How To Count Cards In Blackjack And Win

Who didn’t want to improve the maths skills in order to beat the casino after watching movies like «Ocean’s Eleven» or «21» with Jim Sturgess? Of course, these plots have not a lot in common with real-life cases. But still there is something to it, especially when it comes to blackjack counting. Of course, it’s impossible to predict the outcome exactly, but you can increase your chances a lot when understanding what cards are left in the deck and what stakes should take place.

All right, how to count cards in blackjack and what skills should gamblers possess?

First Things to Know

First of all, rest assured: no terrific memory required. You won’t have to remember all the cards of one or even several decks. Everything is a bit easier, though some efforts still take place. For example, counting cards is nothing without a basic strategy. So it’s just another tip to help the player, but not a 100% winning guarantee. Besides, the method is OK for real-life or Live casinos where you can see the deck and know when the cards are shuffled. While online games hardly ever have this option.

Pay attention: you are free to count the cards at a casino, so it’s NOT illegal according to the laws of the US, but until you are using any card-counting devices or are assisted by somebody else.

Working Tricks to Count the Cards

As soon as the rules are clear and you understand the basic strategy, blackjack card counting systems can come in handy. There are loads of approaches and not less of systems are appearing even nowadays. But the most outstanding ones are already tried out by hundreds of players and are still so popular. Let’s take a look at these theories!

Running Count per Value

This approach is the most famous one, so blackjack card = counting game and you can always increase your chances to get good combinations when understanding what cards are in a shoe (at least approximately). It was first introduced by Harvey Dubner in 1963. 

All you have to do now is to divide the cards into 3 parts - low (2-6), neutral (7-9) and high (10-A). So you give each card a certain tag.

This trick works with any number of decks: but make sure that you watch the game since the cards have been just shuffled and until the next shuffling.

Important to know: the method is OK for hand and automatic shuffling (when you know that one or several decks are used during all the game), but it is not working with CSM’s, so the used cards are mixed with the left ones and you can’t predict anything then

Well, what are these numbers for and how exactly should gamblers use the method?

1. Learn how to evaluate the cards according to this system. 
2. Start your counts as soon as the game begins and go on playing until all the cards are used and shuffled again (though when you understand that the left cards are not OK, you can stop playing).
3. When you see the total sum of these numbers, you can sum up whether the left in the deck cards are high (your number is positive) or low (your number is negative). 
4. It’s mathematically proven that gamblers can benefit from high-value cards more than from the low ones. So when you realise that the cards that are left in the deck are mostly low, you can stop playing or go on playing, but at low stakes.

By the way, a convenient tip is not to start counting until the second card at the beginning of the game is dealt.

True Count per Decks

When you understand the previous method, you can learn how to count cards in blackjack with multiple decks and predict more outcomes. And this one can help to understand how potential each deck is.

The formula is easy: you have to divide the running count by the number of decks left in a shoe (if you don’t know how to find out the number of decks, the working method is described below).

For example, your running count is 12 and you see that 4 decks are left. So you divide 12 by 4 and 3 is the number that has to influence your decision. This result is quite OK, while -2, for example, won’t promise you good results.

You should take into account only the whole decks, so when there are 2 whole decks and a half of a third one, you will divide your running count by 2 only.

Zen Counting System

The system of this kind looks like the previous one, but it’s a bit more complicated to use, though its predictions are more detailed as well.

Arnold Snyder and his books have influenced the system a lot, making it widely popular. The strategy provides gamblers with the information about upcoming cards (not exactly, of course, but still a good option). 

According to Zen count in blackjack, the cards will have the following value.

So when players start using this system, something of this kind takes place.

Yes, players who use this system should be extremely concentrated during the game, but the effort is worth it.

Learn How Many Decks Are in a Shoe

Among the blackjack tips, there is another one you can use: learning how many cards are there in a shoe. First of all, it’s always about practicing. When making your first steps in the industry, buy yourself a shoe and several decks to practice enough. You can try to guess where one deck ends and another one starts, counting them more and more times. Only then you can be good at this. When the game goes on, you can pay attention to the empty place above the shoe, so it’s easier to estimate this volume, than looking at a big pack of cards.

Other Features That Can Help

As blackjack = math + your luck, there are some more things you can use while playing the game. Here come several examples of them.

Printable Charts

There are even more things you can use to minimize the house edge. And one of them is the following table, so a blackjack cheat sheet is the thing that has been based on the maths calculations and can help to make a decision quickly. Of course, it has nothing in common with card counting, so you just rely on the cards you have and the up card of the dealer to decide what to do. For example, when you have soft 16 in blackjack and the dealer’s up card is 7, you should hit.

Users are free to use the printed tables of this kind at the casinos, but only if these charts aren’t on the table.

Special Software

Besides counting the cards yourself, you can do it via the special software. But be aware: you mostly can’t use electronic devices to predict the result when being at a real-life casino, while Live online casinos aren’t always using the standard shuffling system. So a blackjack calculator will be OK for practicing or when you can start counting cards while playing Live.

By the way, software of this kind can help not only to find out the next steps, so blackjack risk of ruin calculator and loads of others take place besides. 

FAQ: You Should Know That

Still need help when it comes to cards counting? That’s OK, so some blackjack players spend years mastering this thing. And reading FAQ can definitely help to come closer to success.

Is counting cards a useful feature?
Definitely yes, so loads of successful players talk about it and advice gamblers to start using the method. But as soon as the basic strategy is clear.

Is counting cards legal?
Yes, due to Upton, a famous player who used to be banned for this activity beforehand. Nowadays, you can count the cards, but until you do it with the help of an electronic device.

How to count cards in blackjack with 1 deck?

Well, it’s really easy, so the deck is small and it takes up to several minutes to count all of it. As for the easiest way, you separate the deck into 3 parts and give them a certain value (-1, 0, +1). When the game begins, you start calculating.

What software can help to count the cards quickly?

You can start using a blackjack card counting simulator or various other programs. But be aware that it will be OK for the theory mostly, so casinos really allow gamblers to use electronic devices to calculate the outcome.

Blackjack hard vs soft 17: what’s the difference?

First of all, when your combination is hard, the chances to bust are higher. While soft combinations are more flexible: when you get another card that makes you go over 17, the Ace is now counted as 1 and you don’t take risks. Besides, it’s important to know when the dealer stops: so when it’s at soft 17, it’s a more profitable for the player position.