This video introduces you to the “True Count” and how it is used in beating the game of blackjack.
How to Calculate the True Count
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Section 5 - Beating Blackjack: Card Counting
Video Categories
- Video Categories
- Section 1 – Card Counting Concepts
- Section 2 – Understand the Game
- Section 3 – The Importance of Rules
- Section 4 – Beating Blackjack: Basic Stategy
- Section 5 – Beating Blackjack: Card Counting
- Section 6 – Beating Blackjack: Deviations
- Section 7A – Beyond the Basics
- Section 7B – Beyond the Basics – General
- Section 8A – Advanced Blackjack – Cover and Team Play
- Section 8B – Advanced Blackjack Play – Casino Relations
- Section 9 – Advanced Blackjack – Beating the Game
How much does it really affect your count if you dont see the first burn card? I know you may not be able to answer that but where I have played today with some friends, my buddy asked to see the burn card and his request was denied due to house rules. so I guess what i am wondering is how would you view that place in the mind of an experienced counter. would you still play there?
Cody,
It just effects your penetration by 1 card… imagine the burn card is just one more card that ends up behind the cut card (along with the other 50-100 cards you won’t see. Every card is valuable information, but they casinos limit the amount of information you get due to the cards they DON’T show. So fight to see every exposed card, but the burn card is just one of the non-exposed cards you won’t get to see in the shoe.
how do you know when you should bet high and when you should bet low? do you just bet high whenever the true count is positive?
Nick,
This is the trickiest part of Card Counting. In general, you bet low when the count is low and higher as the count gets higher. Depending on the rules, etc, determine how much of an advantage you have. The more of an advantage you have, the more you can afford to bet (but this also depends on your bankroll size and how much risk you want to play with). This is stuff we cover in bootcamps and through Bankroll Coaching, but it’s not a cut and dry easy answer (hence, why you won’t find an easy answer anywhere on the internet).
But the general rule is that you bet less when the casino has the advantage (below a true 1) and more when you have the advantage (above a true 1).
Also.. when the true count is +4 and the running count is -3 or +3… what will the true count be after on the next round?
Do you still answer questions through this site? I’m confused where you’re finding the true count where the running count is -2 / 5 = -.4 I calculated it on the calculator and got the same answer but when I calculate it mentally I’m thinking it should be -2 R 1. Whats the proper way to come up with this equation? thanks
Clement,
I don’t think you’re understanding how the true count and running count are related to each other… the True Count is the running count divided by the number of decks remaining to be dealt. So if the running count is 10 and there are 5 decks still in the shoe, then the true count is 10/5 = 2. So you keep track of the running count continually, then whenever you need to make a decision (like for betting or deviations), you calculate the true count to make that decision.
Shiv,
5/-2 is -2 R 1 (or -2.5). -2/5 is 0 R -2 (or -.4). But in this case, until the true count is -1, you would still consider it ZERO. Or if the running count was +2, 5 decks remaining, you would keep it at ZERO until the true count was OVER 1.
When calculating the true count, do you include the cards that are after the cut card in the shoe in your denominator or only those cards that will be dealt in that shoe?
Matthew,
Great question. Yes, you include the cards behind the cut card as well. Because you are calculating the running count relative to ALL the cards remaining. Even though you won’t see the last deck or so, you still have to include them in the number of decks remaining.
Example, if you’re 1 deck into a 6 deck shoe, then divide by 5. If you’re 3 decks into a 6 deck shoe, divide by 3.
when I want 2 join a table should I wait till they reload the shoe to begin counting? or it doesn’t have any affect?
Gilher,
Yes! You always wait until a new shoe to start counting. Otherwise, you’re missing out on lots of valuable information from the cards that you missed.
tnx great website btw!
Hey if im looking at the shoe and it looks like about 5 decks and a half would I just divide the running count by 5 or 6? And could you explain what “penetration” is and how it affects my game?
Joe,
Great questions.
1. Personally, I divide by the closes 1/2 deck. But initially, I divided by the closest deck. I always round down. So if dividing by full decks, until there is a full deck in the discard tray, I’m dividing by 6. Then, until there are 2 full decks in the discard tray, I’m dividing by 5. By half decks, it’s the same thing… if there is more than 2.5 decks but less than 3 in the discard tray, I still divide by 3.5 decks remaining.
2. Penetration is how many cards the dealer cuts off. The fewer cards the better (ideally, if they dealt the entire shoe, your count would be incredibly accurate at the end of the shoe). The fewer cards they cut off, the higher your EV, the lower your risk, and the shorter time it will take to overcome “luck” (what we call reaching the “longrun”). Standard pen is 1 to 2 decks cut off of a 6 or 8deck shoe. I watch dealers, and if one dealer is more inclined to cut fewer cards off, I play with them over another dealer that cuts more cards off.
hope that helps!
2.
When deciding on the $ amount of the bet placed based on the card count, one book I read suggested splitting the discard tray in thirds and factoring the running card count by 1, 2, 3 or various combinations based on your band roll.
I found using the width of my fingers as a good “rule of thumb”, so to speak. Each deck is 1.5 cm in width. My idex finger is ~ the width of one deck. The first 1/3 of a 8 deck shoe is less then the width of my index, middle, and 2/3′s of my ring fingers held together. The 2nd third of an 8 deck shoe is the width of my thumb, index, middle, and half of my ring finger held together.
The finger breath is an easy and reliable visual aid to help judge the number of decks in a discard tray. I never saw it mentioned in other references and I thought I would share it.
When at a casino do I have an option to choose what table I want to play at based on the amount of decks? How many decks do you recommend I play at?
What is the easiest way to calculate a true count and how come a true count is better then a betting count when it comes to betting?
Rob,
A true count (or count per deck) is the only way to make betting (and deviation) decisions with Hi-Lo. It tells you when (and how much) of an advantage you have over the casino so you can make your betting decisions. The running count gives you the overall count for the shoe, but must be translated to the count per deck (aka True count) to know what the running count means relative to how many decks are left.
Hope that helps!
John,
It depends on the casino. Most casinos offer a shoe game (like 6 decks) and a double deck game. But not all. In general, fewer decks is better, but you have to be careful of the different rules they offer, because poor rules on a single or double deck game can make it worse than good rules at a 6 deck game.