Card Counting: Meaning and Definition
Card counting is a strategy used in blackjack some players attempt to use to overcome the house odds. It refers to the process of assigning values to cards and tracking the deck with each hand to place bets more accurately.
Summary
One of the most recognisable gambling strategies in blackjack is card counting. While legal, the casinos don’t allow players who count cards to continue playing, so using this strategy is questionable.
What Is Card Counting?
Card counting is a strategy players can use in blackjack in order to track the cards that are dealt, telling them if their chances decrease or increase with each passing hand. Contrary to popular belief, card counting is legal. However, casino personnel will monitor players at the blackjack table and escort them out if they notice this strategy being used.
Card counting isn’t difficult as you’re not tracking individual cards. Even if perfected, it’s hard to get the advantage over casinos and wins aren’t guaranteed, especially nowadays when more than one deck of cards are used.
Why It’s Important
Card counting is a common term in blackjack. Players should be aware of it and although learning and mastering this strategy may give you an advantage, there are other blackjack strategies which yield better results. For casinos, noticing players who count cards is essential to prevent them from playing further and win in an unfair manner.
How It’s Used
Card counting is used by assigning point values to each card:
- 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 → +1
- 7, 8, 9 → 0
- 10, J, Q, K, A → -1
The lower the count is after each round, the more likely it is that you’ll receive a lower card, and the higher the count is, the more chance is that you’ll receive a high card. Knowing this, you can place bets accordingly and increase your chances of winnings.
Counting cards is almost impossible in land-based casinos, while it’s still probable in live casino lobbies.
