Card counting systems for Blackjack are compared here, along with theirCard Values, Betting Correlation, Playing Efficiency, Insurance Correlation,Ease of Use and Type. These terms are defined at the bottom of the pageand are used to estimate the effectiveness of a Blackjack card countingstrategy. Ease of use is rated from 1 (hardest) to 10 (easiest) and is basedstrictly on my own opinions (and a few phone calls from authors since Ifirst published this page
The '21 + 3' blackjack side bet is based on examining the player's two cards and the dealer's up-card. If the three cards form a flush, straight, three-of-a-kind or straight flush, the player wins. Card Counting Bringing Down the House – Published 2003 21 – Released 2008. O has not, does not, and never will count cards in a casino: 1. Much to the contrary of popular media, counting cards is something that any tourist gambler can figure out; you don't have to be Rain Man. All you need to start counting cards is basic math skills and innate knowledge of a deck of cards. Counting, or Reading Cards as it is sometimes called, is all about statistics. In Blackjack, it is favorable to the player when there are more Aces and 10 Value Cards (10's, Jacks, Queens, and Kings) remaining in the shoe. So card counting is simply using a system to keep track of the ratio of low cards to high cards. Step 1: Assign A Value To Every Card.
J). Brief descriptionsof Blackjack software can be found at BlackjackSoftware Roadmap. Click on the Blackjack button on the left formore info on counting cards.CardCounting Strategy Summary
Click on a card counting strategy name in the table for more information.
Strategy | A | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | T | BC | PE | IC | Ease |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | -1 | -1 | .87 | .63 | .76 | 6 | B1 |
0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | -1 | -2 | .92 | .67 | .85 | 4 | B2 |
-1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | .97 | .51 | .76 | 6 | B1 |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | .88 | .61 | .85 | 6.5 | B1 |
0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -2 | .91 | .67 | .91 | 4 | B2 |
0 | 0/1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | .90 | .62 | .87 | 7 | US1 |
-1 | 0/1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -1 | .98 | .56 | .78 | 7 | US1 |
-1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -1 | .98 | .55 | .78 | 7.5 | UC1 |
-1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | -1 | -2 | .97 | .62 | .80 | 4 | B2 |
0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | -1 | -2 | .92 | .67 | .85 | 4 | B2 |
-1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | -1 | .98 | .54 | .78 | 7 | USC1 |
-1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -1 | .98 | .55 | .78 | 8 | UC1 |
0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -1 | -1 | .89 | .59 | .76 | 6 | B1 |
-2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -2 | .99 | .55 | .78 | 4 | B2 |
-4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | -1 | -3 | 1.0 | .53 | .71 | 1 | B4 |
0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | -2 | -3 | .92 | .65 | .82 | 1 | B4 |
-1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | -1 | -1 | .96 | .53 | .69 | 6 | B1 |
-1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -2 | .97 | .62 | .84 | 6.5 | U2 |
-1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -1 | .95 | .55 | .76 | 6.5 | B1 |
0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | -1 | -3 | .91 | .69 | .90 | 2.5 | B3 |
-2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | -1 | -2 | .99 | .54 | .73 | 4.5 | U3 |
-1 | .5 | 1 | 1 | 1.5 | 1 | .5 | 0 | -.5 | -1 | .99 | .56 | .72 | 2.5 | B3 |
-1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -2 | .96 | .63 | .85 | 4 | B2 |
What Is Counting Cards Mean
Strategy | BC | PE | IC | Ease | Type |
.87 | .63 | .76 | 6 | B1 | |
.92 | .67 | .85 | 4 | B2 | |
.97 | .51 | .76 | 6 | B1 | |
.88 | .61 | .85 | 6.5 | B1 | |
.91 | .67 | .91 | 4 | B2 | |
.90 | .62 | .87 | 7 | US1 | |
.98 | .56 | .78 | 7 | US1 | |
.98 | .55 | .78 | 7.5 | UC1 | |
.97 | .62 | .80 | 4 | B2 | |
.92 | .67 | .85 | 4 | B2 | |
.98 | .54 | .78 | 7 | USC1 | |
.98 | .55 | .78 | 8 | UC1 | |
.89 | .59 | .76 | 6 | B1 | |
.99 | .55 | .78 | 4 | B2 | |
1.0 | .53 | .71 | 1 | B4 | |
.92 | .65 | .82 | 1 | B4 | |
.96 | .53 | .69 | 6 | B1 | |
.97 | .62 | .84 | 6.5 | U2 | |
.95 | .55 | .76 | 6.5 | B1 | |
.91 | .69 | .90 | 2.5 | B3 | |
.99 | .54 | .73 | 4.5 | U3 | |
.99 | .56 | .72 | 2.5 | B3 | |
.96 | .63 | .85 | 4 | B2 |
For a detailed description of the aspects of strategies for counting cards,see How to Create a Card Counting Strategy
BlackjackCard Counting System Sources
The sources for system comparison above can be found at CardCounting Strategy Sources. Full counting tables for most strategiescan be found in free downloads of CV softwareproducts by permission of the various authors. They are not included heredue to copyright concerns.
Card CountingDefinitions
What Does Counting Cards Mean
Card counting techniques include the following measurements:- Playing Efficiency– PE indicateshow well a counting system handles changes in playing strategy. Playingefficiency is particularly important in hand-held games (one or twodecks.)
- Betting Correlation– BCis defined as the correlation between card point values and the effectof removal of cards. It is used to predict how well a counting systempredicts good betting situations and can approach 1.00 (100% correlation.)BC is particularly important in shoe games (six or eight decks.)
- Insurance Correlation– IC isdefined as the correlation between card point values and the value ofcards in Insurance situation. A point value of -9 for tens and +4 forall other cards would be perfect for predicting if an Insurance betshould be placed.
- Level– The level of a strategyrefers to the number of different values assigned to cards. Level 2and 3 counting strategies are more efficient, but quite a bit more difficultfor most people. Level 4 & 5 counting strategies also exist. Butthis is overkill.
- Side Counts– There are severalmethods of side counting used to increase strategy efficiency. For anoutline of five side counting techniques, see SideCounting Techniques.
Type– The TYPE column keyfollows:
- B – Balanced count requiring the calculation of aTrue Count
- U – Unbalanced count with no True Count
- S – Suit Aware count requiring different counts forred and black cards
- C – Compromise indexes used for greater ease
- 1, 2, 3, 4 – Level. That is the highest tag value
Note: Playing Efficiency (as defined by Griffin) is not relevant to unbalancedcounting systems and is only an estimate. PE & BC stated here do notinclude side counts.
A list of the card counting index tables that can be found in CV productscan be found at CV Blackjack IndexTables.
The sources for system comparison above can be found at CardCounting Strategy Sources. Full counting tables for most strategiescan be found in free downloads of CV softwareproducts by permission of the various authors. They are not included heredue to copyright concerns.
Card CountingDefinitions
What Does Counting Cards Mean
Card counting techniques include the following measurements:- Playing Efficiency– PE indicateshow well a counting system handles changes in playing strategy. Playingefficiency is particularly important in hand-held games (one or twodecks.)
- Betting Correlation– BCis defined as the correlation between card point values and the effectof removal of cards. It is used to predict how well a counting systempredicts good betting situations and can approach 1.00 (100% correlation.)BC is particularly important in shoe games (six or eight decks.)
- Insurance Correlation– IC isdefined as the correlation between card point values and the value ofcards in Insurance situation. A point value of -9 for tens and +4 forall other cards would be perfect for predicting if an Insurance betshould be placed.
- Level– The level of a strategyrefers to the number of different values assigned to cards. Level 2and 3 counting strategies are more efficient, but quite a bit more difficultfor most people. Level 4 & 5 counting strategies also exist. Butthis is overkill.
- Side Counts– There are severalmethods of side counting used to increase strategy efficiency. For anoutline of five side counting techniques, see SideCounting Techniques.
Type– The TYPE column keyfollows:
- B – Balanced count requiring the calculation of aTrue Count
- U – Unbalanced count with no True Count
- S – Suit Aware count requiring different counts forred and black cards
- C – Compromise indexes used for greater ease
- 1, 2, 3, 4 – Level. That is the highest tag value
Note: Playing Efficiency (as defined by Griffin) is not relevant to unbalancedcounting systems and is only an estimate. PE & BC stated here do notinclude side counts.
A list of the card counting index tables that can be found in CV productscan be found at CV Blackjack IndexTables.
What Does Counting Cards Mean In Gambling
For Blackjack training see Blackjackcard counting software.