For many years, OKBet has remembered that, on the other hand, online baccarat can be considered a game known for its independent trials. In simpler terms, analyzing past results in the card shoe does not provide any advantage. However, while studying the patterns of banker and player wins may not help, card-counting can offer a small advantage, especially when trying it out while playing baccarat online for free.
How Does Card Counting Work?
Players primarily use card-counting in online blackjack to gain an advantage against the casino. The process requires players to observe the cards dealt from the shoe to determine when the odds shift in their favor. This enables them to increase their bets and improve their chances of winning more hands.
In blackjack, high-value cards such as face cards (tens, jacks, queens, and kings) are beneficial for players, whereas low-value cards like twos and threes are advantageous for the dealer. The ratio of high-value to low-value cards in the deck starts out balanced, but it changes as cards are drawn. In the early rounds, if the dealer deals more low-value cards, the remaining cards in the shoe will have a higher proportion of high-value cards. At this point, a card counter starts placing larger bets because their chances of getting a blackjack (typically paying 3:2 odds) are better.
Dr. Ed Thorp is a significant figure in the history of card counting. He developed the first well-known and mathematical card-counting method in the 1960s, known as the “10 Count System.” It was a simple system: starting with a mental count of zero and assigning +4 for low-value cards and -9 for high-value cards. As the count increases, players increase their bets, and if it reaches zero or becomes negative, they decrease their bets.
However, Thorp’s system is limited to single-deck blackjack games, which are rarely found in modern casinos. Nonetheless, Thorp’s work inspired other mathematicians and blackjack experts to create various card-counting systems. Thorp himself devised the “Hi-Lo Count,” which remains one of the best card-counting systems that beginners can learn and use.
Basic Online Baccarat Card Counting
Card-counting in online baccarat is not as straightforward as in blackjack. In blackjack, players aim to spot low-value cards coming out and retain high-value ones, but in online baccarat, it’s less clear which cards are advantageous.
In online baccarat, a “natural” is a hand consisting of two cards totaling 9, but there’s no special payout for this, reducing the rewards for predicting when a natural will come out. Dr. Ed Thorp, a renowned figure in betting strategy, stated that even with perfect card-counting methods, online baccarat doesn’t offer good conditions for players. He asserted that there’s no practical way to win at online baccarat in Nevada, even with a computer playing perfectly.
Others agree with Thorp’s view. In the book “The Theory of Blackjack,” Peter Griffin explained that even the best card-counters in baccarat in Atlantic City (with more relaxed penetration than Las Vegas) only made around $0.70 per hour, requiring substantial bets amounting to $1,000 on favorable hands.
While it’s possible to track the value of cards in baccarat since they come from a shoe, counting cards has less impact in baccarat compared to blackjack. However, Thorp and Griffin explored card-counting strategies in baccarat, and some systems were established, which we’ll discuss in this article.
How to Card Count in Online Baccarat?
The goal of card counting in online baccarat is to determine when the banker or player has a better chance of winning without considering the tie bet. Before starting the counting process, it’s essential to find a table with a 6 or 8-deck shoe. Beginning with a shoe allows you to track the cards from the start and gather more information.
Card counting in baccarat is relatively simple and doesn’t require remembering specific cards. Instead, simple arithmetic is sufficient. At the beginning of the shoe, you start with a count of 0. Every time you see an ace, two, or three from the shoe, you add one to the count. When dealing a four, add two to the count. These cards indicate a higher likelihood of favoring the player’s bet. On the other hand, when cards five, seven, or eight are dealt, this lowers the chance of the player’s bet winning, so you subtract one each time they appear. Furthermore, deduct two points when a six is dealt. The remaining cards (9, 10, J, Q, and K) do not change the count, so they’re considered zero value.
The system works on the principle that as the count increases, you’re more inclined to place a bet on the player position, while as the count decreases, you’re more inclined to favor the banker position. Using this system, you maintain a running count in your mind, but to know the true count, you need to divide this count by the number of remaining decks in the shoe. For example, if your running count is 30, and there are six decks remaining, the true count is 5, which is relatively low. However, if there are only two decks left and the running count is 30, the true count of 15 is considered high. When the true count reaches 16 or higher, it’s better to switch to the player’s bet.
Conclusion
Despite the simplicity of card counting in online baccarat, it has limitations and isn’t always effective. While it can provide a small advantage to players, it’s not as powerful as card counting in blackjack. Ultimately, baccarat remains a game of luck, and card counting isn’t a guaranteed way to win big. Understanding the rules and employing the right strategy when playing baccarat online is still crucial to improving your chances of winning.
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