How Do You Count Cards in Blackjack?

Most people think that counting cards in blackjack is simply a case of keeping track of which cards have been dealt and which are still left in the deck. However, there is a lot more to it than that.

In order to be a successful card counter, you need to be able to keep track of several different things at once and have the ability to do some quick mental calculations. Here is a step-by-step guide to counting cards in blackjack:.

The first step is to assign a value to each card. The value of the Ace is always 1, the value of 2-6 is worth +1, 7-9 has no value and the value of 10-K is worth -1.

The next step is to keep a running count of the values of the cards as they are dealt. So, if an Ace is dealt followed by a 9, the running count would be +1 (for the Ace) +0 (for the 9) = +1.

If a 5 is then dealt, the running count would be updated to +1+0+1 = +2.

Once you have a running count, you need to convert it into a true count. This takes into account the number of decks remaining in the shoe.

For example, if there are 4 decks remaining in the shoe and the running count is +10, then the true count would be +10/4 = +2.5.

Now that you have a true count, you can start adjusting your bets according to how favorable or unfavorable the remaining deck is. Generally speaking, you should bet more when the count is positive (favorable) and bet less when the count is negative (unfavorable).

One final thing to keep in mind is that card counting is not illegal. However, casinos don’t like it when players use this technique and they may ask you to leave if they believe you are counting cards.