There's a concept of Counting cards I don't really get. I know how to, but I don't really get how it helps./..

Question

So my friend taught me how to count cards, Hi-Lo Count, but I don't see how that'll help you in blackjack. I know that 2-7 = +1 and 7-9 = 0 and 10-A = -1, but how does that really help you win in Blackjack?

and is it illegal? And how so? Using a strategy to win blackjack is illegal? :)

Answer 1

I was playing Black Jack last Monday in a Casino in Bristol. Two guys to the left of me were getting  well peeeed with me because they wanted me to take a card so that I would bust or get a 19 or higher... I didn't take a card and we all lost.... But why should I take an unnecessary risk just for 2 people I have never met get better odds ???? If they had said that they would cover my bet I would have done.... But they were just being greedy so F um...

Answer 2

It helps because statistically, the more high cards left in the deck, the better your chances are of beating the house, and the more low cards there are left, the better chance the house has of winning.  If you bet higher when the odds are in your favor, and bet the minimum when the odds are in the house's favor, you will win in the long run.

Answer 3

It's not illegal.  It allows you to predict, in some cases what sort of cards remain in the shoe, i.e. whether they favor you or the house.  The casino has every right to ask you to leave and not come back when they determine that your betting habits are consistent with card counting.  Depending on your proficiency and where you play, as long as you know the dealer's shuffling/cutting rules, then as long as you have a significant amount to play with, your likelihood of winning exceeds that of the house.

Answer 4

It helps because you can keep track of what cards are left in the deck and you can bet accordingly.  If you're counting cards and you find that all the higher cards have been played you won't want to bet as much money cause you'll risk get getting a bunch of hands with bad odds of winning.  If you find all the junk cards are gone and there's a lot of royalty left, bet bigger.  

Counting cards is technically legal cause you're using your brain, not an illegal instrument.  But casino's frown upon it and can make you leave if they suspect  you of counting.  Have you ever heard of the MIT Blackjack Team??

Answer 5

Simple answer is this:  When there is a higher percentage of HIGH cards in the deck, the PLAYER has a very small advantage.

When there is a higher percentage of LOW cards in the deck, the DEALER has an advantage.

(More high cards in the deck means the dealer busts more frequently, more advantageous situations exist where the player can double down, the player gets more blackjacks, which pay 3-2, etc.)

So when the count is in your favor, you bet more!  When the count favors the dealer, you bet less!

No, counting cards is not illegal, but if a casino asks you stop playing, they have that right.

Answer 6

what it does is guage the shoe a shoe rich in 10'a and aces is good for players u should bet more and buy insurance a shoe with lots of low cards is good for the dealer this is the time to bet min or get out. There are no laws against counting though casinos supposedly can put u out for it. The fewer decks the better it works i have sucessfully counted 8 decks but ur advantage is muck lower then 1-2 decks. Even though i used to do this well and hope to get back into it its not a guarantee unless u have a huge bankroll and loads of time then statistically u cant loose. There is a way to figure out the true count by guessing how many cards are left in the shoe and altering the hi low count if ur really good try i was not able to do it

Answer 7

In blackjack the dealer plays by fixed rules, wth an honest 52 card deck, the house has an advantage.

As the cards are dealt, the remaining card no longer compose a honest 52 card deck.  Because the dealer plays on fixed rules, an abundance or shortage of certain cards effect the house advantage.

With card counting combined with a complete understanding of the game, it is possible to know when a certain point of card saturation has been reached and the house advantage actually lies with the player and not with the house.

Card counting is a playing strategy, it is not illegal.

-If you were playing single deck blackjack, and all four aces came out on the first hand, you might think to yourself, that on the next hand it woudl be impossible to get a blackjack and leave the table.  That is certainly not illegal and this is the same logic that applies to card counting only all cards are kept track of.

Casinos do not like card counters because card counters typically win money, casinos are a buisness just like any other and will make efforts to cut losses.

Answer 8

First of all 2-6 is +1, not 2-7.

Secondly, you are right.  Just knowing how to count cards is not enough.  You have to know how many units to bet as well given the count and deck penetration.  Not only that, there are multiple charts you have to learn given each situation.  Are you willing to split 10 Q against a dealer 6?  Will you hit 14 against a dealer 4?  The answer to these questions will be yes some of the time.  Now can you do that and face ridicule from other players who think you are making the wrong move and try and bully you into making different decisions?  If you can't do this, then you should just forget about counting cards, because you are just wasting your time.

Answer 9

Hi-Lo Count :

Cards from 2 to 6 count as +1 ( or plus 1 )

Cards Ace, K, Q, J and 10 count as -1 ( or minus 1 )

Example : Your hand : 3,2,5 and K

                   Dealer hand : 4,6,3 and 10

  Total count after this round will be : + 4 ( or plus 4 ). That means the  remain of the deck is rich on Face Cards ( more cards  value 10 ) So you have better chance to have good hand ( 20 ..) so you can increase the bet ! better chance to win !

It is not illegal in counting cards, but they can stop you from playing ! If you are a good card counter playing at the table, some Pit boss will approach you , politely says  "  you are too good  at  Black Jack . We cannot  have you play anymore, you are welcome to play other table games...." Basically  that's how it goes, hope it answer your question !