The Art Of Card Counting In Blackjack

The art of card counting in blackjack has always been considered by expert blackjack players as a great strategy. They believe in its capacity to give you an edge over the dealer. It does not really require an exceptionally high intelligence quotient. It is only a matter of developing the skills to keep track of the cards whether dealt or not. That way you will somehow have an idea how many cards, especially aces, faces, and tens, have already been dealt.

Card tracking provides players with an edge over the dealer- about less than 2 percent. The basic concept of card counting is to figure out whether the remaining deck on the shoe still consists of low cards like threes, fours and fives or fat cards- the aces, faces, and tens. If more low cards remain, the situation benefits the dealer while the opposite is good for the players. The essence of card counting is to keep track of the proportion between low and fat cards that are still in the shoe. When you realize the situation favors the dealer, of course you place smaller wagers. If through your count, there are still a lot of fat cards on the deck, inevitably you need to raise your bets.

Most card counters employ the 'hi-lo' counting system where they allot a specific value to the cards. It is considered one level counting. They may assign an additional one to low cards like two, three, four, five and six. Zero is usually allocated to 'neutral numbers' like seven, eight, and nine. They may deduct one point each time a fat card, an ace, face card or ten comes out. You need to begin at zero. As the game progresses and cards are dealt, you just need to apply the values you have assigned for each card. Add one every time a low card comes out and deduct one when a fat card appears.

With this counting system players are able to determine once the deck is halfway used, which side, the player's or the dealer's, has the obvious advantage. When you have been counting and after a few rounds the mental total is now a negative something, then that means luck is on your side. Experts will then raise their bets. This is a good strategy to employ. Combined with other skills like knowing how to read a dealer's mind and habits will arm you with a strong weapon to be successful at blackjack.