What counting method do you use and/or prefer? Any thoughts on why you use that one over others?
I'm currently learning KO. The only reason is because it appears to be highly rated versus the easy of use. With no experience in this field I may be incorrect though.
KO is surprisingly strong considering its simplicity. However, whether it is the best system for you to learn depends on several factors. They are how much you intend to bet, what type of games you plan on playing, and how many hours you expect to play per year.
The typical scenario of limited hours, smaller stakes and mostly shoe games would point one to the KO or HI-Lo counts. However, if you are thinking about becoming a big hitter or making it your vocation rather than a recreation, you should consider a level 2 count like the Zen. And if you expect to play a lot of handheld games, then you definitely should look into multi-parameter counts like HI-OPT II or Carlson's Omega 2 count.
The gain for an ace-neutralized count can be considerable in the better games with deep penetration. A good compromise for most players is to play HI-OPT I in handheld games and HI-LO in shoe games. It is fairly easy to go back and forth between the two.
But again, if you are only playing 6 or 8 deck with unexceptional penetration or special rules, learning only the KO or HI-LO is more than adequate for most situations.
I used to use KO with all of the Full Preferred indices.
I now use Hi-Lo Lite.
I recommend KO if you're sure that you will always be a casual player. If you do your homework, and find good games, you can relax, develop a good act, and play with an advantage.
If you think that you might become more serious and pursue team play, shuffle tracking, or certain other advantage techniques, I recommend Hi-Lo since a balanced count is a prerequisite for many techniques and Hi-Lo is the industry standard for teams. For some teams, Hi-Lo is a requirement.
I like the fact that all the + cards get represented in the count, and that the A is recognized separately. Being more aware of the 4 5 and A cards also helps you IMO to make some play decisions in one deck games at times. It is as powerful as the UAPC, but easier to master. I have been told that I work harder, not smarter for using this count instead of the Zen which includes the A in the main count. I'm so used to it I don't think of switching to anything else now. While playing 6 8 decks the A density does little for you, but I am usually trying to track them at that point. If they seem to be evenly distributed I don't bother doing the A density. If I see a whack of A's in an area I will calc the A richness for that area, unless I think I can sequence them. I think the HOII has made me more aware of the other oppties available, and that in itself is another reason I am so faithful to it. Heck, it's been faithful to me too.
I also use hiopt2, but always side count aces, even in shoe games, since they affect the betting count so strongly. In SD games, the side of aces is valuable for some playing efficiency. When I started playing with teams, about ten years ago, I also learned HiLo, for use in shoe games, as Titanium says above, but for SD and DD games, HiOpt2 is the most efficient. PV
In shoe games of 6 decks with 1 to 1 1/2 decks cut off.I use a high/low count of 2 thru 6 for + and 10,J,Q,K,A for -. My friend and sometimes playing partner also uses high/low count of 3 thru 6 and 10,J,Q,K. He says he will not count the A because it has less significance since it can be counted as one. Which is correct in this situation to count or not count the A?
The primary reason for counting cards is to determine the advantage situation, in that respect the ace is very important even more important than the ten.
The count your friend uses is known as Hi-opt-1 and is inappropriate for shoe games.It becomes only acceptable with a side count of aces.
Francis Salmon
is right. He needs to know A density or he is wasting his time. Get down to 1 deck and it has 4 extra A. The count is TC0 then you add the Aces and bet +4. Dealer 8 up. You get 9,A and sit tight. No one else has BJ so now the A is a low card. DD?
Q: How many extra A's would it take to make the 9,A a DD play? grin
is very important to count for betting purposes. But less important for Playing Efficiency. The count I use does not count the Ace, but I keep a side count of aces to determine if the remaining cards to be dealt are ace rich or ace poor. For every extra ace per deck I add +2 to the count for betting purposes only. After the bet is made I go back to the original count for playing purposes.
