Blackjack Counting Cards Explained

Blackjack is a classic card game popular in casinos all around the world. It’s also a popular game to play with different strategies, one of which is the card counting system. Card counting is a system of playing blackjack that involves tracking the low and high-value cards dealt and adjusting your bet accordingly.

Alongside basic strategy, card counting strategies are a popular way of playing blackjack to get the best odds of winning. If you’re interested in learning how to count in online live blackjack in Ireland, this guide will explain all the basics. It will also cover all the necessary steps to count cards properly and the different card counting strategies.

What Is Card Counting?

Card counting is an advanced way of playing blackjack that could help you gain an advantage over the casino if done correctly. Although it won’t help you beat the dealer on every hand, it can reduce the house edge by around 1%.

Blackjack counting cards is a method of keeping a running count of what cards have been dealt to predict what’s left in the deck. The blackjack counting strategy was invented by a group of mathematicians who discovered a way to keep track of what cards have been played. It’s based on the fact that the odds change as the game is played because the composition of the deck changes.

How Does Card Counting Work?

Card counters can use different strategies to try this method for blackjack, but the basic blackjack strategy and necessary steps are always the same. If you want to try basic card counting as a beginner, it’s important to understand the basic steps you’ll need to take.

This involves assigning a value to each card dealt, keeping a running count, and then calculating the true count using a simple calculation.

Step 1: Assigning Card Values

The first step to counting cards in a blackjack game is to assign a value to each card dealt by the dealer. There are three basic values to learn when you’re trying this blackjack system for the first time, so you don’t need to remember each card.

The values should be assigned as described below:

🃏 Card	⚖️ Value
👉🏼 2, 3, 4, 5, 6	+1
👉🏼 7, 8, 9	0
👉🏼 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace	-1

The point of assigning values to cards is to determine the ratio of low to high cards remaining in the deck. The advantage will be in the house’s favour if fewer low cards are left.

Step 2: Keep Track on the Running Count

The next step is to keep a running count of the cards dealt using the assigned values in the table above. Add or subtract the value in your running count every time a card is dealt. This should be done until the dealer shuffles the cards.

The easiest way to keep an accurate running count is in single-deck blackjack, but many games use multiple decks nowadays.

Every time a card is removed, it affects the house edge and your odds of winning. Below, we’ve included a table showing illustrating this.

🃏 Removed Card	📊 Effect of Removal in %
✔️ 2	0.38%
✔️ 3	0.44%
✔️ 4	0.55%
✔️ 5	0.69%
✔️ 6	0.46%
✔️ 7	0.28%
✔️ 8	0.00%
❌ 9	-0.18%
❌ King, Queen, Jack, 10	-0.51%
❌ Ace	0.61%

Step 3: Calculate the True Count

With multiple decks in most blackjack tables, you’ll also need to determine the true count using your running count. The true count is the number you’ll need to use to make betting decisions in the game.

Casinos began using more than one card deck to thwart card counters and make it harder to count properly, but players quickly found a way around that.

The true count can be easily calculated by dividing your running count by the number of decks remaining. Let’s say your running count is 10, and five decks remain; the true count will be two (10 ÷ 5 =2).

To combat card counters now, the multiple packs of cards in use are shuffled regularly to make it even more difficult to predict what is left in the shoe.

Step 4: Take Advantage of the Count with Your Bets

The purpose of keeping a running count and converting it to a true count is to know whether the edge is in your favour or the casino’s. This constantly fluctuates as cards are dealt, so you must update your calculations as the game progresses.

If your true count is negative or neutral, you can assume the casino has an advantage, so your bets should be small. Ideally, you bet the minimum to stay in the game. A positive true count indicates a player advantage, so you can increase your bet size to take advantage of it.

Step 5: Change the Basic Rules

This next step is where card counting in blackjack gets a little more complicated, especially if you want to be as accurate as possible. However, when using these charts in combination with the counting cards blackjack strategy, a few deviations are required if your true count is +3 or higher.

Here are some of the most important card counting tips to implement in this scenario:

• Take the insurance bet if the dealer has an Ace.
• Double down on 9 if the dealer has a 7.
• Stand on 16 if the dealer’s card is a 10.
• Split a pair of 10s instead of standing.
• Stand on a 13 against the dealer’s 2 and on a total of 12 if the dealer has a 2 or 3.
• Double down on 10 if the dealer has an Ace.

Advanced Counting Cards Blackjack Strategies

The steps described so far demonstrate the basic card counting strategy. This is the best way to get started if you want to learn how to card count properly, and while the basics are simple to grasp, it takes time to master accurately.

If you’ve gotten the basics down, you might be interested in progressing to more advanced counting strategies.

Omega II Blackjack Card Counting

The Omega II card counting strategy is known as a balanced system because it uses zero as a base.

Cards should be given the following tags when using this system:

• 2, 3, and 7 have a value of 1
• 4, 5, and 6 have a value of 2
• 9 has a value of -1
• Face cards and 10 have a value of -2
• 8 and Ace have a value of 0

According to this system, a positive count indicates that more low cards are left in the deck, while a negative count tells you that there are more high cards.

Wong Halves Card Counting

The Wong Halves system was created by Stanford Wong, a professional blackjack player who authored multiple books on the subject. This system is also balanced, using a base of zero, meaning that your count should be zero when the deck is finished.

The Wong Halves uses the following values:

• 3, 4, and 6 have a value of 1
• 2 and 7 have a value of 0.5
• 5 has a value of 1.5
• 8 has a value of 0
• 9 has a value of -0.5
• 10, Ace, and face cards have a value of -1

Team Blackjack Card Counting

The team card counting strategy, also called group play, is a strategy where a group of players count cards at the same table. In this strategy, a team of skilled card counters create a team bankroll, with every player putting up an equal share of the total bankroll.

One team member is designated as the ‘big player‘ while the rest are called ‘spotters‘. The spotters position themselves at different tables, placing only minimum bets and keeping count. When the count becomes favourable, the spotters signal the big player to increase the bet size.

Multiple Decks Card Counting

As we mentioned earlier, one of the reasons casinos use multiple decks is to make it harder for players to count cards accurately and gain a bigger advantage in the game. While counting multiple decks is more complicated, it’s not impossible. You can still use the basic counting strategy the Hi-Lo strategy)to get an accurate count.

What’s vital to remember when multiple decks are used is that you always need to divide your running count by the number of decks. For example, if you have a running count of eight but two decks are left, the true count is four.

Blackjack Card Counting Tips

Now that you know the basics of how to count cards and the different counting strategies you can implement to gain a statistical advantage, let’s go over a few essential tips.

1. Get to Know the Basic Blackjack Strategy Perfectly

Card counting without basic strategy isn’t enough. Although some deviations may be necessary based on your true count (as we explained earlier), it’s important to understand basic strategy, and learn how to read and use a strategy chart in a game.

2. Be Aware of the Specific Blackjack Rules

Before you play blackjack with any strategy, it’s very important to take the time to check the specific game rules. Remember, some blackjack variants have different betting rules and dealer rules. Some games use a single deck, while others may use up to eight.

3. Study the Blackjack Tables

Experienced card counters never join a table without studying it for some time first. They know to check how often the dealer shuffles the card or changes the shoe. If you can find a table where the cards are shuffled less frequently, it will make it easier for you to count.

4. Manage Your Bankroll Wisely

Setting aside a bankroll for your game and managing it properly will always help you with your card counting strategy. Remember, you can still lose money even if you master the art of card counting perfectly, so you’ll want to be careful with sizing your bets.

5. Practice Is the Best Teacher!

The strategy of counting cards is fairly simple to understand, but it isn’t easy to implement in practice. Besides distractions around you, you must also focus on playing your cards right while keeping a count. This takes time and a lot of practice, so our best tip is to use a blackjack card counting simulator before trying it in a real money game.

Pros & Cons of Blackjack Counting Cards Strategy

💭 Pros	🤔 Cons
✅ You can improve your odds when counting cards in blackjack	❌ Casino personnel monitor players to spot card counting and can ban players for using the strategy.
✅ The house edge can be reduced further with basic strategy and card counting	❌ It can be mentally taxing to keep up with, possibly causing you to make mistakes.
✅ You can safely deviate from basic strategy in some cases and potentially flip the odds in your favour.	❌ It’s not a very effective strategy for online blackjack.

How Do You Know If You Are Playing with a Card Counter?

If you’re an experienced card counter yourself, spotting another player using this method is quite easy. However, if you’re new to the blackjack card counting game, there are some tips you can use to spotthem.

Here’s what to look for to check if someone is card counting:

• If a player increases their bet size towards the end of the shoe, then returns to a small bet at the beginning of the shoe.
• If bets are increased when several low-value cards are dealt.
• Taking the insurance bet. Basic strategy always states you should avoid taking this bet, but an experienced card counter might take insurance if they believe the dealer has a blackjack.
• Splitting a pair of 10s.

If you want to try blackjack card counting in a casino, it’s important to avoid the obvious tells and do it subtly.

Recap: How to Count Cards in Blackjack

Counting cards can be a useful strategy to implement alongside basic strategy. Although it takes a long time to master, it can give you a bigger advantage in the game. However, remember that a mistake can quickly lead to a big loss.

Here’s a summary to recap everything we’ve explained in this blackjack strategy guide:

1. Assign a value to each card dealt.
2. Keep a running count by adding or subtracting the card’s value accordingly.
3. Estimate the true count by dividing the running count by the number of decks left.
4. Increase your bet if the true count is positive and decrease if it’s negative.

Frequently Asked Questions about Blackjack Counting Cards