Card counting is a method of tracking and scoring the cards that have been visible to the card-counting player. In order to count cards, you have to have quick eyes, a sharp mind, and a sense of order so that you can both count cards and use the information you have to assist you in your blackjack play.
Various methods of card counting are effectively used in blackjack play. Understanding how these methods of card counting work are imperative to the effectiveness of counting the cards. The following are the more common methods of blackjack card counting:
Hi-lo Card Counting – In the blackjack hi-lo card counting method, we track the high and low cards that remain in the blackjack shoe. Cards ranging between two and six are assigned a value of one, while face cards, tens, and aces are given a value of negative one. Cards with values of seven, eight, or nine are considered neutral cards and thus have a value of zero. Theoretically, as the hi-lo count climbs, the shoe becomes more likely to contain high cards. Likewise, the lower the hi-lo count, the more likely the shoe is rich in low cards. Players can use this keen insight to determine whether a marginal hit is worth taking.
KO – The KO system of blackjack card counting is similar to the hi-lo method. However, in the KO count, only eights and nines are given a neutral bias. Tens, face cards, and aces receive a minus one score, while twos through sevens are assigned a positive one count. Again, players can expect the likelihood of a high card from the shoe as the count grows higher, while expecting lower cards as the count goes lower.
Plus-minus – The plus-minus system of blackjack card counting discounts the value of the deuce in the blackjack deck. Thus – twos, eights and nines are assigned a neutral score. Cards ranging in value between three and seven get a plus one, while only tens and aces receive a negative one score under the plus-minus blackjack card counting system.