Blackjack Card Counting

Blackjack Card Counting

Card counting is often regarded as the key to being successful at Blackjack. Everybody has seen 21 and similar films and many will tell you that you can’t be successful without counting cards. Counting cards sure does help. Casinos are aware of that and that is why they try to make it impossible or at least extremely difficult for players to count cards.

Card Counting Online
Card counting is no longer something mystical or secretive. Both casinos and players know a lot about it. Even though it isn’t technically illegal, yet land-based casinos are constantly looking for ways to disable players from counting. When it comes to online Blackjack, things are slightly different.

Firstly, it impossible to count cards if you’re playing software Blackjack. Of course, you can count the cards that come up and assign value to them, and despite the fact that the games are programmed to be a simulation of an actual game of Blackjack, you’ll still get no gain from counting.

That is because software Blackjack games are designed to automatically reset the algorithm after each hand. Think of it as shuffling. Of course, if you have a hand of two cards valued ten, and the dealer also has a card valued 10, you may assume that the dealer’s second card isn’t also a 10, but you don’t enough data to conclude that with a degree of certainty.

To put it simply, you can’t count cards if you’re playing a software game.

Live Online Blackjack Card Counting
When it comes to live Blackjack games, they were introduced to add a level of authenticity and are often regarded as more realistic compared to software games. The game is played against a real, human dealer and there are other players who are ‘sat at the same table’. Actually cards are used in live Blackjack and the players can see the dealers deal the cards in real time.

It is completely possible for players to count the cards that are dealt during a game of live Blackjack. But, online casinos are aware that players can do that. That is why they shuffle the cards often enough, so that the player won’t be able to draw an actual benefit from the count.

Players who are skilled card counters now that the real benefit from card counting comes towards the end, when at least more than half of the cards have been dealt. Then the player has a clearer picture and can increase their wagers hoping to win more, if the count is in their favour. If the cards are shuffled before half of the decks have been dealt, then the player isn’t in a position to decide whether or not s/he should increase the wager.

Usually most live casino games are versions of 6-deck or 8-deck Blackjack, but even if you manage to find a game where only two or even just one deck is used, chances are that the cards will be shuffled immediately after a hand has been played, in other words, too soon. You may try though, nobody is stopping you from that.