The true skill of card counting

I have often thought that there are huge similarities between blackjack and poker. One of the key factors with regards comparing poker to blackjack is in how the two fields are dependent on factors that are nothing to do with the actual playing of the cards or hands. There are many factors that go into the making of a professional poker player that has nothing to do with the actual playing of the cards.

I could list bankroll management, game selection, seat selection, site selection, opponent selection, rakeback, emotional control, healthy lifestyle, continual learning, identifying emotionally unbalanced players and the list could go on and on. Likewise with playing blackjack seriously the list could be equally as long.

Areas like bankroll management, game selection, casino selection, emotional control, being able to detect heat and even being able to detect and exploit dealer errors. These are all areas that have nothing to do with blackjack basic strategy or card counting knowledge. But yet players tend to concentrate on the easily learnable areas in this area of casino gambling

This is no bad thing because these areas have to be learnt and learnt well but they do pale in comparison to the other areas that are needed in order to be successful. Not many people think that being a good actor has anything to do with playing blackjack but even here there are similarities with playing live poker as well.

It is absolutely useless being a mathematical genius if you get caught card counting or you emit behaviour that is conducive to being a card counter. The main focal point is that the casino industry tends to look out for certain things with regards to how card counters operate. There are two key areas and the first key area is in bet spread.

Any player who is going from table minimums and then substantially increasing their bets falls into classic card counter mould! The second key area is in when certain casino staff have the ability to card count. This presents a problem but it is also easily got around. It is for this reason why keeping a close eye on casino staff and being able to “feel” heat is imperative to your longevity as a blackjack player.

If you suspect that you are receiving heat or you are being watched then these feelings will be based largely on fact. Many experts advise that you leave the table at this point but I think that this is totally the wrong thing to do. Leaving the table will not eliminate casino suspicion and they will just make a note of you for next time.

It is far better to stay and then purposefully deceive them. If you start throwing big bets out at the start of the shoe then this will be totally counter to what any professional blackjack player would do. If you had been betting £5-£200 spread and you fear that you are being watched then placing 5-6 big bets of around £100 at the start of the shoe would throw them a curve ball. The casino only has an edge at the start of the shoe of 0.5% so they would only be taking around £3 from you in expectation.

But the amount that this would be worth in longevity would make it a mere drop in the ocean and would be nothing more than “operating costs”. You could also go and throw a few cover bets on even money roulette as well. Obviously you need the bankroll to ride these huge bets but this is the key to playing successful blackjack.

Carl “The Dean” Sampson
Why not Play blackjack online at bwin?