GamingTips

Alright.  Many card counters have developed different systems for counting cards.  This, however, is the simplest to do, and the method depicted in 21.  Each card has a value.  2-6 are +1, 7-9 are 0, and 10, face cards, and aces are -1.  The concept to remember here is that you’re actually counting the number of “extra” large cards in the deck.

As cards are dealt, the counter keeps a “running count” using the values above.  It is actually easier to wait until the hand is fully dealt out, and play begins to count the cards.  Each player now has a pair of cards which range in value from +2 to -2.  The player then counts individual cards as players “hit,” as well as counting the dealer’s hand when it is exposed.

The “true count” is where experience in blackjack comes in handy.  The true count is the running count divided by the estimated number of decks still left in the shoe.

The common misconception is that strategy significantly changes when counting cards.  This is not actually true.  First, players who play with the level of strategy of most card counters would be very easy to notice changing their strategy according to the count.  For instance, if there is a very low count, meaning a lot of small cards remain in the shoe, it may make sense to hit against a bust card.

Where counting comes in is money management.  When the true count is 2 or more, there are a lot of face cards left in the shoe.  Remember that basic strategy is based largely on the assumption that any card you cannot see is a 10.  With a high count, this is even more true.  So a card counter increases their bet dramatically when the true count is 2 or more, and plays the hand with perfect strategy.

On the other hand, when the count is extremely low (-2 or lower), there are few face cards and a lot of small cards in the shoe.  Assumptions like the dealer busting if they show a 6 go out the window, and the game becomes less predictable.  At this point, a counter is likely to decrease their bet, or sit out entirely.

Alright.  In my next post I’ll get into the mechanics of how card counting actually works, for those that are curious though.  First though, I want to address some common questions about it.  Card counting is a popular subject after the movie “21″ came out, and one of Vegas’s big mysteries.  It is not for nothing that it is a popular subject.  Counting cards is the only way, in blackjack or any other casino game, to shift the odds into the player’s favor without cheating.

But isn’t card counting both cheating and illegal?  According to Nevada gaming law, no.  As long as there is no collusion between the dealer and players, players can use whatever information is made available in the course of play while deciding their next bet or move.   This includes cards that were dealt or discarded face up in previous hands.  On the other hand, casinos have the right to refuse service to anyone, and many will exercise that right with card counters, particularly greedy ones.

What else can casinos do to stop card counters?  Well,  much of the way blackjack is played today stems from this.  Mulitple decks, dealing from a shoe, burning a card before dealing, and dealing single and double deck pitch face down are all attempts by casinos to make card counting more difficult.

If card counting is so great, why doesn’t everyone do it?  Well, first of all, it’s not that easy.  Card counters still need to play with perfect strategy in order to gain an advantage.  The player edge is tiny, so any mistake can easily allow the house to regain its advantage.  They also need to watch every single card that is dealt to every player, and the dealer.  Blackjack dealers are trained to move quickly specifically to make this difficult.  Finally, they need to adjust their basic strategy, both in terms of play and strategy, based on the count, again with 100% accuracy, all without being detected.  Also, I’ve tried casually to do this before, and although you tend to make more money, it is not as fun as relaxing and playing the game for the game’s sake.

So, do casinos really beat people up for this?  According to several security and casino executives I’ve spoken to, absolutely not.  First of all, the scene from 21 is very “old school” Vegas, and is not how things are handled.  Second, the casinos are less strict than they could be on card counters.  First of all,  as I’ve addressed in another post, casinos and their employees actually like for some people to win.  Second, it’s still gambling, and the odds are tilted so slightly that it is still possible that the casino will win.  On the other hand, there are both computers and people working for the casinos counting cards themselves, and evaluating players.  When it gets out of hand, casinos will step in and remove someone.  Moreover, with the number of casinos that are either corporately or tribally owned, the possibility of bans from multiple casinos exists.

Finally, as a disclaimer, the information on the legality of card counting is based on Nevada gaming regulations.  Although Nevada tends to set the trend on these things, it is possible that the laws differ on riverboats, in Missississipi, Detroit, Atlantic City, and especially on tribal lands.  Remember, gaming is not federally regulated.  Although Indian casinos do need to ensure that the games are fair, they are allowed to apply tribal law, meaning that what is allowed at one casino could be disallowed two miles down the road at a casino belonging to another tribe.

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