Complete Blackjack Card Counting Guide – How to Count Cards in Blackjack

There are many different ways to count cards in Blackjack, however, beginners usually prefer the Hi-Lo system. Using this system, you should divide cards in the following manner.

The assigned value of Blackjack cards might seem counterintuitive, but there is a sense to the madness. High-value cards are given a -1 assigned value since, as these decrease, so does your advantage. Low-value cards, meanwhile, are seen as helpful for the dealer and therefore get a +1 value. The rest are not beneficial for either the player or the dealer, so are seen as neutral.

At the start of a Blackjack game, when all six or eight decks are still in the shoe, the Hi-Lo system produces a result of zero. This means that if you were to add all the assigned values of all the cards at the start of the game, they’ll cancel each other out. However, once cards start being dealt, the shoe’s value increases or decreases accordingly.

This is when Blackjack card counting actually begins. You’ll need to quickly add, subtract, or ignore card assigned values that are dealt to either yourself, the dealer, or any other player at the table to determine whether the shoe has a positive, neutral, or negative value.

Blackjack Hi-Lo Example

In this example, your hand has an assigned value of +2. You don’t know the dealer’s hole card at this point so you cannot count those cards.

Based on the fact that the dealer’s face-up card is an Ace, you decide to hit until you’ve reached 15. At this point, you stand and find to see what the dealer holds. At this point, the running count is +4.

The dealer reveals a 2 and then is dealt a 10 and a K, going bust. This adds up to a count of -2, which, added to your own +4 equals +2. This Blackjack card counting result means that you should place a higher wager on your next round.

Limitations of the Blackjack Hi-Lo Strategy

The Hi-Lo Strategy is best used on Single Deck Blackjack games. As we’ve explained it so far, its results will be skewed when you play regular online Blackjack which uses six or eight standard decks. However, you can complete another step in order to improve your odds once more when playing the classic version of the game.

This step requires you to divide the running count by the number of decks remaining. This figure can either be a whole number or rounded to the nearest half-deck.

Imagine that you’ve started a new Blackjack game with six decks in the shoe. As about half the 312 cards have been dealt, your running count is +5. This meant that your so-called true count is actually +5/3, which is equal to +1.67, which rounds up to +2.

As your true count increases, you are more likely to win and should wager accordingly. The higher the value of your true count, the higher the probability of a win.

If you’re looking for better precision in the results of your card counting endeavors, you should use one of the advanced strategies. Before you progress to this stage, it’s important that you have a good understanding of the Hi-Lo strategy and have successfully counted cards in both single-deck and multi-deck games.

Blackjack Card Counting Using the Omega II Strategy

The Omega II card counting strategy assigns values of up to +2 and -2 to cards as explained in the following table.

Just like with the Hi-Lo system, you should keep a running count with the revised assigned values. In addition, the Omega II system requires you to use a true count when playing multi-deck games.

Used properly, the Omega II Blackjack card counting strategy should produce more accurate results. However, miscounting will lose any potential benefit, which is why it’s important that you start by learning the Hi-Lo system first.

Blackjack Card Counting Using the Wong Halves Strategy

The Wong Halves system is the most complex card counting strategy in Blackjack. However, this complexity also provides the best results. As you can see in the following table, this system uses three value levels instead of two or one.

When implemented accurately, the Wong Halves has a 0.99 betting correlation out of 1.00. This means that it is nearly perfect for predicting precise results.

Just like Hi-Lo and Omega II, Wong Halves is a balanced system, so at the start of a new deck, the count is zero. Moreover, this strategy also involves keeping a running or true count of cards in play.

If you’re using the Wong Halves strategy while card counting in online Blackjack, you should increase your bets at the true count increases and decrease bets to the minimum when the count is close to neutral or negative.

Which Strategy Should I Use While Card Counting in Online Blackjack?

Counting cards in Blackjack requires practice and concentration, and it’s normal not to get it right the first time. Once you’ve learned the basics of this strategy, you should use the best Blackjack casinos online to practice for free and then eventually switch to real money mode once you’re feeling confident.

Here are our experts’ top tips for effective card counting in Blackjack:

• Start with a simple deck – Avoid the complication of having to constantly divide your running count with the remaining decks by playing Single Deck Blackjack games.
• Use free resources to help you practice – You might wish to use a real 52-card deck to practice counting cards and verify your results. You can also find free simulators online.
• Challenge yourself to count faster – The quicker you are at counting, the more successful you’ll be at implementing this Blackjack strategy.
• Increase bets with a count of +2 or better – It’s important to remember that Blackjack card counting is not accurate, so you should disregard counts of +1.
• Have realistic expectations – Don’t expect to turn a profit from card counting. Use this strategy for fun and treat any winnings as a bonus.

Can you Count Cards in Blackjack?

Is Counting Cards in Blackjack Illegal?

In the following section, we’ve sought to dispel myths and misunderstandings about card counting in Blackjack so you know exactly what to expect.

• You need to be a genius to count cards – This is completely false. You can start counting cards using simple systems, such as Hi-Lo, without needing any above-average abilities.
• It’s possible to become rich by counting cards – Unfortunately, this is also false. While it’s possible to have a successful winning streak, there is no way to ensure that you’ll get rich.
• Wins, or losses, are due – Even with card counting, Blackjack remains a game of luck, so this myth is false. Just like the Martingale System in Roulette, you are never owed a win, even if the true count is positive.
• Your cards are affected by other players – While there is some truth in this statement for specific games, there is no proof that player errors affect your results over multiple rounds of Blackjack.
• Card counting makes you lose less – This myth is also, unfortunately, false. In fact, expert card counters lose Blackjack rounds quite often, however, they are able to make up some of the losses by betting strategically.

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