The movie “21” introduced many people to the art and skill of counting cards when playing Blackjack.
21 is based on fact and documents the story of how six MIT students were trained at becoming expert Blackjack players who ended up walking away with millions – by counting cards at the casino.
While casinos obviously frown on the practise of counting cards as this puts them at an extreme disadvantage, it is legal to do so. The trick is not to get caught doing it.
Below is an introduction to how to count cards – and win.
The Hi-Lo Method
The most popular way to count Blackjack cards is the famous Hi-Lo method.
With this method, each numbered card is assigned a point-value. Two through six are awarded one point each, and cards seven through nine are worth zero points. Aces, face value cards, and ten cards are all assigned a value of negative one point.
When using this method, the aim is to keep a total score of all the cards on display. This will help you to determine roughly how many face cards remain in the deck. The more face cards, the higher the likelihood of a Blackjack result in the player’s favour.
Practise Makes Perfect
Whatever your method of choice, it is important to practice how to keep an accurate running count.
Do this by using a single deck of cards. While flipping the cards over, add up the values as you go. By the end of the deck, your total should be zero. This is how you’ll know that you’ve kept an on-point running total.
The more you practise at a land based venue or an online casino South Africa, the better you’ll become at getting it right every time.
About True Count
Since casinos became wise to players counting cards and beating the house, they came up with a plan: using multiple decks of cards.
But it’s still possible to count cards even with multiple decks. This is done by taking the running count and dividing that count by the number of decks being used in the game.
Keep the following in mind:
- 3 is fine for a running count in a single-deck game, but once the number of decks increase, your chances of winning will diminish. Accuracy is key, especially when more than one deck is involved.
- True count will depend on the number of decks in play, For example, a seven running count with two decks in play with total down to a true count of 3. However, once six decks are in play that count will reduce to 1.
It is therefore important to also practise true counts. You can do this by starting off with only a few decks. This will allow you to practise counting while also dividing at the same time.
Practise Being Distracted
While practising your counting skill, try switching on the radio or listening to music. This will mimic the typical distractions of the casino and will help you to concentrate under pressure.
Adjusting Your Bet
When adjusting your bet at the casino, be sure to remain discreet.
Also, once you start winning big regularly, be sure to switch tables and take breaks so as to avoid suspicion and detection.
