Card counting is not illegal, but if casino owners notice that you are counting cards effectively, they can ask you to leave. Card counting takes a lot of concentration and the ability to calculate numbers quickly. The majority of casinos use around six decks in their black jack shoots to make it very difficult to count cards.
The idea behind counting cards is to try and get a good estimate of which cards are going to be coming out of the shoot. Obviously, if you know which cards are likely to be next, you will have a huge advantage. You will never be able to tell exactly what cards are left, but if you count cards correctly, you should have an idea as to whether or not there are many high cards or low cards still in the shoot.
Card Counting for Beginners
There are systems for card counting that make it possible for anyone who can do quick addition to follow. Each card is given a certain point value. The smaller cards, two through five, are worth two points. The middle numbers are worth four and the highest are worth six. This is not exact, but just one way people try to count cards.
As the cards are played, you add up all the numbers that are out according to the point total that you have assigned them. If you are over a certain number, then you can expect that there a lot of high cards. If you are below it, then you should expect many low cards. The point values and standards will have to be altered according to how many decks are being used.
