Blackjack and Card Counting: Different Popular Methods
Unlike other casino games that rely solely on luck, blackjack is a game where players can make use of certain mathematical and card counting skills to gain an advantage over the dealer. The term card counting is not a process of memorizing each and every card coming out of the shoe as what an autistic savant like Rain Man would do. Counting cards in blackjack means keeping track of the ratio between high and low values of the cards left in the deck.
The principles behind this process were first discovered by Edward Thorp, considered the father of blackjack card counting, who published the book "Beat the Dealer" way back in 1962. This book is practically the main proponent for the blackjack revolution, prompting casinos to take action against this method. The process of card counting is actually not illegal since technically you're just keeping track of the cards and not cheating in any way. However, casinos obviously frowned upon this practice and would ban players caught counting cards.
Before you can successfully apply the different popular methods for card counting in blackjack, you must first understand the basic mechanism of how the process works and how you can practically and successfully apply these methods - and achieve success in this game.
Popular Methods for Blackjack Card Counting
There are two basic systems for blackjack card counting: balanced and unbalanced. In a balanced card counting system, counting down the entire deck of cards would give you an end count of 0. The popular methods for this involved the Hi-Lo, Hi-Opt 1 and the Hi-Opt 2 systems. Unbalanced counting on the other hand is a system of counting cards where you will not end up with count of 0 after you have gone through the whole card deck.
* KO Card Counting Strategy
KO or Knock-Out card counting system will not end up with a count of 0. The strategy involves adding an extra +1 value for every 7. Since there are four 7's in a single deck of card, you will end up with a count of +4 if you counted down the whole deck. The developers of this strategy, which is attributed to authors Olaf Vancura and Ken Fuchsln, described that it would be difficult for players to mentally convert the true count and the running count back and forth - particularly if you're playing in an environment full of distractions such as in casinos.
You will only be using +1, -1 and 0 in this strategy so it's really not difficult to keep count but it is very important that you keep your focus and attention on the table. You'll need to master the value of each particular card so you can have the most accurate count as possible. You need to know the running total throughout the game and the count will not reset until a new shoe is shuffled. A high positive count will tell you that there are only smaller-valued cards left on the deck. The opposite is then through if you have a negative running count.
The following are the designated card values in this strategy:
• 2's, 3's, 4's, 5's, 6's and 7's = +1
• 8's and 9's = 0
• 10's, J's, Q's, K's and Aces = -1
Although the KO card system was designed to make it slightly easier for the player to perform card counting, you will sacrifice some percentage of your accuracy. It all boils down to how much you are willing to invest for something that is easier to use but with less chances of winning. This system however, is just right for people playing the game once-in-a-while or for recreational purposes.
* Hi-Lo Card Counting Strategy
This strategy was created by Harvey Dubner and is a simplification of Dr. Edward Thorp's Ten-Count system. Also called the High/Low System or the Plus/Minus system, the Hi-Lo card counting strategy will make it easier for beginning or intermediate blackjack players to use in an actual blackjack table and is most often used by blackjack teams.
To learn this system, you need to master the respective values of each card in the deck. As a general rule, the small cards 2 to 6 are counted as plus 1 while the big cards 10 to A's are counted as minus 1. The middle cards or neutral cards 7 to 9 will not change the running count. This is considered a balanced system. In summary:
• 2's, 3's, 4's, 5's, 6's = +1
• 7's,8's and 9's = 0
• 10's, J's, Q's, K's and Aces = -1
You need to take note of how the running card count is affected as each card is dealt but would need special note of how many smaller cards are already played. The less small cards remaining in the deck will increase your chances of getting higher values or even a blackjack, and the reverse otherwise, allowing you to make adjustments in your betting patterns.
* Hi-Opt 1 Card Counting Strategy
Hi-Opt or Highly Optimum card counting strategies are designed for use for more advanced blackjack players. There are two versions for this system and the first one is also referred to as the Einstein Count. It is more mathematically advanced and can provide a slightly bigger edge for the players using this system however -- it is more complicated to use and will require more focus on the table.
To avoid confusion with other card counting systems, the player must master the following chart that designates the values for every card:
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 J Q K A
0 +1 +1 +1 +1 0 0 0 -1 -1 -1 -1 0
Although the Aces are not generally tracked in this system, some variations to the strategy make use of external things to keep track of how many Aces have already been played such as using chips, fingers or even your feet.
* Hi-Opt 2 Card Counting Strategy
The Hi-Opt 2 card counting strategy is the more advanced high optimum card counting system and is used by more advanced blackjack players. This is more complicated to use and usually only seasoned professionals make use of this system, giving them only a small extra edge when used. The system requires an even extra effort of focus on the table and incorporates some cards valued at 2 which make it even more complicated.
The value designation for each card is shown below. From the chart alone, you can see that this is more complicated than other systems that only use 1 plus/minus 1 value:
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 J Q K A
+1 +1 +2 +2 +1 +1 0 0 -2 -2 -2 -2 0
Again, Aces are not generally tracked in the running card count but are tracked externally using marjers such as chips, fingers or even your feet. As a balanced system, your count should end up at 0 after all cards in 52-card deck is played - otherwise something went wrong with your count.
Making Card Counting Effective
The success and effectiveness of card counting does not entirely depend on how well a player can count or keep track of the cards, but more on how he can perform the same skills while in an actual blackjack casino table laden with all the noise and distractions that are typical with such places. Aside from that, the player must learn how to camouflage how they count during the actual play - and avoid getting the attention of the casino pit bosses.
Unlike other casino games that rely solely on luck, blackjack is a game where players can make use of certain mathematical and card counting skills to gain an advantage over the dealer. The term card counting is not a process of memorizing each and every card coming out of the shoe as what an autistic savant like Rain Man would do. Counting cards in blackjack means keeping track of the ratio between high and low values of the cards left in the deck.
The principles behind this process were first discovered by Edward Thorp, considered the father of blackjack card counting, who published the book "Beat the Dealer" way back in 1962. This book is practically the main proponent for the blackjack revolution, prompting casinos to take action against this method. The process of card counting is actually not illegal since technically you're just keeping track of the cards and not cheating in any way. However, casinos obviously frowned upon this practice and would ban players caught counting cards.
Before you can successfully apply the different popular methods for card counting in blackjack, you must first understand the basic mechanism of how the process works and how you can practically and successfully apply these methods - and achieve success in this game.
Popular Methods for Blackjack Card Counting
There are two basic systems for blackjack card counting: balanced and unbalanced. In a balanced card counting system, counting down the entire deck of cards would give you an end count of 0. The popular methods for this involved the Hi-Lo, Hi-Opt 1 and the Hi-Opt 2 systems. Unbalanced counting on the other hand is a system of counting cards where you will not end up with count of 0 after you have gone through the whole card deck.
* KO Card Counting Strategy
KO or Knock-Out card counting system will not end up with a count of 0. The strategy involves adding an extra +1 value for every 7. Since there are four 7's in a single deck of card, you will end up with a count of +4 if you counted down the whole deck. The developers of this strategy, which is attributed to authors Olaf Vancura and Ken Fuchsln, described that it would be difficult for players to mentally convert the true count and the running count back and forth - particularly if you're playing in an environment full of distractions such as in casinos.
You will only be using +1, -1 and 0 in this strategy so it's really not difficult to keep count but it is very important that you keep your focus and attention on the table. You'll need to master the value of each particular card so you can have the most accurate count as possible. You need to know the running total throughout the game and the count will not reset until a new shoe is shuffled. A high positive count will tell you that there are only smaller-valued cards left on the deck. The opposite is then through if you have a negative running count.
The following are the designated card values in this strategy:
• 2's, 3's, 4's, 5's, 6's and 7's = +1
• 8's and 9's = 0
• 10's, J's, Q's, K's and Aces = -1
Although the KO card system was designed to make it slightly easier for the player to perform card counting, you will sacrifice some percentage of your accuracy. It all boils down to how much you are willing to invest for something that is easier to use but with less chances of winning. This system however, is just right for people playing the game once-in-a-while or for recreational purposes.
* Hi-Lo Card Counting Strategy
This strategy was created by Harvey Dubner and is a simplification of Dr. Edward Thorp's Ten-Count system. Also called the High/Low System or the Plus/Minus system, the Hi-Lo card counting strategy will make it easier for beginning or intermediate blackjack players to use in an actual blackjack table and is most often used by blackjack teams.
To learn this system, you need to master the respective values of each card in the deck. As a general rule, the small cards 2 to 6 are counted as plus 1 while the big cards 10 to A's are counted as minus 1. The middle cards or neutral cards 7 to 9 will not change the running count. This is considered a balanced system. In summary:
• 2's, 3's, 4's, 5's, 6's = +1
• 7's,8's and 9's = 0
• 10's, J's, Q's, K's and Aces = -1
You need to take note of how the running card count is affected as each card is dealt but would need special note of how many smaller cards are already played. The less small cards remaining in the deck will increase your chances of getting higher values or even a blackjack, and the reverse otherwise, allowing you to make adjustments in your betting patterns.
* Hi-Opt 1 Card Counting Strategy
Hi-Opt or Highly Optimum card counting strategies are designed for use for more advanced blackjack players. There are two versions for this system and the first one is also referred to as the Einstein Count. It is more mathematically advanced and can provide a slightly bigger edge for the players using this system however -- it is more complicated to use and will require more focus on the table.
To avoid confusion with other card counting systems, the player must master the following chart that designates the values for every card:
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 J Q K A
0 +1 +1 +1 +1 0 0 0 -1 -1 -1 -1 0
Although the Aces are not generally tracked in this system, some variations to the strategy make use of external things to keep track of how many Aces have already been played such as using chips, fingers or even your feet.
* Hi-Opt 2 Card Counting Strategy
The Hi-Opt 2 card counting strategy is the more advanced high optimum card counting system and is used by more advanced blackjack players. This is more complicated to use and usually only seasoned professionals make use of this system, giving them only a small extra edge when used. The system requires an even extra effort of focus on the table and incorporates some cards valued at 2 which make it even more complicated.
The value designation for each card is shown below. From the chart alone, you can see that this is more complicated than other systems that only use 1 plus/minus 1 value:
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 J Q K A
+1 +1 +2 +2 +1 +1 0 0 -2 -2 -2 -2 0
Again, Aces are not generally tracked in the running card count but are tracked externally using marjers such as chips, fingers or even your feet. As a balanced system, your count should end up at 0 after all cards in 52-card deck is played - otherwise something went wrong with your count.
Making Card Counting Effective
The success and effectiveness of card counting does not entirely depend on how well a player can count or keep track of the cards, but more on how he can perform the same skills while in an actual blackjack casino table laden with all the noise and distractions that are typical with such places. Aside from that, the player must learn how to camouflage how they count during the actual play - and avoid getting the attention of the casino pit bosses.
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