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A Basic Blackjack Strategy – Card Counting

Bella Dippenaar
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The most frequently asked question is whether or not card counting is illegal. Everyone has seen at least one movie scene in which a mathematical genius uses card counting to bring down an all-powerful casino house. As soon as he walks onto the casino floor and begins acting in this manner, a large gaming surveillance soldier ushers him off the premises.

As long as we are clear on this point, counting cards is not a criminal offense under the law, as long as you do not use an external device to count cards. The majority of casinos, on the other hand, “reserve the right” to refuse service to anyone who appears to be acting inappropriately. Pit bosses typically do more than just keep an eye on the table; they may become suspicious of players who have a string of consecutive wins or irrational increases in their wagers.

Even if a floor manager requests that you leave the hall in a polite and non-violent manner, he (or she) will ensure that your name and photo are entered into the security database with a notation indicating that you are an undesirable guest. It is possible that betting moderately and keeping a cool head will be advantageous.

What is the Hi-Lo count in the game of blackjack?

The Hi-Lo (Plus-Minus) strategy is based on the idea that the more cards we are aware of that are still in the deck, the better we will be able to predict the odds of the card that will be dealt next.

Each of the three card groups has a corresponding value, and all of the cards have been sorted into these three groups:

  • “+1” – for cards with values ranging from 2 to 6, also known as “low-valued” cards;
  • “0” – for cards 7 through 9, also known as “average-valued” cards;
  • The value assigned to “High-valued” cards, which include tens, aces, and face cards, is “-1.”
  • Assume a player is dealt a 6 and an 8, while the dealer is dealt two 10s. The deck count will be as follows: +1 + 0 -1 = -1.

According to this system, the starting point for calculating the total value of all the cards in a standard deck is zero. The same rule applies to games that use six or eight decks of cards. Throughout the game, a player is responsible for keeping the count by adding or subtracting the ones and zeros that are dealt out with each new card. This is essentially the same as doing nothing.

There is a greater chance that one of the “high” cards will be drawn if there are more decks than usual (together with the mathematical expectation of winning). The winning odds decrease when the total number of decks in play is negative.

To put it another way, the total deck count, the number of high cards still in the deck, and the number of high cards left in the deck will all increase the number of possible combinations. As a result, the player has the option of increasing his bets. The overall count is directly related to the likelihood of winning; the lower the count, the less likely it is. Players should limit their wagers to smaller amounts.

This strategy allows gamblers to “weigh” the deck and predict which card the dealer will draw from the shoe based on whether it will be high, low, or average in value.

How should we put this strategy into action?

Let’s take a look at a few different examples.

A 52-card deck of cards is being dealt. After a few rounds, all of the ‘Low’ cards, numbered 2 through 5, have been used. Both the player and the dealer receive the same combination of 6 and 10. The player wants to draw another card and see how likely it is that he will go over the limit if he does. It is common knowledge that if he is dealt a card other than an Ace, he will go bust. There are four Aces left in the deck’s remaining 36 cards. As a result, his chances of busting on the next draw are 4 in 32 or 12.5 percent.

Assume that all of the Jacks, Queens, Kings, and Aces have been played from the start. There are no more cards to be played. The overall picture will change significantly. To avoid going bust, the player must hold a card ranging from 2 to 5. There are still 16 of these remaining from the deck’s total of 32 cards. The player’s chances of not busting on the next draw appear to be significantly better: 1 in 2, or 50% of the time.

Even though the Hi-Lo count strategy cannot guarantee that its predictions will be 100% accurate, it does provide at least some clarity about the game’s direction. Furthermore, there is no substitute for a lot of practice. Before you try to keep the count in a noisy, overcrowded casino where pit bosses are keeping a close eye on you, you should practice at home with some of your closest friends.

Maintaining a record of the cards while playing online blackjack

We believe that playing online casino games, such as blackjack or roulette, is an excellent way to become acquainted with any casino game. The majority of online casinos allow players to try out demo versions of their most popular games.

As a result, if you try your hand at blackjack or pokies online real money Australia games for free, you won’t have to worry about losing any money. Just keep in mind that the card counting strategy used in blackjack does not apply to online gambling. The computerized algorithms that power virtual casino games are designed to reliably randomize the order of shuffled cards.

Have we completely forgotten about live blackjack?

Those who are brave enough to play blackjack against a live dealer can use any of the strategies described above and count cards without feeling anxious. Playing at a real table in one of Las Vegas’ glitzy casinos is exactly like playing at a table in an online casino, right down to the card decks used and the dealing process.

You will only need two pieces of information: the total number of card decks that will be dealt with and the time at which they will be reshuffled. For example, if there are eight decks and the dealer shuffles them after every fourth deck, you must start counting again after 208 out of 416 cards have been played.