Card counting is based around a theory of statistical analysis. Besides other blackjack strategies, like odd-even/hot/cold counting and basic card counting, there are many more complicated card counting systems as well. In this article I will discuss the basic card counting methods.
Casinos take a dim’th thing outright away, and gamblers know this. That’s because all casino tables have a house edge. Essentially the house edge takes gambler’s bets and fees from each game, and pays out a winner every hand. But if you can find a way to beat this house edge, then you will be a winner. In poker, you do this with a semi-bluff. You bet to win at a pot with the intent of making a larger bet if you actually hit a deal.
Card counting seeks to counter this edge, and with this method you bet when zero is on the board. According to the theory of statistics, if you bet when zero is on the board, you are much more likely to win. Your competitors are less likely to be intimidated by your bet. You can’t make big bets, because the fear of going bust will keep them in the hand.
Card counting seeks to take advantage of the novice player’s natural attraction to bust their stack. The odds of a blackjack dealer going bust are slightly less than the odds of you winning the hand outright. But, according to the theory of statistics, you are likely to lose when you take another card while holding your starter cards. Therefore you must bet when there is a better opportunity for you to either save the hand, or take down an important hand.
No matter what betting strategy you use, the most important factor is to get away with a minimum bet. With the house edge so large, it is next to impossible to extract a fair return. Your best chances at winning the hand are when you bet, or raise, when there are still cards to come.
To make money at blackjack, you must be able to identify situations to bet on, when to bet, and how much to bet. The second most important factor is your ability to bet in advantageous positions in relation to the various odds received. You can’t drive a stake-off straight to the casino, because the casino takes a commission on all losing bets, but you can take advantage of advantageous bets and pad your stack.
To card count, you must have a precise ability to judge the cards that your opponents are holding, and to count the exact number of cards they receive. It is all very simple mathematics. Hi lo counting systems are more complicated, and therefore safer, because you have to do memory chunking and verify that you are actually adding to your stack, rather than blindly trusting your memory details.
The cement that holds the card counting system to the vodka138 tables comes with years of concentration and practice. It is a fact that most players who card count in practice lasts longer than those who don’t, providing you with more experience. If you really want to dominate the house in blackjack, when you are sitting at the table you have to be alert and focused. Is it possible to learn to master your blackjack skills without sitting at the blackjack table for hours upon hours, watching your every move and waiting for the perfect chance to strike? Although the idea of card counting may seem like a cheat to many players, the reality is that it is simply a skill that was built into the game by professionals in this industry.
First-timers will often get distracted by their own thoughts, and busy themselves trying to figure out how to count cards, while concentrating on the actual hand they are playing. Watch their actions and you will be able to easily determine exactly what they are doing, as they are likely using a card counting method. Players who do not seem to be under the influence of alcohol, and other chemicals that can cloud judgement, often end up playing fast and loose when they are not in fact mentally alert. Normally a player will be in a good frame of mind when they are playing, because they are using blackjack strategy, which is an effort to reduce the house edge.
If you spot a galambling player, taking cards at the edge of the table, and seemingly sticking around, concentrating on every hand, it is likely she is the ready to lose. Players such as this, will often pass the cards to the next player, and tell them to take it to the money table and count it out there. Be warned, it happens all the time.
When a card counter, or others that are paying attention to the game, realize they are counting less cards, and therefore the odds shift to the player, you need to get them to focus elsewhere. You can gain a free hand, by having one of your opponents scratch at the card counter.