it possible to card count in online Blackjack? We will answer that question in our next article.