In Blackjack, low cards favor the dealer, while high cards favor you, the player. This is because the dealer relies on the low cards to make the necessary winning totals on his or her hand when he or she is 'stiff' (has a 12, 13, 14, 15, or 16 on the first two cards dealt) - a dealer must hit on such a hand when playing casino blackjack, while a player may stay on such a hand, all depending on the player's calculation of the number of high (and low) cards that have already been dealt. High cards will not only bust the dealer when they become stiff, but tens and aces add up to 21.

Card counting has been proven to work and work very well for those who are involved with the right blackjack strategy and card counting systems. Quite simply put, card counting is a method for legally beating the casinos by the player keeping track of the most favorable cards to both him or herself, other involved players, and the dealer. By keeping a running tally of the cards already played, a card counting player basically knows when and when not to bet on their current hand. And it's all legal.

To many, card counting may seem like a skill only acquired by the most mathematically savvy. That couldn't be farther from the truth. The simplest method to counting cards is not by counting each, individual card, but by giving a value to each hand played by the other players at your table, yourself, and the dealer. One popular method of card counting claims that '80% of the hands you play will be in the '+6 to -6' range', leaving very few counts to lead you into negative numbers. You can easily begin to learn this skill with computer software, and/or with the help of a genuine professional blackjack website.

Before you head out to the casinos with a pocket filled with your family's nest egg and a head full of dreams, you will need to practice this newly acquired skill. A deck of ordinary playing cards, three imaginary friends as players and yourself acting as the dealer, you can begin to practice card counting as you have learned. This way, you are getting as authentic feel to the way the cards will land while being able to count any hand that appears at the real tables. Counting split hands as well as your speed will all come in time.

Card counting is only one part of playing a winning hand of blackjack, for the basic strategy is the foundation for you to build upon. Beginning with the same fundamentals and basic winning approaches used by the pros of the game will surely set you off in the winning direction.