About Card Counting Playing Strategies
There exist many published strategies for playing Blackjack. A few of these strategies are based upon thorough mathematical analyses and extensive computer simulation. Most are no better than throwing darts at a chart blindfolded. You must choose a strategy based upon your own study and available time for practice.
"Valid" strategies are divided into two categories: basic and card counting. Basic strategies consist of tables that tell you how to play dependent on the cards that you have versus the up card of the dealer. Card counting strategies are far more complex in that they require you to observe all of the cards as they appear, to track aberrations in the randomness of cards remaining to be dealt, and to bet and play accordingly.
No attempt will be made here to explain card counting. There exist several excellent texts on the subject by the experts in the field. To include a few pages in this document would serve to mislead more than to educate. However, if you do understand one of the strategies included here, CV will track your play against the system and provide practice drills. This section talks to these strategies and drills.
A 24 lesson tutorial in basic strategy and card counting has been included thanks to the Gamemaster. Click on Strategies then Blackjack Tutorial to view it.
The strategy tables are used by CV for the following purposes:
o The point count table for the selected strategy is used in the Counting and Full Table drills.
o The tables are used for the Flashcard Drills.
o The tables are used for the WARNING ON STRATEGY ERROR feature.
o The tables are used for the DISPLAY ERROR RATE feature.
The following card counting strategies are supported:
Ø Basic Strategy - A set of simple tables telling you when to hit, stand, double down, split, insure and Surrender depending on your cards and the dealer up card.
Ø Complete Basic Strategy - Fine tuned tables including modifications based on the Blackjack rules in effect, the number of decks in play and including exceptions to the rules.
Ø Unbalanced Zen 2 - A simple, high-efficiency, two-level count with no true count calculation.
Ø KO - Probably the easiest true card counting strategy.
Ø Expert - A very easy to learn basic card counting system.
Ø Red Seven Count - One of the simpler card counting strategies.
Ø Zen Count - A relatively easy to learn advanced card counting strategy.
Ø Complete Zen Count - A full card counting strategy including modifications for rule variations and decks in play.
Ø Basic Omega II - A relatively easy to learn basic card counting system.
Ø Advanced Omega II - A full card counting strategy including modifications for rule variations and decks in play.
Ø Hi-Opt I - A high efficiency full card counting strategy including modifications for rule variations and decks in play.
Ø Hi-Opt II - A full card counting strategy including modifications for rule variations and decks in play.
Ø Basic High-Low - A relatively easy to learn basic card counting system.
Ø Complete High-Low - A full card counting strategy including modifications for rule variations and decks in play.
Ø Halves - A high efficiency, more difficult variation of Complete High-Low.
Ø High-Low with Aces - The Complete High-Low strategies adjusted for a side count of Aces.
Ø Halves with Aces - The Halves strategies adjusted for a side count of Aces. Very complex.
Ø '94 Basic High-Low - The 1994 (newer) version of High-Low
Ø Silver Fox - Easy to use, effective card counting strategies
Ø KISS - A new set of simple strategies.
Ø Mentor - An advanced two level strategy stepping up from the KISS strategies.
Ø Spanish 21, Super Fun 21 - Complex basic strategies for use with the respective games only.
Ø Hole-Carding and Double-Exposure - Specialty strategies.
Ø User Strategies - You may define additional strategies.
Note: Each of the above is a set of strategies. There can exist up to 16 sets of tables for each strategy set dependent on Blackjack options. Each table set contains 6 tables. Altogether, over 400 tables exist.
You can view the tables for all of the above strategies online. However, you should never attempt to use a Blackjack strategy without first reading the full strategy explanations. The basic, Red Seven and Zen Count strategies are explained in Blackbelt in Blackjack by Arnold Snyder. The Basic Omega II and Advanced Omega II strategies are explained in Blackjack for Blood by Bryce Carlson. The Hi-Opt I and Hi-Opt II strategies are explained in The World's Greatest Blackjack Book by Dr. Lance Humble and Dr. Carl Cooper. The High-Low and Halves strategies are explained in Professional Blackjack by Stanford Wong. The Expert Strategy is explained in Blackjack Your Way to Riches by Richard Canfield. KISS and Mentor can be found in Blackjack Bluebook II by Fred Renzey. The KO strategy is described in Knock-Out Blackjack by Vancura and Fuchs. These strategies have been included with permission of their respective authors. The books can be found in many bookstores or ordered from www.qfit.com/books.htm. Spanish 21, SuperFun 21 and Double-Exposure strategies are described on www.wizardofodds.com.
