Post edited 11:14 am – December 11, 2023 by PlayHunter

Card counting works by keeping track of the relative number of high cards left in the deck. A large proportion of high cards is 

good for the player, whereas low cards are favourable for the dealer. You should play basic strategy initially and play the 

minimum bet. Then follow our card counting guide to gain the edge.

Step 1 - The Count You do not need an amazing memory to count cards. You simply need to keep track of one number, called 

the count. To work out the count, cards are assigned with the following values as shown in this next tabel:

2,3,4,5,6 - these each have a score of +1
10,J,Q,K,A - these each have a score of -1
7,8,9 - these have a score of zero (ignore them)

As cards are dealt you need to keep a running count. For example, if the first six cards dealt are J,5,7,10,K,A the count will 

be +1-1+0+1+1+1 = +3

Step 2 - The True Count

The true count is reached by dividing the count by the number of decks remaining.

IE: At the start of a blackjack game there are 4 full decks, hence you would divide by 4. Once 26 cards had been dealt, there 

would be just 3.5 decks left. (real true count)

If the count at this point is +14, then the true count would be 14/3.5 = 4

Step 3 - Betting The key to profitable play is to raise your stakes when the true count is favourable. Follow the guide below to 

alter your stakes: (this example reffers to a spread of minimum 1 to a maximum of 5 units – if other bet limits)

+1 or less - bet 1 unit
+2 or +3 - bet 2 units
+4 or +5 - bet 3 units
+6 or +7 - bet 4 units
+8 or more - bet 5 units