When going to a black jack table and you choose to count cards, do you always start at zero?

Question

Would you start at zero, or how would find what number it is at?

Answer 1

you can get in serious trouble for counting cards. watch out!

Answer 2

You don't HAVE to start at zero.  You can start at 100 so that you aren't dealing with negative numbers.  You'll just know that anything less than 100 is bad.

Card counting is not for geniuses.  Anyone can do it with just a little practice.  If you saw the movie "21" You need to take note of the training that Ben went through.  You have to count down 2 decks of cards at the same time in about 30 seconds to know that you're really on top of your game.  Sounds hard but it's really not.

Its also not just counting, but knowing what to do with those numbers once you count.  How much to bet?  How far in the shoe are you?  

Are you willing to hit a 14 vs a 4 showing or split 10's against a dealer 4, 5 or 6?  Betting Insurance? These can be correct plays depending on deck penetration and positive counts.  You gotta lose a lot of years of superstition along with the math.  You also gotta deal with other players berated you for making the supposed "wrong" play like splitting 10s.

Answer 3

Casinos have basically made card counting a thing of the past unless you are some sort of a genius. They no longer use one deck but 8+ depending on the casino. They also switch dealers so often that it is rare to get half way through the 8 decks without them being reshuffled. Your best bet is to learn Texas Hold Em and play at the tables. Only place in the whole casino there is no house edge.

Answer 4

To be successfull,  You have to start at zero and only start as the very first cards are dealt.

Starting in the middle of a shoe will be innaccurate.

The only exception to this would be in a shoe with a high number of decks like a 6 or 8 decker where only a few cards have been dealt for one hand of maybe one or two players.  You could add the size of this stack (if its even measurable) to the size of the portion under the cut card and make calculations from there with very little effect on efficiency.

There is no way to find a count midshoe, unless you ask comebody at the table and they happened to be counting cards,  You must start form the begining of the shoe.

Answer 5

Yes. You start at zero. The count is a ratio of high to low cards relative to a standard deck. After a shuffle all the cards are in shoe so the count is zero.

You can't start card counting mid shoe if that is your question

Answer 6

Yes the count starts at zero, as you dont have any idea if high/low cards have been dealt out. The easiest way to counter this is either sit off to the side and count before entering or enter at the shuffle. While yes, counting can get you heat, but it's not illegal and at worst (as long as your at a US casino) is being asked not to play anymore. Also for the guy saying 8+ decks, he has to be in la-la land, as the worst I've seen is six decks, and a few 2 and 4 deck games where it is most definitely countable, just DONT bring attention to you, like staring at each card intently, saying the count (even mouthing it) or using chips to keep track of the count. In other words, you have to look like any normal tourist while you count and play.

Answer 7

There are some rather interesting answers posted to  your question.  The count is normally started when the shoe is reshuffled.  The count would be off if started any other time.

Yes the count is zero when the first card is dealt out of a newly shuffled shoe. If the whole shoe were run (it never is) the count would end at zero too. As for an 8+ deck shoe, I would love to know where one of those are, like another has said, only in la-la land.  6  deck and 4 deck shoes are common, and the -/+ system was developed for multi-deck shoes.

Answer 8

start at plus 18....then start betting big.    when you have a lot of money and the count is minus 2 take your winnings and go...