One of the most well known strategies to be used in blackjack is card counting. This particular method was made famous by the well known MIT card counting team. Card counting is done in order to determine when the player would get an advantage at the table. In most cases the term is used to refer to the method by which the players track the ratio of the high cards to the low cards in blackjack internet and in its derivatives like pontoon and Spanish 21.
The Basics
The basic principle in using card counting is that the high value cards like the aces, tens and the picture cards are good for the player while the lower value cards like 5,6,7 are good for the dealer. In any deck, there is a higher concentration of aces and tens and thus there is a better chance for blackjack in the game. Also, with tens there is a better chance to double in blackjack.
Since the number of tens in the deck is higher, the insurance bet would become profitable. The dealer would have to hit all the stiff hands unlike a player who can make the decision of hitting or standing based on the cards so the lower value cards are good for the dealer. With this, there is a higher chance of the dealer busting.
The Strategy
One of the most widely believed myths in card counting is that the players who want to be card counters would need to have a very good memory and amazing mental abilities. In reality, card counters do not have to track or even memorize specific cards in the deck. They have to assign points to every card which is dealt and have to estimate the value of that card. Also, card counters would need to keep a running count. Plenty of movies in the past have shown card counters keeping track of every card which is not true.
Legal Status
Most blackjack casinos propagate the belief that card counting is illegal in the US. However, card counting is legal if it is done without the help of any device or outside help. The rules of blackjack or the gaming laws have no provisions which state that card counting is illegal. It is an advantage strategy which is not cheating in any manner.
However, casinos try to do everything they can in order to discourage card counters so that they can minimize their losses. In Las Vegas, the casinos are all privately owned properties so they have the right to ban card counters and the owners can decide which players to be allowed in their premises. Ken Uston who was a noted blackjack player and a professional card counter had taken the Atlantic City casinos to court. He had won that case when the court had ruled that casinos are not allowed to bank skilled players. This had been a landmark case which had changed quite a lot of things for card counters. Card counters might be frowned upon at most casinos but it is still legal.