To Cheat or Not to Cheat: Card Counting at Blackjack

Considered one of the most-dreaded blackjack cheats of all, you might be surprised to know that Card Counting is technically not cheating. It is actually a very legal method of winning the game. Still, many casinos operate in fear of it, and with good reason; expert card counters have been known to raid casinos for millions.

Casinos have developed some measures for dealing with card counters. If a counter has been identified, the casino's pit boss might come over and distract him by engaging him in a conversation. The casino might ask you to stop playing blackjack at that table or suggest that you play a different game. Or they might flat out just kick you out of the casino. Many certified card counters have been banned from casinos for life.

Just as casinos are wary of it, there are many players as well who are reluctant to take up card counting for its perceived complexity. That is a lot of serious mathematics after all. But contrary to what it implies, card counting is not literally about counting the number and type of every card played. It does involve tracking the ratio of high to low cards that remain in the deck undealt. Knowing that the deck has more high cards than low indicates that you have a good chance of being dealt a Blackjack, giving you an advantage over the house.

Your count starts with a fresh deck of cards, which equals a zero (0). As the cards are being dealt, you add one (+1) or subtract one (-1) to the total count, which you will use to increase or decrease your wager.

One simple card counting system to learn is the "Wizard's Ace Five Count," developed by one Michael Shackleford (a.k.a. "The Wizard of Odds"). Starting at 0, you subtract 1 from your total when an ace is dealt and add 1 to your count when you are dealt a 5. You will then have a running total after the hand with which to alter your bets. Keep the wager at 1 unit if your count is 0 or negative, and increase your wager to 2 units times the count number if it is positive. For instance; if the count is +1, your wager will be 2 units; for a count of +2, you wager 4 units.

Whether card counting is a blackjack cheat is not is a matter of opinion. It is however a highly-effective strategy, as established by its proven track record of wins and its dubious reputation among casinos. If you can get past the math, it may work for you. Just make sure you don't get caught.