Blackjack

Needless to say, blackjack is probably the most popular casino game. Much of its popularity is due to all the publicity surrounding card counting and various strategic approaches.

The fact is, blackjack is indeed the casino game that gives a skilled player the best fighting chance against the house edge.

The casino’s edge (which is not all that big to begin with) can be reduced by optimal play. Basic blackjack strategy consists of a set of charts which tell the player what action to take based on what he has, and on the dealer’s face-card.

Card-counting is supposedly a way to turn the house edge around altogether, and thus to give the player the advantage.

The simplest card-counting technique involves giving certain card- ranges values like so: cards from 2-7 are worth 1. The 8 and 9 are worth 0, 10-A are worth -1. This way, by simply adding and subtracting to and from a sum which he keeps in mind, the player will be able to tell whether there are more high-cards or low ones left in the deck. Since high cards offer the player an advantage over the dealer, knowing approximately how many of them there are in the deck is extremely valuable. Most efficient card-counting methods are much more complicated than this though. Casinos use multiple decks, and combat easy card counting by a variety of other means too.

While counting cards in a casino is not illegal per se, don’t expect the staff to walk over and congratulate you on your intellectual performance. Casinos will usually apprehend suspected card counters and either politely or rudely inform them that they will not be allowed to play blackjack there anymore.