Card counting is a blackjack strategy used to estimate whether the player or dealer has an advantage on the next hand. Here's a simple step-by-step method for basic card counting called the "plus-minus" or Hi-Lo system:
- Assign values to cards:
- Cards 2 through 6: +1
- Cards 7 through 9: 0 (neutral)
- Cards 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace: -1
- Start the count at 0. As each card is dealt, add its value to the running count.
- Keep track of the running count across multiple hands (do not reset to zero after each hand).
- When multiple decks are used, calculate the "true count" by dividing the running count by the estimated number of decks remaining. The true count adjusts the running count for the number of cards left.
- Use the true count to make betting and playing decisions. A positive count favors the player (more high cards remaining), a negative count favors the dealer (more low cards remaining).
Example: If the cards dealt are Ace, King, 2, 7, 6, 4, and 5, the count is:
- Ace (-1) + King (-1) + 2 (+1) + 7 (0) + 6 (+1) + 4 (+1) + 5 (+1) = +2
This technique helps players tilt the odds in their favor by keeping track of the ratio of high to low cards left in the deck.
