Why does Card counting always seems to be in the Negative Numbers more often than the positive Numbers?

Question

I have been practicing card counting on a online blackjack game where you can choose how many decks you can play, and so on. When I'm card counting it seems to be that it always favors Negative numbers. You think it has to do with the blackjack program? or is it like that in a real game with about 6 deck shoe? Also, where do I increase my chances of winning...the lower deck shoe or the higher deck shoe? Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Because there are 20 negative cards and 16 positive cards.  (In a 52 card deck)

Answer 2

#1  Give Vegas Matt the gold star.  (Or give it to me.)  He's the only one that answered this question correctly.

There are MANY different types of "counts"  (The Hi-lo count, The Revere Count, the Red 7 count, etc.)  

If the counting system you use is "balanced" then when you finish and complete a full deck, the count will be at zero.  (There are the same number of "plus" cards as "minus" cards.)

Thus, the count should never favor the negative numbers.  

If you think this is happening to you, I can only suggest that the answer is "selective memory."  It "seems" that way to you, when it really isn't the case.

Of course, if you're playing online, and the site is not "honest" you may indeed be seeing more "minus" counts.

I don't know if you have any programming skills but it would be a trivial matter to write a blackjack simulator that "counts" cards and determines the frequence of the number of times there is a "plus" count and a minus "count."  (It would be trivial to me, or any other competent programmer.)  However, my 30+ years of blackjack experience, and my 36+ books I have on the subject alradytell me what the the answer woul be... the cound will be on the low side as often as it's on the high side.

#2, Ideally, you want to play with as few shoes as possible.  Ideally, playing against one deck is best for the player.

(The link below is a photo of my collection of Blackjack books!)

Answer 3

You can't count cards with online blackjack.  The deck is shuffled and randomized after every hand so your count is back to zero after every single hand.

Answer 4

He's right.

Per deck there are 16 face cards and 32 non face cards and 4 Aces. Its very tough to get in the posotive side.

The thing I don't understand about the card counting thing is, so you know theres alot of face cards left in the deck. But doesnt this also give the dealer a better chance of getting a 20?

Answer 5

If you're using a normal balanced count like hi-lo, then there are EXACTLY the same number of low valued (+1) cards (2, 3, 4, 5, 6) as there are high valued(-1) cards (10, J , Q, K, Ace). In the long run, which is easily many thousands of times through the deck, you should see positive counts with almost the exact same frequency as negative counts.

There are some counting methods called "unbalanced counts" where there are not the same number of positive and negative cards, but all the ones I know have more low valued (+1) cards than high valued cards. This results in positive counts occurring MORE often than negative counts, which is counteracted by requiring higher counts to increase your bets.

Answer 6

Theres more low cards than face cards.

Answer 7

If you are talking about negetive counts, the perhaps you ar using the trial version of casino verite, which deals a non normal deck until you purchase the program.

Negetive counts apear more oftan than positive counts for the same reasons you see more yacks than you do kings (its all in your head) unless the deck is dishonest, or you are using an unblanced count that somehow is negetive in the sum of all point totals

if you are talking about losing money;

It is possible to be counting cards and not raise your bet high enought to expect positive numbers.

You need to buy a book to better understand the game and ensure you are actually playing with an edge.

It is fact that even while counting cards you lose more hands than you win.  The edge is a result of being able to split double and get payed 3:2 for blackjacks, it is likely in your series of trials you didnt get enough split/doubles to expect an advantage, or you arnt taking advantage of them when you need to be.

The is also a lot of variance in the game, it is not very unlikely at all to play 10,000 hands and still be losing, but the odds of making money are much greater, you were probibly just on the bottome end of the spectrum.