The blackjack game is immensely popular nowadays. This casino game is available in both online and live versions. In fact, many movies are using this game to depict scenes of a casino.
Many new players find it quite difficult to play. They feel it is impossible to beat the house in the game of Blackjack. In reality, it is definitely not true. There are ample techniques to enhance your chances of winning. And, counting cards are one of the most effective ones.
There is a myth that card counting is illegal. That’s not at all true. You need just be discrete about it. As the house does not want you to win. So, they reserve the right to deny anyone to play.
Coming back to the card counting technique, Hi-Lo card counting is the easiest and most popular among those. It has been used by an uncountable number of players since 1963.
We will be discussing its usage further.
How to use this technique
The Hi-Lo card counting skill is easy to develop. Let’s discuss the strategy in detail. A stepwise analysis is as follows.
1. Assigning the value
As we know, there are cards with numbers and alphabets on them. In total, those are thirteen in number. So, the very first step is to assign a value to each one of them. Basically, the values in the Hi-Lo card counting strategy lie between the positive one and the negative ones.
For the cards that are sixes, fives, fours, threes, twos, and ones, the value is a positive one. And, for tens, jacks, queens, kings, and aces, it is a negative one. Now we are left with sevens, eights, and nines. Those three cards have no value. Or, we can say they carry the value of zero.
2. Running Count
Running count in Hi-Lo card counting means the default count. The count at the start of the deck. So, the running count is zero from the very first card of the deck. Further, the number is either added or subtracted as per the next cards. Let us take an example. Suppose we have six cards as 8, 10, J, 2, 3, and 4. Now the respective count will be 0, -1, -1, 1, 1, 1. So, by solving all those, we will get 1. So, now the running count is 1. And, further, you will continue it likewise. But, 1 is running count for the next one.
3. True Count
Here comes the tricky part of the Hi-Lo card counting strategy. One needs to find the true count. To get it, we need to divide the running count by the decks which are left in the game. For instance, the running count is 4. However, the decks left in the game are 2. So, the true count is 4/2, i.e. 2.
There will be times when you will get the true count in fractions. At such time, round off the value to the closest number. You might find it difficult at the beginning. But, with practice, your calculations will become instant.
4. How to bet while counting
Once you have understood the part of finding the “True count”, you can begin betting. So, the concept of betting in blackjack using Hi-Lo card counting works with a simple rule. Higher the count, increase the bet, and vice versa. In simple words, if your true count is increasing, the player can increase their bet for higher profit. However, if the true count is low, then you must simply stop at that point.
5. Things to be Cautious off
As for now, you are well aware of the Hi-Lo card counting strategy in Blackjack. But, there are a few things you need to learn by paying. As the house knows the technique too. They can easily catch you and make you leave the table. Therefore you need to make it look natural. You must not follow a similar pattern every single time. In fact, make some losing moves too. This might cost you some bucks. But, in the long run, it will be of great profit.
Another thing to focus on is when to hit, stand, double, take insurance, split or surrender. That you can easily grasp by playing.
Conclusion
All in all, the strategy is simple yet needs practical experience to use effectively. Therefore, practice with friends or players who do play with not actual money. This will give you a chance to check if you are ready or not.
