An experienced player knows perfectly when he is getting advantage over casino. For him it is a good moment to raise his stake. It has been already said that the higher the value of the cards that have not been dealt yet the better chance for a player to get them. If the opposite situation occurs, a player should not risk, because the casino has a huge advantage. Then a player risk only small stakes. If a player is able to recognize his dis/advantage in a long run, he will always win.
The strategy of card counting has been developed and popularized by Edward O. Thorp. In his book: A Winning Strategy for the Game of Twenty-One he pointed a correlation between number of high cards left and the probability of winning. The book has been a bestseller in USA and it makes blackjack the most popular card game in Las Vegas.
Card counting using the Hi-Low method
Hi-low method is the one described in a Thorp’s book. This strategy gives a possibility to valuate your cards. The cards that are positively valuated (+1) are 2, 3,4,5,6. The cards that keep their value unchanged are 7, 8, 9. Finally, the cards that count for one point less (-1) are 10, jack, lady, King and Ace. How does it function? Due to calculation, you are able to estimate the present value of the cards you are holding. If it is higher than zero, the probability that you can still draw some high cards is rather big. By analogy, if the present value you get due to calculation is less than zero; your chances for succeeding in a game are rather small. In a case where more than one cards deck has been used you should divide the present value by the number of decks in order to get a real value.
To count the cards value you can also use a method called Kelly’s criterion. In this strategy, you raise your stake whenever your advantage over a croupier increases. If a player’s advantage amount to 1% he raises stake at about 1% of his initial investment. If this advantage is at a 2% level, he increases his investment at 2%, too.
