Another reason to learn how to play blackjack is entertainment. There are people who play blackjack as a hobby; they use the game as a form of entertainment to occupy their leisure time. Blackjack can be a very challenging game, but like anything else, the best way and usually the only way to improve your skills are to practice. You can improve your skills two ways. First, learn as much about the game as possible. Second, challenge yourself continually. By following these rules, consistent winnings are just around the corner. Some of the benefits of playing blackjack on a regular basis, and learning the strategies, are improving your reasoning and calculating skills. The extra money you make will just be a bonus. That’s not too bad for a hobby.

What’s More Fun, Winning or Losing?

Last but not least, the final reason to step up your blackjack playing abilities is because winning is much more fun than losing. What could be more satisfying than leaving the casino with your pockets full of their money? When you become an expert in blackjack strategies, you will enjoy the feeling of knowing that you beat the casinos at their own game. It will take a lot of hard work and diligence to become a blackjack expert. If you apply yourself, the rewards you receive will outweigh your efforts to learn tenfold.

The basic concept of blackjack counting is that a deck filled with 10s and aces will be to your advantage. While the deck of the dealer is filled with smaller cards but is to the dealer’s advantage. Simply put, when the deck is in your favor bet to the maximum, when it’s with the dealer’s bet minimum.

This is because a deck filled with 10 increases the chance of the dealer getting bust. You on the other hand can just opt to stand. In an opposite manner, a deck filled with smaller cards makes the dealers chance to bust less. If you know the deck is filled with 10s or smaller cards, this can give you the advantage of knowing what strategy to use.

The dealer must then always hit until having a soft 17. To hit with a hand of 10 & 6 and knowing the deck is filled with 10s is a bad idea.

If the deck is filled with aces, there is high chance that you’ll hit blackjack. When the player has blackjack, the pay off odds are 3:2. The dealer will only win on the other hand if he also gets a blackjack. That’s why a deck filled with aces is always to the player’s advantage.

Blackjack counting is not done by memorizing each card that has come out of a 6 deck shoe of cards. If you are able to do that, I’d be in awe: you should be in the world records book or maybe even the loony bin.

Blackjack card counting is done by assigning the different card numbers with different point values. Always remember to pick a system that is easy to remember. This will cause fewer mistakes and you will lose less money.

As stated above, you will assign a point value for each card and you will have to add the value of the cards that have come out. This is called the running count. Based on the plus/minus strategy, here are the values assigned.

2, 3,4,5,6 = +1;
7, 8, 9 = 0;
10, J, Q, K, Ace = -1

To illustrate this more clearly:
The first card dealt is an ace, so we start by having -1. Then 6 is the next card dealt so we add 1. This makes the run count back to zero. Then a 3 and 4 follows, making the run count now 2.