Counting cards in blackjack requires a combination of skill, luck, and strategy. You need to memorize a system to the point where you can use it automatically and without thinking. Card counting, however, involves more than just expertise.
Plus, you’ll need a favorable playing field with plenty of deck penetration. A lot of would-be card counters know they need to learn and practice a certain method. But some of those same players don’t know anything about deck penetration, which is a major consideration.
You should read up on deck penetration if you’re into card counting but aren’t acquainted with it. The following tutorial elucidates the significance of this idea. So everything you need to know about deck penetration when counting cards are in this article.
The Principles of Deck Penetration
How far into the shoe a dealer travels before shuffling is referred to as “deck penetration.” For instance, if a dealer uses six of eight decks, they are enabling 75% penetration. A larger percentage gives you a better chance of winning as a counter.
Card counting is a strategy used in live blackjack to determine whether or not there is a high concentration of aces and 10-value cards in the shoe. Having more aces and tens guarantees two things:
- A natural blackjack is more likely to occur.
- When the dealer is striking a soft 17, the house edge shifts in the player’s favor.
Having more tens and aces in the shoe is indicated by a positive count. At this stage, it’s time to increase your bets and start making some money. A favorable tally isn’t the sole factor, however. The quantity of deck penetration is another factor to consider.
If your count has a higher penetration, you may be more sure of your results. An example is as follows:
- You’re playing a 6-deck game.
- When five decks are used, you have a count of +5.
- You have worn out more than 83% of the shoe’s sole (5/6).
- Now that you have additional information, you may confidently raise your bets.
Casinos have different shoe-shuffle times. Some casinos allow 60% deck penetration, while others allow 80%. Aim for 75% penetration. Skilled counters generally benefit from this proportion.
The Table Rules Are Also Important
Your chances of winning at any one table are also heavily influenced by the specific regulations that govern that table. In a nutshell, a higher probability of profit may be achieved by adopting regulations that are favorable to players.
- The Natural Blackjack Payout. Most important is the natural blackjack payoff. 3:2 payouts have 1.39% higher RTPs than 6:5 payouts. Don’t play at 6:5 natural tables.
- The Totals that You Can Double Down On. Also include double-down totals. A table that allows you to double down on any total increases RTP by 0.25% compared to one that only lets you double on 9–11.
- The Number of Decks. Decks also affect payback. Single-deck games had 0.47% higher RTP than six-deck games.
After reading this, you may avoid tables with less than 70% deck penetration. But favorable regulations may offset this lower number. This game is lucrative with 60%–70% penetration:
- You’ve chosen a table with natural payouts of 3:2.
- There are also some nice house rules, such as being able to double down on any hand total and re-splitting up to four times.
- The theoretical payout percentage of this game is 99.54%.
- There has a 65% deck penetration.
- However, there is still a good probability of coming out ahead in this game.
You should look for a table that combines strong rules with deep penetration. However, even without deeper deck penetration, having solid practices in place might be enough to make card counting a profitable endeavor.
Don’t Expect to Find the Perfect Game
Your best bet is to choose a blackjack table that has all three of the following features:
- Proper deck penetration;
- The rule of law;
- There is little likelihood of being rebuffed.
Unfortunately, few games have this exact blend. Today, few casinos provide 80% penetration, 99.5% RTP, and no pit boss heat. You must learn which games are best. 75% deck penetration, 99.0% RTP, and low heat defeated a table.
A game with 85% penetration and 98.0% RTP is not worthwhile. A table with 80% deck penetration, 99.5% RTP, and pit loss heat are also unsuitable. Counting will likely get you ejected by the pit manager. Look for tables realistically.
You might still think of live dealer casinos like Ekbet.casino if they allow up to fifty percent of the decks to be played at once and don’t enforce rules against wonging in.
Final Words
Deck penetration is required for card counting profitability. This idea greatly boosts long-term profitability. Concentrate on casinos that allow for 75% penetration. You may still make money in a casino with 65%-70% penetration and strict rules.
On the other side, you should avoid any games with little penetration and poor regulations. By any measure, these tables are unbeatable.
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