iPoker and Blackjack:
Blackjack - Card counting
In the previous chapter I’ve started to talk about basic strategy and it’s importance in blackjack. In fact, it can be very helpful because behind each cards combination there is a properly reasoning and it’s important you learn it. The combination I wrote in the previous chapter, your total hand 13-14 against the dealer up card 2/3/4/5/6, is a good example.
If you want to be a very skilled blackjack player, you should to learn card counting strategy. But remember, card counting doesn’t mean you have to use any particular software or any electronic devices (I’ve noticed, for instance, that exists even some card counting software for iPhones). Card counting is simply a method of determining when the remaining deck is player-favourable making mental calculations. However players must be careful not to signal the fact they are counting especially when they plays in some casinos.
There are many different types of card counting systems from the most sophisticated to the easiest ones. I always used a easy one. I’ll talk about it later on.
No matter what system you choose to apply, card counting can generally give you the chance of keeping track of every card dealt to better understand which cards are still left in the deck to be played. From the statistics, the dealer has an advantage over players of 8% per each playing hands. In fact, both the dealer and players usually bust 1/4 on average. However, you have to consider the dealer wins the bets of each player who busts even if the dealer himself busts soon after. If you are able to know the ratio between high and low cards remaining in shoe then the dealer advantage can be reduced to less than 1%. For instance, if the ratio of high cards to low cards is normal (there are usually 5 high cards every 13 ones) and the dealer gets a 6, there is a percentage of 42,3% than the dealer busts. If there are more high cards in shoe (6 or more cards every 13 ones) the probability that the dealer busts increases and both the probability a player wins against him and that he have blackjack or a high score can be over 50%. That means the amount of bets should raise.
As I’ve just said, there are many different types of card counting systems but I’ve decided to describe below only the two most used ones, one of which is that I usually use. In fact, I consider it one of the easier but the more accurate at the same time. However, I’ve personally altered it just a little, giving it a more logical sense.
Wizard Ace/Five
This is one of the simplest card counting system and it’s based on the counting of each ace and 5 dealt.
| Dealt Cards | Value |
|---|---|
| Ace | -1 |
| 5 | +1 |
According to this table, ace is given a value of -1 and 5 is given a value of +1. Following this counting system you should be able to determine if more high cards or more low cards are left in the deck and so act consequently. If the running count gets high (enough) that means many 5s are dealt and so there is a higher concentration of high cards still in the deck. On the opposite case, if the value results negative that means the probability to have blackjack decrease and so you should to be carful in betting.
Using this system, your count can often result rough. Anyway, it can give you a general idea of which card are left in the deck and so let you decide how much your bet should be.
Hi-Lo Blackjack Strategy
I usually prefer to use this system. Firstly, I’ll explain you how does it work. Then, I’ll show you what little changes I’ve made in it to give it more coherence. Applied in this way, it’s been very helpful to me.
| Dealt cards | Value |
|---|---|
| 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 | +1 |
| 7,8,9 | 0 |
| 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace | -1 |
This is definitely one of the most famous card counting system in use. Compared with the other card counting system above mentioned, this one is undoubtedly more accurate but even more difficult to apply because it requires a high counting speed. It needs to count cards very quickly and to do it you needs to practise often and consistently. Nowadays, many iPod and iPhone specific programs also exist for training blackjack beginners in card counting.
Let's see how our friends of theDailypunt.com explain the HI-LO card counting system:
As regards card counting, you’ll often read or hear about “running count” and “true count”. The running count is a plus-minimum count of each card’s assigned value. However, it gives only a partial total result because it doesn’t take into consideration the number of decks used. For instance, if the running total is +10 that should mean more low card is being dealt but the more the decks, the less the precision in calculations. So in that case, the running count is converted into a “true count”, which takes into consideration the number of decks used as well.
| True Count | Betting Variation |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1x |
| 2 or 3 | 2x |
| 4 or 5 | 3x |
| 6 or 7 | 4x |
| 8 or 8 | 5x |
I give you a more clear example of all that. Let us suppose the running count is +10 and so more low cards are dealt than high cards. The decks in the shoe are two. So if you divide the running count 10 with 2 (the total number of decks), you will obtain 5, that is the true count result. If the true count is 5, then the betting variation is 3x. That means you should tripled your bet.
Now, I’ve always thought it’s illogical to give a positive value to low cards and a negative value to high cards! For that reason, I’ve decided to invert these values. According to this, the previous table changes into:
| Dealt cards | Value |
|---|---|
| 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 | -1 |
| 7,8,9 | 0 |
| 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace | +1 |
Following this new table, it’s easier to understand a negative value means more low cards are dealt, on the contrary a positive value means more high cards are dealt. True count is always the same because you have to consider just the absolute value, 10.
