How To Count Cards In Blackjack For Dummies

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Card counting systems have three levels of complexity. The simplest systems are Hi-Lo Counts. You count low cards as +1 and high cards as -1. The higher the count, the bigger the proportion of high cards to low cards. Advantage players will increase their bets once a specific count is reached. While the legality of card counting is still something very much in dispute, being argued again and again in the legal courts, the fact remains that the casinos regard card counting as taboo. The casinos may not be able to prosecute a card counter, but they can and will make life very difficult for a blackjack player who is caught counting cards. First, pick a simple counting system like the Hi-Lo system. In this system, cards 2-6 are counted as +1, 7-9 are 0 and 10-A are -1. Now go through and count one card at a time.

How

Blackjack card counting is still used in land-based casinos where games feature multiple decks and a shoe. Casino staff can still spot a card counter and will ban anyone suspected of doing it. You will still need to learn the basics of blackjack to get a full understanding of how card counting works.

Welcome to black jack card counting 101. If you’re interested in learning how to count cards to gain a real edge in the game of blackjack, this is a great place to start.

Unfortunately, card counting is not a skill that you can pick up with a secret handshake or a cheat sheet. Counting cards is difficult, and learning how to do it well will require patience, determination, and lots of practice. The key is to reach a level where counting cards is no longer just a novel trick but an ingrained instinct – and that takes time.

Luckily the training process can be fun, especially if you enjoy playing blackjack (online). Once you’ve mastered even the most basic card counting techniques, you’ll be part of an elite group of blackjack champs who will forever be one step ahead of the competition.

Card Counting Step by Step

This guide is meant for absolute beginners. If you’re already a blackjack champ, you can skip to Step IV.

I. Learn the rules
First thing’s first! Read up on the blackjack rules. It’s no use being a counting whiz if have not yet mastered the basics of the game. Blackjack comes in a rainbow of game variations so make sure you know what style you intend to be playing. (Hint: novelty, online and tournament variations are not suited to card counting.)

II. Master basic strategy
Once you know the basics, it’s time to learn more. Our blackjack strategy guides are a great place to start. Required time for memorization: 20-30 hours.

III. Playing and practicing
Now it’s time to play as much blackjack as you can. A good place to start is with these online blackjack games free. After a while you will begin to notice common card combinations, and you will start to understand how to react to each one. You should expect to spend another 20 hours or more on this step. It’s important to have as much experience playing with basic strategy as you can get.

IV. Learning the card values of a counting system
By now, playing blackjack should be easy, and you should know instinctively how to react to any situation. It’s time to start counting cards!

How to count cards in blackjack for dummies for dummies

First you must decide which system you want to learn. In general the two systems most often recommended for beginners are the Knock-Out KO Count or the Hi-Lo Count. The primary difference between these two is that the KO count does not require a conversion to the true count and saves an extra step by sacrificing a little accuracy.

The first step towards counting cards once you’ve chosen a system is memorizing the relative value of each card in the deck, and learning to count down a deck. Since we have recommended the Hi-Lo count we’ll base our examples on that system.

    Count +1
    Count 0
    Count -1

In the High-Low card count there is only 1 level of value, so cards are counted as +1, 0, or -1. All 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 cards have a value of 1. 7, 8, and 9 have a value of 0. 10, J, K, Q cards all have a value of -1. Some counters will advise you to learn not to notice that 7, 8, and 9 cards exist at all to minimize the number of things that you must pay attention to.

IV. Counting down the deck
Once you remember these numbers, try counting down the deck. Do this by dealing cards one at a time, and mentally count all the cards until you have gone through all of them. If you have counted correctly you should wind up with zero, because the Hi-Lo count is a balanced card counting system. Practice counting down the deck until you can quickly and accurately count through the deck to a zero count with no cards remaining.

When you’re actually playing blackjack, keeping track of the cards in this way is known as keeping a “running count” of the game.

The time required to learn how to keep a running count of a single deck is approximately 30 hours.

VI. Converting to the true count
When you can count through a single deck, it’s time to learn how to apply it to a multi-deck shoe. This involves converting the running count, which you calculated above, into a true count.

True count takes into consideration the number of decks being used, as well the number of decks still to be dealt. It is calculated by dividing the running count by the number of decks still in the shoe.

The reason we need to do this when playing with more than one deck is because the same running count can mean different things depending on how far along the game is. For example, a running count of +10 is much better if there are 2 decks remaining as opposed to a shoe with 5 decks remaining.

Let’s look at an example. If you have a four deck game with a running count of +6 you have to look at the discard tray to calculate how many decks are remaining. In this case we’ll estimate that 3 decks remain so that the true count is then +2.

Eventually you will run into the problem of dividing with fractions or numbers with decimals and you will learn to handle these calculations smoothly as you switch between the running and true count.

This is usually the step that takes the longest to master at a conservative 60 hours.

VII. Distraction training
Counting cards while dealing out of a deck at home is one thing. Sitting in a crowded, noisy casino and trying to keep a true count of an 8 deck shoe is completely different. The last and most difficult step in learning to count cards is learning to do it in a distracting environment.

Start small. While counting at home, add background music. When that fails to throw you off, add something like a loud television and a roommate or spouse. The best practice session would be at a loud party or a rambunctious family reunion. Of course you’ll want to make sure that this new skill doesn’t prevent you from also enjoying other people and activities going on!

When you can keep track of a deck and hold a conversation with someone while there are all sorts of noises going on in the background, then you’re ready to take your new skills to the casino. Estimated time for mastery is generally around 25 hours.

If you’ve paid attention to the time estimates for each step, you are looking at about 165 hours of training. The exact number will depend on you, and on how determined you are to come out ahead. Learning to count cards in blackjack is a big undertaking, but trust us when we say that it’s a very rewarding experience!

Card Counting Tips

Before you dive in and start learning, here are a few tips you should know.

Be subtle
Counting cards is not against the law, but casinos don’t like it, and you can get thrown out if you’re caught. The biggest mistakes beginners make is not being subtle. If the dealer sees you muttering under your breath, or constantly checking the discard pile as you try to calculate the true count of the game, he will get suspicious. Learn to act casual, and practice counting until you can do it instinctively.

Don’t bother counting online
Online blackjack is a wonderful thing, but internet games are no good for card counters. The reason for this is simple: the deck gets shuffled after every hand, making card counting useless. This makes sense, since counting cards online would be so easy. You could even use a pen and paper! Of course, playing online is still a great way to practice, so keep your blackjack casino online accounts open while you learn to count cards.

Read, read, read
We have covered the basics here, but there are literally hundreds of blackjack card counting books out there. Grab a few and learn more!

Don’t overestimate your skills
Like we said from the very beginning, counting cards is difficult. Even if you think you’re ready to hit the tables, you probably have quite a lot to learn. Don’t expect to fumble about with a deck for a few hours and think you can count cards, it takes a lot of practice to perfect.

That’s it – you have completed Card Counting 101. Good luck!

Table Of Contents

  • It can take years to master the game of blackjack and become a winning player
  • You can learn the basics of the game with this blackjack cheat sheet
  • Download the free pdf and use it when you play on the best Blackjack sites so you can better chances to win

Everyone say that playing blackjack is easy — but I disagree.

Blackjack is one of those games that can take years to learn, especially if you want to play well and use all the winning chances you have.

To be good at Blackjack you need to know the right strategy, learn how to play every possible combination of cards, and have a super-sharp memory.

Unless you use a Blackjack cheat card like the one I'm giving away in this article.

Oh, and you need to be lucky too - of course.

The players who get all the chances to win at Blackjack that the game allows, know exactly what hand to play and when they are supposed to Hit or Stand.

Good Blackjack players leave to chance nothing more than they are obliges to. Blackjack is a gambling game and it comes with a natural house edge — but anything more than that, is a mistake Blackjack players can't afford to make.

To be that good, you can either spend a lot of time studying the game and learning all about the best ways to play Blackjack…

…or you can become well-versed in the important aspects of the Blackjack basic strategy with an easy Blackjack cheat sheet for beginners.

The No-Cheat Sheed Approach to Beating Blackjack

If you choose the first approach, you are in for a lot of work that is going to pay out, eventually.

I respect your attitude and I want to help. So here's a list of good resources you should read before you download my printable Blackjack strategy card.

How to Play Blackjack for Beginners. See it as a dummies guide to Blackjack. Here you learn how to count points, understand the action, and move your first steps into the game.

How to Practice Blackjack Online. The best way to learn how to play (and put my Blackjack cheat sheet into practice) is to play for free and train. This article gives you the chance to do just that.

Best Free Blackjack Games to Play for Fun. Need more free games to test the PDF cheat card? This page has everything you need.

Single Deck Blackjack Strategy. Single Deck games are the Eldorado of Blackjack. This article tells you why and gives you some tips to get more winning chances than most other players.

Blackjack Side Bets Explained in Plain English. Lots of people get confused about the side bets in Blackjack — especially as those aren't covered in my cheatsheet. This article tells you which one to try and which ones to avoid.

Best Live Blackjack Casinos in 2019: Updated List. A collection of all the best sites to play Live Dealer Blackjack in 2019 with short reviews of what makes them special.

How To Count Cards In Blackjack For Dummies Beginners

The No-Cheat Sheet Approach to Beating Blackjack

If you don't want to go through all those articles but you just want to play, I have a way to get you in a position to get better odds at Blackjack.

How To Count Cards In Blackjack For Dummies For Dummies

With my Blackjack Cheat Sheet you:

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YES. I am talking about a Blackjack Cheat Sheet pdf for dummies that can help you play like you are supposed to. Download it, print it, memorize it, and use to play your games.

It's often said that in gambling, the house always wins. Unfortunately, that's not a lie.

Although this is true for the majority of players - especially for those who do not know how to play the house effectively - there are ways to increase your chances.

Nobody expects a beginner to win, and you must use this lack of expectations to your advantage.

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Although we call this a Cheat Sheet,it is really cheating? Of course not.

Cheating at the Casino is not allowed. And stupid.

What you find here is a Blackjack strategy that helps you to play better.

Think of it like playing a video game with a guide, or going on a guided tour when you go on vacation.

How To Count Cards In Blackjack For Dummies

That's not cheating - that's just sensible precautions. Sure, you think, but isn't blackjack a game, and wouldn't a winning strategy be against the spirit of that game?

If you're thinking that, then, my friend, you are nobler than most players. The world might need more people like you - but you need to change your approach if you want to have your best chances to win at Blackjack.

First, though, let's take you through some basics of deck Blackjack terminology and Blackjack strategy, as you'll need to know what these words and phrases mean in order to decipher what our Cheat Sheet tells you.

Soft hand: This is when there is an ace in your hand, meaning there is no chance of you busting after the draw. The ace can be 1 or 11, but your hand must not total more than 21. Here are those soft combinations:

  • A2 - 13 (13 or 3)
  • A3 - 14 (14 or 4)
  • A4 - 15 (15 or 5)
  • A5 - 16 (16 or 6)
  • A6 - 17 (17 or 7)
  • A7 - 18 (18 or 8)
  • A8 - 19 (19 or 9) - almost always stand
  • A9 - 20 (20 or 10) - always stand!
  • An ace with 10 or a face card is an unbeatable blackjack.

Hard hand: The combined total of any two cards not containing an ace. Here are the possible hard hands:

  • 9-7 (hard 16)
  • 8-6 (hard 14)
  • 10-7 (hard 17)

It's riskier to draw with a hard hand, as there is more chance of busting.

Hit: drawing another card.
Stand: when your hand is good enough.
Double down: this is when you, or another player, increase the wager.

This Cheat Sheet alone won't make you a winner.

This Cheat Sheet helps you to understand the basics and shows you how to play a hand well. It tells you when to take a positive risk and when to hold back.

It's the Yoda you need to become Blackjack's Luke Skywalker.

To win at blackjack, download the cheat sheet, you must.

Can you use the Blackjack Cheat Sheet at the table?

You can keep the easy Blackjack Cheat Sheet open in your browser while a game of online Blackjack is running.

Use it as a reference to understand what decisions you are supposed to make when you play a hand of Blackjack.

After a while, once you get good enough to play on your own, you won't need it anymore. Until that happens, use it while you play. It'll help you learn to make the calls and do the right moves.

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