How To Practice Counting Cards
It is possible to consistently make money from playing blackjack if you're able to count cards. Casinos don't like card counting, and they do everything they can to prevent it, but it's not illegal. You can have some success if you're able to count cards without a casino noticing that you are doing it.
Card counting is not an easy skill to master though. You have to be very good at keeping track of the cards that have been dealt, which is a lot harder than it might sound. It is possible, but it's probably true to say that only a small percentage of people that try it are successful.
In addition to avoiding detection, to make money from card counting you have to be able to maintain an accurate count at all times. The key to achieving this is practice – and lots of it. In this article we have provided some tips for the best ways to practice your card counting skills.
Play for Free Online
A lot of online casinos have a "play for free" option. This enables you to play their games, including blackjack, without having to risk any of your own money. By using an online casino, you can easily practice your card counting skills online for free.
Of course, the way blackjack works online is very different to how it works in a real casino. The cards are dealt using a random number generator, rather than an actual deck of cards, meaning that each card dealt is entirely independent of what has been dealt before. A ten is no more or less likely to be dealt, regardless of what cards have previously been seen.
Card counting in these circumstances is therefore effectively pointless. However, practicing in this way can still serve a purpose. Just getting used to adjusting the count based on the cards being dealt is beneficial, even if the count itself doesn't actually mean anything.
Use Simulation Software
There are several pieces of software available that simulate playing blackjack. You have to pay for some of the better ones, but there are plenty available for free too. Using these simulations is not too much of a different experience to playing for free at an online casino, but they do tend to have a few extra tools and features to help.
For example, you may be able to adjust the speed of the deal and the number of hands being dealt. This enables you start with relatively easy settings while you get used to counting, and increase the difficulty over time as you improve your skills. The software will usually keep a track of the count too, so you can check how accurate you are. This is not something you can do when playing at an online casino.
Play with Friends
If you have any friends that enjoy playing blackjack, you can get some practice in by playing with them. This will enable you to get used to keeping a count while actually playing with real people, without the stress of doing it in a casino. You don't have to tell them that you are counting, so it's also a good way to see if you can count without anyone noticing. It's worth noting, though, that your friends are unlikely to be as good at spotting a counter as casino staff will be.
Watch the Tables
Simply watching a live game in a casino is a good way to practice your card counting skills. You can get used to keeping a count in the right environment, with everything that is going on around you, without having to worry about actually playing. You don't have to worry about appearing suspicious either, as it's perfectly normal for blackjack tables to attract spectators.
Do it For Real
The single best way to practice your card counting skills is to play for real. Although the methods mentioned above all have their merits, nothing is quite the same as playing for money while trying to keep a count. You have to concentrate on everything that comes with actually playing the game, block out any distractions that may be going on around you, and also make sure that you are not drawing undue attention to yourself.
Casinos can be quite noisy places at times, and it's quite normal for some of your fellow players to try to talk to you. It can be hard to deal with this while also trying to appear natural, play the right way, and maintain an accurate count. You have to be able to cope with these challenging circumstances if you are serious about making money from card counting though.
If you can master keeping a count in a real casino, playing for real money, then you may just have what it takes to be a successful blackjack player. Bear in mind, though, that it's a good idea to play for low stakes while you are still learning. You will probably make some mistakes along the way, and you don't want to risk too much of your bankroll until you have got your skills to a suitable level.
