Blackjack is one of the most frequently-played casino banking games in the world, which gained paramount popularity in the sixties and since then has become the target of many players, looking to win big. Skilled and experienced blackjack players don't have to resort to using the basic strategy chart. Let's proceed with an intermediate level system, developed by Bruce Carlson, namely the Omega II which Carlson first introduced in his book Blackjack for Blood in 2001. However, when using the KO System, the count does not automatically start at zero, so you’ll want to refer back to the specific IRC for your situation. Train yourself to recognize cards that cancel each other, for instance: a negative card cancels out a positive. In some cases, the up card of the dealer may help players decide what their next step should be. This is by far the most elaborate of blackjack counting systems on the list. When a player has too much confidence in counting and ends up betting too much. The Hi-Lo Count is the most widely written about, and in my judgment, the most commonly used card counting strategy. …Avoid doubling or placing higher bets when the number is in the negative – do it when your final count is about +15, there is a good chance to win the round. It's a three-level card counting method, introduced and developed by Stanford Wong. The face cards, or big cards, 10, jack, queen, king, and ace are all given a -1 value. The more cards dealt and counted, the more accurate the blackjack Hi-Lo Count method is. They, to a great extent, rely on their practice, memory and other so-called “honest” skills. I recommend avoiding other systems until you can use the Hi/Lo Count perfectly. The method depends on the player keeping track of where a run of high cards are throughout a shuffle and then correctly predicting where those cards are and cutting the deck favorably for the player. Today, his system is used in specific cases as it was originally created for a single-deck blackjack games while at the present moment most casinos employ more than one deck to decrease the probability of players counting the cards correctly. Some are simple, others less so. …Now let's illustrate this with the following example: assume the player has tracked these cards – King, 6, 10, 2, Jack. The best combination consists of an ace (which can be counted either as 1 or an 11) and a ten-point card (Queen, Jack, King and a 10). As most people know, casinos always make money in the long run—which is much more important than the short run, especially in statistics. This minimizes one's loss rates and at least partially eliminates the advantage the house has over less-skilled players. The man behind it is Edward Thorp, a professor of mathematics with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The story is based on the real MIT Blackjack Team, formed in 1979, but the script of the film took a significant artistic license, to say the least. High Low Card Counting System The high-low system, used in the tutorial, values low cards (2-6) at +1 andhigh cards (tens and aces) at -1. This is easier than calculating a final count, based on several dealt decks of cards. When the count is lower they better restrain from placing the high bet. When a player has too much confidence in counting and ends up betting too much. Now your total is 1. Counting, or Reading Cards as it is sometimes called, is all about statistics. This card counting strategy is similar to KO, because you need to track low, neutral, … Knock Out Blackjack, or K-O system was popularized by Ken Fuchs and Olaf Vancura. It includes interviews with card counters such as Edward Thorp and Andy Bloch, as well as members of the MIT Blackjack Team, casino employees, and gambling authors. To use the Knock Out card counting system you will want to keep a running total throughout the game. By knowing this, he is able to double up bets at the right moment. Another plus of the Ace/Five system is its simplicity. Balanced card-counting system - is a system that applies the method of Unbalanced card counting and modifies it according to the number of decks used in the game. Simple card counting systems for beginners include the Hi-Lo strategy, the Red Seven count and Knock-Out Blackjack, also known as the KO system. On the other hand, the 10, the Ace and the other face cards (King, Queen and Jack) are assigned with the number -1 and go by the name of “high” cards, due to their higher value. When the dealer has an up-card which is an ace, players are offered the choice of taking “insurance” before the dealer checks his … Other balanced systems that begin and end at 0: Recognize that card counting is efficient but it won't do without a sufficient amount of practice, concentration and patience. In the Knockout Card Counting (KO Count) system, as explained in the book Knock Out Blackjack, all card values are the same as in the Hi Low system, except for the value of the 7. As the dealer exposes cards from the shoe which have already been dealt, card counting makes it possible for the player to infer what are the remaining cards, left to be dealt and decide upon their further course of action. It has since been discussed by just about all the major blackjack writers. It also means the dealer is more likely to bust a stiff hand. Once the player has this technique down to a science, only then should more difficult Blackjack Card Counting techniques be used. What Is the KO System of Card Counting. The system is obviously not balanced as in the end after all cards have been dealt, the final count won't amount to a zero. Still, the thing that makes this system more complex and different than most other systems is the fact that you need to count number with decimals. Play commences until the cut card is reached, and then no further cards will be dealt from the shoe at this point. Also known as the K-O, it was first introduced in a book called Knock Out Blackjack – the Easiest Card Counting System Ever Devised, written by Fuchs and Vancura. Depending on what game you want to beat all your friends at, counting cards vary in terms of usefulness and noticeability. Got It! A count that is high in either direction indicates that the deck is heavy on the high or low side. On the other hand, the greater the number of players participating in the game, the more difficult it is to keep track of the dealt cards. It will be easier for However, the use of blackjack strategies can improve your odds and give you a better CHANCE of winning. With this method, it's best to double your bet only after a win to make your card counting less conspicuous. Anyone familiar with basic blackjack strategy and the general rules of card counting can, with a minimum of practice, master the Red 7 card counting method. Now your total is 1. Omega II is a multi-level system making it more complex than previous systems. If the final result is equal to two or surpasses it, you can double the amount you've bet. The inventor of the Speed Count has admitted openly that more complex counting systems, like KO, offer a better advantage, but suggests that most people won’t ever be able to learn these more difficult systems, so a system like Speed Count is ideal for people without 80 or 120 hours to learn harder card counting methods. Not only is there a lot of negativity and myths surrounding the skill; however, many casinos on the internet frown upon the ability of counting cards because it has the potential of giving players an edge over the house. In case, the player collects a point which exceeds that number, they're “busted” or in other words – lose. In the KO system, the seven is considered a low card and a plus value, while in the Hi Low system it is considered a neutral card. Usually, two to eight standard decks, containing 52 cards are used. Once the player has this technique down to a science, only then should more difficult Blackjack Card Counting techniques be used. This method is hard to conquer and even the very skilled are still relying on their best guess. The cards are counted throughout the game and special attention is paid to their value. Once you train your brain to know that 2 + k = 0 and k + k equals 2 and so forth, you will find your counting time significantly reduced. This is an example of the Knock Out System: the player has tracked 4, 3, Jack, 9, 7 and Queen. The method depends on the player keeping track of where a run of high cards are throughout a shuffle and then correctly predicting where those cards are and cutting the deck favorably for the player. It includes interviews with card counters such as Edward Thorp and Andy Bloch, as well as members of the MIT Blackjack Team, casino employees, and gambling authors. Red 7s are assigned with a positive value, while black 7s' worth equals zero. It does not refresh until a new shoe is shuffled. …However, as keeping track on dealt cards from a single deck is easier, and thus helps players to gain advantage over the house, at present time most casinos resort to using up to eight decks in the shoe. As the title suggests it's rather advanced, so card-counting beginners will hardly make heads or tails of it. The players and the dealer take turns until all cards have been dealt. Novice Blackjack card counters should start with a Hi-Lo Card Counting System, then when ready, add in the Ace Side Count. A mathematics professor recruits three bright students and teaches them to count blackjack cards because he himself is blacklisted from several casinos for counting cards. Red Seven is built on the principle of high versus low cards. The objective is to collect a hand as close to 21 as possible without exceeding it, hence the name twenty-one. It's most effective when the dealer doesn't frequently reshuffle the remaining cards in the shoe. Blackjack Champ > Black Jack Card Counting Strategy > Ace Tracking and Side Counts Ace Tracking and Side Counts Ace Tracking and Ace Side Counts are not black jack card counting methods on their own, but are actually extra counts that you can track along side your running count in order to improve the accuracy of your favorite system. The KISS counting system is an unbalanced system that is easy to learn and apply. 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