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The Ultimate Guide To Card Counting in Blackjack

blackjack card counting

For decades, the concept of blackjack card counting has been a constant debate among fans of the game. Its representation in Hollywood films and modern books has led many to believe that the act is only reserved for mathematical geniuses with an extraordinarily high IQ or that it’s forbidden and illegal. These are only myths! Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games in existence, and its popularity is mostly due to the fact that players can apply certain strategies to have an advantage over the house. One of these strategies is card counting, and as long as you’re only using your brain to count, there’s no one stopping you!

Also, when most people think about blackjack card counting, their minds immediately flash to movies where card counters constantly win and end up leaving with thousands, sometimes millions of dollars. This is not entirely true. While card counting gives you an edge, it isn’t a magic formula for success. You’ll definitely lose some, but in the long run, you’ll win more.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way let’s look into the world of blackjack card counting! Here, we’ll explain the basics of card counting and what it entails. We’ll also explain some strategies and how you can count cards on single, six or eight decks.

Blackjack Card Counting Basics

Card counting is a blackjack strategy used to determine who has the advantage in the next hand; the player or the dealer. Over the years, mathematicians have completed several studies on this particular strategy, and after simulating millions of blackjack hands on a computer, there’s concrete statistical evidence that proves that the removal of low cards favors the player while the removal of high cards favors the dealer. This is quite understandable because when the low cards are removed in the early hands, more high cards remain in the deck, which increases your chances of getting a blackjack.

Furthermore, when there are more large cards in the deck, it becomes more favorable for players who are pair-splitting, especially when the cards being split are 9s, 8s, 7s, and aces. Lastly, an abundance of large card favors can make insurance a profitable bet because when the dealer has an ace up and you know that there’s an abundance of large cards, the chances of the dealer pulling up a 10 become higher. More large hands also mean the chances of the dealer going bust when drawing to a stiff 12 – 16 are higher.

So now that we’ve seen the basics of blackjack card counting and how advantageous it can be to know the type of cards left in the deck, let’s explore some strategies pro players use to keep count.

How Does Blackjack Card Counting Work?

Before going into the mechanics, let’s quickly remind you that you don’t need to be Sheldon Cooper from the Big Bang Theory or an MIT graduate before you can count cards in blackjack. If you can read, write, and complete basic additions and subtractions with your mind, you’re already one step closer to being a pro!

Contrary to what’s shown in Hollywood flicks like Rain Man and 21, you don’t need to track every card. The mechanics are as follows.

When the dealer shuffles the cards, the amount of large and small cards in the deck is equal. But when he starts dealing, the distribution changes. As he deals, the card counters track the depletion of the large and small cards, and by calculations, they can know when the unplayed cards are filled with more small or large cards.

When there are more large cards, the player is at an advantage and wagers more. When it’s the other way around, the player’s bets are smaller.

You might be asking, doesn’t an abundance of large cards also give the dealer an advantage? The answer is yes, but this knowledge can help you know when to make an insurance bet, pair split, and double down. Remember that the dealer has to hit a hard 12 – 16 when the unplayed cards are majorly large. That’s why card counters will always have the edge over the casino and how they manage to beat blackjack.

Major Blackjack Card Counting Systems

There are multiple blackjack card counting systems being used today, and they all differ in complexity and counting patterns. Here are the major systems you should know.

HI-LO System

Before Harvey Dubner explained the concepts of the Hi-Lo system at a Computer Conference in Las Vegas, players relied on the Ten Count system published by Dr. Edward Thorp in his 1962 book Beat the Dealer. The Hi-Lo system was quickly adopted due to its simplicity and has since been optimized by dozens of mathematicians and computer geniuses around the world. The Hi-Lo system for blackjack card counting is widely regarded as the ultimate card counting system. So how does it work?

In the Hi-Lo system, tags or values are assigned to particular cards. Low cards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are tagged +1. High cards 10, J, Q, K, and A are tagged -1. The Hi-Lo system doesn’t count the 7, 8, and 9 cards, so they are tagged 0.

As each card is dealt, the card counter adds or subtracts 1 based on the card tags. If the running count is negative, the casino has more advantage, but if it’s positive, the player has the edge.

In order to excel at the Hi-Lo counting system, you’ll have to spend several hours practicing. Get a deck, and add and subtract the tags of the cards as you turn them over. By the 52nd card, you should be back to your initial number, which is 0. Practice first for efficiency and familiarity, then practice for speed. There are also multiple free interactive card counting trainers available online.

True Counting

Unfortunately, the popularity of the Hi-Lo system led to casinos wising up. Now, you can hardly find a casino that uses a single or double deck. Six-deck and eight-deck games are the new norms in most casinos. Nevertheless, the Hi-Lo system has been optimized to handle this change. Instead of the running count, the true count is used when counting cards in a multiple-deck game. The True count is basically the Running count divided by the number of unplayed decks. So if you have a running count of +4 and there are two unplayed decks (you can know this by subtracting the stacked decks in the discard tray from the decks still in play), your true count would be Running count/Unplayed decks, which is +4/2, giving +2. The same calculations apply when dealing with negative numbers.

Since it involves a little more calculation than the basic single deck system, you’ll need to practice properly if you’re going to have any chance of getting accurate True Counts. In addition to the true counts, you’ll need to practice getting the right number of played and unplayed decks, as this is equally important.

Now, the true count will determine when to raise or lower your bets. If you play with a betting range of $10 – $80 and your calculations place the true count at +4, make a $40 bet. If it’s +1 or +2, make a $10 and $20 bet, respectively. This will help you stay under the radar and avoid suspicion from the casino because while blackjack card counting isn’t explicitly illegal, the casino still has the right to kick you out if they please.

KISS System

If you’re having doubts about blackjack card counting because of the true count division and guesses for the number of unplayed decks, you’re in luck because the KISS system exempts you from all these. The system was developed by Fred Renzy and published in his 2006 book, Blackjack Bluebook II. There are three KISS systems: KISS 1, KISS 2, and KISS 3.

KISS 1

The KISS 1 is the simplest of the three, mainly because you have to track the fewest number of cards. The KISS 1 system also uses a running count and assigns a +1 tag to the 4, 5, 6, and black deuce cards. It then assigns a -1 tag to the face cards (J, K, and Q). All other cards are not counted, so they are marked zero.

Card Tag
4, 5, 6 and black deuces +1
J, K, and Q -1
A, red 2, 3, 7, 8, 9 or 10 0

KISS 2

KISS 2 is slightly more advanced and accurate than the KISS 1. In addition to the cards counted in the previous system, you’ll have to count the tens and threes cards. The tens are given a -1 tag like the face cards, while the threes are given a +1 tag.

Card Tag
3, 4, 5, 6 and black deuces +1
J, K, Q and 10 -1
A, red 2, 7, 8, or 9 0

KISS 3

KISS 3 is much more comprehensive and accurate than the other two. With this system, you’ll be monitoring Ace and Seven cards in addition to the others you monitored in KISS 2. Ace cards are given a -1 tag when calculating the running count, while sevens are given a +1 tag.

Card Tag
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and black deuces +1
A, J, K, Q, and 10 -1
red 2, 8, or 9 0

Knockout System

The KO system is another blackjack card counting system that’s effective when there are multiple card decks. Like the KISS system, the KO doesn’t require true counting, so there’s no need for divisions or unplayed deck tracking.

Also, the KO system is different because the starting count is not always zero. Other systems start their running count with a zero, but in the KO system, this changes based on the number of decks the casino is using.

  • For a single deck, the starting count is 0
  • For double decks, the starting count is -4
  • For six decks, the starting count is -20
  • For eight decks, the starting count is -28

The KO system also assigns tags to cards with the A, K, Q, J, or 10 having a -1 value, while the 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 are assigned a +1 tag. 8 and 9 are the only numbers you don’t count in the KO system.

Card Tag
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 +1
A, J, K, Q, and 10 -1
8 and 9 0

Zen Count

Zen Count is an intermediate-level blackjack card counting system, and while it uses True Counting and similar mechanics to the Hi-Lo system, it’s far more accurate. The starting count is zero, but the values assigned to cards are different.

Card Tag
2, 3, or 7 +1
4, 5, or 6 +2
A -2
J, K, Q, and 109 -1
8 and 9 0

Conclusion

Since the first blackjack card counting system was published almost seven decades ago, there have been multiple systems and variations. Most people believe that only mathematical geniuses are capable of card counting, mostly due to the myth that players have to count all the cards in the deck. This is not true!

Card counters generally track specific cards by assigning values to them. Their goal is to ascertain whether the unplayed cards are filled with more small or large cards. This is due to the statistical evidence that has proven that the higher the amount of unplayed large cards, the more advantage the players have. Card counters use this knowledge to know when to place big or small bets. Sounds simple right?

But before you go running into a casino thinking you’ll come out rich like Tom Cruise in Rain Man, know that blackjack card counting takes a lot of practice to master. You’ll need to practice counting fast, subtly without suspicion, and in a noisy environment with heavy distractions similar to the casino. So card counting isn’t for everyone, but if you believe you can do it, pick a system you’re comfortable with and start practicing!

FAQs

Yes, millions of players win blackjack games without card counting. Some use other advantage-play strategies like hole carding, shuffle tracking, and edge sorting. Nevertheless, blackjack card counting gives the player more advantage and is easier to master.

KISS and Knockout systems are good blackjack card counting systems because they are highly effective and don’t use true counting, which involves more calculations (division).

As long as you don’t use any external card counting device or human assistance, you’re fully protected by local, state, and federal laws. Nevertheless, it’s within the casino’s rights to ban or kick you out if you are caught.

The answer depends on the type of blackjack card counting system you want to use. According to many players, the Hi-Lo system is the simplest to learn and master.

It is possible to live off this technique as many players have done so in the past. However, becoming a master at blackjack card counting will take a lot of time and practice – usually running into years.

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