Tips to Count Cards in Blackjack
If you don’t understand how blackjack is played, you’ll have to rely on odds and luck to ensure that you’re not just giving money to the casino. Many people abide by this strategy if they’re tourists or amateurs, but luckily there is a better strategy you can use if you enjoy playing blackjack! The strategy is simple – count the cards.
Can You Really Count Cards?
Many people are incredulous when it comes to thinking about attempting to count cards – and it is easy to understand why. When some tables use 8 decks of cards, remembering every card that’s been played is more than a little difficult. The good news is that you don’t have to. Counting cards is less about exact memorization and more about creating a formula that allows you to estimate your odds.
Understanding the Formula
In order to implement the card counting formula, you simply assign a value to each number in the deck. If a card between 2 and 6 is drawn, assign it the value +1. If a card valued between 7 and 9 is drawn, assign it a value of 0. Finally, if a card between 10 and Ace is drawn, assign it a value of -1.
As each round progresses, keep track of the overall score. If the score is zero, it’s anyone’s game. If the score goes negative, the favor lies with the house – be careful! Finally, if the score is positive, you have the advantage. You’ll want to advance this formula as you get more familiar with it, but these are the general principles. For example, you will use results differently if the count is +5 with a single deck versus if the count is +5 in an 8 stack deck.
Is It Illegal?
You may be nervous to try counting cards if you’re not sure if it’s legal. Fortunately for you, it isn’t illegal. That being said, it isn’t necessarily an accepted practice. If you get caught counting cards, you may be asked to leave a table … or establishment. So to avoid this outcome, you’ll need to learn to count quickly and discreetly.
How to Count Cards Fast
There are many things you can try when it comes to counting cards faster and more accurately. For starters, you can start by working on your facial cues. This will be one of the main giveaways that other people will use to try to determine if you are counting cards. You’ll also want to avoid counting on your hands or using any pens, paper, or another form of note-taking tools.
After you’ve eliminated your facial cues, work on counting cards quickly. There are many different types of boot camps and online training programs you can use to accomplish this. The faster you can add sums in your head, the better you will be at card counting. This will help to draw attention away from you as well since you don’t want to take too long when it comes to making your call in the game.
Read more on Blackjack related articles below: