Keep a “Running Count” based off of the values of the card dealt. Card Counting Systems in Blackjack. If you are head to head with a dealer (my favorite), then you have a betting edge. Practice with a few of these and get an idea of what works best for you in your card counting journey. Among the 59 card-counting systems listed in Encyclopedia of Blackjack, it appears only two systems – AceMT and Hi-Lo – can also be used to card-count Spanish 21. You see, unbalanced card counts merely estimate your true count. Many believe that it was the strategy that really pushed card counting, now a widely popular practice, into the public eye. Hit 12 vs 6 at -5 or lower. Players who use it assign a value of +1 to cards from 2 to 6, as well as red 7s. As you can see it is quite the work to remember the value you must give to each card. The card counting system that best suits the Lucky Lucky side bet is the balanced system (-1,1,1,0,0,-1,-2,-2,0,1). Blackjack Card Counting Systems Chart. It is one of the most popular blackjack counting systems around the world and is easy to learn. Keeping a running count while the cards are being dealt. KO counting system. Snyder, one of the original inductees into the Blackjack Hall of Fame, has written a number of books on blackjack and other casino games as well as editing and contributing to the ‘Blackjack Forum’, a trade. These variations can only be used. Step 2. Black 7s, 8, and 9 have a value of 0, while 10s and aces are counted as -1. Card counting is a technique used in the game of blackjack to track the ratio of high cards to low cards remaining in the deck or shoe. The Uston APC (Advanced Point Count) card counting system was developed by Ken Uston, and first published in his book, Million Dollar Blackjack, in 1981. For example, the K-O system has a 1 point value for 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s, 6s, and 7s with a 0 on 8s and 9s. The 2008 movie “21” bought card counting to the attention of the general public. The Hi/Lo is a ‘one-level’ system, because all the point values are +1, 0 or -1. Analysis of some popular blackjack side bets that I have seen. If you are new to counting, it is better to master a simple blackjack card counting system than to have a rudimentary grasp of a more complicated one. 50. It is easy to learn and implement, and can be effective in games with fewer decks. dealer’s 6. You can certainly start with less cash, but you might find your run at the blackjack tables ends before it even really gets started. The first step is to take a deck of cards and count through it, one at a time. Counting Cards - Blackjack Counting. If the three cards form a flush, straight, threeof- a-kind, or straight flush, the player wins. Edward Throp's groundbreaking system, the Ten-Count, to make it easier for players to use at an actual table. Using this system, Ace and 8 are valued as 0. Step 2: Counting Cards. The fewer cards that are involved, the more inaccurate (proportionally) they become. All you have to keep in mind is to either add 1, subtract 1 or choose to opt out of adding or subtracting when the cards are dealt. We reviewed most of them and will add reviews of any new discovered ones. These R22 indices are a modified version of the well-known Catch-22 (C22) indices discussed in Don Schlesinger's book, Blackjack Attack, third edition. It then requires the dealer to deal only one more card to the player’s Blackjack hand. These variations can only be used. 1) Start by ‘Tagging’ Each Card. The system you're using was what the Bringing Down The House guys used, and they admitted that, due its small 2% advantage, they needed to make huge bets in order to get a decent return. The author, Moraine Mono, lives by the motto ‘play smarter, not harder. You should understand right from the beginning that the Hi-Opt II system is more complex than most counting methods. Begin your count at 30 and understand that there will usually be one low card per hand. Here’s a complete rundown of each of Donald Schlesinger’s Illustrious 18: 1. For the suave player who understands that variety is the spice of life, there are multiple card counting. Surrendering 15 sometimes vs a 10 is a sign of card counting (basic strategy says to do it always). With balanced counts, the counting begins with the value of 0 and if the player goes through a deck, or multiple decks, of cards. This running count is expressed by a positive (+1, +2, +3) or negative (-1, -2, -3) number. You start a new blackjack game with a zero count when you hit the blackjack tables. The Hi-Lo Count System helps players keep track of the cards in the deck. this is absolutly true except for some variables. The OPP Card Counting System: A New, Easier Approach to Counting Cards By Carlos Zilzer[From Blackjack Forum Vol. It uses the famous principle of the card counting which is assigning different point values of the cards in the desk. Card Counting Is Antiquated If you read the relative "advantage" card counting systems give you, I am sure you've been disappointed. The effect of the removal of a ten-valued card is -10 – (-5. You only need to keep track of low cards. Knockout (KO) System. So, if you’re dealt a six, followed by a two, followed by an Ace, followed by an eight, you’re running total would be 1, 1. It was developed by Lawrence Revere between 1971 and 1974 and was widely used by many of the early blackjack players and expert card counters. You are still counting low cards and high cards but not the middle cards. High cards (A-10) = -1. i understand the hi - lo but have seen a few videos on youtube and a few websites that say i shouldnt use the hi - lo. The OPP is arguably the easiest system out there, and is a perfect stepping stone on your way to blackjack greatness. Here’s a solid example: If you have a stiff 12 – 16 in traditional blackjack and the dealer shows a 2–6, you would stand (except you would hit 12 against dealer’s 2 and 3). The most popular example is the Red-7 method. This is because the lower five cards have +1 values and the upper five cards have -1 values so they cancel each other out. Penetration was 31/52. In an unbalanced card counting system the count does not begin at 0 and will not necessarily end at 0 when all of the cards have been dealt. 5 cards. An ace five system works on the basis of the notion that an ace is a highly valuable card for players and the 5 is the worst blackjack card. a 2 counts as two, a 9 counts as nine. If we use the optimum bet spread and choose the double-deck game with DAS, the potential profit per 100 hands increases to $67. The win-rate for counting Lucky Lucky is roughly four times that of ordinary blackjack (blog article). read By Henry Tamburin Ph. It will test your knowledge of each card’s value. He gathers all the information he can by watching the first round without making a bet. And in most of them, numbers 2 to 6 are considered low cards. Provided that you kept an accurate count as the cards were being dealt, you will be able to keep track the running value of the cards left in decks. 2. The indices range from -2 to +2, which is why it’s a level 2. Since there are four cards of this denomination during a single deck, the final count once one deck is +4. This means that players only need to assign -1, 0, or +1 values to. The Hi-Lo card counting system is a card counting strategy. To practice card counting, here's a chart that will guide you through the. Thread starter mrboxingfan; Start date Nov 12, 2011; Prev. Play Blackjack;. Anyways, I honestly can't recommend any of those systems for shoes. 5 as your total so far. Start the count after a shuffle. Here are three blackjack card counting systems you can use instead of hi-lo: The Ace/Five System. For example, the K-O system has a 1 point. I know it's one of the difficult ones but I enjoy challenges. Making a play like standing 16 vs 10 sometimes is also one. The most famous balanced card counting systems are Hi-Lo, Hi-Opt II, Halves, Omega II and Zen. Blackjack Card Counting Systems. 1. When compared to popular counting systems such as Hi-Lo Count and Knockout Count, the Omega 2 system offers a bit more challenge but also greater profitability. Playing efficiency is relatively unimportant in 6d+ games. Most games of blackjack require the dealer to stop at 17, even if this means the dealer loses, but the rules may allow for the dealer to hit on a soft 17, which is a 17 made with an ace (the ace can be a one or. Take a seat with Mr Blackjack and become a winning player. For example, if the first four cards dealt are 3, 6, 10, and Ace, the. Card. 9% in single-deck blackjack. When used correctly, this system gives the player a 1% edge over the casino. 2. The cards that affect the KO count are as follows: 2-7. However, you will need to memorize more card values with this. In my recent study of card counting systems, I've run into a few systems that are "Suit Aware. Simple card counting systems are easy to learn but deliver results that are less than the best. Even the best blackjack card counting systems recognize that getting a blackjack without an ace and a 10 in your hand is impossible. It’s a great blackjack counting system for beginners, making it easy to get familiar with the basics of counting cards while keeping the odds on your side. However, a book, Blackbelt in Blackjack – written by. The following strategy helps you evade casino detection and cash in on higher true counts: You bet the $10 table minimum. Developed by Ken Fuchs and Olaf Vancura, the KO Count is a level one card counting system that assigns a value of +1 to cards 2 through 7, and -1 to 10 through ace cards. So, if the player plays six-deck blackjack, this means there are 12 half-decks. But in a multiple-deck game of blackjack, let’s say eight decks, that’s 31 Aces left instead of 32. That’s much easier than using a system like the Zen or Uston Advanced Count, where you’re assigning 3+ values, as well as keeping running, true. The Uston APC works just like other card counting methods. To display the previous card, click on the left pile. This means that there is an equal number of positive values and negative values. In card counting, smart investing means guaranteed returns. 4 Learning the Hi-lo Card Counting Systems. Like the Omega II system, keeping a separate count of Aces is not required, but recommended. This conversion would not be necessary if one plays against a single deck of cards as the running count gives you an accurate. $25). When using the balanced card counting system, you start counting from a number different than 0. Fax: 604-273-5650. Click it again, it continues. The rule is that red seven gets plus one and black seven – zero. This app also offers a variety of features that can assist players in bettering their blackjack game to shift. The values for the different cards are as follows: Cards 2 to 6: +1. You simply assign a +1 to a five and a -1 to an ace. - 0: cards with value 7-9. The Mentor card counting system is another one of Fred Renzey's popular methods of gaining an edge over the house. The first red flag is splitting 10's. ’. If you click on the stopwatch, it pauses. The most common card counting system is the Hi-Lo system, which assigns a value of +1 to cards 2 to 6, a value of 0 to cards 7 to 9, and a value of -1 to cards 10 to Ace. Here are some other blackjack card counting systems than Hi-Lo. The Knock-Out card-counting system eliminates the mountain of mental arithmetic necessary to win at blackjack. There are a number of different counting systems. The Uston Advanced Count is an advanced card counting systems that can be used in order to help tip the edge in blackjack towards the player. It also plots the trend of true counts and the. There are more than a handful of blackjack card counting systems, each with different level of complexity and of. For example if we define a small card as 2 through 6, and a large card as any 10-point card or ace then the probability of getting one of each in single deck is 2* (20/52)* (20/51) = 30. Best 8-Deck Counting System. Learn this system only after mastering a simple card counting system. The Hi-Lo strategy requires the players to assign specific values to the cards. 5 and 10, J, Q, K,. Balanced Card Counting Systems. Many of them are named after colorful professional gamblers from times past. The Hi-Lo is a level one system in terms of difficulty which places it among the strategies which are not only reliable but also simplified. With balanced counts, the counting begins with the value of 0 and if the player goes through a deck, or multiple decks, of cards. Blackjack Strategy Additional Rules. this is because the casinos expect most card counters to use this making it easier for them to spot and as its an easy card couting system to learn, even some dealers themselves learn it. A Harvard chemical biologist who has been kicked out of casinos for winning too much money with a blackjack card. These R22 indices are a modified version of the well-known Catch-22 (C22) indices discussed in Don Schlesinger's book, Blackjack Attack, third edition. org | Last Updated: July 2023 Counting cards is the most popular and possibly the most practical way to get an edge when. Other blackjack card counting systems. Just like you can win blackjack despite the house edge, you can also lose with this strategy. Count using the Victor Advanced Point Count. This system works similiar to the the Hi-Lo card counting system but has a few additional rules and card value changes which make. . Check out some of the free online blackjack basic. In blackjack, card counting is a mental method that a player uses to do two things: Keep track of how many ten-point cards have been played so far. 24%. A good thing about this system is that its efficiency does not depend on side count of aces, unlike the Uston APC card counting system where aces are counted separately from the rest of the cards in the deck. Change your bets as the true count rises. This video will explain the different ty. He wrote about it in his book called "Blackjack Bluebook II" around 2003, so this is not a very old idea. That is, you tally your high cards and lower cards and. Aces and 10-point cards are assigned a value of -1. 0. I. The easiest card counting system in blackjack is called Hi-Lo and works like this: for each low. However, the easiest of those is the High Low card. Cards 2, 3, and 6 are assigned a value of +1, cards 4 and 5 are assigned a value of +2. Hit 12 vs 5 at -3 or lower. 118 min. The KO blackjack system sacrifices accuracy for convenience. The fully responsive simulator can be accessed from a desktop or most modern mobile devices, which effectively means – if you have an internet connection – you’ll be able to learn anywhere. When Dealt. 30-0. Train the Hi-Lo method - the most popular. The unbalanced card counting techniques is the fundamental/gateway to learn how to count cards during game play. Blackjack Card Counting Author: GamblingSites. Card counting in blackjack can be done by players using the following 3 easy steps: First, each card should be assigned a value, according to the plus-minus count. The expected value then is also your 'count', negative = house advantage and positive = player advantage. The Uston SS Count is an unbalanced, level 3 card counting system that was invented by expert card counter Ken Uston and blackjack players. The counts for each value should be intuitive, effectively mapping the number of times we had seen that card before the current hand began. When counting cards with Hi-Lo, you change your running count as every card is dealt. The name of the system can be used as a reminder in case players forget about this subtlety. The Hi-Lo blackjack card counting system, also known as the High/Low system or the Plus/Minus system, was created by Harvey Dubner. 5 if you utilise this counting system. When you’re dealt a blackjack 21, it’s customary to pay out 3:2 or 2:1. If you are new to blackjack card counting then this guide will be of great help. The 21+3 blackjack side bet pays off based on the player’s first two cards and the dealer’s upcard. Oscar’s System – Blackjack Betting Strategies. 60 (or 18. The theory behind card counting is based on the fact that when a deck or shoe is deficient in small cards the player is at a greater than normal advantage and when the deck or shoe is deficient in high cards the player is at a less than normal advantage. EarlVanDorn • 7 mo. 1497 ADMIRALS ROAD SUITE 209 VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA CANADA, V9A 2P8. This is probably the most popular card counting system used in blackjack. Check the review of particular systems to see how does the system work along with history, recommendations and rating. Perfect Counting System (PCS) is an outstanding and easy to use card counting system for Blackjack players. The most important blackjack rule is simple: beat the dealer’s hand without going over 21. There are lots of debates in the BJ community about counting systems and in particular just how much gain a player really gets with a higher level count. In single deck blackjack games, you should always take insurance if your true count is at least +1 or more. The single-deck penetration was 65% and. Compare the number of lower point cards that have been played to the number. The cards are dealt until a certain amount of the shoe has been dealt – often, something like 75% of the shoe will be used before reshuffling. (in Kiss 1, 4 cards count as +1, only 3 cards count as -1) As with all card counting systems, the goal of the KISS systems, is to help you know when you should increase your bets, because there is a greater chance to hit a blackjack. 15%. Additionally, the betting strategies and opportunities for card counting may differ between the two games due to variations in game rules and dynamics. A six-deck blackjack game is ideal for card counting, while single deck games limit the usefulness of this strategy. Card counting will give you a slight edge for Spanish 21 but the bet spreads are wider and the risk of being suspected as a card counter greater. If you had 1 betting unit worth $10 and a true count of +3, then your betting amount would be $20. In the Revere Point Count you will see that there are more plus values than minus values. Therefore, the number of times we have seen a card will range from 0 to 24 in our simulations. 2 – Your odds of quality double-down opportunities also improve. This count represents an upgraded and significantly more complex version of the Hi-Opt I count that was. High cards decrease it for being the opposite. . Surrender 15, 8’s, and 17 vs. The next blackjack card counting system you should consider as a beginner is the Red 7 System. As mentioned above, Omega II is a balanced card counting method. However with those hurdles now passed it seems easier to grasp a second level counting system than i once thought it would be. This may seem a little bit intimidating for the card counter, but with a little practice assigning the different values to the 7’s will become second nature. I am thrilled to present CAC2 as a significant advancement based on. In the thrilling game of blackjack, where luck and strategy converge, counting cards has long been a secret weapon for players seeking an edge against the house. The player then adds up the values of the cards that have been dealt to determine the running count. It works using the following card count: Cards of value between 2 and 7 are counted as +1; 10 and ace cards are counted as -1; Other cards require no count. With that said, the return for. Basic strategy players who want the long-term advantage when they play blackjack should use a. The Wong Halves system is quite a complicated card counting strategy. How to Count Cards in Blackjack: Thorp Method. Blackjack card counting systems require a lot of practice in order for you to get a winning edge. In Hi-Lo, 2-6 have a value of -1, and 10-A have a value of +1. The Hi-Lo Count System strikes the perfect balance between ease and returns. The Revere Advanced Point Count is a blackjack card counting strategy advanced by the late Lawrence Revere, author of Playing Blackjack as a Business. As you can see it is quite the work to remember the value you must give to each card. We are looking at the most popular and most accessible blackjack card counting system, the Hi-Lo strategy. Accordingly, cards from 2-6 are assigned +1, cards from 7-9 get a 0, and the rest of the cards in the. Card suits have no meaning in blackjack. While some card counting systems can be complex, the KISS Count is a simple. Ben Affleck knows that using a card counting system is a better way to win money than sticking to a blackjack strategy card, but he got caught twice in two months. The Knock-Out or KO card counting system is a more advanced system that was developed by Ken Fuchs and Olaf Vancura. Cards 7-9 have no value. With a career spanning two decades, Mathieu Blake knows his way around a blackjack table. At single deck I did use to keep several counts, but all were based on the hi-low system. The Ace-Five Count, possibly the easiest way to count cards. The team and its successors operated successfully from 1979 through the. Below are a few of the most common blackjack card counting systems. See alot of people think that counting cards will give you an edge on betting. The Hi-Lo is the most commonly. The complex systems give the highest returns, but beginners will find it difficult to execute them. Step 3. You will learn blackjack counting basics in a True or False format. Like the name of the system itself, you need to count halves. How to Count Cards in Blackjack: Different Counting Systems. 5, 8 is 0, 9 is -0. They. The running count keeps getting updated with the latest data after every deal. In the Advanced Omega II counting is a little more difficult because of the values assigned to the cards. Ten Count is only suitable for use in single deck blackjack games. Baccarat counting systems focus more on tracking the ratio of high-value cards to low-value cards, while Blackjack systems assign specific values to each card. You only need to keep track of low cards (which make the count positive) and there is no need to convert a running. Book review section, for suggestions on good blackjack books. The worth of 3s, 4s and 6s is +1, while 5s are worth +1. Play. Even if you’ve never counted cards before, Blackjack Counter has everything you need built-in to get started: many popular count systems, and a complete 40 page tutorial and introduction to card counting with our software. The Hi-Lo Count is one of the easiest and most popular blackjack card counting systems available. Zen Count blackjack card counting system gives players a considerably high level of accuracy if applied correctly and at the same time, it is not hard to be comprehended. It works by assigning a value of +1 to cards 2-6, a value of 0 to cards 7-9, and a value of -1 to cards 10-Ace. 50% advantage over the house. When the count reaches 12 or 13, you want to double your bet. The app has 3 modes: Play, Train, and Simulate, all of which aid players in mastering basic blackjack strategy and card counting. The KO blackjack system is just like the initial Hi-Lo count except that the seven card is given a value of +1 similar to the low cards. Start at 0 and as each card comes up, add it to your tally. Colin has been counting cards for over 15 years, and ran a multi-million dollar blackjack team. 6543. All other cards have a value of 0 (7-9) Here are three card counting systems tailor made for beginners: #1: The OPP Card Counting System. It is known as an unbalanced system. It is known as an unbalanced system. 2. Hi-Lo is the most common card counting system in blackjack. This is an extremely complex strategy with a very complicated index. You have a 1 deck cut. The Blackjack KO card counting system is a simple running count system that assigns a value to each card of the deck. This counting strategy requires you to break cards down into different groups and assign them point values as follow: Low cards (2 through 6) = +1. These R22 indices are a modified version of the well-known Catch-22 (C22) indices discussed in Don Schlesinger's book, Blackjack Attack, third edition. Aug 28, 2006 #1. The idea behind card counting is that the game of blackjack uses a fixed number of cards, usually unshuffled between hands. After a five is taken from the deck, it improves a player’s chances of winning. 5, cards 7, 8, and 9 have a value of 0, and cards 10, J, Q, K, and A have a value of -0. If the count is high, bet more, if the count is low or negative, stay at the minimum bet. Ten is valued as -3, 5 is valued as +3, and 9 is valued as -1. However, the easiest of those is the High Low card. In this card counting method, all cards from 2 through 7 are assigned a +1 value, 8s and 9s are assigned a 0, and cards from 10 through ace are assigned a -1. The Wong Halves system is quite a complicated card counting strategy. This system is actually far more complicated than the Hi-Opt I strategy and should only be used by seasoned. 1) Start by ‘Tagging’ Each Card. You start with 0 and you count what cards are out of the deck. However, in the long run, you’ll end up turning a s mall profit thanks to the rule of averages . The KO system is an unbalanced counting method because there are more low cards adding to your count than there are subtracting from it. If you are not able. Assign a value to every card. One of the most well-known and popular card counting systems is the simple Hi-Lo method. A Mindful Card Counting System. In 1982 Uston published his classic blackjack text, “Million Dollar Blackjack”. Many games use multiple decks of cards in order to discourage card counting, throwing off your ability to track your odds of winning. A Comparison of the Top 100 By Arnold Snyder(From Blackjack Forum Volume I #3, September 1981)© Blackjack Forum 1981 [Note to players from Arnold Snyder: This is a technical article on the way professional blackjack players and count system developers compare card counting systems. Thomason Progressive Blackjack betting system: Changed from a $30 loss to a $1,890 win. +2 true count = $50 bet (1-5 spread) +3 true count = $100 bet (1-10 spread) +4 true count (and above) = $150 (1-15 spread) Some casinos let you get away with as high as a 1-15 spread. John Auston’s Comparison of the Red 7, KO, Hi Lo and Omega II Card Counting Systems. This system assigns different values to cards than the traditional Hi-Lo Count, making it more effective in estimating the remaining cards in the deck. * Card tutorial to demonstrate card counting. g. Double soft 19 vs. Call us at 1-877-774-9444 Or email us at. It is based. Cards. He also has 2 other card counting systems named directly after him, the Uston APM and the Uston SS. Specifically, the Ace/Five card counting system gives the player a 0. You bet the $10 table minimum. You need to start with three counts of 0 and then add the point values of that card to each of the counts. Card Counting Coach is the simplest way to keep your counting skills current or teach you a new system. My recommendation for basic strategy players who want to gain the long-term advantage is to bet using one of the card counting systems that I will explain in Chapter 10. BLACKJACK CARD COUNTING TEST. The table below shows cards and their tags when using the Omega II system. Techniques of Blackjack Card Counting. The goal of the strategy is to win exactly one unit per series. These terms are defined at the bottom of the page and are used to estimate the effectiveness of a Blackjack card counting strategy. That means in a six deck game your starting. Some card counting tips include: Assigning a value to each card in the deck (+1 for low cards, 0 for middle cards, and -1 for high cards in the Hi-Lo system). The ratio of the actual profit realized from using a card counting system to the total gain possible from perfect. Some of these are even easier to learn. A popular unbalanced card counting system is the Red 7. Here’s how you can count cards in blackjack: 1. Step 4. Here is the edge given to the player from all three of the KISS card counting methods: KISS I gives the player an +0. From here, you count every card that comes out of the shoe. In a six-deck shoe game, you start your count at -20, and in an eight-deck shoe game, you start at -28. The key is consistency. This trainer will run a sequence of cards to develop your dexterity and familiarity with a counting system. To implement the Wong Halves system effectively, players need to assign point values to each card. "Positive" means about +2 and above. In 1980 blackjack expert Leon Dubey published a book called No Need to Count in which he promotes a strategy for winning at blackjack which is much different from most blackjack books, which are almost exclusively about basic strategy or card counting. 5. That is why you see counting systems with rounded indices that do 99. Running Count to True Count Conversion. Balanced Count: A card counting system in which the sum of the negative cards is equal to the sum of positive cards. It is believed that it gets around 80% of the potential gain that is available from the Hi-Lo Count and other card counting. Wizard gives Insurance bets 34%, double downs 9%, and Blackjacks coming 4th at 7%. It followed the true The Hi-Lo (High Low) system is one of the easier and more popular card counting systems for blackjack. Hi-Lo System. 5. It is an advanced system that is difficult to learn, but extremely effective. Card counting systems don’t always have to assign tags to card ranks.