[Editor's Note: Even though this article is not poker related, it does provide a solid foundation in memorizing cards and suits that have been played and folded, especially for Razz and Seven Stud players.]
Two common misconceptions about counting cards is that it is difficult to learn, and that it helps you win more hands than you normally would.
The reality is that counting cards is very easy to learn, and that it serves only as a guide for when to bet bigger or smaller.
With or without the aide of counting cards, Blackjack is still a game of chance. The chances are that you will still lose more hands than you win. However, with the aide of counting cards, when you do win on your winning hands you can potentially win more money, and when you do lose on your losing hands you can potentially lose less money. The idea is that eventually you will come out ahead in the wash-up.
Essentially, in Blackjack, the dealer has to hit everything short of 17. So, the greater the ratio of high cards (10 through to Ace) to low cards (2 through to 6) left in the deck, then the more likely the dealer is to go bust.
Therefore, counting cards is just a way of keeping track of how many high and low cards have been played. In getting a positive or negative indication which situation it is, this becomes the trigger by which to bet higher when the odds seem favorable and when to bet lower when the odds seem unfavorable.
The way of counting cards then, and why it is so simple, is that you only have to keep track of one figure in your mind as all the cards and hands are played. Cards 2 through to 6 are counted as worth 1 point each. 10’s, face cards, and Aces are counted as worth minus-1. Cards 7, 8 and 9 are not counted.
Start playing only when the deck has been newly shuffled. In your mind, start counting from zero, and as each new card is flipped over, add or subtract the worth value as you go along. At the end of each round, if the number you are counting in your head is positive, then bet big accordingly. The higher the positive number the more confidently you should bet. The reason is more low cards have been played, so the deck is rich in high cards which is bad for the dealer. If the number you’re counting in your head is negative, then bet the table minimum, or even sit out the round. The reason is more high cards have been played, so the deck is rich in low cards which will suit the dealer. At the completion of a round, that figure you’ve been keeping track of becomes the starting figure for the next round, and so on until the cards are reshuffled, at which point you begin counting from zero again.
Of course, there are times when a deck rich in low cards may suit you as well. But it will also suit the dealer. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as it is worth your while every now and then to bet a little bigger in this situation to throw off the dealer from suspecting you’re card counting. Chances are you’ll lose, and as card counting would suggest to bet lower or withdraw, this is the opportune time to throw off the dealer by betting slightly bigger and taking a loss every now and then in order to maximize your larger wins.
Out of Eden is a regular contributer to PokerPlasm.com, as well as the founder of the fashion site, SixOneSix. He also contributes articles to other sites about world travel, political affairs, and Aussie Rules Football.
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