Casing the Deck in Blackjack

Casing the deck in blackjack means a whole lot - a method or so being defined fundamentally, but gives the player a perspective of the game itself.

The crux of this method is in realizing that one-third of the deck, minus the aces, are 10's. If the cards are observed in groups of three, then one out of every three cards should be a 10.

Instead of counting the 10's as they are played, the p[layer should keep a running proportion in the following way:

If there are no 10's showing out of three cards dealt, the count is one plus - the one plus meaning one extra 10 left in the deck in proportion to the remainder of the deck.

If there are two 10's in the next group of three, the count is one minus - the one minus meaning one less 10 remaining in proportion to the rest of the deck.

As each group of three cards is turned up, a running count is kept. Aces are counted separately and are not included in the sets of three.

Follow the sets of three here and keep count as shown in parenthesis: three, jack, five (even); nine, two, seven (one plus); eight, five, six (two plus); K, 10, Q (even); eight, ace, Q, K (one ace and one minus); two, nine, six (even); Ace, K, seven, four (two aces and even); four, two, five (one plus); three, seven, two (two plus); four, Q, six (two plus); eight, seven, K (two plus); and nine, three, ace, J (three aces and two plus).

In the first group of three cards, there was one 10, the jack, so the count is even. In the next group of three cards, there were no 10's, so a one plus indicates an overbalance of 10's in the deck.

The next group is also without a 10, so the overbalance of 10 is increased to two plus. The next group has three 10's, so the extra 10's out of three cards take away the two plus, and the count is back at even.

In the next group, the ace is counted separately and the extra 10 out of the three cards, not counting the ace, leaves an underbalance of 10's, indicated by the one minus.

In order to gain full benefit from casing - try to keep track of the cards as soon as they are exposed.

The first three cards will be the dealer's up card as soon as they are exposed. The first three cards will be the dealer's up card and your own hand; then as the dealer hits the players, keep count of every three hits. The next cards will be the dealer's hole card and hits.

Then each player's hand is opened and picked up by the dealer. When the dealer has dealt all the cards from the deck, he shuffles the discards and continues dealing.

Sometimes he will have dealt all the cards before the hand has been completed; at other times, after the hand has been dealt.