With a negative count (minimum bet), the AP will adjust his play from basic strategy by: With a high true count (larger bet), the AP will adjust his play from basic strategy by: Blackjack Switch, Spanish 21), the true count also serves a strategic purpose: the AP has mid-hand decisions to make (stand, hit, double, split, surrender) that vary based on the true count. This is known as using the “ Kelly Criterion.”įor blackjack and its variants (e.g. A secondary purpose for the underfunded AP is to use the true count to help him determine the size of his wager.

If the true count exceeds the trigger count, the AP makes the wager otherwise he sits on his hands. For games where no strategic decisions are made after the cards are dealt (like baccarat and side bets), the main purpose of the true count is to decide whether a wager should be placed.

The two most challenging tasks for a card counter are to keep a running count as the cards are dealt and to convert the running count to a true count at the start of each round. – Webster’s New World College Dictionary ©, 1996 Illustrious: (1) clear, conspicuous, distinguished (2) famous, eminent, outstanding.