A SIMPLE CARD COUNTING SYSTEM

That Offers A Straightforward Way To Extend Your Play Session

Many Blackjack players attempt to learn to count cards only to get discouraged because of the (perceived) complexity of the system. You have to assign a plus or minus value to each card, get a running count of the cards you have seen, and divide that number by the decks left to be played. Then you must use that number to determine how to play the hand you are dealt and also decide on how much to wager on the upcoming hand.

Most players lose track of the count in a casino situation and find it’s too difficult to play the hands accurately. Rest assured, I have good news for you future card counters. This method will give you a slight advantage over the casino and, if you play the hands correctly, you may even come out ahead in the long run.

How The System Works

The first step is to make sure you know basic strategy perfectly. Make yourself some flash cards like you used in grade school to ensure you are playing flawlessly. Practice before you go to the casino so you don’t make any mistakes.

This system uses an unbalanced count. With most counting systems, such as the Hi-Lo system, you have a count of 0 when you get to the end of the deck. However, with this system (if you were counting a single deck game) you will be at a count of 4 at the end of the deck. The value you use for the cards is listed below. Make sure to practice counting a single deck until you can do it in about thirty seconds. You should always end up at 4 if you did an accurate count.

cards 2-7 count: +1 cards 8-9 count: 0 cards 10-Ace count: -1

You count the cards in pairs. For example, player one is dealt a pair of twos, so your count is +2, the second player is dealt a two and a ten (+1 and –1) which cancel each other out and make your count still +2, and so on. You count the dealer’s up card last and then you count the hit cards. Always do it in the same order so you don’t get confused. During your count, use basic strategy to play the hands.

At a count of +1 or less you bet the minimum, at a count of +2 the deck is in your favor so you start to increase your bet. The higher the count, the better for the player. So, you increase your bet as the count rises. Just don’t go crazy increasing your bet sizes because that’s how the casinos identify card counters. At a count of +3 or higher, make sure you always take insurance. Yes, this is normally a bad bet, but when you’re counting cards it’s worth it.

The main reason this count is so effective is because, as your count rises, there are more tens and Aces which increase the probability of getting a Blackjack. I know what you’re thinking; if the player is more likely to get a Blackjack, isn’t the dealer more likely to get one as well? The answer is yes, but you get paid 3 to 2 if you get one while he/she doesn’t. With this count, you will know when the deck favors the player.

This system is definitely not as complex as other systems so the new player is not as likely to make mistakes. Just remember, when increasing your bet size do it gradually so you don’t attract attention! I have been banned from casinos and it’s not much fun to get the tap on the shoulder.

If you would like more tips on how to play winning Blackjack, my book “How to become a Blackjack Jedi” by TJ Jorgensen is available on Amazon. $

Writer TJ Jorgensen has been a professional Blackjack player for over 25 years. He is well known for his tournament play and has beaten some of the top tournament players in the world. He has also won the World Series Of Blackjack. His newest book “How To Become A Blackjack Jedi” is available online at Amazon.com.