Card counting is a mathematical strategy used in blackjack to assess whether the player or the dealer will now have a better shot at winning the next hand. The main goal and purpose of the card counters are to keep a count of the high and low-value cards as shown in the game and thus, try to minimize the house edge of the casino. Card counting allows players to get a better idea of the composition of the remaining cards before they are dealt and played, and the ability to make better processes and avoid losses.
The method of card counting is often alluded to as card reading when used in trick-taking games such as spades as well as contract bridge. Card counting can also be beneficial in some poker games.
Although casinos do not recognize card counting to be cheating, they do take great offense when it is done by experts. Card counters, particularly the ones really good at it, can actually lower the house edge and have a higher deck penetration. As an outcome, the casino loses the competitive edge that it is supposed to have over the blackjack players.
Why is Card Counting Illegal?
While card counting is perfectly legal, neither land-based nor online casinos encourage it. These casinos may simply identify the advantaged players, settle their debts, as well as ask them to leave or restrict them from ever playing in that casino again.
This is due to casinos’ perception of card counting as a ruse and a violation of the unwritten rule that casinos should get an advantage over players. Though card counting is not illegal, this can be hard to execute, especially when faced with various decks of cards, as in modern blackjack.
Is Card Counting Only Allowed in Blackjack Online?
In blackjack online, card counting is both legal and authorized. Using additional software to count cards, for instance, is not allowed. Nevertheless, in online blackjack, the card counting strategy isn’t always valuable. This is attributable to the fact that before each round, the multiple decks of cards are shuffled and randomized, making card counting incredibly challenging. In addition, card counting improves a player’s odds only slightly, about 25% of the time. Card counting at virtual tables will often not work with such a low deck penetration.
