How to Count Cards in Blackjack | The High-Low Strategy

Hi all,

If you like blackjack and thinking about all those great winning streaks with card counting, take a look at this video first before diving straight into it!

Counting cards is not easy and we made a handy guide explaining the basics:

Is it possible to beat the blackjack dealer with card counting? Yes, it’s possible, but it is not easy. Card counting is much harder than it appears to be and requires practice, dedication and patience.

If you hope to make quick and easy money by counting cards, you’re in for a rude awakening. Card counting is a long-term strategy - you might see the benefits in the long run, but your experience will likely be very volatile and unpredictable in the short term.

So, what does it take to be a successful card counter in blackjack?

The goal in blackjack is to beat the dealer by getting a hand value closer to 21 than the dealer’s hand, but without going over 21. That’s where card counting comes in handy. Simply put, card counting is keeping track of the ratio of high to low-value cards in the deck. When you know which cards are left to be dealt, you can adjust your playing strategy to try and get strong hands and beat the dealer. The cards dealt are not replaced in the deck immediately, which means it’s possible to predict the cards to come with greater accuracy.

To get good at card counting, the first step is understanding that high cards (tens and aces) are good for the player in blackjack. Meanwhile, low cards (2 to 6) favor the dealer. If a disproportionate number of small cards are dealt, that means the remaining cards are rich in big cards, swinging the odds to the player's favor. This would be a good time to bet more and in some cases adjust your strategy, mainly doubling more and hitting less. Why this is true is an advanced topic that we may cover in a future video, but for now, let’s continue to cover the basics of card counting.

Is Card Counting Illegal?

Even beginners understand that card counting is controversial, like any strategy to gain an advantage over the casino. If you’re using only your memory to count cards, without any software, device, or 3rd party to manipulate the game, card counting is not illegal. However, it is considered an advantage play and most casinos won’t tolerate advantage players.

If you are spotted counting cards, the casino may choose to escort you off the premises and even permanently ban you from gambling in that establishment. That is why you should always strive to be as discreet as possible.

The Basic Strategy

Basic Strategy is an excellent starting point in blackjack. Nobody should attempt card counting without mastering the basic strategy first. However, card counters will sometimes deviate from borderline situations in the basic strategy, according to the count. For example, 16 vs. 10 is a very borderline play. If the deck is rich in big cards, then the player should stand instead.

The High-Low Count

There are different methods to count cards in blackjack, each with a different approach, complexity, advantages and downsides. Players choose methods based on personal preference, playstyle, skill level, risk tolerance and ability to put the system into effective use.

The High-Low count is one of the most popular and widely used card counting systems in blackjack, and here’s why:

●    It’s simple to learn and use;
●    It’s practical and works well for different blackjack variants, as well as single and multi-deck blackjack;
●    It’s balanced and easy to apply in real time because it ensures the total count is zero when the assigned values are added up for all the cards in the deck;
●    It’s widely used, with numerous tutorials and guides available for free;
●    It’s discreet and can be used relatively inconspicuously compared to more complex systems.

The High-Low system works based on assigning a point value to each card and keeping track of the count.

The high-value cards - tens, Jacks, Queens, Kings and Aces are assigned a value of -1.

The low-value cards - 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s and 6s are assigned a value of +1.

The remaining cards - 7s, 8s and 9s - are neutral cards and not assigned any values.

Players observe as the cards are dealt and keep a running count of the assigned values - starting from 0, they add 1, subtract 1, or do nothing for each card that comes out of the shoe.

Keeping the running count is not enough on its own to accurately assess the player’s odds, because it does not account for the number of decks left in the shoe. The player must adjust the running count based on the number of decks left - this is called true count or count per deck and is calculated by dividing the running count by the number of decks yet to be dealt.

The true count provides more accurate information on the number of high-value cards in the shoe and the ratio of high to low-value cards, so players can decide their next move - hitting, standing, doubling down or splitting pairs, and how much to bet.

Whether to count cards using any system is a matter of choice and personal preference. The High-Low card counting strategy is just one of many and widely known systems, often recommended for beginners. But relying only on card counting to get ahead in blackjack is a mistake often made by inexperienced players.

Successful blackjack play is the outcome of various contributing factors: understanding the rules, applying basic strategy to the best of your ability, and, in some cases, employing advanced techniques like card counting, along with experience, patience, and focus to keep practicing the craft.

We hope this video is helpful for a better understanding of how card counting works in blackjack. Stay tuned for more gaming knowledge and as always, play responsibly.