Counting cards is a popular strategy used by gamblers in card games like blackjack to gain an advantage over the casino. It involves keeping track of the cards that have been dealt and using this information to make more informed decisions about how to play your hand. But what exactly is the count when counting cards? In this article, we'll explore the basics of counting cards and what the count really means.
What is Counting Cards?
Counting cards is a card game strategy used in blackjack to determine whether the next hand is likely to give the player an advantage over the house. The player keeps a mental count of the cards that have been dealt, assigning a point value to each card based on its rank. High cards like tens, jacks, queens, kings, and aces are worth -1, while low cards like twos, threes, fours, fives, and sixes are worth +1. Sevens, eights, and nines are worth 0.
By keeping track of the count, the player can make more informed decisions about how to play their hand. For example, if the count is high, it means that there are more high cards left in the deck, which increases the likelihood of getting a blackjack or a hand of 20 or 21. This may prompt the player to bet more aggressively. Conversely, if the count is low, it means that there are more low cards left in the deck, which increases the likelihood of busting. This may prompt the player to bet more conservatively or even fold.
The True Count
While keeping track of the count is important, it's not the whole story. The true count is the count adjusted for the number of decks remaining in the shoe. This is because a high count in a single deck game is more significant than a high count in a game with multiple decks. To calculate the true count, the player divides the running count by the number of decks remaining in the shoe. For example, if the running count is +10 and there are 2 decks remaining in the shoe, the true count is +5.
Using the true count is important because it helps the player make more accurate decisions about how to play their hand. If the count is high, but there are only a few decks remaining in the shoe, the advantage may not be as significant as it would be in a single deck game. Conversely, if the count is low, but there are many decks remaining in the shoe, the disadvantage may not be as significant as it would be in a single deck game.
The Hi-Lo Count
The Hi-Lo count is one of the most popular card counting systems used in blackjack. It's a balanced system, which means that when the player counts through an entire deck, they should end up with a count of 0. The Hi-Lo count assigns a point value to each card as follows:
- 2, 3, 4, 5, 6: +1
- 7, 8, 9: 0
- 10, J, Q, K, A: -1
Using the Hi-Lo count, the player keeps a running count of the cards that have been dealt and adjusts this count based on the values assigned to each card. For example, if the first card dealt is a 2, the count would be +1. If the second card dealt is a queen, the count would be 0 (because queens are worth -1). If the third card dealt is an ace, the count would be -1 (because aces are worth -1).
The Zen Count
The Zen Count is another popular card counting system used in blackjack. It's an unbalanced system, which means that when the player counts through an entire deck, they should end up with a positive or negative count depending on the number of cards remaining in the shoe. The Zen Count assigns a point value to each card as follows:
- 2, 3, 7: +1
- 4, 5, 6: +2
- 10, J, Q, K, A: -2
- 8, 9: 0
Using the Zen Count, the player keeps a running count of the cards that have been dealt and adjusts this count based on the values assigned to each card. They also adjust the count based on the number of decks remaining in the shoe. For example, if the running count is +6 and there are 2 decks remaining in the shoe, the true count is +3.
Conclusion
Counting cards can be a powerful strategy for gaining an advantage over the casino in games like blackjack. However, it's important to remember that card counting is not illegal, but it is frowned upon by casinos. If you're caught counting cards, you may be asked to leave the casino or even banned from playing. As always, gamble responsibly and have fun!
