Card counting may be the most popular advantage play technique deployed by blackjack players in their pursuit of big wins at the casino.
However, it is far from being the only advantage play technique out there and it certainly is not the most challenging one. That title could be claimed by shuffle tracking.
As its name suggests, shuffle tracking is a technique that is based on a player’s skills to track certain cards or card sequences through a series of shuffles. This advantage play strategy is used in card games that involve multiple decks, mostly in the game of blackjack.
But how is this strategy used to help players gain edge over the casino and is it even profitable? Here are our thoughts on this.
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Shuffle tracking explained
As mentioned earlier, shuffle tracking is mostly used in blackjack, but can be practiced in other multi-deck card games. It is an advanced technique that generally involves the player (or a team of players) keeping track on specific areas of a deck or decks of cards prior and through the shuffle process.
As cards are dealt during a blackjack round, a player notes the locations of specific slugs of cards and can use this knowledge to cut these cards into play or out of play when given the cut card.
Most frequently, the basic goal of this advantage play technique is for players to track high cards (tens and aces) by keenly observing them as they are dealt and played and how they are placed in the discard tray at the end of the round. This gives them important information about the decks when the discarded cards are shuffled and placed back in the shoe.
Unless the dealers have been extremely thorough in shuffling the decks, players could expect the slugs of high cards they have identified thanks to their shuffle tracking skills to appear at a given time. Knowing that a group of favorable cards is coming gives players an edge over the casino and they can adjust their bets accordingly.
Keeping track on the shuffling method
Players should also study carefully the method used by the dealer at their table to shuffle the cards from the discard tray. Dealers at different casinos are required to use predetermined shuffling techniques before dealing cards.
Shuffle tracking is significantly easier when simpler shuffles are used. And simpler shuffles are most often used in games that involve multiple decks since more complicated shuffles would take quite some time to perform when there are more decks to be shuffled. This is why players who deploy shuffle tracking usually choose to play six- or eight-deck blackjack games.
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Normally, card shuffling involves changing the locations of some of the cards, but if simpler shuffles are performed, this is not likely to result in any significant changes in the slugs of cards identified and memorized by shuffle tracking players.
Keeping track on these groups of favorable cards through a shuffle only requires keen observation and excellent memory.
It is also a good idea for a shuffle tracker to observe the player who gets to cut the cards and memorize the exact position in which cards land in the new shoe. And if the shuffle tracking player is the one to be given the cut card, they should do the cutting in a manner that will get the slug of good cards at the top of the new shoe so they can make larger bets and potentially big wins right from the outset.
When does shuffle tracking work best and other useful things to know
Shuffle tracking works best with hand shuffled blackjack games and players that want to master this advanced technique are always advised to start namely with such games before trying to transfer their skills to tables where automatic shuffling machines are used.
Some advanced players recommend avoiding tables where dealers are equipped with an automatic shuffling machine altogether, because keeping track on the cards is a much more difficult endeavor at such tables. And any failed attempt to keep track and use that knowledge could cost players a lot of money.
There are also many blackjack experts that say shuffle tracking is a strategy that should be avoided as very few people have really been able to master it, while most of those who have tried have found out the hard way that it is not a technique that should be used by less experienced players.
It is not that shuffle tracking is not a profitable strategy. On the contrary, it can be more profitable than card counting and other advantage play techniques. However, players need much more time and practice to be able to successfully deploy it to increase their edge over the casino and potentially generate bigger profits.
Another major downside to shuffle tracking is the fact that it cannot really be used at online casinos as the computer does all the shuffling, which makes it absolutely impossible for a player to know when a slug of good cards is coming up.
A final word of advice for those who have reached the end of this article and still feel shuffle tracking is worth giving a try – this technique works better when paired with good card counting skills. In other words, it is probably a good idea to first master card counting.
It could be slightly easier to become a good card counter, although this too takes time to learn. Moreover, card counting has provenly generated much better results than shuffle tracking and is a trusted technique that has been recommended by advantage players around the world.
One final thing, shuffle tracking is not an illegal technique, but casinos will definitely not be happy if they spot a player who has been using it and will ask any such player to leave the gambling venue.
