How to Count Cards

Counting cards is the method by which players can beat the game of blackjack. Of the many excellent counting systems available, you will be learning the commonly used high-low system. Here are a few steps to help you with card counting.

Difficulty:

Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Deck Of Playing Cards
• Stopwatches

Studying

1. Learn the rules of blackjack. (See Related eHow.)

2. Learn basic strategy for a six-deck blackjack game with standard Las Vegas rules.

3. Acquire and shuffle a normal deck of 52 playing cards.

4. Deal out the cards as you would see them in a normal blackjack game in which players try to get as close as possible to 21 without going over.

5. Notice the combinations formed and that cards often cancel each other out or make pairs.

6. Learn the values of the cards: Aces and 10-value cards (kings, queens, jacks and tens) are worth -1; twos, threes, fours, fives and sixes are worth +1; and sevens, eights and nines are worth 0.

Counting and Betting

1. Make a chart (or flash cards) of the rules of basic strategy and memorize it so that it becomes second nature.

2. Count down the deck until you can do it in 25 seconds or less. Pairing cards, so that they cancel each other out, will make this easier.

3. In the casino, bet when the true count is +2 or higher. Divide the count by the number of decks left in play to get the true count.

Tips & Warnings

• Card counting is the addition and subtraction of negative and positive numbers. A card combination of a 10 and six equals a count of zero and can be eliminated from the count.

• Casinos are full of distractions, including gorgeous waitresses, bells and whistles, and free-flowing alcohol. The more proficient you are before you step into a casino, the more likely you are to play well and win money.

• To practice your skills, start first at a reputable online casino where you can hone your skills and increase your comfort level.

• Take insurance only if the true count is at least +3.

• Employ the Kelly formula when betting.

• Abstain from drinking while counting cards. Even one drink can impair your ability to add and subtract, multiply and divide.

• Counting cards does not guarantee that you will win. Even proficient card counters lose a certain percentage of the time.

• It is not illegal to count cards. However, casino management does have the right to throw you out if it suspects you are a card counter, because casinos are private property. This rarely happens. Instead, it is more likely that a player will get a tap on the shoulder and hear that, henceforth, he can play any game in the casino except blackjack.

• Gambling can be addictive. If you have a gambling problem, get help immediately.