Master the True Count Conversion to play flawlessly

A key to increasing your expected value (EV) at the table is to master the basic blackjack strategy chart.
And once you know all the recommended plays, you’ll also want to practice holding the running count because this will dictate when you should increase your bets. Or play at the table’s minimum until the decks warm up. Learn more about the True Count Conversion.

However, another aspect you might want to consider is practicing the true count. Compared to the running count, the true count is far more accurate. Thus, it could mean winning more. Because as you know, when playing blackjack offline or at an online casino, even the slightest edge could affect intake. So, below we’ve got some tips to help you master the true count conversion. With this article, our goal is to give you all the information you might need to become more comfortable making more challenging decisions.

21+ | Terms & Conditions Apply | NJ Residents Only
Betmgm$25 FREE on Signup
100% up to $1.000 on First Deposit
Hotspot Leaderboard
Visit Casino
Review
True Count Conversion

The true count tells you when to deviate from the basic blackjack strategy chart

As an advantage player, your goal is, of course, to beat the casino with card counting. And the basic blackjack strategy chart sure is the first step to take as you embark on a journey to becoming more profitable at a table. The second step is the running count. Yet, it’s the true count that is your most powerful tool as it tells you when to deviate from the blackjack ABC.

Why is that? Well, the running count tells you the ratio between the low and high cards left in the shoe. But it’s the true count that’ll make the biggest difference as it takes into account the number of decks left. In other words, it’s far more precise and handy. Because evidently, you’ll make different decisions if there are 20 high cards left in 7 decks instead of 20 high cards left in 2 decks, right?

Some numbers to visualize the true count compared with the running count

As you understand by now, the true count conversion tells us how rich the shoe is per deck. But let’s visualize how this blackjack strategy is more effective than others you may have learned.

Suppose you’re playing a 6 decks game anywhere in Michigan, New Jersey, West Virginia, or Pennsylvania. And at this point in the game, the equivalent to 1 deck (52 cards) was played. Imagine your running count is 10. By dividing the remaining decks in play (5) with the running count, you’ll get a true count of 2. This means, on average, there are 2 extra high cards per pack of cards. So, it might be best to play at the table minimum because the decks are more favorable to busting than awarding blackjack.

But the conversion is not essential to all games – here are the exceptions

Now, of course, if you are into single or double decks games. Perhaps this is not a strategy you want to focus on. But it’s easy to see how it’s handy for the most advanced players amongst the readers of blackjack.me. To be successful with the true count conversion strategy. First, you’ll need to accurately predict how many decks were played by looking at the discard card tray. This is a skill of its own. Often players look at the space at the top of the discard pile instead of the card themselves to get a better estimation.

What do you need to be good at True Count Conversion?

Essentially, to become excellent, you’ll want to first look at a pile of cards. Then estimate as accurately as possible how many are in. So, you’ll need a good eye for details that can be achieved by spending many hours visualizing card piles of different sizes. And you’ll also need to be quick at dividing. Now, if math is not your strongest subject, don’t worry too much. You can start with complete decks first. Then you can look at more advanced processes such as ½ decks division.
The road to becoming a successful card counter is full of small steps. And this is just one of the pro players take. So, maybe you should too.

21+ | Terms & Conditions Apply | NJ Residents Only
Betmgm$25 FREE on Signup
100% up to $1.000 on First Deposit
Hotspot Leaderboard
Visit Casino
Review
Blackjack