If card counting in blackjack is just keeping track of high cards vs low, does that mean if I could remember all the different cards used (i.e. how many 5s, how many 7s) I would be really good at blackjack?

Question

This would break online casinos because you could easily do that with electronics. Assuming the casino itself is playing fair.

If you could perfectly keep track of how many of which cards are left in the decks, and everytime make the most mathematically sound bet, would the house still have an edge?

(I assume the correct answer will start off saying I don’t understand how card counting works – fair enough, but what about the basic explanation of it did I misinterpret?)

In: Mathematics

Answer 1

I played low stakes ($2-20) black jack in bars where the dealer usually played 6 out of 7 decks in the shoe, some times even more.
In that situation then yes, counting can really help. You can know that half the remaining cards are suited, for example. That makes it an interesting game. Otherwise it isn’t.

In any real casino including online then no. They shuffle too soon. Some casinos could also object to obvious “counting plays” like sitting out all hands but the last in the shoe over and over again.