Card Counting Tips for the Novice Player

For some people, it's definitely not enough that blackjack offers the best odds for players. It's so insufficient actually that the players are driven to find new and effective strategies to help them win the game. And one of those strategies is card counting.

If you wish to learn how to use card counting as a strategy when playing blackjack, we want you to understand that learning card counting take time. We're not discouraging you from learning - we're just making sure that you know what you're about to enter to. So when the going gets tough, just keep in mind how much your game is going to improve if and when you finally master the art of card counting.

But enough chitchat and let's go straight to finally learning.

The Concept of Card Counting Players who count cards are hoping to determine whether a deck is rich in face cards, 10's and aces because this is generally seen as a good thing for blackjack players. Naturally, decks that are rich in small cards like 2's, 3's and 4's are better for the casino.

To know which way the wind's blowing, the player should develop the keen ability to track the cards that have been played and discarded. Sometimes, players use a point system to mathematically estimate the richness of a deck. But some point systems can be outright confusing so it's better for players to develop their own way of card counting.

Warning #1: Card counting is not effective when playing blackjack online. You are playing with a computer blackjack dealer. Do not even try to be blindly optimistic and think that the computer dealer may commit human errors - human being the keyword. To err is human. 'Nuff said.

Warning #2: Card counting will only be effective if you're already aware of the basic strategies used in blackjack. When I say basic strategies, I refer to simple things such as aiming for 17 at the very least, always splitting aces but never on 10's and 5's.

If you don't know, for example, why it's advisable to double down on 11 against 10, trust us: card counting wouldn't work or if it does, it wouldn't work as effectively as it should.

Warning #3: It's important to ensure as well that nobody notices you're card counting. When they do, things would get a bit understandably nasty. So besides keen eyes, you also need a poker face.

And that's it. Follow everything we've told you and you'll become a card counting expert - after a reasonable period of time. Good luck!