Counting Cards? What exactly is this?

Question

I saw a commercial about this new movie which involves counting cards in Blackjack and I'm just curious as to what it is and how it's done. Don't worry, I'm not going to try and cheat people in a card game, I'm just curious as to how people count cards.

Answer 1

Read the book "Bringing Down the House." That's the story the movie was based on, and it describes how a group of MIT students won millions of dollars playing blackjack.

And these people did not simply "count cards" like you'll read in most books. They used advanced counting techniques, shuffle tracking, and team play to turn the game into a cash cow. They got away with huge bet spreads that would never work with a single player, and literally changed the way casinos run their blackjack tables. It's really an amazing story.

Answer 2

In blackjack, statistically it is better for the player if there are more tens and aces, and worse if their are more lower cards

Why?  Because 10's help the dealer bust when he is required to hit.  Aces help the player more because in a blackjack, the player gets paid 3:2 vs. when the dealer getting a blackjack.  Conversely, low cards help the dealer when he must hit.

Because of this, a simple count will provide a value of +1 to 10s and Aces, and -1 to low value cards.  As you go through the deck and count, you'll have a running count.  A positive count is to your advantage and so you'll bet more.

You can also alter playing strategy upon the count to maximize your advantage.  I've linked to a good beginners book with a great counting strategy.