How to Count Cards at Online Blackjack?
Get all the info you’ll need on how to count cards at online Blackjack.
Introduction
One of the most well-known misconceptions in the casino world today is the fact that counting cards when playing a game of blackjack is considered illegal.
Yes, many casino houses – online and land-based – actually frown upon this blackjack gameplay strategy, but truth be told, when an avid casino online player makes the decision to employ a strategy of blackjack gameplay and decides to count cards at online blackjack gaming tables, there is in actual fact no legal issues associated with this.
By employing the tactic of strategising with a ‘counting cards’ at blackjack online game mode, the player in question is utilising a system that keeps track of the probability of favourable conditions for the said player during their blackjack online gameplay.
What is Counting Cards at Online Blackjack About?
When an ardent casino online player makes use of the count cards at online blackjack strategy, the player is quintessentially keeping track of the number of high-value cards, and low-value cards.
By keeping track of the number of high and low-value cards during their blackjack gameplay, the player is able to gauge when is best to raise their bets, and when is the opportune time to do so.
As mentioned before, the act of counting cards is not illegal, yet many a casino online (and land-based casino establishments) do not take lightly to players counting cards, and will, therefore, deal with any player that employs this count card strategy in a harsh manner indeed.
Here’s how to count cards at online blackjack games, in a simplified way:
- Keep a running tally of the cards revealed and dealt, during the online blackjack gameplay
- Generally speaking, and when playing blackjack correctly, the house edge tends to be 0.5% (keep this in mind, when deciding whether or not to employ the card counting strategy)
- Players that play the basic counting cards with online blackjack strategy tend to have a 1% advantage over the house, in general (also to be kept in mind when employing this count cards type of gameplay)
- Continue assigning values and counting as each new card is dealt, to add to the running count
- The ‘running count’ refers to the tallied value of cards that one has already counted, during the particular online blackjack game that is in play.
Values that most often accompany the count cards at online blackjack games are as follows:
| Value Assigned to Card | Card Being Dealt |
|---|---|
| -1 | High value cards, e.g. 10, Ace & all face cards |
| 0 | Middle value cards, e.g. 7, 8, 9 |
| +1 | Low value cards, e.g. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 |
Tell me more
Apart from the normal and generalised form of counting cards at online blackjack gameplay, there are a few other Advanced Strategies that many an avid casino online blackjack card counting player may opt to employ.
Advanced Counting Cards Strategies
There are some alternative and more complex counting strategies.
Omega II Strategy
Created by Bryce Carlson, this online blackjack card count strategy is also known as a ‘balanced system’. The main theme here is that the player will be left with a positive count when there are more low-value cards dealt during the blackjack online gameplay, and a negative count will be presented when there are more high-value cards dealt.
The main difference between the regular card counting method used for blackjack online gameplay and Omega II remains in the values assigned to the cards that are dealt. The card values are as follows:
| Value Assigned to Card | Card Being Dealt |
|---|---|
| 1 | card: 2, 3, 7 |
| 2 | card: 4, 5, 6 |
| -1 | card: 9 |
| -2 | card: 10 & all face cards |
| 0 | card: Ace & 8 |
Wong Halves Strategy:
Created by Stratford Wong, this particular advanced strategy of card counting is also considered a balanced system.
The main difference with this particular card counting strategy lies in the fact that the values employed by this balanced system of card counting employ the use of fractions as well. Due to the overwhelming confusion that could arise from the fraction values, many players that employ this method for card counting at online blackjack will double the values, to eliminate the use of fractions.
The values, as assigned by Stratford Wong and his Wong Halves strategy include the following:
| Value Assigned | Card Being Dealt |
|---|---|
| 1 | cards: 3, 4, 6 |
| 0.5 | cards: 2, 7 |
| 1.5 | card: 5 |
| 0 | card: 8 |
| -0.5 | card: 9 |
| -1 | cards: 10, Ace & all the face cards |
Conclusion
Although we have only mentioned three possible, and the most popular forms of strategies of card count at online blackjack tables, gameplay employed by the particular player in question will determine which strategy will be utilised.
Whether the player opts for a basic style of card counting or an advanced strategy, either way, the best advice we can leave for any player looking to go forth with this card count strategy, would be to do so cautiously.
It could perhaps go without saying, but to be able to master this strategy of discrete card counting at online blackjack facilities, and during blackjack online gameplay is a method that is quite simple, yet not that easy to master. As with all great things in life, that could potentially lead to marvellous winnings and payouts, the art of card counting at online blackjack venues and casino online sites is largely dependent on the age-old saying of “Practice makes it perfect”.
Quite simply put, in order to make this card count at online blackjack strategy work for you, as an avid online casino blackjack player, you will need to invest a fair amount of time into getting the card count foundations solidly in mind; and who knows, you may just find that your next big win will be all thanks to good old Bryce, Stratford or the general card counting method.
