As surprising as it may be to learn how simple it is to count cards, you may be even more taken aback by the sheer variety of card-counting systems available. Do not be daunted by the breadth of choice available to you. When playing games like blackjack, card counting is a simple approach to get an advantage over other players.
Card counting explained
Card counting is a strategy in which you play by keeping track of the remaining high cards and low cards in the dealer’s deck. If you’re good at counting cards, you can increase your wager when the chances are in your favor and increase your potential payout.
But keep in mind that card counting is not the way to master guaranteed blackjack success or a way to cheat the system. It’s just an extra set of abilities to help you anticipate what’s coming up in the game whichever online casino Singapore site you are on.
Is it legal to do card counting?
When engaging in card counting, you must take certain regulations into account. Card counting with electronic or mechanical aids, including smartphone apps, is illegal in some jurisdictions. It is not against the law to use your own mathematical abilities as a means of keeping track of cards.
The casinos know about the strategy of card counting, so they implement countermeasures to prevent you from using it. While this is not an issue with online blackjack, there is software out there that will randomly reshuffle the deck if you try to use any advantage.
How does card counting work in blackjack?
Keeping a running account of the face values of the cards in play is all that is required for accurate card counting. Starting with the face value, you can give each card an additional one, zero, or one less. Keep track of the total as the dealer continues to shuffle the deck and deal out cards.
If you count the cards correctly when they are dealt, you’ll know how much the deck is worth at any given time. Every time the count goes negative, after each round, you should increase your wager by that amount. This is due to there being a greater quantity of cards with low value remaining in the deck. Bet less if the tally is positive.
Certain computer programs exist that can automatically count cards, although their use is frowned upon. Though it’s true that players at home can gain from this, we can’t endorse it. Instead, you can learn card counting at no cost by playing blackjack games at some online casino Singapore sites.
Advanced card counting techniques
The days of card counting on your fingers are likely over once you’ve learned the fundamentals. There are a number of paths open to you if and when you decide you’re ready to move on to more advanced methods.
Wong Halves
The system was named after its inventor, Stanford Wong. Because some of the values assigned to the variables in this strategy are fractions, it is categorized as a complex method. Due to the fairness of the Wong Halves system, your count should always be zero whenever a full deck is used. As an alternative to employing fractions, you can streamline the technique by doubling all the values.
Multiple Decks
A group of MIT students and alums used this tactic to systematically steal millions of dollars from casinos over the course of several years. After their identities are revealed, a best-selling book will be written about their exploits. A Hollywood film based on their true life, 21 was released in 2008.
Group Play
Many people who count cards do so in groups. This allows for the simultaneous counting of decks spread across different tables. Without being seen, the group is able to interact via signals. As a result, they can signal to onlookers when it’s a good time to get in on a hand and whether or not to make a significant wager.
Closing thoughts
There is a level of commitment required to master card counting strategies for online blackjack. Casinos are savvy to the ways in which advantage players (such as counters) might win and are skilled at resisting them. You need to use good judgment, brain, and discretion, and you can’t draw unnecessary attention to yourself.
When the count is low, you should hit more often but double down and split less often. When the number is high, you should act otherwise. Put your new online blackjack skills to the test by playing at any online casino Singapore site like Solarbet today!