How do you count cards (like in Blackjack)?

Question

What IS counting cards? How do you count cards? Are you better off counting cards?

Answer 1

"counting cards" is just the term for keeping a mental note of what cards are already known to be out on the table.

its supposed to give you an edge in probabilities when you are playing with groups of people.

if the dealer isn't shuffling the deck every hand, then when cards are revealed just make a mental note that "hey there were a lot of _____ cards in that last hand, so there is a low chance of seeing that card in the next hand" and in blackjack where you're trying to get to 21 and face cards are worth 10 points and you're trying to decide whether its a good idea whether to "hit" or "stay" if you have a good idea of the probability that the next cards won't be big enough to make you "bust" then counting cards would help.

in most public places though its frowned upon, possibly even illegal in some casinos if they can prove you were doing it.