If you’re a Blackjack player or striving to become one, it won’t be long until you hear about counting cards-if you haven’t already heard.
Counting cards in Blackjack will give the good Blackjack player better odds to come out ahead in the long run. It’s not some super-secret formula for winning millions of dollars at Blackjack overnight.
Also, when you count cards, you’re just trying to get a read on what type of cards are left in the deck and not trying to guess what exact card is due next-ala the Rain Man.
Here’s the basic premise. When there’s a great chance that big cards will come out, the win meter swings to your favor. When there’s a great chance that small cards will come out, the win meter swings harder to the dealer.
So, the ideal situation is one in which lots of large cards are left in the deck and in which the probability of those cards coming out is greater. When this happens, you bet larger than normal.
And that’s really the main philosophy. When there are greater numbers of small cards left, reduce your wager. When there are greater numbers of large cards left, bet bigger. That doesn’t mean you bet $5 on one hand and $5,000 the next. A typical swing might be $5-$15. But, you’ll need to decide this for yourself.
Counting cards doesn’t work online. Why? Well, online casinos shuffle their deck(s) for each hand-unless noted somewhere. Since they do this, counting is of no value.
In the real world, you’ll typically find that counting pays off as decks get smaller. But here’s the catch. To count successfully, you must be able to see all the cards. That’s right. If the player next to you just tosses in his or her card face down, you’ve lost an edge. The more it happens, the worse your count will be.
Let’s dispel one false misconception about counting cards right now. You don’t need to be a math genius to do it. Can you count from 0 to 2 and from 0 to -2? If so, you’re talented enough. All you need to do is practice.
The first time you go out to count, it’s best to play with a small table. Also, if you can find a game that deals the cards face up, you’ll have an easier time learning.
Remember, counting cards by itself does absolutely nothing. If you’re a poor Blackjack player, counting cards won’t help you win. In fact, it can help you lose more money and faster. Counting cards in Blackjack is a tool to aid those who understand the game and can play it properly.
How do you count cards? We’ll go over that in another article.