Ace Five Card Counting

For those blackjack players that want to learn how to count cards, the Ace-Five count is the simplest among the rest of the card counting systems. This strategy is perfect for those informal players that want to get an advantage over the house, and try and get ahead of the casinos. However, this is for those that don’t want to take the casino for all of its worth, simply enjoy playing the game and make a nice profit while doing so. Keeping it simple has the advantage of helping you stay under the radar as a card counter, as the advantage won’t be huge and you will play without having to alter your strategy too much.

The Ace-Five count gets its name due to the fact that the system only takes into account the Aces and Fives in the shoe. This makes it really easy for players, as they will only have to keep track of those cards, instead of all of them. The fact that Aces are very favorable for the player, while the Fives are the worst card a player can get is the reason why this works. Having more Aces in the shoe means that the player has higher odds of getting a blackjack, and Fives can help the dealer get a good hand, especially if they start with bad hand’s of 12 through 16.

How It Works

There is an equal amount of Aces and Fives in each deck of cards, which means there is no need for extra adjustments. This is how the Ace-Five count works:

1. Before beginning, set your betting limits. Your minimum bet can simply be the table minimum, while your maximum bet can be double, or any power of 2; you can set the max to whatever you want. Keep in mind that you should stick to an amount you are comfortable with.
2. At the start of the round, place your minimum bet, and start your count at Zero.
3. Every time you see a Five, add one (+1) to the count.
4. Every time you see an Ace, subtract one (-1) from the count.
5. If the count is equal to or greater than +2, double your previous bet, up to your maximum bet.
6. If the count is equal to or less than (+1), continue placing your minimum bet, as to not call attention to yourself. However, if it is far into the negatives, simply stop playing, wait for the count to rise or find a different table.
7. Employ the basic strategy that you have already learned and mastered.

The Ace-Five count system was designed to be used in six or eight deck shoes, and there are several guidelines that you can follow to ensure getting the best advantage when counting. You can try to pick tables that have the following:

• Four to Eight Deck Shoes.
• Blackjack pays 3-2.
• Dealer stands on Soft 17.
• Double down after splitting is allowed.
• Late surrender is allowed.
• Re-splitting Aces is allowed.
• 75% or more penetration.

You can find these rules easily throughout Las Vegas, however, they may have a higher minimum bet than usual. Try to avoid tables where the dealer hits on soft 17, as it could cost you 0.22%.

Player Advantage

Using the above mentioned rules, as well as using 6 decks and 75% penetration, the player will be able to get certain a certain advantage over the casino.

Even though the player advantage is less than 1%, they will still have an edge over the house, so in the long run, the player will make a profit. The biggest advantage, on top of making a small profit, the player will go under the radar as a card counter as they play any blackjack games.