The Myth of Card Counting
Popular culture teaches us that with a little bit of practice we can easily learn to count cards at Blackjack . In order to propagate this myth, we are told that card counting is simple, easy, and mathematically sound. But before you try to teach yourself how to count cards, you need to realize that card counting is actually a highly advanced mathematical skill. Not only do you have to be able to keep track of all the different cards that are in play, you need to be able to do the math quickly and inconspicuously. You also need to remember that blackjack tables are often in busy casinos where there are a lot of different sights and sounds that can be distracting. If you feel that your math skills are up to the task, you are lucky. Card counting is one of the few systems that can actually take away the house edge. If the world was run by pure mathematics, a perfect card counter would walk away from every blackjack table a winner. For those of us in the world who are not ready to master card counting, there are a variety of other sound blackjack strategies that can also prove successful. While they are not as effective as card counting, standardized systems of when to hit and stay have been proven to work well at the tables. Sometimes it is just better to admit that myths do not become realities for everyone.
