Today, we’re here to talk about counting cards in a casino. More precisely, we’re here to discuss the basics of card counting systems, the history of the trade, as well as the key mechanics and effectiveness it brings to the table.
Card counting can be used in some of the oldest card games out there. However, it works perfectly on newer variations too. Obviously, it isn’t something you can master overnight. 
It’ll take quite a bit of research and dedication to wrap your head around the matter. Counting cards is not too complicated, but it does have a steep learning curve. 
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However, if you’re motivated enough, you shouldn’t have too many issues going forward. 
If you do stumble upon some, we’re here to help you get up and running! With that in mind, let’s jump into the basics behind the ancient skill of card counting!
<h2>What is Card Counting?</h2>
When someone mentions card counting, most people immediately think about blackjack, even though it can be used for other <a href="https://winz.io/games/live-cardgames">card games</a> at a casino. 
That’s nothing surprising considering the fact that blackjack’s rules are a perfect fit for card-counting strategies. 
Card counting in <a href="https://winz.io/games/live-blackjack">blackjack</a> is quite effective too, so it’s no wonder many casinos tend to ban players who are caught counting cards. 
<img src="https://wbcl.justw.in/counting_cards_in_blackjack_c3f049be1e.jpg" alt="Counting Cards in Blackjack">
The basic principles of card counting are pretty straightforward. Every strategy is based on figuring out who has the upper hand by taking into account the previously played cards. 
The process of figuring it out revolves around assigning values to the cards and continuously tracking the dealt cards to determine whether or not you have the upper hand. 
There are numerous different card counting strategies out there, and they’re all differentiated by specific ways in which they “measure and assign” value to the cards.
Some card-counting systems (AKA strategies) are more complex than others. But, that doesn’t necessarily make them superior to their peers. 
It all depends on your ability to assign and track the values, which requires discipline, focus, and plenty of practice.
Yes, we understand how difficult and complex that might sound at first. 
But, stick with us and we’ll show you that card counting isn’t that complex to begin with.
<h2>The History of Card Counting</h2>
Card counting predates online casinos, and by quite a lot, mind you. The origins of card counting date all the way back to the year 1962 and Edward O. Thorp’s book “Beat the Dealer”. 
The book showcases the basics of card counting and provides readers with <a href="https://www.quora.com/Does-the-strategy-of-Ed-Thorp-in-Beat-the-Dealer-still-work-today">comprehensive strategies</a> to help them optimize their blackjack gameplay.
But, even that’s up to debate as we now know of even earlier examples of blackjack strategies that revolved around tracking dealt cards.
<img src="https://wbcl.justw.in/girl_with_playing_cards_f7bb46911b.jpg" alt="Girl with Casino Playing Cards">
However, most prominent figures within the gambling industry agree that E. Thorp’s book Beat the Dealer had the biggest influence on future card-counting developments.
At first, casinos were quick to tackle the card-counting problem. Even before Thorp’s second book came out in 1966, the number of decks in a game of blackjack started going up. 
The second edition of Thorp’s Beat the Dealer was backed by the help of early computers. In fact, the main card-counting strategy in the book, Hi-Lo, was optimized by computer scientist Harvey Dubner. 
Long story short, the power of computers and Thorp’s early research were of great service to blackjack enthusiasts in the 1960s.
<h2>Mechanics of Card Counting</h2>
As mentioned earlier, card-counting strategies come in many shapes and sizes. Some of them are quite simple but only provide a basic advantage. 
Others are way more complex and take more time getting used to, but are capable of providing a much better advantage.
Here are a few examples:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Hi-Lo Card Counting System requires players to assign a simple value of either -1, 0, or +1 to all dealt cards. </li>
</ul>
Based on the value, players have to determine if they have the advantage and adjust their betting strategy:
<ul>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">High cards (10-A) have a value of -1</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Low cards (2-6) have a value of +1</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Neutral cards (7-9) have a value of 0</li>
<li aria-level="2"> </li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Zen Card Counting System requires players to assign values to cards in a similar manner to the Hi-Lo system. It aims to provide a steady increase in bets according to the card values, but you’ll still have to be careful not to get caught. </li>
</ul>
Here are the card values in Zen:
<ul>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">The value of 10s, Jacks, Queens and Kings is -2</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Aces have a value of -1</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">The value of 2s, 3s, and 7s is +1</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">The value of 4s, 5s and 6s is +2</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">The value of 8s, and 9s is 0</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Another key mechanic of card counting is maintaining a low profile. Don’t bet too much and don’t look too confident. Just be yourself and don’t panic. 
Why are we telling you all this? It’s simple - these days casinos have a tendency to closely inspect users’ behaviours… especially winning users. 
If you keep winning all night long, you’ll be suspicious and likely dragged out of the casino. Don’t be surprised if that happens - many casinos enforce a zero policy on card counting as they deem it illegal.
<h2>Legality of Card Counting</h2>
Now let’s get to the legal implications of card counting. Logically speaking, card counting shouldn’t be illegal… as long as you’re not using any third-party software or gadgets that do the tracking for you. 
If you’re doing everything on your own, it’s not considered cheating.
Well yeah, it’s not cheating. However, if the casino notices what you’re doing, you’ll still be escorted out of the building. But, it won’t be for cheating - it will be for card counting. 
You see, casinos are privately owned businesses and they simply don’t want to lose money to card counters, so their T&amp;C tend to include something along the lines of “no card counting allowed”.
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Numerous players decided to seek justice and sue the casino which threw them out. However, only some of them had actually won their lawsuits. 
The perfect example is the ruling of the Nevada Supreme Court on March 9th, 2000. The ruling ordered the Monte Carlo Casino to pay Richard Chen over $40,000 he managed to win with his card-counting strategy.
 Unfortunately, most other lawsuits didn’t have such a positive outcome.
<h2>Effectiveness of Card Counting</h2>
We’ll be pretty concise here since there’s no point in going into too much detail.
In short, card counting can be extremely effective. If it wasn’t, casinos wouldn’t ban people for doing it.
Plus, it has historical trustworthiness. By that, we mean it’s not a new trend - it dates back to the 1960s. The math backs it up too.
 However, with casinos using more and more decks and enforcing stricter and stricter rules for card counting, it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to get out with a hefty purse.
A big reason why card counting today isn’t as effective as it was a few decades ago lies in certain technological advancements too. Several decades ago, casinos didn’t have cameras covering every corner of every table. 
Nowadays, not only do they have cameras but comprehensive AI-powered systems for tracking and analyzing players’ behaviours.
<h2>Challenges and Risks</h2>
We just mentioned one of the biggest challenges card counters have to deal with nowadays - cameras and AI-powered systems that track everything that happens in casinos.
Of course, you can still try and trick these systems. However, with the rise of AI tech and further developments in the area, tricking these systems will become increasingly more difficult.
<img src="https://wbcl.justw.in/21_movie_screenshoot_83144e8570.jpg" alt="21 Movie Card Counting Moment">
As for the risks, they’re quite obvious. If you get caught, you’ll be escorted out of the building and banned from entering again. In some cases, you might even have to forfeit your winnings.
However, most casinos will just require you to leave and threaten you with police and trespassing charges if they ever see you again. If that does happen, just cash out your winnings and get out. 
<h2>Ethical Considerations</h2>
We don’t see anything wrong with counting cards. Yes, it does provide an advantage to the players, but it’s an advantage that has to be heavily researched, nurtured and practiced to perfection. 
It’s basically a skill that some players willingly work on to improve their chances of success. We see nothing wrong with that. It’s 100% ethically correct to count cards in a casino.
What is not ethically correct, though, is using gadgets and/or software that does the card-counting on its own and just tells you what to do. This isn’t considered a skill-based advantage anymore. 
Using gadgets and/or software is outright cheating. Ask anyone - they’ll tell you the same. That’s where we draw a line ethics-wise - if it’s a skill you’ve spent countless hours perfecting, then it’s morally correct. 
If you’re using a device or an app for counting cards, it’s cheating; plain and simple.
<h2>Alternatives and Countermeasures</h2>
We already talked about the measures casinos take to ensure card counters can’t do what they do best. There are sophisticated camera networks and AI systems that track every move of every player inside the building. 
We’re not even exaggerating - such systems exist in many casinos across the globe.
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On top of that, casinos usually have employees who are specifically trained to catch people who are cheating or counting cards. 
This isn’t a common practice, though. It can only be found in the biggest casinos.
In our experience, the best countermeasure is to play for just three or four deck shuffles with low to medium bets. This will lower the odds of the systems catching you counting cards. 
Besides, you can always go to another nearby casino and continue from where you left off.
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
In short, despite casinos doing their best to prevent card counting, it’s still an effective method for getting an edge over the casino. 
But, it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to count cards without getting banned from the premises. 
If you’re a gambling card games enthusiast and you’re ready to dig deep into complex card counting systems, there’s still money to be made that way. 
So, does counting cards in a casino still make sense? It most certainly does… you just have to be extra cautious not to get caught.

casino-dealer-with-playing-cards.jpg

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