cyph
Trusted Member
Simply stated, multiply all running counts by .2 to get the true count for the first 2Vi decks played. For any running count near the middle of the shoe, about three decks played, multiply all running counts by i3. After 3 Vi decks, multiply by .4, and after 4 decks, multiply by .5. As you get very close to the cutcard, multiply by .6.
Note that multiplying by .5 is the same as cutting a number in half, so a running count of+15 times .5 gets a +7.5 true count. Also, these conversion factors are in tenths, so a running count of +6 times a .4 is not 24, but 2.4, although you still multiply 4 x 6 to get 24, and then instantly make the adjustment by taking 10% of your answer, or moving the decimal point one space to the left.
It cant get any easier than this, as we’ve eliminated all division and all fractions. To work with true counts, you only need to multiply the running count by a few single digit numbers, and most of the time you’re multiplying by 2. Now that you know how conversion factors are derived, you can work them out for any game with any precision desired, such as every quarter-deck, every half-deck, and so on.
All it takes is a few minutes to work out the conversion factors for your games. Round these factors off to simple, single-digit numbers (the game factors), commit a handful to memory, and the rest is easy.
Pivot
Unbalanced counts use a different methodology for taking the number of remaining decks into consideration. Its called a 'pivot'. There is no true count in the traditional sense, hence the primary reason for the popularity of unbalanced counts.
Using a Ten-Count in a single deck, all non-tens are counted as +1 for a total of +36; ten-values are counted as -2 for a total of 16 x -2 = -32. With these systems, the count will always end on +4. This