What is Blackjack?
Blackjack is a casino game that has a reputation for being beatable. If you master the fundamentals and play properly, you can beat it. You must learn and master the basic blackjack strategy. The primary goal in a blackjack game is to beat the dealer. That is to have a higher hand value than that of the dealer. But your hand value cannot be higher than twenty-one. If you go above twenty-one, then it is a bust. If you get precisely twenty-one, it is a blackjack. And if you get a blackjack, you cannot lose, but for you to win, the dealer either must bust, or his hand value must be less than twenty-one. The game is popular because it is beatable; you can win blackjack in the long term. And card counting can help you with that.
What is Card Counting?
Card counting is a technique to keep track of the type of cards, high-valued/low-valued, still in the shoe from which the dealer deals. If you have high valued cards remaining in the shoe, you have a higher chance of winning. If you have only seen low cards dealt on the table, it means that high-valued cards are still in the shoe. These high-valued cards increase the chance that the dealers will bust. Some systems also track aces because they are helpful for players. Mastering basic blackjack strategy and card counting techniques can help you if you are patient.
Card Counting Systems
- High/low: In this system, the player tracks the high-valued and the low-valued cards. Here, the cards from 2 to 6 have a value of +1, and the cards ten, J, Q, K, and A have a value of -1. The rest of the cards have zero value. This means that if you see more high valued cards, you will get a low count. And if you have more low-value cards, you will get a high count. Less count means the remaining cards have a low value. So, your chances of winning are low. A high-count means remaining cards are high valued cards, and your chances of winning are high.
- Omega II: This is a balanced card counting system that means when the dealer has dealt the complete deck, the count will be zero. Bryce Carlson popularized it in 2001 when he published his book “Blackjack for blood.” It is more complex than the high/low card counting technique. In this:
- 2, 3, and 7 have a value of +1
- 4, 5, and 6 have a value of +2
- Nine has a value of -1.
- Ten and all face cards are -2.
- Eight and Ace cards have zero value
- As before, the higher the count, the more the chances of your winning
- Wong Halves: Created by Stanford Wong, this system is very complex as it has a fractional count. It is also a balanced system. This means that after the dealer deals with the complete deck of cards, the count should be zero. Because of the fractional values, it is more accurate. The disadvantage is that the complexity results in a higher probability of making errors. Beginners should only attempt this system after mastering less complicated ones:
- +1 for 3,4 and 6
- 0.5 for 2 and 7
- 1.5 for five
- Zero for eight
- -0.5 for nine
- -1 for ten, Ace, K, Q, and J
- Higher the count, the higher the win probability
Card Counting Strategies
Strategies to use card counting techniques successfully used in a real money online casino in India are:
- Pick a live blackjack table where a dealer will deal you the cards.
- Look for a game that uses a few decks.
- The game should allow doubling after splits.
- You should have at least four hundred times the maximum bet amount.
- Casinos should give you at least 3-2 payout.
- You should not be superstitious. Blackjack is a game of luck in which you use strategies to win. Being superstitious will make you accept the wrong decisions.
- You should not side bet.
- You should avoid taking insurance.
Summary
In the blackjack game, you win by beating the dealer. It is a popular casino game mainly because the game is beatable. You can win your stakes overall, and it is true. But first, you must master the basic blackjack strategy. Then you can use the card counting techniques to gain an edge over the casino. These card counting techniques use the principle that if the remaining cards in the shoe are of higher value, you have a higher chance of winning. There are many card-counting systems. Each system differs from one another in the values assigned to the cards. Winning in an online casino is hard. But, by mastering these card counting techniques, being patient, and having enough bankroll, you may beat the dealer in the long term.
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