The blackjack card counting trainer is a strategy based on the mathematical probabilities of the game. Blackjack is by far the game with the best odds in the casino. Learn the basics first by playing for free at an online casino to get your skills up. Once you know the basics, then try a blackjack card counting trainer or system and play for. I am talking about a Blackjack Cheat Sheet pdf for dummies that can help you play like you are supposed to. Download it, print it, memorize it, and use to play your games. Download it, print it.
Basic strategy blackjack players sometimes ask me for a simple way to overcome the small house edge in blackjack, with little worry over being recognized as a card counter. This is often done with the motive of milking the casinos for comps and offers. What follows is, in my opinion, the easiest card counting strategy to achieve the above goal and still put the odds in the player's favor.
How It Works
Establish what your minimum and maximum bets will be. Usually the maximum will be 8, 16, or 32 times the minimum bet, or any power of 2, but you can use whatever bet spread you wish.
At the beginning of each shoe, start with your minimum bet, and a count of zero.
For each five observed, add one to the count.
For each ace observed, subtract one from the count.
If the count is greater than or equal to two, then double your last bet, up to your maximum bet.
If the count is less than or equal to one, then make the minimum bet.
Use basic strategy for all playing decisions.
This strategy was designed to be most effective on a six- or eight-deck game. I recommend playing only on games with liberal Strip rules, which are as follows:
4-8 decks
Blackjack pays 3 to 2
Dealer stands on soft 17
Double after split allowed
Late surrender allowed
Re-splitting aces allowed
75%+ penetration
Such games are easy to find in Las Vegas, although sometimes a higher minimum bet is required. In the low-roller pits, the dealer will usually hit on a soft 17, which is bad, costing the player 0.22%.
Simulation Results
The following results were provided by Norm Wattenberger using his Casino Vérité software. The rules above were used, with six decks, and 75% penetration. In my opinion, Casino Vérité is the most robust and accurate blackjack simulation software on the market. It can be used to test just about any card counting strategy under any set of rules and conditions.
Ace/Five Count Statistics
Spread
Player Advantage
Average Initial Bet
SCORE
1-8
0.30%
2.7
3.1
1-16
0.45%
4.2
5.3
1-32
0.57%
7.1
6.5
SCORE is an acronym, coined by Don Schlesinger, for Standardized Comparison Of Risk and Expectation. It is defined as the advantage squared divided by the variance. The SCORE may also be interpreted as the expected hourly win per hand for a player with a $10,000 bankroll, who sizes his bets according to the Kelly Criterion, to achieve a 13.5% risk of ruin. As a basis of comparison, a Hi-Lo counter, with a 1 to 8 spread, under the same rules, has a SCORE of 8.40, compared to the 3.1 of the Ace/Five count.
Source: 'Blackjack Attack,' third edition by Don Schlesinger.
Card Counting Drills
Earlier Strategies
After publishing this section, somebody accused me of stealing the idea from Edward Thorp. Indeed, in 1969 Thorp did discuss a similar strategy in his book 'Beat the Dealer,' in the fourth chapter titled 'A Winning Strategy.' The difference is that Thorp's strategy tracks fives remaining against total cards remaining. Later, in 1971, Lawrence Revere published a similar strategy as Thorp's in 'Playing Blackjack as a Business,' chapter 7 titled 'The Revere Five Count Strategy.'
Practice
Practice your card counting skills with our trainer.
Acknowledgments
Norm Wattenberger: For the simulation results, using his Casino Vérité software.
Don Schlesinger: For his many edits to this page.
Written by: Michael Shackleford
Best strategy in roulette. Knowledge is power in gambling. The more you know about the games, the more successful you can be.
For a knowledgeable player, blackjack offers the best chance of leaving the casino as a winner. And,when you become an expert at the game, you can turn the tables on the casino, and get a real advantageon the game.
Originally created by Ken Smith, the goal ofthis site is to provide clear, accurate and transparent information to guide you in optimizing yourblackjack play.
So how do I start?
We have a variety of resources for all levels of play. See below :
Blackjack School - A complete course for all levels
Blackjack Strategy Trainer - Interactive game which shows the correct decisions to make
Card Counting - A collection of useful card counting resources
Blackjack Forum - A treasure trove of knowledge with contributing experts
Online Blackjack - What to look out for when playing online
Blackjackinfo Store - Purchase strategy cards
Recent Blog Posts - Read the latest news and insights from expert contributors of BJI
Our most comprehensive resource, this is a completeguide consisting of 24 lessons starting from the very basics of understanding the rules to thenitty gritty details of advanced card counting.
By the end of this course you will be able to:
Understand Basic Strategy
Card Count
Apply Money Management Methods
Evaluate When a Game is Beatable
Gain an Advantage Against the Casino!
Many casinos offer a version of the game where a basic strategy player’s expected loss is onlyaround 0.3%. By just choosing the right game and using a correct basic strategy, your results havealready improved five-fold over a typical player! Best video slots play.
A player who plays at this skill level can already “beat” the game if you consider the value ofcomps and freebies he can get.
Our Blackjack Strategy Engine allows you to generate charts based off different rule sets
Practice Card Counting Online
Looking for something a bit more interactive? Our free basic strategy trainer is designed to coach you and provide advice when you make an incorrect decision
This has recently been updated to be more user friendly on mobiles although if you want to play the original version you have the option to do so too
If you want to beat the game in the long run for actual cash, that’s possible too. In fact,Blackjack is probably the easiest game in the casino where a knowledgeable player can get amathematical edge over the game.
By learning to count cards, you can expect to win more money than you lose. You don’t have to be agenius to count cards… You just need to be willing to study, practice, and play with discipline.
Visit our blackjack school for a complete blackjack course whichcovers card counting extensively or visit our card counting resource.
A treasure trove of blackjack know-how, our forum has over decades of valuable informationavailable for free.
Got a question? There are many industry experts that contribute to the community that can answeranything.
Latest Threads
Unfortunately there's no way to card count when playing blackjack online, however if you are looking to just play for fun there are a few things you need to look out for.
We've decided to create a separate resource to address the questions you should be asking yourself before playing online which include:
Is it legal to play online blackjack?
What's the difference between online blackjack and live blackjack?
Which online casinos give the best promotions?
Do I have to pay tax on winnings?
If you are looking for physical strategy cards instead of using our strategy engine, the BlackjackInfo Store has wallet-size basic strategy cards, and an advanced strategy set thatincludes card counting indexes right on the card.
Our set of six strategy cards covers all thecommon rule variations.
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