Counting Numbers Blackjack
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Speed Count Blackjack is a recently developed card counting system for Blackjack, which is designed to increase the player’s edge at the casino.The masterminds behind the system are Henry Tambourin and Frank Scoblete, both Blackjack professionals, who invested over two and a half years in order to establish it. Card counting is not easy to do. It is a skill that requires a lot of practice and also a thorough understanding of how the game of blackjack works.There are quite a few things that a player needs to be able to develop into a good card counter.
Speed Count Blackjack is a recently developed card counting system for Blackjack, which is designed to increase the player’s edge at the casino. The masterminds behind the system are Henry Tambourin and Frank Scoblete, both Blackjack professionals, who invested over two and a half years in order to establish it. Their book is called “Golden Touch Blackjack”, and can be purchased online and in regular book stores in order to find complete details for the way in which the system works.
Tambourin first hit the Blackjack scene during the summer of 1968 as a chemistry grad student at the University of Maryland, where a friend convinced him to make a trip to Las Vegas. It was only after he lost all his gambling funds that Tambourin decided to find a way to beat the system, and he has since dedicated his life to becoming a Blackjack expert. He has been writing and lecturing on the game ever since, and due to a strong history of mathematics, he now boasts over 700 articles, several books and even a range of TV and radio appearances. The Speed Count Blackjack system is his latest development.
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The Basics of the Speed Count Blackjack System
You’ve probably just searched for pro tips on how to count cards in blackjack and want to know some insider pointers. Well my friend, you are in luck and have certainly come to the right place. Let us break down the ins and outs of this unique card counting system for blackjack.
So, how does the speed counting actually work for playing blackjack in a casino?
It’s based on some simple statistical analysis of the game and how the cards are counted. By counting up and differentiating the small (lower) and big (higher) cards as they are dealt, you can keep tabs on what has been dealt to give you the edge in a game of blackjack.
Firstly, we need to take a look at the ‘average’ amount of cards that a player will have in a single hand of blackjack.
The blackjack experts tell us that the average hand in a game of blackjack works out at 2.7 cards. Now we all know that it’s pretty difficult to have 2.7 cards in your hand without the use of some scissors, so in reality this means that players have a higher probability (chance) of holding 3 cards.
If the number was 2.3 then it would be more likely that you would have 2 cards in your hand as opposed to 3 or 4 cards during a game. Are you following so far? Great.
What Makes the Speed Count System So Simple?
Now we know that people are more likely to take 3 cards than any other amount in a hand of blackjack, we can count up the cards to get a handle on their value.
The method employed here involves separating the cards into 2 sets of ‘big’ and ‘little’ cards. This is very much like the Hi-Lo method where a value is attached to each card, but instead of +1, 0 and -1 values, we skip the zero value classification here.
Cards are divided up very simply like this. ‘Small’ cards are 2’s, 3’s, 4’s, 5’s and 6’s with all the rest of the cards being classified as ‘big’ cards. This makes it really easy to remember and drops the mid-range classification of some of the more complex blackjack counting systems out there.
When you are in the heat of a round of blackjack and the pressure is on, the last thing you need to be dealing with is running complex calculations through your brain. The Speed Count method keeps things and nice and simple, as we have less numbers to work with overall and can calculate the running totals more easily than you could with the Hi-Lo system for example.
Following along so far? Great, let’s put the system into practice with a simple run through…
The next step is to count up all the ‘small’ cards on the table as a +1 in value. Then at the end of each round subtract the total number of hands dealt out. This does also include split hands, so don’t forget or the system won’t work as it should.
The total number of hands does include the dealer with this system so don’t forget to do this either or again the system will fail and you will have no edge in your blackjack game.
For example, if there were four players plus one dealer at the table, then stats say that there should be an average of 5 low cards dealt. If the final figure exceeds the average, then the player has an edge, and vice versa.
This is because the more low cards dealt on the table, the more high cards left in the deck, and since there are significantly fewer high cards to a deck than low cards, it will be easier for the player to estimate what is left to be dealt.
As you play, you will notice the count getting higher, at this point, you will know that there are fewer small cards in the deck and this will give you an advantage in the game.
But, despite what we know about this method, to use it effectively during a game of blackjack we will need more details and tips. To find this out and make best use of the system, we would need to purchase the ‘Golden Touch Blackjack’ book detailing the entire blackjack speed count system in full.
Who is behind the Blackjack Speed Count System?
This revolutionary card counting system was developed by Dr. Henry Tamburin, blackjack expert and best-selling author, Dan Pronovost, blackjack software developer and Dom “Dominator” LoRiggio, software designer and advantage player.
Dr. Henry Tambourin, a chemistry grad student from the University of Maryland, first discovered the perils of blackjack in Las Vegas. It was only after he lost all his gambling funds that he then decided to find a way to beat the system. Therefore he has since dedicated his life to becoming a pro Blackjack player.
It was only after he lost all his gambling funds that Tambourin decided to find a way to beat the system, and he has since dedicated his life to becoming a Blackjack expert. He has been writing and lecturing on the game ever since, and due to a strong history of mathematics, he now boasts over 700 articles, several books and even a range of TV and radio appearances.
Frank Scoblete is an American author who has written books under both his own name and his alias ‘King Scobe’. He’s been referred to by the Washington Post as “a widely published authority on casino games” which is quite some praise. Frank’s books include Beat the Craps out of the Casinos, Golden Touch Blackjack Revolution, and Beat the One-Armed Bandits.
As well as being an accomplished author he has written and appeared in several television documentaries such as the “What Would You Do If …?” program on The Travel Channel. On top of all this he has written numerous columns for gambling magazines and websites, produced a series of videos and DVDs, with most of his work being about the casino games of craps and blackjack.
The Speed Count Blackjack system is just his latest development in a long line of successful card game hack and methods to help you beat the casino.
How do the Stats Backup this Blackjack Count Method?
The beauty of the Speed Count system is that it takes advantage of several proven blackjack statistics:
(1) That there is an average of 2.7 cards to any completed Blackjack hand.
(2) The high percentage of low cards (2’s, 3’s, 4’s, 5’s and 6’s) in each game, which comprise 38% of the standard deck.
(3) Exactly one low card should appear in each completed Blackjack hand. Even though a player may receive no low cards or more than one, the amount he/she holds may still be able to help determine the low card count. And statistics have proven that the more decks used in the game, the more helpful these figures will be.
Despite being more difficult to grasp, the Speed Count system can be a lot easier to implement once learnt, since it eliminates the need to tediously add and subtract the low and high cards as they are dealt, which is common to most other card counting systems.
As always, using a blackjack strategy is always smarter and more worthwhile. In conclusion then, a player will have a better edge with a rising Speed Count, and a lower edge with a falling one. For the full system, lookup “Golden Touch Blackjack” in your local bookstore.
How to Become a Speed Counting Blackjack Pro!
One word on this… practice.
Yep, it’s that simple and old adage rings true right here, practice makes perfect. So, it’s a simple case, as with most things, that the more you practice, the better and more of a pro level you will become at the strategy .
It’s equally important to keep practicing and not to give up. Like learning any new trick or skill, it takes time to fully master it and so patience is the key here. Take it slow and start small, building up to the full technique used in a real game.
We would recommend starting off by playing an online blackjack game for free or with very little wagered to see how you get on. This can work as a great, low risk, practice ground which will allow you to build up your confidence and skill level.
When you feel confident enough, you can raise the stakes and play blackjack online for higher stakes or even enter a online blackjack tournament. This will really help you to test out and perfect the speed counting method at your own pace.
Introduction To The High-Low Card Counting Strategy - Wizard ...
The next step up would be to try out the speed counting method with a real-life dealer online at a live casino game. Most of the big online casinos offer a wide choice of live casino action and it’s a great way to try out what you’ve learnt in front of another human without the distractions, sights and sounds of a bricks and mortar casino experience.
It’s a simple step to then take your honed blackjack game tactics into the real world and pitch up at a casino blackjack table to test out your newly acquired skills alongside other players. It will be very different to pull up a stool at a table in real life and use this technique.
Many players report the difficulty they often have with concentration and focus in a real casino environment. The noise and chatter from other players can be really off putting when you are trying to hold numbers in your head and keep a running tally.
Therefore, we would always suggest choosing a good online casino which offers video and live blackjack options, so you can practice and grow at your own pace. Just jumping straight into playing at a blackjack table in a real-world casino can lead to some very costly mistakes and frustrations.
Once you’ve mastered the blackjack speed count technique, you’ll certainly feel like you have an edge over anyone you are playing alongside. Be that at a real-life casino, live online casino or against a video blackjack game.
UPDATED: 16.01.18 – Offer valid as of date published. T&Cs apply.
Offer valid as of date published. T&Cs apply.
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Introduction
The Hi-Lo Count is the most widely written about, and in my judgment, the most commonly used card counting strategy. The High-Low was first introduced in 1963 by Harvey Dubner1. It has since been discussed by just about all the major blackjack writers. In my opinion, the best introductory treatment is in Professional Blackjack by Stanford Wong, and the most detailed coverage is in Blackjack Attack by Don Schlesinger.
How it Works
Following is a brief explanation of how to use the Hi-Lo.
Step 1: Assign a point value to each rank, as follows.
High-Low Point Values
How To Count Cards In Blackjack And Bring Down The House
Step 2: Start with a 'Running Count' of zero at the start of the deck/shoe. As cards are revealed, keep adding or subtracting from the Running Count, according to the point system in step 1. For example, if the first ten cards to come out of the shoe were 3, 5, K, 7, Q, A, 8, 5, 4, 2, then the running count would be 1 +1 -1 +0 -1 -1 +0 +1 +1 +1 = +2.
Step 3: Divide the running count by the number of decks remaining, to get what is known as the 'True Count.' This is the part that beginning counters hate. You don?t need to be exact. A rough estimate will do, in my opinion. Let's look at example. The running count is +7 and there are about 4 decks left. The true count would be 7/4 = 1.75. Round that up to 2, to keep it simple. The more you play the more you will be comfortable eyeballing this adjustment, without doing any real division in your head. Usually the right play is obvious. In borderline cases only will you need to do this True Count conversion.
Step 4: The greater the true count, the more you should bet. This is where card counting becomes more art than science. Some blackjack books give rigid rules on how this should be done. However, the casino managers have read these books too, and the patterns recommended in earlier books now set off red flags. How you do this should depend on your own style, and how much heat you are getting. It helps avoid heat to keep the ratio of maximum bet to minimum bet to a limit, known as the ?Bet Spread.? Only increasing bets after a win, only decreasing after a loss, and staying the same after a push, makes play look more natural, but at a cost to profitability.
Step 5: For some hands, you will play according to the True Count and a table of 'Index Numbers,' rather than basic strategy. The greater the count, the more inclined you will be to stand, double, split, take insurance, and surrender. For example, the Index Number for a player 15 against a dealer 10 is +4. This means the player should stand if the True Count is +4 or higher, otherwise hit.
The following tables are known as the 'Illustrious 18' and 'Fab 4' respectively.2 They appear in Blackjack Attack by Don Schlesinger, and are republished here with permission. These are the most important index numbers to remember. Knowing only these will give the counter 80% to 85% of the value of knowing every index number, based on a six-deck game. The difference is more in single and double-deck games. The lists are given in order of value. If you can?t memorize all of them, start at the top, and work your way down.
Illustrious 18
| Order | Play | Index |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Insurance | +3 |
| 2 | 16 Vs. 10 | +0 |
| 3 | 15 Vs. 10 | +4 |
| 4 | 10,10 Vs. 5 | +5 |
| 5 | 10,10 Vs. 6 | +4 |
| 6 | 10 Vs. 10 | +4 |
| 7 | 12 Vs. 3 | +2 |
| 8 | 12 Vs. 2 | +3 |
| 9 | 11 Vs. A | +1 |
| 10 | 9 Vs. 2 | +1 |
| 11 | 10 Vs. A | +4 |
| 12 | 9 Vs. 7 | +3 |
| 13 | 16 Vs. 9 | +5 |
| 14 | 13 Vs. 2 | -1 |
| 15 | 12 Vs. 4 | 0 |
| 16 | 12 Vs. 5 | -2 |
| 17 | 12 Vs. 6 | -1 |
| 18 | 13 Vs. 3 | -2 |
The player should stand/double/split if the True Count equals or exceeds the Index Number, otherwise hit. The player should take insurance if the True Count is +3 or greater.
Fab 4 Surrenders
| Order | Play | Index |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 Vs. 10 | +3 |
| 2 | 15 Vs. 10 | +0 |
| 3 | 15 Vs. 9 | +2 |
| 4 | 15 Vs. A | +1 |
The player should surrender if the True Count equals or exceeds the Index Number.
A full table of all index numbers can be found in Chapter 3, and Appendix A, of Professional Blackjack by Stanford Wong.
The next table shows some statistics using the High-Low. The blackjack rules this table is based are liberal Vegas shoe, as follows:
Six decks
Dealer stands on soft 17
Surrender allowed
Double after split allowed
Player may resplit to four hands, including aces
To avoid setting off red flags, the simulation increased the bet after a win only, decreased after a loss only, and always stayed the same after a push, except resetting to a minimum bet after a shuffle. The simulation rounded the remaining decks to the nearest half deck, otherwise playing perfectly.
High-Low Statistics
| Spread | Penetration | Index Numbers | Player Adv. | Std. Dev. | Avg.Bet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 5 | 4 | I18+F4 | 0.157% | 1.50 | 1.35 |
| 1 to 10 | 4 | I18+F4 | 0.368% | 2.04 | 1.57 |
| 1 to 15 | 4 | I18+F4 | 0.578% | 2.67 | 1.73 |
| 1 to 5 | 4.5 | I18+F4 | 0.300% | 1.60 | 1.41 |
| 1 to 10 | 4.5 | I18+F4 | 0.587% | 2.27 | 1.68 |
| 1 to 15 | 4.5 | I18+F4 | 0.834% | 3.06 | 1.90 |
| 1 to 5 | 5 | I18+F4 | 0.469% | 1.70 | 1.47 |
| 1 to 10 | 5 | I18+F4 | 0.837% | 2.52 | 1.80 |
| 1 to 15 | 5 | I18+F4 | 1.147% | 3.49 | 2.10 |
| 1 to 5 | 4.5 | All | 0.313% | 1.61 | 1.41 |
| 1 to 10 | 4.5 | All | 0.608% | 2.29 | 1.68 |
| 1 to 15 | 4.5 | All | 0.862% | 3.10 | 1.91 |
| 1 to 5 | 5 | All | 0.494% | 1.71 | 1.47 |
| 1 to 10 | 5 | All | 0.857% | 2.55 | 1.81 |
| 1 to 15 | 5 | All | 1.182% | 3.54 | 2.11 |
Explantion of columns
Spread: This is the ratio of the player?s minimum bet to maximum bet. The bigger the range, the greater the player?s advantage, and bankroll volatility. A wide bet spread also sets off a red flag. In a six-deck game, I think a 1 to 15 spread is about the most aggressive the player should get. The simulation played one betting spot only.
Penetration: How many decks played before reaching the cut card. In a six-deck shoe, 4.5 is the norm.
Index Numbers: I already explained index numbers above. Simulations were run using both the Illustrious 18 and Fab 4 (I18+F4) above, and with the full table. The difference is not much, which shows that knowing the top 22 gets you most of the benefit of knowing all of them.
Player Advantage: This is the ratio of net player win to total initial bets. For example, in the last row, the player could expect to win 1.182% of his total initial bets.
Standard Deviation: This is a term for the volatility per initial bet.
Average Bet: The average final bet per hand, compared to the lowest bet For example, in the last row, if the player?s minimum bet were $100, his average bet would be $211. This includes additional money bet due to doubles and splits.
This table was created using CVCX Blackjack Analyzer by Casino Vérité. This software produces hundreds of different statistics for just about any set of rules, betting strategies, and playing strategies. For the player who wants to run these tests, this software is the best there is, in my opinion.
Footnotes
- Professional Blackjack by Stanford Wong, page 31, 1994 ed.
- Blackjack Attack by Don Schlesinger, page 62, 2004 ed.
Acknowledgments
Don Schlesinger: For his permission to reprint the Illustrious 18 and Fab 4 tables from his book, Blackjack Attack.
Norman Wattenberger: For his complimentary use of CVCX Blackjack Analyzer by Casino Vérité.
Practice
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Further Reading
Cached
- Card Counting Introduction.
- Wizard Ace-Five Count: Very easy and simple card counting strategy.
- '21' Movie Review: Truth and fiction about the movie about the MIT card counting team.
- Blackjack book reviews.
- Main blackjack page.