Unlike a 4- or 6-deck game, the running count, which is converted to the True Count (count per remaining deck) in a DD game can rise or fall quickly, but it’s gone almost as fast, due to the shuffle. They hold the key to mastering blackjack card counting. In order to find the true count just divide the running count by the number of unplayed decks left. Lo-Hi works well with all kinds of tables, but if you choose a blackjack table with more decks, you will also have to keep track of the True Count. 1. The first represents changes in wagering habits. 48%. In order to calculate a true count, card counters must first divide the running count by the number of decks remaining in the shoe. Sonny. I know you are supposed to do it between each hand, but let's say your at 3rd base at a full table. 5, 1. We all know that the higher the True Count when using a Blackjack card counting strategy, the higher the advantage. When you’re playing at a table, you want to see a 4. 7 or $70. True. The following table can be used as a tool to memorize the results from each calculation. Smile, chat with everyone, take a drink. If it is in half decks and this option is set, the Half Deck option below will be used. com strives to provide the best content in a safe and responsible manner. For a 10K bankroll Full Kelly a 2% edge calls for a wager of about one hand of $150 or two hands of $110. For 6D, 42% of the time, the TC will be zero. If there are 11 half-decks left and the running count is +7, for example, this gives a true count of +0. In a nutshell, you are going to assign a value to each card as it comes out of the deck based on its rank. In single deck, you’re always dividing by a fraction or decimal and that’s not easy. Even a true 10 is only a 4. Toll Free Number. Increase Your Bet on Positive Counts. 35% advantage. 25% per each +1 true count (i. The primary advantage to playing a double-deck game is the volatility of the count. Wizard gives Insurance bets 34%, double downs 9%, and Blackjacks coming 4th at 7%. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this forum are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect. E. Your probability of getting an ace and then a 10 is 1/7 X. e. probabilities together. Count through a deck of cards. This will tell you. A few points to go over. Getting a TC by quarter decks and then flooring results in compromised index numbers, which is fine, but if you've bothered to learn a two level system for better playing decisions you're probably not interested in compromise index numbers. The True Count gives you a “count per deck,” so you know how to bet and when to use playing deviations. Here are some common terms and concepts used by popular black jack card counting strategy systems. After ten hands, the count tripled, going to +12. This is a full tutorial that compares the running count and true count in Blackjack. In single deck, you’re always dividing by a fraction or decimal and that’s not easy. BlackJack Counter. Use this information to calculate the count per deck or “true count” Step 4. Card counting in blackjack can be done by players using the following 3 easy steps: First, each card should be assigned a value, according to the plus-minus count. Level two and level three counting systems are more. If this is your first visit to the Blackjack Forum, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. A hand in a pocket or arms folded across the spotter's chest are enough to bring the big spender over to the blackjack table. Got a third 10 and split again. On the Whole, you’re going to find there are three common ways in which card counters divide the decks in any given blackjack shoe: Full-deck division – increasing the true count divisor once for every 54 cards. Because conditions have changed since it was published it is slightly outdated. Assign a value to every card Step 2. Click here to download the Blackjack Deviations Chart for 4 to 8 Deck – Dealer STANDS on Soft 17 (245kb) There is no such thing as an all-encompassing chart. a Jack is worth 10) that matters . Colin is the founder of Blackjack Apprenticeship. An alternative to using true count to determine playing strategy would be to to use 2 parameters: 1. Card counting is a strategy wherein players keep track of the proportion of high-value cards to low-value cards remaining in the deck. Blackjack Forum is a QFIT Blackjack Card Counting Software message board. Mike Aponte, former member of the infamous MIT Blackjack Team, takes us through the com. 03. #3. What level of accuracy do you guys rrcommend for true count calculations using Hilo for 4/6/8 decks? Is to the nearest deck enough or should you really be aiming for half or even quarter deck estimations? Also wondering what method people use to round their calc? eg if the exact TC is +/-1. Don’t be obvious about it, be very casual. Dealer showed 6 and it was a +5 true count, only a few hands left in the shoe. Using true count in single-deck games. -0. The answer is, of course 10. For example, if you’re at a single-deck game and a quarter-deck has been played, with a running count of 3, the true count is 3 divided by . 341. It is a card counting method. 5% to your side. At this point, the running count is +4. I don't know that true count is the best metric for analysis but in any event this is data with the same true count at 3 differing 2 deck shoe depths. Some blackjack aficionados aspiring to card counting wonder whether they should simply bet at two levels. . 5 and 3 to avoid a big jump at a TC of 2. Below are the true count formulas you would use throughout the game. True Count. True counts require adjustment of the count by the undealt cards and are used by balanced strategies like Hi-Lo, Hi-Opt I, Omega II, Zen, Uston APC and Revere Point Count. The Zen system and all other card counting methods rely upon creating a running count derived from numerical values assigned to each card in the deck. This conversion would not be necessary if one plays against a single deck of cards as the running count gives you an accurate. 4-8 Decks Blackjack Dealer STANDS on Soft 17 Chart. 8. BJDaddy17. The true count is a much more important indicator of the a player’s advantage than is the running count. To understand this better, you must understand what true count is. 64. Step 3: Calculating True Count. Here’s how the true count correlates to an edge or disadvantage in various scenarios: +3 true count = 1. You need to convert this “running count” into a “true count” following each hand. Half-deck division – increasing the true count divisor once for every 27 cards. To be a winning player takes 100% accuracy. The following table shows the number of banker, player, and tie wins resulting from the removing of one card in an 8-deck shoe. As the game progresses and the cards are being dealt, the player will keep a running count by either adding 4 or subtracting 9 from the. and then play one (1) hand until the shuffle. 1 Deck, Dealer Hits Soft 17. True Count Drills. The 3:2 BJ payout is just gravy. The final count after a single deck is +4. sum ()) # 2. , +1 + (+1) + (‒1) = +1). 21 is a 2008 American film directed by Robert Luketic. The True Count calculation gives the player a value that represents the deck composition. Here, your true count is 7 ÷ 2 or 3. It offers an exciting and rewarding experience, and with a little practice and a good strategy, it’s possible to beat the odds and come out on top. To use the basic strategy, look up your hand along the left vertical edge and the dealer's up card along the top. . #2. This is the test question. Counting cards is most effective with fewer decks in the shoe. rinse & repeat. Absorb it. That’s because there is a third possible result - a push. Why Learn From Blackjack Apprenticeship? Our drills are designed by pros that have taken casinos for millions. So far I've devoured Beat The Dealer, Play Blackjack Like the Pros, Blackjack Blueprint, Professional Blackjack, Repeat Until Rich, Modern Blackjack, 21st Century Card Counter, and finally Blackbelt in Blackjack. So at +5 you typically have a 2% edge. For example, normally you will hit a 12 against a 2. This is much easier to do in double deck, because instead of having to guess, you can keep a count of how many cards came out. So 2- 1 is 1, so you should bet 1 unit per hand, so $25. How to Count Cards in Blackjack. Additionally the dealer must hit/stay to house rules whereas the player can stand on hands with high bust probabilities. Seriously. You play for a total of 100 hours and your expectation for those 100 hours is $2,500. True count takes into consideration the number of decks being used, as well the number of decks still to be dealt. Divide the running count by the number of decks you’re playing with to figure out your true. Please forgive if this question is nonsensical for some reason, but I don't believe I've seen this topic addressed. Hi-Lo card counting follows these rules: - 1+: card with value 2-6. Betting amount = true count – 1 betting unit. Some people choose just to go with the running count in a single deck, but know that the true count is always a little bit different (higher, regardless). Hi-Lo is a card counting system that assigns values to cards in the shoe depending on whether they help or hinder the player’s advantage. In blackjack, changing your bets as the true count rises and falls is an effective strategy that can help players increase their winnings and minimize their losses. Unlike a 4- or 6-deck game, the running count, which is converted to the True Count (count per remaining deck) in a DD game can rise or fall quickly, but it’s gone almost as fast, due to the shuffle. If the true count is plus 5, or higher, you're going to bet 12 units or $120. Assuming you’re not using any cover plays that involve surrender situations, here are some easy-to-remember surrender moves that will save you money… True Count of zero or higher: Surrender 16 vs 9, 10 or ace… Surrender 15 vs 10 True Count +2 or higher: Surrender. The goal of advantage play is the legal extraction of funds from gaming establishments by gaining a mathematic advantage and developing the skills required to use that advantage. The user can specify game conditions, a range of running counts, deck estimation precision at 2 different levels, and true count rounding methods. Hello, all. High-value cards (10s and Aces) are favorable for players, while low-value cards (2-6) favor the dealer. When the count goes to plus 3, turn the right pile top chip 90 degrees clockwise to the 3 o’clock position. A simple way to do this is by: Flat betting with a count of 0 or +1. It takes into account not only the number of cards that have been dealt but also the number of decks remaining in the shoe. ” But given that modern blackjack games include multi-deck shoes, you want to convert your running count to a “true count. When the true count shows an advantageous deck, the spotter gives a subtle signal to the big spender. The true count in blackjack is simply your running count divided by the number of decks still in play. As you can see, there are more indexes in the Hi-Opt II card counting system. The high/low method of card counting is the most simplistic and widely used way to count cards at blackjack. My totals after that were 12, 14, 19 so I was relying on a dealer bust. On the S17 chart, they have A,7 vs. Step 4 – Take Advantage of the Count. 25% advantage whereas +1 hi low true count is +0. Both true counts are 2 , but it takes a much higher running count to achieve that in the six-deck game. The basic strategy chart gives you the correct. +3 true count = $75 bet. Hello, all. This can vary depending on whether you are playing single deck vs multi-deck games, which our lesson discusses in more detail. There are a few ways to calculate true count in blackjack. 2 as a double, which is wrong. 5% advantage at a true 2, and a 1% advantage at a true 3. 10%. FrankieT said: I read the section on zen count true edge in blackbelt in blackjack. If temp_count is anything lower than 2 then just do minimum. The true count is used in some strategies when deciding what actions to take at what point of the game. But there are situations when it works. Why Online Card Counting In Blackjack Usually Doesn’t WorkWhen The G Man says "quarter deck", that means you express the undealt decks using quarter-deck accuracy, but you still divide by whole decks: it's just a fraction. Python based program that calculates the true count of a blackjack game using Wong Halves, Omega II, or Lo-Hi systems. From an Initial Running Count (IRC) of -20, we see that the upper range of the count increases much more quickly than the lower range as the imbalance in the card count values nudges the count upward. low cards using the classic Hi-Lo count strategy, where cards 2-3-4-5-6 have a value of +1, cards 7-8-9 have a value of 0, and cards 10-J-Q-K-A have a value of -1. From top to bottom are the hard totals, soft totals, and splittable hands. (TC is still 0, unchanged) Repeat a thousand times. One useful drill to help you keep a true count in single-deck games is to practice dividing your running count by fractions (one quarter, one half, three quarters and so on). We designed the software that we wish we had to learn. Split 2s and 3s against a dealer 4-7, and against a 2 or 3 if DAS is allowed. Alternatively, let’s say the running count is +20, and there 5 decks left in the shoe. +3 / 6 Decks = A true count of +0. 5% increase for you expectation value for a typical blackjack game. In a game like blackjack, where most of your payouts are even money or close to it, the only way to win big is to bet big. Simulate soft 19. It should be taken into account that each one has its pros and cons which players should take their time to consider. I have two strategy's, here they are: Strategy 1: Wong in at a true count of + 1 and flat bet $60 on one spot until the true count falls below +1. 12-13-2019, 10:58 AM #3. Running Count to True Count Conversion. Well-Known Member. For example, the K-O system has a 1 pointPRO TIP:In blackjack, the true count is the ratio of the running count to the number of decks remaining in the shoe. That’s because you never have to estimate the true count. Insurance decisions I round if I have 20 or 21. Click it again, it continues. Having a true count +1 with six decks of cards basically means that the casino no longer has an advantage, given optimal play. An unbalanced system does not. 6% if you just played basic. Blackjack is a popular game involving luck and strategy. The answer is, of course 10. Example: Running count is 3 with 1. So a true 1 would basically erase the house edge and blackjack would be an even game. Learn how to count cards with these 4 simple steps: 1. At the end of the first hand, we determined the running count was +3. Since most of the six decks remain, we divide the count by six. A good estimate of parameter 1 could be quickly learned by counter. It is a technique that helps players determine the true value of the remaining cards in the deck. For example, if your true count is 2. Online blackjack articles 13 The True Count - Penetration of the Blackjack Shoe. I've been noticing at positive counts the dealer gets a winning hand of 20 or Blackjack more frequently than the players getting solid hands or. 10 under and of course she flips the 5 for a 21. Blackjack simulations have given us basic strategy. Step 4 – Place your bets according to the card count remaining in the deck. 5 units, like 2. The true count is a more accurate count of the remaining high and low cards in the deck, and adjusting your bets based on this count can give you an edge over the house. Counting cards is one of the most popular strategies for playing blackjack. 24%. The Illustrious 18. Blackjack card counting books generally provide a simple example, like a running count of +6 divided by three remaining decks yields a true count of +2 — and they leave it at that. Card 9: -1 Points. After betting has taken place, I disregard "temp_count" and go back to my "running_count" and. Here is what I have so far. It is a technique that helps players determine the true value of the remaining cards in the deck. In double-deck games the bet spread used is 1-8 units. g. The math in card counting tells you when you have the advantage in blackjack. The true count tells you when to deviate from the basic blackjack strategy chart As an advantage player, your goal is, of course, to beat the casino with card counting. So far I've devoured Beat The Dealer, Play Blackjack Like the Pros, Blackjack Blueprint, Professional Blackjack, Repeat Until Rich, Modern Blackjack, 21st Century Card Counter, and finally Blackbelt in Blackjack. Split 4s only if DAS is allowed and the dealer shows a 5 or 6. More complex systems have two levels (+1, +2, -1, -2) or. +3 / 6 Decks = A true count of +0. Like all other balanced systems, the Hi-Lo requires players to convert their running count (RC) into what is known as the true count (TC). 5. We have the high cards, ten, jack, queen, king, ace, and these are good for the player. e. The standard blackjack card counting technique uses the following values for the cards: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 – Each worth +1 7, 8, 9 – Each worth 0 10, Jack, Queen, King,. 42% house edge-1 true count = 0. 8%. The Wong Halves is a level 3, balanced system which means it is one of the most complicated systems. Cards 10, J, Q, K: -2 Points. Step 1: Basic Strategy Basic strategy is the mathematically correct way to play based only on your cards and the dealer’s up card. 1 AceMT true count means that the remaining shoe has one surplus high card. A true count of -3 would mean the edge worsened by -3/2 or -1. 5% edge. Like all other balanced systems, the Hi-Lo requires players to convert their running count (RC) into what is known as the true count (TC). The odds of being dealt a natural blackjack are merely 4. 17% player’s edge +1 true count = 0. 5%. Blackjack card counting is much simpler in a single deck game. well on trying out CV Blackjack 5. 5, 1. Imagine playing with a single deck and knowing that an Ace had been removed. Choosing your Betting Strategy There is a lot of material about betting strategies to cover in one paragraph, so I am just going to talk about the basics. In a six-deck game and a running count of 12 after the first hand, the true count converts to 2. - 0: cards with value 7-9. The true count is used to adjust the betting strategy based on the ratio of high cards to low cards in the deck. The true count is a more accurate count of the remaining high and low cards in the deck, and adjusting your bets based on this count can give you an edge over the house. For DD, it is 27. The Wong Halves card counting system was developed by Stanford Wong and was introduced in his book, Professional Blackjack, in 1975. The author Norm Wattenberger also publishes the Blackjack Scams site, which points out some short-cuts that will more likely cost you money than make a profit, runs Blackjack The Forum and publishes. 5%. I have two strategy's, here they are: Strategy 1: Wong in at a true count of + 1 and flat bet $60 on one spot until the true count falls below +1. 2. When halfway through a deck, if your value is high, there are more 10’s, face card, and aces remaining than low cards. This is because 3 – 1 = 2, and 2 betting units equals $20. Converting to the true count. Dividing Decks for Blackjack Card Counting. Hi-Lo is a card counting system that assigns values to cards in the shoe depending on whether they help or hinder the player’s advantage. I hope that helps. When the true count changes in blackjack, players can figure out what composition of cards is left in the deck. Figuring out how many decks are in play is called blackjack deck estimation. You’ll need counting, deviations, true count conversions and betting strategy to actually beat the game of blackjack but that’s for later. In case your running count is negative, you should simply put a negative sign to. Ok, we've learned all about blackjack card counting. The Zen Count, for instance, in the single-deck Vegas Strip game, actually indicates a player edge at a true count of -2, but a house edge at -1. For betting decisions; round to 1/2 count between TC 1. If you had 1 betting unit worth $10 and a true count of +3, then your betting amount would be $20. This means each time you bet, you will only bring back 97 cents in every dollar. As others here will tell you, use the count-per-deck version, and the indices are available on Arnold Snyder's site under the library. With just three of four left in the shoe, it makes a massive difference. The number of cards already played is calculated by dividing the input by 52. Blackjack Switch, Spanish 21), the true count also serves a strategic purpose: the AP has mid-hand decisions to make (stand, hit, double, split, surrender) that vary based on the true count. Appreciate all the help a couple weeks back. You take a look at your logs and realized you are only $2000. 58% player’s edge; 0 true count = 0. The higher the true count, the better off a player is likely to be as it gives them an advantage over the house. An obvious example is the original version of Zen and the True Edge version of Zen. Omega II method. You may have seen his team featured in the documentary Holy Rollers: The True Story of Card Counting Christians, and has been covered by New York Times, CNN, and The Colbert Report. Over many hours, that true 10 will make you a lot of money, but it’s no guarantee in the short-term. In this card counting method, all cards from 2 through 7 are assigned a +1 value, 8s and 9s are assigned a 0, and cards from 10 through ace are assigned a -1. Your running count is a solid +14, which sounds amazing on paper. For example, a running count of 9 with 3 decks left is a true count of 9 / 3 = +3. Stand on A,7 vs A. This ensures that you aren't just counting the number of high cards—you're also considering the concentration of these cards compared to the low card concentration. The true count is really just a “running count per deck” figure. (Pen,RC) is a point on a graph. Understand it. So cards 2 to 7 are counted as +1, 8s and 9s have zero value, and 10s and Aces have a value of -1. Card values are assigned in a much more chaotic way, with +1 going to twos, threes and sevens, +2 to fours, fives and sixes, 0 going to eight and ace, -1 to nine and -2 to everything else. Both of these effects work in the same direction -- they artificially lower the true count. With our drills you can build and assess your accuracy with basic strategy, deviations, running count, true count conversion, and even. The decision number is a true count of 4, if you are playing at a game of four decks or more. I usually start the count at minus one to be conservative on the count (also counting the burn card as a 10 or Ace) and when the true count gets to plus 3 or higher I will double my betting unit. The red bars indicate the amounts bet on Lucky Ladies assuming that you always make the side bet. Subtract 1 from the true count to determine how many units to bet. To calculate True Count, simply divide your Running Count by the number of decks left to be dealt. 7% in H17 (dealer hits on soft 17). You place the smallest bet you can until the true count becomes positive. At true 1 , you're playing a 50/50 game. For example, if the running count is +5 and there are 3 decks remaining in the shoe, the true count is +5/3, or. I had a running count of 7, actual decks remaining of just over 3 and therefore reported as 4, which spit out a true count of 1! (1. The best way to increase the stakes is relative to the true count. your true count is +4 you have increased your chances of winning by 1%). That's what most sources say. Example 2. This is valuable advice. Once the TC gets into a range that it would make a difference to your betting or play, then update it. Blackjack is a fairly uncomplicated but very compelling card game to play, and its popularity isn’t all that surprising. The system is used to develop a running count which helps the player to determine the appropriate bet size. 5 units per 100 hands played over millions of shoes. kewlj. 6, which is usually truncated to give a TC of +1. It has served me well for 16 years. Split 7s against a dealer 2-7. If the true count is +4, bet $15. The True Count and Betting. In case half of the deck still remains in play, then the true count will be (+3 / ½ = 6), or +6. This will help you determine the value of the cards left in the deck. 7%, is a hand totaling 1-16, which is considered a decision hand. This is a graph of the running count as the cards are dealt from a deck for a blackjack game (true count shown later). However, as the true count changes, so does the odds. Should true counts be floored, rounded or truncated for the following published index numbers: High-Low from Stanford Wong's. At this point, his or her running count is “plus-one” (i. In either blackjack or baccarat a good first step in developing a card counting strategy is to determine the effect of removing any given card from the game. A true count of 30 is the lowest. By getting the true count, which doesn’t need to be very accurate, just a rough estimate, you get. Consider a lone player playing 6 decks (Las Vegas Strip rules) at Table A, and, after Round 20 (let's say 108 cards are in the discard tray), the True Count is +2. +1 true count = $25 bet. > Full Deck - This option is only meaningful if your counting system true count conversion is in full decks. The other colors indicate the amounts won. When the running count drops into a negative zone (-1, -2, -3), the. Card counting is not the same as memorizing the deck. The counting and index numbers are all still good (valid). 5, which is considered to be a 3 in the world of blackjack. The true. You don't always double; you double if the TC>=-1. It is our goal to enable you to get the odds in your favor when playing blackjack, be it online or at your local establishment by playing for free. To beat the casino you must have a perfect game, and part of that perfect game is mastering the true count conversion. True count +2 or +3, bet 2 times your. Blackjack simulations have given us basic strategy. 2 If you have a hand of 12 against the dealer’s 2 in double. Blackjack counting methodology dictates making betting and play decisions by calculating true count and and comparing TC to the appropriate index. > Newsgroups: rec. Making your max bet at +4 will get more money on the table but at a lower advantage. Colin has been counting cards for over 15 years, and ran a multi-million dollar blackjack team. If this is your first visit to the Blackjack Forum, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. $25). What is True Count in Blackjack? Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games, and it’s no wonder why. Eight decks – starting count is -16. For example, in blackjack: With a high true count (larger bet), the AP will adjust his play from basic strategy by: It is my understanding that developers of card counting strategies calculate playing index numbers with an understanding that the user will specifically floor, round or truncate, when doing true count division. The simplest way is to simply subtract the total number of face cards from the total number of cards dealt. Figuring out how many decks are in play is called blackjack.