The reKO Blackjack Strategy (99.44% Pure)
The KO Strategy is one of the very easiest Blackjack card counting strategies,
contained in the book Knock-Out Blackjack--The Easiest Card Counting
System Ever Devised by Olaf Vancura and Ken Fuchs. reKO (ridiculously
easy KO) is a substantially simplified version. It will be easier for
most people because, unlike KO, it has only one index value for all indexes
and the same indexes and value for double deck and six decks. Thus less
memorization is required. Flashcards are often used to memorize indexes.
But a set of reKO flashcards would all have +2 on them. I have also included
simplified betting ramps. This strategy performs nearly identically to
KO. Note: This is a very brief description designed for those that already
understand card counting. There is a much fuller description in my free,
online book Modern Blackjack. For those
interested, the strategy is as follows:
Card Counting Tags
Cards 2-7: +1, 8 & 9: 0, Ten & Ace: -1
The Initial Running Counts are:
- Single Deck: -1
- Double Deck: -5
- Six Decks: -20
- Eight Decks: -27
Indexes
Thanks to Cacarulo for help in selecting the index
set
- Insurance
- 16vT
- 15vT
- 12v2
- 12v3
- 12v4
- 11vA
- 10vA
- 10vT
- 9v2
- 9v7
- 8v5
- 8v6
- A8v5
- A8v6
Surrender
- 15v9
- 15vA
- 8,8vT
- 14vT (includes 7,7vT)
All indexes are the same for double deck or six decks: +2. Another
way of looking at it is using two basic strategies. Use one basic
strategy for running counts up to +1. Then a different strategy for
+2 and above.
Single Deck
Single deck requires adding five additional indexes. However, they
are still all +2.
- 13v2
- 13v3
- 12v5
- 12v6
- A6v2
Suggested Betting Ramps
These tables are bets for each running count. You need to decide your
own unit size and maximum bet and level off your betting at that point.
Note: These schedules require a fairly large bankroll - at least $10,000
for a reasonable risk.
| RC
| <=-4
| -3
| -2
| -1
| 0
| 1
| 2
| 3
| 4
| 5
| 6
|
| Bet
| 5
| 10
| 20
| 25
| 25
| 50
| 50
| 50
| 75
| 75
| 100
|
| RC
| <=-4
| -3
| -2
| -1
| 0
| 1
| 2
| 3
| 4
|
| Bet
| 5
| 10
| 10
| 25
| 25
| 25
| 50
| 50
| 75
|
| RC
| <=-1
| 0
| 1
| 2
| 3
|
| Bet
| 10
| 20
| 25
| 50
| 75
|
| RC
| <=0
| 1
| 2
| 3
|
| Bet
|
15
| 25
| 50
| 75
|
Performance
SCORE is the current standard for comparing Blackjack card counting strategies.
A full description can be found in Blackjack Attack by Don Schlesinger.
Below you will find three charts showing the SCOREs for KO Preferred as
described in the book and reKO. Each chart shows the SCOREs for each system
for all penetrations by the cards behind the cut card. For fairness, all
SCOREs were calculated using optimal betting ramps calculated for each
penetration assuming a betting spread of 1 to 16 for six decks, 1 to 8
for two decks and 1 to 3for single deck. Each simulation is five billion
rounds with four players at six decks and three players at double deck
and single deck. Note: The raw data behind these charts as well as calculated
percentages can be found at reKO Blackjack Tables.
Six Decks Strip Game, No Surrender
The first chart is for six decks, S17, DAS.
The performance of KO and reKO in this chart are so close that the red
line is almost exactly on top of the green line. You can see a hint of
the green line just above the red line at poorer penetrations. At 4.5
deck penetration reKO has 98.8% of the performance of KO. At 5.0 decks
penetration, the percentage is 99.8%
Six Decks Strip Game, Surrender
The second chart is for six decks, S17, DAS, LS.
Again the performance of KO and reKO in this chart are so close that
the red line is almost exactly on top of the green line. KO does better
at extermely high and low penetrations. reKO does better at the more common
penetrations. At 4.5 deck penetration reKO has 100.1% of the performance
of KO. At 5.0 decks penetration, the percentage is 100.3%. Note: The indexes
were improved since this chart was created and REKO now has better results
at higher penetrations.
Two Decks
The third chart is for double deck, S17, DAS.
KO slightly beats reKO. At Wynn's current estimated penetration, reKO
has 99.6% of the performance of KO.
Single Deck
The fourth chart is for single deck, H17.
reKO and KO perform essentially the same. KO has a tiny edge at 26 cards
and reKO pulls ahead at deeper penetrations. Which alas are mostly in
the past. Sims were also run with H17, DAS and a spread of 1-4 with similar
results.
Eight Decks
I didn't bother with an eight deck chart. KO-P outperforms REKO slightly
except at deep penetrations. At 6/8 decks, REKO has 99.0% the performance
of KO-P. At 6.5/8 decks. 99.5%. If you wish to extend REKO, using an index
of -9 for 16vT will result in REKO significantly outperforming KO-P. However,
that goes against the one index theme of REKO.
Again, the raw data behind these charts can be found at reKO
Blackjack Tables.
Betting ramps and Blackjack simulations were created by the CVCX
Blackjack Simulator and Calculator.
Do-it-Yourself Charts
One of the interesting aspects of ReKO is that you can create a set of
strategy charts that look just like Basic Strategy charts and take them
into a casino. Casinos have no problems with BS charts. Since the ReKO
indexes are all +2, you don't need to include numeric indexes. Simply
create a Basic Strategy chart with a mark wherever there should be an
index of +2. I have created a set of charts like this which you can modify
and print. You can add your own title like "John Patrick's Advanced
Strategy" or "Horoscope Weekly." Feel free to change colors
or anything else to further disguise the charts. Three formats are included.
Microsoft Word, RTF (supported by nearly all word processors,) and HTML.Charts
for all combinations of S17/H17, 6D/2D, LS/nSr, H17/S17 and DAS/nDAS are
included. I created these rather quickly, so please send comments/corrections
to [email protected]. Click on an
HTML table to see an example. (Note: The table format and colors are a
blatant rip-off of Ken Smith's BS engine.)
- HTML
- Microsoft Word
- Rich Text Format
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