Winners and Losers
Are you a winning player or a losing player?
Do you want to improve your game? Good Blackjack players use mathematics to
minimize loss and maximize winnings. If you don't know when to Hit or when to Stand and the reasons why, you need the
Good Players Card.
We've analyzed the game, calculated the math, ran the odds on millions of hands in computer simulations and now we are able to provide you with a small card that shows you exactly when to hit, when to stand, when to split, and when to double down.
Put this card in your wallet or purse and take it with you every time you play Blackjack. Keep it at the table and play the smart and winning way! You don't have to hide the card. It is allowed in every Las Vegas casino. There's no need to count cards, since the Good Players Card shows you exactly what to do and when.
Counting Cards
Is counting cards illegal?
Although counting cards is discouraged when using the Good Players Card, here's a simple tutorial of how to count cards. Remember, if you are suspected of card-counting, the casino will ask you to leave and may even ban you from ever coming back into the casino (Casinos use the term 86'd when a person is banned from the casino's property). When you are 86'd, you could be arrested and charged with trespassing when you are on the casino's property, including restaurants, night clubs, and even the parking lot. Also keep in mind that many casinos are owned by one campany. For example, MGM International owns and operates the MGM Grand, Luxor, Excalibur, Bellagio, New York New York, Vdara, Aria, Mirage, Madalay Bay, Monte Carlo, Circus Circus, and others. If you get 86'd from one casino, you may be banned from ALL of their properties.
Card counting is easy to do, almost anyone can master it. But it is difficult to get away with.
The basic strategy of counting cards is to give a -1 value to all high cards (10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace) and a +1 value to all low cards (2, 3, 4, 5, 6). Middle cards (7, 8, 9) are not counted and are of 0 value.
When the dealer shuffles the deck, start your count at 0. When you see a low card, add 1 to your current count. When you see a high card, subtract 1 from your count. You must count every card that is dealt. This includes your cards, the dealer's cards, and the other players' cards. At the end of each hand
the dealer will flip over each player's cards. You must quickly count those cards as they are turned over.
The deck is considered hot when your count is a high positive number. You should increase your bet when the deck is hot. When the deck is COLD (a negative count), you should bet the table minimum. This is called the Progressive System because you are progressively increasing or decreasing your bets based on the current count.
You may have heard reference to this system in the movie "21". There are other card counting systems, but they are much more complex and not everyone can do it.
Casinos can spot card counters quite easily.
If the casino isn't quite sure that you are counting cards, they may ask for your player's card or ID. This is one way to find out who you are and keep an eye on you.
When you change your bet from the table minimum to a larger wager, the dealer will call out to the pit boss when a large wager is made. The casino will probably monitor your play with security cameras for a short time.
Surveillance personnel will start counting the cards at the same time as you. You may even notice that the pit boss is on the phone, probably speaking with surveillance personnel.
If the deck is hot and you increase your bet, the casino will know for sure that you are counting. And they already have your name and photograph.
Casinos consider counting cards as "cheating" although it is legal. It can, however, get you kicked out of a casino if you are caught.
