Blackjack Side Counts

For more advanced players, there are many types of Blackjack side counts including: Ace side count for betting, Ace side count for playing, Insurance side count, Betting side count, Multi-parameter side count and side bet side counts. You can configure multiple side counts at once. You can also use Counting by Inference tables at the same time. (For a list of casino card counting strategies see Blackjack Card Counting) The following describes each method:

Ace Side Count for Betting Purposes

This method is only valid with Ace neutral strategies (e.g. Hi-Opt I, Hi-Opt II, Omega II, Uston APC, DHM, Expert and Revere Advanced Plus-Minus.) If you are using any of these systems, the true count is quite accurate for strategy purposes, but less accurate for betting purposes. To correct this use the following procedure:

• Calculate the number of excess Aces (may be negative) in the remaining cards
• Multiply the number of excess Aces by the absolute value of the point count value assigned by the current strategy to Ten-value cards (usually one or two)
• Temporarily add the result to the running count
• Recalculate the true count for betting purposes only

Ace Side Count for Playing Purposes

This method is only valid with Ace-reckoned strategies (e.g. High-Low, Halves, Red Seven, Zen Count, and Revere Point Count.) Note: using an Ace SC for one of these strategies requires a different set of strategy tables. Few people use this technique these days. If you are using any of these systems, the true count is quite accurate for betting purposes, but less accurate for playing purposes. To correct this, use the following procedure:

• Calculate the number of excess Aces (may be negative) in the remaining cards
• Multiply the number of excess Aces by the absolute value of the point count value assigned by the current strategy to Ten-value cards (normally one or two)
• Temporarily subtract the result from the running count
• Recalculate the true count for strategy decision purposes only
• If this is an Insurance decision, temporarily subtract double the result from the running count
• Recalculate the true count for Insurance purposes only

Ten Side Count for Insurance Purposes

A perfect side count for Insurance purposes would count Tens as -9 and all other cards as +4. But, I know of no one that uses this. A simpler method is to use an unbalanced count found in the 1981 version of Wong's Professional Blackjack. Here, Tens are counted as -2 and all other cards as +1. Insure if the count is greater than four times the number of decks. The Ten count can also be used for the Bust Out bet if you can find that rule anywhere.

Betting Side Counts

For greater efficiency, some people use different count values for playing decisions and betting. This is not common. With CVBJ or CVData, a table is used to set the side counts needed to change the playing count to the betting count. For example, if you use Hi-Opt I for playing and Hi-Lo for betting, set Ace's to -1 and Two's to +1. This is the difference between the two strategies. To use this technique, you must keep your primary count and this separate count. For betting purposes, temporarily add the two counts running counts together and calculate the true count.

Multi-Parameter Side Counts

MP tables are normally used to improve playing efficiency by including the effect of the cards counted as zero. For example, in Hi-Opt II, 8, 9 and Ace are counted as zero. The following occurs:

• Calculate the number of excess eights (may be negative) in the remaining cards
• Multiply this number by the index value in the multi-parameter table for the current hand.
• Temporarily subtract this from the running count
• Recalculate the true count according to the current strategy's instructions for playing purposes only.

Example: Suppose you have 9 vs. 2. The deck has two excess eights. The Hi-Opt II MP index for 9v2 with a side count of eights is 2. Multiply that 2 by the 2 excess eights. You now temporarily reduce your RC by 4 making it less likely that you will double. This makes sense since the excess eights make it easier for the dealer to get a 20. This would have been missed by the normal Hi-Opt II count since it ignores eights.

Side Bet Side Counts

Specialty counts include: Over/Under 13, Lucky Ladies, Royal Match and Red/Black. These counts can be used to determine when it is advantageous to make these side bets.

For info on setting up these strategies, see Blackjack Side Count Setup.