There are many different blackjack card-counting systems but they all have the same objective: to provide a simple method of calculating when the odds are in your favor and therefore when you should increase your stake on a particular hand.
- Since the Red 7 system of blackjack card counting is an unbalanced system using adjustable starting counts, one of the best parts about it is that you don't have to run a true count concurrently with your running count. Those of you that are familiar with different types of blackjack card counting systems.
- The other cards you ignore. Each system has different tags and true count resolution methods (or lack thereof). Betting Correlation (BC): The betting correlation is how effective the card counting system is at predicting valuable betting situations as compared to what a computer could do. The higher the better.
The OPP is the easiest blackjack card counting system ever invented. Now the developer tells card counters how to make the OPP card counting system more powerful as they get comfortable using it at the blackjack tables. Popular casino table games.
Let's look at some of the more common systems in use and judge them against four key criteria. These are:
- Ease of Learning and Use (E)
- Playing Efficiency (PE)
- Betting Correlation (BC)
- Insurance Correlation (IC)
Ease of Learning and Use is measured on a simple scale of 1 to 100 with 1 being the hardest and 100 the easiest system to learn and use. The other three criteria need some explanation.
Playing Efficiency is a term used to describe the accuracy of a specific system. It is typically expressed as a percentage and the closer it is to 100%, the more efficient the system is in defining the correct playing decision. Efficiencies are typically between 50% and 75%.
Betting Correlation is a measure of how good a system is in providing information on when to increase or decrease the size of bet. It is normally expressed as a decimal, for example 0.92, which means that a count with such a betting correlation is correct 92% of the time in defining the correct size of bet. Correlations are normally upwards of 90%.
Insurance Correlation is a measure of how well a blackjack card counting system indicates a correct decision when insurance betting. When the dealer has an up-card which is an ace, players are offered the choice of taking 'insurance' before the dealer checks his other card. The bet is independent of the main wager. Typical correlation figures are 70% +
Hi-Lo System
Www bingo con. This is probably the most common system and is very popular with people beginning to learn how to card count. It is explained on other pages here but it scores pretty well on our criteria. Ease of use is typically scored at around 65, with playing efficiency of 0.51, betting correlation of 0.97 and insurance correlation of 0.76.
REKO System
This is a more efficient system generally than the Hi-Lo system. It works using the following card count:
- Cards of value between 2 and 7 are counted as +1
- 10 and ace cards are counted as -1
- Other cards require no count.
The simplicity of the REKO system makes it ideal for multi-deck games and the more decks are used in a game, the more powerful the system becomes. It is known as an unbalanced system because the count is not started at zero. To define the starting count you simply multiply the number of decks being used by -2. So if 8 decks are in use the starting count is -16 (8 x -2).
The logic here is that the automatic assumption is that the game favors the house. Increased betting activity relies on the count passing zero and moving into positive numbers. Its scores against our criteria are: E = 8; PE = 0.55; BC = 0.98; IC = 0.78
Zen Count System
This is an older system and dates back to 1983. It's a balanced system, which means the count starts at zero. The card count values are:
- 8 or 9 count as zero
- 7 counts as +1
- 4, 5 and 6 count as +2
- 2 and 3 count as +1
- Ace is counted as -1
- 10 or above count as -2
You can see from this that the system is more difficult to learn, and the general opinion is that the increased complexity is probably not worth the effort. Its criteria scores are: E = 4; PE = 0.63; BC = 0.96; IC = 0.85
Wong Halves System
One of the most difficult systems, this is for the more advanced players only. The card count values are:
Best Card Counting System For Blackjack
- 8 counts as a zero
- 9 counts as -0.5
- 7 counts as 0.5
- 6 counts as 1
- 5 counts as 1.5
- 3 and 4 counts as 1
- 2 counts as 0.5
- Ace counts as -1
- 10 or more counts as -1
This is by far the most complex system reviewed here. Again it's a balanced system but the sheer complexity of count is difficult when compared with the more simple system outlined above. Its criteria scores are: E = 2.5; PE = 0.56; BC = 0.99; IC = 0.72
Red Seven System
An easier, unbalanced system developed by Arnold Snyder and described in his book, Black belt in Blackjack in 1983. It is a 'suit aware' system, which means that a 7 card is counted differently depending on the color of the card. Here are the card count values:
- Ace counts as -1
- 2 through 6 are counted as 1
- 7 is counted as either 0 or 1 depending on suit
- 8 and 9 count as zero
- 10 and above are counted as -1.
Its criteria scores are: E = 7; PE = 0.54; BC = 0.98; IC = 0.78
- Since the Red 7 system of blackjack card counting is an unbalanced system using adjustable starting counts, one of the best parts about it is that you don't have to run a true count concurrently with your running count. Those of you that are familiar with different types of blackjack card counting systems.
- The other cards you ignore. Each system has different tags and true count resolution methods (or lack thereof). Betting Correlation (BC): The betting correlation is how effective the card counting system is at predicting valuable betting situations as compared to what a computer could do. The higher the better.
The OPP is the easiest blackjack card counting system ever invented. Now the developer tells card counters how to make the OPP card counting system more powerful as they get comfortable using it at the blackjack tables. Popular casino table games.
Let's look at some of the more common systems in use and judge them against four key criteria. These are:
- Ease of Learning and Use (E)
- Playing Efficiency (PE)
- Betting Correlation (BC)
- Insurance Correlation (IC)
Ease of Learning and Use is measured on a simple scale of 1 to 100 with 1 being the hardest and 100 the easiest system to learn and use. The other three criteria need some explanation.
Playing Efficiency is a term used to describe the accuracy of a specific system. It is typically expressed as a percentage and the closer it is to 100%, the more efficient the system is in defining the correct playing decision. Efficiencies are typically between 50% and 75%.
Betting Correlation is a measure of how good a system is in providing information on when to increase or decrease the size of bet. It is normally expressed as a decimal, for example 0.92, which means that a count with such a betting correlation is correct 92% of the time in defining the correct size of bet. Correlations are normally upwards of 90%.
Insurance Correlation is a measure of how well a blackjack card counting system indicates a correct decision when insurance betting. When the dealer has an up-card which is an ace, players are offered the choice of taking 'insurance' before the dealer checks his other card. The bet is independent of the main wager. Typical correlation figures are 70% +
Hi-Lo System
Www bingo con. This is probably the most common system and is very popular with people beginning to learn how to card count. It is explained on other pages here but it scores pretty well on our criteria. Ease of use is typically scored at around 65, with playing efficiency of 0.51, betting correlation of 0.97 and insurance correlation of 0.76.
REKO System
This is a more efficient system generally than the Hi-Lo system. It works using the following card count:
- Cards of value between 2 and 7 are counted as +1
- 10 and ace cards are counted as -1
- Other cards require no count.
The simplicity of the REKO system makes it ideal for multi-deck games and the more decks are used in a game, the more powerful the system becomes. It is known as an unbalanced system because the count is not started at zero. To define the starting count you simply multiply the number of decks being used by -2. So if 8 decks are in use the starting count is -16 (8 x -2).
The logic here is that the automatic assumption is that the game favors the house. Increased betting activity relies on the count passing zero and moving into positive numbers. Its scores against our criteria are: E = 8; PE = 0.55; BC = 0.98; IC = 0.78
Zen Count System
This is an older system and dates back to 1983. It's a balanced system, which means the count starts at zero. The card count values are:
- 8 or 9 count as zero
- 7 counts as +1
- 4, 5 and 6 count as +2
- 2 and 3 count as +1
- Ace is counted as -1
- 10 or above count as -2
You can see from this that the system is more difficult to learn, and the general opinion is that the increased complexity is probably not worth the effort. Its criteria scores are: E = 4; PE = 0.63; BC = 0.96; IC = 0.85
Wong Halves System
One of the most difficult systems, this is for the more advanced players only. The card count values are:
Best Card Counting System For Blackjack
- 8 counts as a zero
- 9 counts as -0.5
- 7 counts as 0.5
- 6 counts as 1
- 5 counts as 1.5
- 3 and 4 counts as 1
- 2 counts as 0.5
- Ace counts as -1
- 10 or more counts as -1
This is by far the most complex system reviewed here. Again it's a balanced system but the sheer complexity of count is difficult when compared with the more simple system outlined above. Its criteria scores are: E = 2.5; PE = 0.56; BC = 0.99; IC = 0.72
Red Seven System
An easier, unbalanced system developed by Arnold Snyder and described in his book, Black belt in Blackjack in 1983. It is a 'suit aware' system, which means that a 7 card is counted differently depending on the color of the card. Here are the card count values:
- Ace counts as -1
- 2 through 6 are counted as 1
- 7 is counted as either 0 or 1 depending on suit
- 8 and 9 count as zero
- 10 and above are counted as -1.
Its criteria scores are: E = 7; PE = 0.54; BC = 0.98; IC = 0.78
Counting Tens Blackjack
Some people simplify the system by making the 7-card count as 0.5. This makes the system a little more difficult but does not seem to detract from its accuracy.
