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Mastering Card Counting in Blackjack: Step-by-Step Guide, Proven Strategies, and Visual Tools

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Card counting in blackjack is a well-known strategy, often dramatized in movies with players trying to outsmart casinos. Despite its portrayal as an underhanded tactic, card counting is actually completely legal and doesn’t even break casino rules. It’s a legitimate strategy used by gamblers worldwide, relying more on focus and calculation than memory tricks. If you’re determined and willing to practice, mastering card counting could give you an edge in the game, potentially leading to significant wins.

What is Card Counting and How Does it Work?

At its core, card counting is a mathematical approach to blackjack, where you keep track of the ratio of high to low cards left in the deck. This allows you to adjust your bets and decisions based on the likelihood of favorable cards being dealt. Let’s break this process into four clear steps:

  1. Assign Values to Cards: Cards are grouped and given values to simplify the counting process.
  2. Keep a Running Count: As the cards are dealt, you update your running total based on their values.
  3. Calculate the True Count: Adjust your running count for the number of decks in play to get a more accurate sense of your advantage.
  4. Adjust Your Bets: Increase your bets when the deck is favorable and decrease when it isn’t.

While it may seem daunting at first, with time and practice, you can become proficient at this method.

Step-by-Step Guide to Card Counting

Step 1: Assign Values to Cards

Each card in the deck is assigned a specific value:

  • Cards 2 through 6: +1
  • Cards 7 through 9: 0 (neutral)
  • Cards 10 through Ace: -1

As the dealer reveals each card, you either add 1, subtract 1, or do nothing, depending on its value.

Step 2: The Running Count

Once you’ve memorized the card values, start keeping a running count. Each time a card is dealt, you update your count based on the card's value. A positive running count indicates a deck with a higher concentration of high-value cards (10s, Aces), which is advantageous to the player. Conversely, a negative count means more low-value cards remain, which favors the casino.

Here's a visual representation of how the running count can fluctuate over several rounds:

As the graph shows, a rising running count is an indication that high-value cards are more likely to appear, which benefits the player. Conversely, a declining count means the odds are shifting in favor of the house.

Step 3: Calculate the True Count

In modern blackjack, most casinos use multiple decks to counteract card counting. This makes the True Count (or the count per deck) a crucial component. To calculate it, simply divide your running count by the number of remaining decks.

For example:

  • If your running count is +8 and four decks remain, the True Count is +2.
  • If your running count is +10 but only two decks remain, your True Count is +5, a much stronger advantage.

The True Count gives you a more accurate idea of how favorable the remaining cards are.

Step 4: Adjust Your Bets

The final step is using the True Count to adjust your betting strategy. When the count is high, the odds are in your favor, so you should bet more aggressively. Conversely, if the count is neutral or negative, reduce your bets to minimize risk.

The chart below illustrates how you can adjust your bet size relative to the True Count:

As the True Count rises, so should your bet size. This method helps you capitalize on favorable conditions while minimizing losses during unfavorable ones.

The Myth of Memorization

One common misconception is that card counting requires memorizing which cards have been dealt. In reality, the technique focuses on tracking the ratio of high to low cards, not on specific cards. This makes the process far more manageable, even for beginners. There’s no need to memorize an entire deck; you’re only keeping a running total that fluctuates as cards are dealt.

The Advantages of High Cards

In blackjack, high-value cards (10s, Jacks, Queens, Kings, and Aces) are advantageous to the player because they increase the chances of hitting a natural blackjack or winning with a high total. By using card counting to identify when the deck is rich in high-value cards, you can increase your bet size and improve your chances of winning.

Why Card Counting Works

Card counting works because blackjack is not entirely a game of chance—it's influenced by the order in which the cards are dealt. When you know there are more high cards left in the deck, you can make more informed betting and playing decisions, shifting the house edge slightly in your favor.

Conclusion: The Power of Practice

Card counting is a powerful tool for blackjack players, but it requires patience and practice. Many professionals have spent years perfecting this craft, and some have reported winning significant sums using this method. However, it’s important to manage your bankroll wisely and avoid betting recklessly based on the count.

By following this structured guide and practicing regularly, you can improve your understanding of card counting and potentially use it to your advantage in blackjack.

Hit - After the player is dealt the two initial cards, the player has the option to hit (request an additional card). The player should keep asking to hit until they feel that they have a sufficiently strong hand to win (as close to 21 as possible, without going over 21).

Stand - When the player has cards that they feel are sufficiently strong to beat the dealer then they should  “stand.” For example, a player may wish to stand on a hard 20 (two 10 cards such as a 10, jack, queen, or king). The dealer must keep playing until they either beat the player or go bust (going over 21).

Split - After the player is dealt the first two cards, and if those cards are of equal face value (for example, two queens), then the player has the option to split their hand into two separate hands with equal bets on each hand. The player must then continue to play both hands with regular blackjack rules.

Double - After the initial two cards are dealt, if a player feels that they have a strong hand (such as a king and an ace), then the player may choose to double their initial bet. To learn when to double read our guide on When to Double Down in Blackjack.

Blackjack - This is an ace and any 10 value card (10, jack, queen, or king). This is an automatic win for the player.

Hard 20 - This is any two 10 value cards (10, jack, queen, or king). It is unlikely that the player will receive an ace next, and the player should always stand. Splitting is also not recommended.

Soft 18 - This is a combination of an ace and a 7 card. This combination of cards offers the player different strategy options depending on what cards the dealer is dealt.

As the name implies this is blackjack that is played with only one deck of 52 cards.  Many blackjack aficionados refuse to play any other type of blackjack as this blackjack variant offers slightly better odds, and it enables savvy players the option to count cards.

House edge:

0.15% compared to multi-deck blackjack games that have a house edge between 0.46% to 0.65%.

This offers more excitement as players can play up to 5 simultaneous hands of blackjack, the number of hands offered varies based on the casino.

The key difference between American and European blackjack is the hole card.

In American blackjack the dealer receives one card face up and one card face down (the hole card). If the dealer happens to have an Ace as his or her visible card, they then immediately peek at their face down card (the hole card). If the dealer has blackjack with a hole card that is a 10 card (10, jack, queen, or king), then the dealer automatically wins.

In European blackjack the dealer receives only one card, the second card is dealt after all of the players have had the chance to play. In other words, European blackjack has no hole card.

The game is always played with 8 regular decks, this means anticipating the next card is more difficult. The other major difference is players have the option to play a "late surrender".

A late surrender enables a player to toss their hand after the dealer checks his hand for blackjack. This could be wanted if the player has a really bad hand. With a surrender the player loses half their bet. 

In Atlantic City blackjack players can split twice, up to three hands. Aces however, can only be split once.

The dealer must stand on all 17 hands, including soft 17.

Blackjack pays 3 to 2, and and insurance pays 2 to 1.

House edge:

0.36%.

As the name implies this is the most popular version of blackjack in Las Vegas.

4 to 8 standard decks of cards are used, and the dealer must stand on soft 17.

Similar to other types of American blackjack, the dealer receives two cards, one face-up. If the face-up card is an ace, then the dealer peaks at his down card (the hole card).

Players have the option to play a "late surrender".

A late surrender enables a player to toss their hand after the dealer checks his hand for blackjack. This could be wanted if the player has a really bad hand. With a surrender the player loses half their bet. 

House edge:

0.35%.

This is a rare variation of blackjack that increases the odds in the players favor by enabling the player to see both of the dealers cards face up, versus just one card. In other words there is no hole card.

Another key difference is that the dealer has the option to hit or stand on soft 17.

House Edge:

0.67%

This is a version of blackjack that is played with 6 to 8 Spanish decks.

The Spanish deck of cards has four suits and contains 40 or 48 cards, depending on the game.

The cards are numbered from 1 to 9. The four suits are copas (Cups), oros (Coins), bastos (Clubs), and espadas (Swords).

Due to the lack of 10 card it is more difficult for a player to hit blackjack.

House Edge:

0.4%

This is an optional side bet that is offered to a player if the dealer’s up-card is an ace. If the player fears that there is a 10 card (10, jack, queen, or king) that would give the dealer a blackjack, than the player may opt for the insurance bet.

The insurance bet is half of the regular bet (meaning if the player bet $10, then the insurance bet would be $5).

If the dealer has a blackjack then the player is paid 2 to 1 on the insurance bet.

If both the player and the dealer hit blackjack, then the payout is 3 to 2.

An insurance bet is often called a "suckers bet" as the odds are in the houses favor.

House edge:

5.8% to 7.5% - The house edge varies based on the previous card history.

In American blackjack players are given the option to surrender at any time. This should only be done if the player believes they have an extremely bad hand. If the player chooses this than the bank return half of the initial bet. (For example, a $10 bet has $5 returned).

In some version of blackjack such as Atlantic City blackjack only a late surrender is enabled. In this case, a player can only surrender after the dealer has checked his hand for blackjack.

To learn more visit our in-depth guide on When to Surrender in Blackjack.

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Lloyd is passionate about online gambling, he lives and breathes blackjack and other table games, and he enjoys sports betting.