Card Counting Blog

Card counting techniques include the following:

• Playing Efficiency – PE indicates how well a counting system handles changes in your playing strategy. Playing efficiency is particularly important in games with one or two decks.
• Insurance Correlation – IC is defined as the correlation between card point values and the value of cards in insurance situation. A point value of -9 for tens and +4 for all other cards would be perfect for predicting if an Insurance bet should be made.
• Betting Correlation – BC is defined as the correlation between card point values and the effect of removal of cards. It is used to predict how well a counting system predicts good betting situations and can approach 1.00. BC is particularly important in shoe games (six or eight decks.)
• Side Counts – There are several side counting methods used to increase strategy efficiency.
• Level – The level of a strategy refers to the number of different values assigned to cards. Level 2 and 3 counting strategies are more efficient, but quite a bit more difficult for most people. Level 4 & 5 counting strategies also exist. But this is overkill.
• Type – The TYPE column key follows:
  • B – Balanced count that requires the calculation of a True Count
  • U – Unbalanced count with no True Count
  • S – Suit Aware count requires that you have a different count for red and black cards
  • C – Compromise indexes used for greater ease
  • 1, 2, 3, 4 – Level. That is the highest tag value