Card counting is actually not as difficult as many would make it out to be. Some people believe that counting cards involves remembering every single card that was dealt… but this is not the case. A basic hi-low system is nowhere near this complicated. Now, keep in mind that there are many systems, but we are going to take a look at one of the most basic, proven systems… the hi-low system.

The hi-low system operates like this. Basically, a value is assigned to every card in the deck. Cards 2 through 6 are given a value of +1, cards 7 through 9 are given a value of 0, and tens through aces are given a value of -1. Counting cards successfully involves keeping track of the “count” by watching the cards being dealt. For example, if there were two 2s and two 10s on the table, the count would be zero. If there were three 10s and one 2 on the table, the count would be -2.

What does this have to do with winning? Well, when the count is higher, you raise your bet. If the count gets low, you lower it. By doing this, you are increasing your odds, which is taking the edge away from the house and transferring it to you. Effective card counting, in this way, can guarantee that you will win (depending upon what measures you are up against to thwart you) about $1 per hand. So, you can see that card counting is slow, tedious, and requires patience. It is not an “instant win” strategy, but one that requires time, practice, and skill to utilize effectively.

There are other counting systems out there that increase your odds more by being more accurate, but this system is a good one to start out with.