Getting Down with Card Counting Systems
Card counting is a system used in blackjack to tilt the advantage towards the side of the player. This is a system in which the gambler monitors the remaining cards on the deck to determine the amount of bet they can make on each hand.
The individual who was responsible for this system was no other than Dr. Edward Thorp, author of the best selling book, "Beat The Dealer." Using a computer, he made a statistical evaluation known as the Monte Carlo simulation and found out that when tens and aces are left in the deck, the odds turn to the favor of the player. On the other hand, when there is a greater number of five and six remaining in the deck, the favor is on the side of the dealer.
Card counters make the necessary adjustments on their strategy depending on the amount of high cards and low cards. By modifying their strategy, they can give themselves a slight statistical advantage. They do not rely on their memory to track the amount of cards on the deck. Instead, they designate a point score to each card and then monitor the total score.
Various card counting systems use point values to different cards. In the Hi-Lo Count system, cards with a value of 2 through 6 are worth +1, cards with a value of ten counts as -1 while cards with a value of 7,8,9 are worth 0. This system is a stage one counting method. The more complex systems designate a value of +2 and -2 to specific cards. However, any probable advantage obtained in a Level 2 counting system is compensated by the higher amount of errors due to the complicated nature of the system.
The "K-O" card counting system is another popular method used by card counters. This was derived from Arnold Snyder's unstable Red 7 value introduced in 1981. Jacques Noir was considered as the pioneer researcher of an unbalanced system for card counters in his work Casino Holiday published in 1968. Unbalanced card counting systems remove the need to count the number of cards left in the deck.
It is worth noting that both terrestrial and online casinos reduced the advantage of card counters by decreasing the odds on blackjack hands on single deck games, or by randomly shuffling the deck prior to the end of the game. Generally, online casinos shuffle the deck at the end of each game.
Nonetheless, with an effective basic strategy they put themselves in a much better position in lowering the house edge. This is shown in the payout tables of the online casinos.