How to Choose a Blackjack Card Counting System

Heard something about card counting but do not know all the facts? Just read this article to find out what you need to know about card counting. Read about different types of card counting and see which best applies to you and your needs.

Card counting does not mean that you know exactly what cards are left in the deck. It means that you know how many ten valued cards are left. It all sounds very technical and complicated, but the idea behind card counting is fairly simple. All you have to do is assign values to each card as they are dealt out of the deck. You must add a value of +1 to low value cards and a value of -1 to high values cards. The number of high value cards is equal to the number of low cards, so if you start adding these values at the start of the game by the time the deck is over your count will be 0.

The blackjack card counting system presented here is called the Advance Point Count and has been created by Ken Uston.

If you plan on counting cards you must first know that this is not a simple system to use. The theory behind card counting may be easy, but in order to become an efficient card counter you must put in a lot of time and practice. You will not become a good card counter over night. It takes time and exercise. Start by practicing with only one deck of cards. Move to harder things after you manage to count all the cards in the deck and side count the aces of that deck in only 25 seconds. Remember this is only the beginning. In a real casino you will have to count up to 8 decks of cards.

Another thing that you must be aware of if you plan to count cards is that negative swings are very common. You must have a bankroll big enough to support these negative swings. Although they are expensive, negative swings are necessary. Without them you could place varied bets when the deck is favorable for the player. When using Ken Uston's Advance Point Count your bankroll must be 400 times larger than the minimum bet of a blackjack table. For a table minimum of $25 you will need a bankroll of $10000. You will need that money because you will play about 100 hands per hour and place an average bet of $100. A 10 unit fluctuation must not be overlooked when making these calculations.

Time is also important when counting cards. If you are the only player at the blackjack table you may play about 100 hands per hour. But with every player that joins in those average 100 hands per hour will decrease by about 5 hands. Just do a little math and you will see that playing with a full table you will only be able to play about 70 hands per hour. Most card counters do not think this to be very important. After all, they are not there to play for just one hour. But other more impatient card counters do not appreciate this decrease in the number of hands they can play per hour.

Casinos know that blackjack is very vulnerable to a skilled card counter. They take drastic measures to make card counting as hard as possible. The decks of cards are shuffled more often nowadays, and if the casino realizes you are counting cards you will be asked to leave the premises. That is why card counters are always on the look out for a new place to gamble.

If you do not want to use a card counting strategy that doesn't mean you have to play by instinct or gut feeling. There are several systems out there that are not based on card counting. But if you want that system to be efficient, then there are a few things that the system simply must have:

• Bankroll and money management;
• Basic strategy;
• Trend assessment;
• Discipline.

A good system may be just as efficient as a card counting one, but without all the math and the risk of being asked to leave the casino.

Non card counters will be glad to find out that they do not need a large bankroll. They can place conservatory bets until the time is right to place larger ones. Card counters needed that big bankroll because they knew when the deck was favorable and had to bet accordingly. The non card counter doesn't feel that pressure. He has the luxury of betting as he likes, take it nice and easy. The non card counting player must always remember that he must follow his system. Playing according to his gut feeling will not ensure a win or a profit for the long run. He will most likely lose if he plays without a system.

Non card counters will win less money and also not as often as card counters will. But they do not have to place the same large wagers either and do not have to put as much effort into winning.

There are a few things that you must think over before deciding on becoming a card counter. These things are:

• Do you think of blackjack as a hobby or a carrier?
• How much time are you going to put into blackjack?
• How much money are you willing to spend on blackjack?
• Never use a blackjack card counting system accompanied by a non counting system. Just use one of them, not both.

Now that you know all these facts and tips about card counting you can make an informed decision. Decide if you want to count cards, and if you do make sure to find a system that best suits you.