Using the tables

Look at the last table, Surrender, at the cell for 15 against a player 9. You will see H~. H indicates that you hit with this hand. The tilde (~) indicates that it is one of the REKO variations. That means that when the count is +2 or higher, you surrender instead of hit. In the next-to-last chart, Hard Totals, in the cell for 12 versus a dealer 2, you will see H~. That indicates that you should hit unless the count is +2 or higher, in which case you should stand. And so it goes with all of the cells marked with a tilde.

How to Count

In a casino, most people wait until the second card is dealt to every hand and count the cards in pairs. This is much faster and allows you to cancel out hands with one high and one low card. For example, a ten and a six would count as -1 and +1. By counting as a pair of cards, they count as 0 and no change to the count is needed. After counting the first two cards in each hand in pairs, you then continue to count each card thereafter one at a time. Once you become experienced, you will be able to sweep your eyes quickly over the table and count the cards without looking like you are studying other players’ hands.

Customizing REKO

Many people do not like counting negative numbers. There is no magic in the Initial Running Counts. For example, you can change the IRC for six decks from -20 to 0 to avoid most negatives. Just remember to adjust the number at which you make strategy changes from +2 to +22. Insurance would be taken at +22 and all betting strategies would have to be adjusted by +20. When using Casino Vérité Blackjack software, on Strategies-Playing Strategies Complex, use the Force Initial RC option to adjust the strategy.

Summary

You have now read a description of the basics of card counting. However, there is much more to learn to become a proficient counter. A better understanding of risks, expectations, myths, avoiding casino “heat,” and the advantages of different games is all-important. These will be discussed in the remaining chapters.

 © 2009 Norman Wattenberger