Does anyone have any tips for estimating the number of cards dealt in a single deck game? If you're sitting at a full table with only 2 rounds, the discard tray will only have cards from the first round. Any tips besides counting every card as it's dealt?
In Professional Blackjack it is estimated that every hand of blackjack uses an average of 2.6 cards, including the dealer. You could always multiply the number of hands by 2.6. For example, If it's a 5 spot table, you'd multiply 2.6 X 6 for a rough estimate.
1. In your example, you said if it's a 5 spot table to multiply 2.6 by 6. Are you including the dealer as a player? I'm assuming you are.
2. If there are 3 or 4 rounds, do you keep multiplying the # of players by 2.6?
ex. Let's say there're 3 players. Round 1 2.6 x 3= 7.8 (meaning roughly 8 cards have been dealt)
Round 2. If I do the same thing, multiply 2.6 by 3 =7.8 (8) do I now add 8 to the previous 8 meaning 16 cards have now been dealt?
3. If a player leaves the table, do I now multiply the new number of players by 2.6?
Can you explain it in detail?
Thanks.
I had someone test me for about 45 minutes on estimating how many cards were discarded. I was never off more than four cards.
I believe experience of estimating will be cause for most perfection.
Every hand times 2.6 - dealer included.....
I was going through one of my blackjack books earlier today and I came across this chart to determine how many cards have been dealt in a single deck game. The book advises that you multiply by 2.7
The #'s at the far left of the page are the # of players. The #'s on top going across the page are the # of rounds. Disregard the dashes. I can't get my computer to space correctly.
-------R1-----R2-----R3-----R4-----R5-----R6-----R7
P1----5.4----10.8---16.2---21.6----27----32.4---37.8
P2----8.1----16.2---24.3---32.4---40.5---48.6
P3---10.8----21.6---32.4---43.2
P4---13.5----27-----40.5
P5---16.2----32.4---48.6
P6---18.9----37.8
P7---21.6----43.2
Do these #'s look just about right?
The chart for the number of cards dealt based on the number of players and what round you are in is great. I used that to estimate the multiplication factor for the running count to true cound conversion.
For example, for a two handed game( 3 including dealer), you should get at least 4 hands (rule of 6.
You need to estimate you running count multiplier to calculate
the true count. Assuming 2.7 cards per hand, this would be
52/(52-((round-1) * (2.7) * #hands).
I also keep a side count of aces. For AOII system I adjust true count by 2 for every extra ace. I use the following table for single deck with 2 hands.
Round True count 0-Ace 1-Ace 2-Ace 3-Ace 4-Ace
multiplier
estimate
2 1.2 1 -1 -3 -5 -7
3 1.5 3 1 -2 -5 -8
4 1.8 7 3 0 -4 -8
For exampe if we have seen 2 rounds, we are on round 3.
if the running count is 4 and we have seen 2 aces, the true cound would running count * multipier +/- ace adjustment = 4 * 1.5 -2 = 6-2= 4.
Some simplifications I use with the above table are:
1. Round 4 true count multiplier is just less then 2. So multiply by 2 and subtract 1
2. When 3 Aces have been seen, I always use -5
3. When 4 Aces have been seen, I alays use -8.
Using the average card consumption to determine the actual number of cards dealt is not only more complicated but also less precise than simply estimating the discards. In a round with five players the real card consumption can vary from a quarter deck to a half deck.
I also think that the average card consumption per hand is rather 2.8 than 2.6.
Francis Salmon
argue with you over .2 cards. 2.6 cards per hand is what's stated in the blackjack literature multiple times, including Wong's Professional Blackjack. Believe what you want.
It's not worth the effort because it's not as precise as estimating. That is if you are at all decent at estimating the discards.
In my experience, #4 Chips at most Casinos, plus 4 Cards ='s the same depth as one SD.
Or, #1 Chip is M/L 1/4th Deck (if you add one card).
My Scientific Method:
1. I took a 52-Card deck of Bicycle Cards and placed it to the Right.
2. I took #4-Greens, stacked Vertically, and placed it to the Immediate Left.
3. I then SLID cards from Right to Left, until BOTH stacks were even/level.....Stack #1 has 4 chips and 4 cards, and Stack #2 has 48 Cards.
4. Then, to confirm same, I Counted out 13 cards, and placed these next to One common chip, and found that "One-slid-over" M/L is even....i.e., One Chip = 12 Cards.
Certainly, above is only valid for stores that use common chips.
Hope this helps.
ph.007
