I had just one question about this video. What is the true count used for? I understand the running count, but what is the central idea for true count. What does it indicate?
All of your betting and deviation decisions will be based on the true count (because it is a more accurate idea of the count per deck than the running count). But the only way to GET to the true count is by keeping a running count. Then, whenever you need to make a bet decision or deviation decision, you convert the running count to the true count.
I have a question about the true count. Is the running count always divided only by the number number of whole decks left in play, or can it be divided by fractions of decks left in play. For example, I have a running count of 5 and there are 3 1/2 decks left in play, do I divide 5 by 3 1/2 or just divide 5 by 3, or would I round it up? I would assume I divide 5 by 3 1/2 but I would rather not make assumptions.
Thanks
It depends how accurate you want to be. Most people divide by whole decks or half decks, but some divide to the nearest 1/4 of a deck or even more accurate. It’d say start by dividing to the nearest deck, always rounding down. When that’s comfortable, work on being able to divide to the nearest 1/2 deck, always rounding down.
at what true count should you start raising your bet? i’ve read a bunch of different theories. at any TC of +7 and higher? what’s the general guideline between raising the bet and playing the minimum?
With normal casino rules, the advantage shifts from the casino to the player right around a true 1. There’s more discussion about it on the forum, but a general rule of thumb is that you need a minimum of a 1-6 bet spread to expect to win any money (so your max bet needs to be at LEAST 6x what you are betting below a true 1). The bigger the bet spread, the more EV you can generate, but creating a good bet spread is a pretty involved process, and depends on many variables.
alright i have another question, about the running count.lets say i play a hand in blackjack and my running count ended up being 12 and my true count ended up being 4, for the next hand played is my running count still going to be 12 or would it be 4? i just needed to be clear, thanks for all your help
Seth, your running count needs to take into account EVERY card played. So the next hand the running count may be more, less, or the same, depending on what cards came out during that hand.
firstly does the hi-lo system work on all amounts, 2,4,6,8
and which is best to play on?
secondly you said in one of your blogs “As soon as I sit down at my reserved table, the pit boss whispers something to the dealer, and the pen instantly goes from less than 1 deck to over 2 decks being cut off!”… what is the “pen” and how would this effect anything?
finally you said you tried to convince the dealer into giving you better pen on each shoe..
what does that mean?
p.s. all the videos are great and its awesome there free!
Yes, it works on all amounts of decks. That’s why you convert to the “true count”, or “count per deck”.
“Pen” = penetration. That’s the amount of cards they do NOT deal to the player. Typically, they’ll deal 4.5 of 6 decks to the players, before shuffling the cards. The more cards you play, the more accurate and profitable card counting is.
I have a question…So it’s recommended to start your higher bet wen the true count is favorable, not the running count, no matter how high your running count is you should look at the remainder shoe-divide and determine based upon the true count not the running.
I count up by the half deck for the first half of the shoe (I can visualize what 1/2 deck, 1 deck, 1.5 decks, 2 decks, etc look like). Then, for the second half of the shoe, I count down from the top of the discard tray. But you have to know how full the discard tray looks when all the cards are in it.
I’ve also trained with a discard tray measurer to fine-tune my eye. We sell it as part of the training kits.
so then.. this might be a dumb question. how do you tell how many decks there are left to be delt? since you can’t see – the cards just come out of a dispencer
Hey! Love all the free videos! I’ve learned a ton of stuff, Iam training all the time and iam trying it out this saturday. Iam excited as f*ck! One question.. how do you know how many decks the nightclub or casino is playing with? Should you ask them or does that seem weird? .. Thanks =)
lets say the deck is shuffled and i start at 0. then the running count goes up to 15. and the true count is 3. once that hand iscleared and the next hands are dealt do i continue my running count or i continue with the true count? Meaning do i continue from running count of 15 or from true count of 3?
lets say you have a true count of 7 or 8 and you are playing with a group. The counter signals the big player and the big player comes and sits down at a table. Now Does the big player need to know the count (If so does he need to know the true count or the running count). or should the big player just play his game and when the deck cools he is signaled to leave. does that how it works?
It doesn’t hurt to ask. Just say something like, “man that’s a lot of decks. How many is that? The place I usually play at only uses 2″ or something like that. It’s not uncommon to ask how many decks are being used.
marc, You can calculate the number of decks remaining by estimating the number of decks in the discard tray. If there are 1.5 decks in the discard tray, then that means there are 4.5 decks remaining to be dealt out (from a 6 deck shoe). We will teach you train your eye for calculating the number of decks/cards in the discard tray.
I have a question about the running/true count, and noticed that Tony had the same question but had no reply. Could someone please give a response to Tony’s question? Thanks for all that you do on this site.
Never mind, i found my answer. Tony, read the responses to deviation chart-pairs. Your answer is at the bottom. Thanks for everything Ben/Colin/Kinetic/Admin!
What if you just sit at a random table and they already started the game. Do you just start counting the deck from 0, because what if the discarded tray had all the face cards. How do you determine your count when you first sit down?
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I had just one question about this video. What is the true count used for? I understand the running count, but what is the central idea for true count. What does it indicate?
All of your betting and deviation decisions will be based on the true count (because it is a more accurate idea of the count per deck than the running count). But the only way to GET to the true count is by keeping a running count. Then, whenever you need to make a bet decision or deviation decision, you convert the running count to the true count.
So the higher the true count the more you bet?
Yes. The higher the True Count the higher your advantage so the more money you bet. How much more is a topic to discuss elsewhere.
I have a question about the true count. Is the running count always divided only by the number number of whole decks left in play, or can it be divided by fractions of decks left in play. For example, I have a running count of 5 and there are 3 1/2 decks left in play, do I divide 5 by 3 1/2 or just divide 5 by 3, or would I round it up? I would assume I divide 5 by 3 1/2 but I would rather not make assumptions.
Thanks
It depends how accurate you want to be. Most people divide by whole decks or half decks, but some divide to the nearest 1/4 of a deck or even more accurate. It’d say start by dividing to the nearest deck, always rounding down. When that’s comfortable, work on being able to divide to the nearest 1/2 deck, always rounding down.
at what true count should you start raising your bet? i’ve read a bunch of different theories. at any TC of +7 and higher? what’s the general guideline between raising the bet and playing the minimum?
cheers.
With normal casino rules, the advantage shifts from the casino to the player right around a true 1. There’s more discussion about it on the forum, but a general rule of thumb is that you need a minimum of a 1-6 bet spread to expect to win any money (so your max bet needs to be at LEAST 6x what you are betting below a true 1). The bigger the bet spread, the more EV you can generate, but creating a good bet spread is a pretty involved process, and depends on many variables.
at What count, we should start betting more money.
Read my response above to the same question from Chris.
alright i have another question, about the running count.lets say i play a hand in blackjack and my running count ended up being 12 and my true count ended up being 4, for the next hand played is my running count still going to be 12 or would it be 4? i just needed to be clear, thanks for all your help
Seth, your running count needs to take into account EVERY card played. So the next hand the running count may be more, less, or the same, depending on what cards came out during that hand.
im really confused about amounts of decks.
firstly does the hi-lo system work on all amounts, 2,4,6,8
and which is best to play on?
secondly you said in one of your blogs “As soon as I sit down at my reserved table, the pit boss whispers something to the dealer, and the pen instantly goes from less than 1 deck to over 2 decks being cut off!”… what is the “pen” and how would this effect anything?
finally you said you tried to convince the dealer into giving you better pen on each shoe..
what does that mean?
p.s. all the videos are great and its awesome there free!
Yes, it works on all amounts of decks. That’s why you convert to the “true count”, or “count per deck”.
“Pen” = penetration. That’s the amount of cards they do NOT deal to the player. Typically, they’ll deal 4.5 of 6 decks to the players, before shuffling the cards. The more cards you play, the more accurate and profitable card counting is.
Better pen = more cards being dealt out.
Hope that clears things up!
one more question..
so does that mean you have to restart your count once they have
shuffled the cards?
and yeah it does thanks!
What is the best way to approximate the number of decks left in play?
I have a question…So it’s recommended to start your higher bet wen the true count is favorable, not the running count, no matter how high your running count is you should look at the remainder shoe-divide and determine based upon the true count not the running.
Kyle,
I count up by the half deck for the first half of the shoe (I can visualize what 1/2 deck, 1 deck, 1.5 decks, 2 decks, etc look like). Then, for the second half of the shoe, I count down from the top of the discard tray. But you have to know how full the discard tray looks when all the cards are in it.
I’ve also trained with a discard tray measurer to fine-tune my eye. We sell it as part of the training kits.
Carlos,
EXACTLY!
so then.. this might be a dumb question. how do you tell how many decks there are left to be delt? since you can’t see – the cards just come out of a dispencer
Aaron – watch the video course. you have to look at the discard tray.
how will i know the decks left? for example in BlackJack Madness in facebook, i don’t know the total decks there
Hey! Love all the free videos! I’ve learned a ton of stuff, Iam training all the time and iam trying it out this saturday. Iam excited as f*ck! One question.. how do you know how many decks the nightclub or casino is playing with? Should you ask them or does that seem weird? .. Thanks =)
lets say the deck is shuffled and i start at 0. then the running count goes up to 15. and the true count is 3. once that hand iscleared and the next hands are dealt do i continue my running count or i continue with the true count? Meaning do i continue from running count of 15 or from true count of 3?
lets say you have a true count of 7 or 8 and you are playing with a group. The counter signals the big player and the big player comes and sits down at a table. Now Does the big player need to know the count (If so does he need to know the true count or the running count). or should the big player just play his game and when the deck cools he is signaled to leave. does that how it works?
It doesn’t hurt to ask. Just say something like, “man that’s a lot of decks. How many is that? The place I usually play at only uses 2″ or something like that. It’s not uncommon to ask how many decks are being used.
marc, You can calculate the number of decks remaining by estimating the number of decks in the discard tray. If there are 1.5 decks in the discard tray, then that means there are 4.5 decks remaining to be dealt out (from a 6 deck shoe). We will teach you train your eye for calculating the number of decks/cards in the discard tray.
I have a question about the running/true count, and noticed that Tony had the same question but had no reply. Could someone please give a response to Tony’s question? Thanks for all that you do on this site.
Never mind, i found my answer. Tony, read the responses to deviation chart-pairs. Your answer is at the bottom. Thanks for everything Ben/Colin/Kinetic/Admin!
What if you just sit at a random table and they already started the game. Do you just start counting the deck from 0, because what if the discarded tray had all the face cards. How do you determine your count when you first sit down?
You always start counting from a fresh shoe, for exactly the reason you stated.