Blackjack is one of the most popular casino card games in the world of gambling. It is probably so because Blackjack is a game that involves both chance as well as skill and decision making. Blackjack players often make use of a practice known as 'Card Counting'. This is an important strategy that helps the player to gauge his probability advantage. It is a system for improving the player's edge which is done by assigning 'weights' to each card face and then summing the card weights as each new card's face is turned up. The 'count' gives an indication of when the game is favorable for the player. This in effect helps the player to place larger bets and also make changes in his playing strategy. In a nut shell what it really means is that the player is able to track the ratio of high cards to low cards so that he can benefit from the entire deal. It is far more effective amongst handheld games and can therefore be used by serious as well as recreational players. And remember that most card counting methods do not involve counting how many of each card has been played. As a rule of thumb, one has to remember that low cards favor the dealer and high cards favor the player. Therefore players who use correct blackjack strategy with card counting system can actually beat the casinos by following this strategy. High cards are generally considered good for the player as the player gets paid more when he gets a blackjack. For dealers however low cards are considered better since they allow help him make winning totals on his hands when he is stiff. Now the question arises as to how much edge a typical card counter will have. Depending upon the counting system being used, as well as the skill of the player, and not to forget the house rules that the player is fighting against, the edge can be 1.5% or less. Very rarely does one come across playing conditions that allow the player to get more than a 2% edge against the house. While prima facie Card Counting might look like it is only for the mathematically inclined or the extremely gifted but what it actually needs is some time and lots of patience. All that a player has to do is keep a track of certain cards as they leave the Blackjack deck and formulate a single ratio number that indicates the composition of the remaining deck. Another reason for Blackjack players to use Card Counting is that it is not illegal. That is to say that if the strategy is an outcome of the brain of the player alone with no outside assistance with devices or additional people, it is not illegal. Using an outside aid however is illegal. |
