How to Count Cards in Blackjack - Winning Technique by CM

A number of gamblers have managed to win millions of dollars from online casinos due to the utilization of a blackjack card counting strategy. It is a simple technique that any kind of gambler can approach, but it takes time for players to master it like a pro. Equipping yourself with the necessary knowledge about card counting in blackjack is necessary. Feel free to practice this tactic with free online blackjack on CasinoMentor as a card counting trainer and you will be an all-rounded winner one day!

Getting Started with Blackjack Card Counting

What is card counting? Literally, you do need to count to keep track of the number of high-value and low-value cards left in the deck.

• High-value cards: Ten-value cards, picture cards, and Aces;
• Low-value cards: 2-6 value cards;
• Neutral cars: 7-9 value cards.

To be precise, players will choose to place a smaller bet or even place no bets if the dealer gains an advantage over them.

Similarly, when the advantage shifts in favor of players, they will undoubtedly increase their bets as much as possible.

Therefore, this strategy allows players to adjust their bets in a flexible manner, which considerably reduces the house-edge that online casinos try to reach and enhances players’ winning odds.

Mathematically, players benefit more from high-value cards while low-value cards are more beneficial in favor of the casino dealer.

The sevens, eights, and nines can be considered neutral cards, which do not have a significant effect on the advantage between the dealer and players.

How to Count Cards in Blackjack?

The Blackjack card counting strategy can be broken into 5 simple steps. 

1. Start assigning a tag value for each type of cards with the Hi-Lo card counting system

• 2 - 6 cards, assign a tag value of “+1”;
• 7 - 9 cards, assign a tag value of “0”;
• Ten-value cards and picture cards, assign a tag value of “-1”.

     2. Keep a “running count” based on the value of the dealt cards.
     3. Increase your bet size when the running count is positive, which also means that the undealt cards are high-value.
     4. In case the running count results in a negative value, decrease your bet size, as low-value cards mainly concentrate on the undealt cards.
     5. Always keep in mind: the more positive the count is, the more money you can place, the higher the winning chances are.

Read more: What to Do and Not to Do When Playing Live Blackjack

Can Card Counters Apply This Strategy To Online Blackjack?

Nowadays, more and more players prefer playing online blackjack right on their couches to going to a brick-and-mortar casino. It is widely seen that card counting takes place in traditional blackjack tables, but in the case of online blackjack, can card counters make use of this strategy to have the edge against live dealers?

The answer is “Yes.” Despite the fact that almost all modern casinos today have applied the latest software and technology to shuffle the cards, in order to prevent card counters from cheating and enhance their house-edge, there are many programs that help you to do the card counting strategy. However, they are generally not allowed to be used.

You can count cards when playing at a land-based casino as long as you make sure that you have enough experience and knowledge about this strategy. We recommend that you should play online blackjack demo versions to practice your knowledge and hone your skills without any deposit. You can also read how to play blackjack and how to win at blackjack to gain more essential tactics to win the game.

If you decide to play online blackjack for real money, you should carefully ponder as this game type utilizes many programs, especially the RNG (Random Number Generator), to shuffle cards. Therefore, card counting may not help you much when you play online blackjack for real money. 

You can also read the best online casinos to narrow down your selection when deciding a trusted casino site to play at.

Can Players Count Cards When Playing Multi-Deck Blackjack?

When it comes to playing multi-deck blackjack, the most raised question by gambling enthusiasts is “Does card counting work with multi-deck blackjack?” 

Nowadays, almost all casinos use from 4 to 8 decks, which makes card counting a tricky thing. However, as you can see, every deck comes with 52 cards, including 16 ten-value cards. Keeping that in mind, you can figure out the ratio for multi-deck blackjack and adjust your strategy as well.

All you need to do when counting cards in a multi-deck blackjack is divide the running count by the number of remaining decks, which results in a “true count.” For instance, if your running count is worth 6 and there are 2 decks left, your true count is 3 as 6:2=3.

It leaves no doubt that no matter how many decks are involved, card counting can be applied in an efficient manner.

You can get the most out of this strategy if you know everything about how to play multi-deck blackjack.

Some Card Counting Strategies

This article has presented the basic Hi-Lo system when it comes to counting cards in blackjack. If you have mastered it, blackjack is no longer a puzzle for you. If you want to get more advanced strategies, don’t miss out on the following part. 

Wong Halves

Tags of value for each dealt card is a bit different from the common one that is stated earlier. It is a balanced system that you start at zero.

• 3, 4, 6 are counted as 1
• 2 and 7 are counted as 0.5
• 5-value card is counted as 1.5
• 8 value card is counted as 0
• 9 value card is counted as -0.5
• 10 value card and picture cards are counted as -1

Omega II

It is also a balanced system where players’ card counting starts at 0. 

• 2, 3, 7 are tagged 1
• 4, 5, and 6 are counted as 2
• 9 is counted as -1
• 10 and all picture cards are -2
• 8 and Ace cards are 0

If the counting is positive, there are more weak cards left. In case it is negative, the more powerful cards are present in the undealt cards.

The Final Thoughts

Card counting is beneficial for single-deck blackjack, but it may also work with multi-deck blackjack. We hope that this article provides you with the most essential and understandable knowledge so that you can easily win blackjack, one of the most thrilling and exciting games on the market. There are also many other strategies that you should dip your toe into, including blackjack hit-and-stand strategies, how to play single-deck blackjack and so much more.