Blackjack Card Counting - What I Really Learned at MIT
To anyone familiar with the world of gambling, the great stories of individuals manipulating situations and scenarios to take the house have become lore. One such story focuses on the expert planning and execution of that plan by a group of talented MIT students.
And if you want a better understanding of the game and why casinos presently set up their tables the way they do, it is highly recommended that you check out the book, Bringing Down the House, by Ben Mezrich. It offers a rich and detailed account of how the system was developed and worked to perfection.
Some novices will suggest counting cards as a method of excellent blackjack play; however, the truth of contemporary play is that it is virtually impossible. Private casinos have strict rules against it and have done everything in their power to dismiss the possibility. Counting 24 aces (4 per deck x 6 deck shuffle) wouldn't be that difficult, but counting them when they are working through a continuous automatic shuffler is next to impossible. Imagine playing with a single deck and shuffling after every hand. All the aces and high value cards are always available. Now, considering this, you can easily keep you eyes on what the table is showing. If you see 2 or 3 on the table, you can deduce that there are several more waiting in that stack of 312 cards. Keep in mind this isn't the standard, or style of play in every casino, but several of them have gone to similar methods. So knowing of the MIT masterminds and how casinos have dealt with resolving the problem of card counting groups, let's take a look at the essence of the MIT strategy and how several groups the house for a ride.
In four man teams, each individual would have a specific and important role to play. The Back Spotter played the role of team wallflower and watched the games and continued counting cards. Always in constant visual communication, this individual would help move his playing teammates in the proper direction. Next, consider the Spotter, who was at a table for decoration and to place modest bets while sharing information and direction with The Gorilla. This individual played with a guerilla style, getting in with enormous bets and getting out when hitting. Constantly taking cues from team mates, the odds always favored him in regards to the cards, which had been expertly counted. Finally, the Big Player would count cards, take cues from team mates and play the big hands.
They were the best at what they did, but ultimately only moved in separate directions, because the money offered them some serious problems. Regardless, this is the paradigm of a card counting group and often how they operate. Is it illegal? There is a fine line in regards to legality, but if a casino has rules against it, then at the very essence, yes. However, doing it on your own, wisely and without flipping the switch of greed, card counting can still be successful in many establishments. So if you are dead set on giving it a try, make it an individual effort.
