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Our previous sections on card counting have given you the basics of how to count cards and in this section we shall enlighten you as to when the count turns to the players advantage. You first need to understand that the more high valued cards that remain in a deck the more advantageous it is for the player, also, and this is critical, you need to know how many decks are in play in the shoe. Many casinos will use different numbers of decks some use four, some use six, and you will also find 8 decks in a shoe. The way to work out how many high cards are left in each deck is by you doing a simple mathematical equation, divide your count (see previous section) by the number of decks left to be played. So if you are playing an 8 decks game and for example lets say 52 cards have been dealt then there are 7 decks still in play, as one full deck has already been dealt and are no longer in the shoe. So if you have a count of 21 then divide this by the decks remaining and you will get the number 3 as your total (21 divide by 7 = 3), this figure is known as the True Count. To ensure you understand let's give you another example, this time your count is 12 and there are 4 decks still in play, your Total Count this time is 3 (12 divided by 4 =3) Now don't be intimated by this simple equation, and if the figure is a fraction of a number then simply round it up to the next whole number. Ok you now have the Total Count, let's now take a look at how to use this figure, bear in mind you will be now straying away from Basic Strategy and playing a more mathematical game. The higher the True Count the more you should wager. There is no hard and fast rules for what you should wager, so this is down to you alone, but once the advantage swings your way then that is the time to maximize your returns and the only way to successfully to do this is to make bigger bets, whilst the True Count is high. When you get dealt certain hands you will change from basic strategy and be playing in relation to the True Count and a set of Index numbers. This simply calls for you to play a much more stronger game by either Standing a Hand, Doubling Down, splitting, Taking Insurance or Standing a Hand. One of the changes in basic strategy is in the taking of insurance, as you will know by reading our section on the insurance bet, that under no circumstances should you accept it. However when card counting you should accept insurance when offered if the True Count is Plus 3 or greater! There are also a few occasions when surrendering a hand will be strategic. These are all listed in our next section. Index Numbers is your next port of call for even more card counting information. |
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