The Uston Advanced Plus-Minus (APM) system is one of several blackjack card counting systems that were invented by late Blackjack Hall of Fame inductee Ken Uston.
The system was first introduced in Uston’s 1981 book Million Dollar Blackjack. Many believe that it was the strategy that really pushed card counting, now a widely popular practice, into the public eye.
Uston APM is a straightforward, level 1 card counting strategy. This means that players only need to assign -1, 0, or +1 values to their cards. In many instances with this system two cards cancel each other, which makes counting a much easier endeavor than with many other systems that exist.
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The Uston APM system is the easiest one invented by Uston. It is also very similar to the Hi-Lo card counting system and players familiar with that one will certainly find it very easy to master the Uston APM method.
One more important thing about Uston APM is that it is a balanced system. In other words, the starting count is always zero and when all cards are dealt the count should again be zero.
If you are scouting for a simple system to start your card counting ventures with, Uston APM ranks among the least complex ones. However, it still requires basic understanding of how card counting works and a good amount of practice to fully come to grips with it.
Uston APM System: The Basics
As with all blackjack card counting systems, the running count is a focal concept when learning and mastering the Uston APM method. Keeping a running count involves assigning value to each and every card that is dealt during a blackjack game.
As mentioned above, with the Uston APM system players always start with a zero when they begin a new running count. They then add 1 or subtract 1 from their count as cards are dealt by the dealer and depending on the cards’ values.
When a 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 is dealt, players need to add 1 to their running count. When 10s, Js, Qs, Ks, or aces appear, players need to subtract 1 from the count. And 2s, 8s, and 9s are assigned a 0 value, so the running count remains unchanged when any of these three cards are dealt.
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A |
| 0 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +1 | 0 | 0 | -1 | -1 | -1 | -1 | -1 |
Unlike other card counting systems such as Red 7, Uston APM is not a suit-aware method. This means that the cards’ suit is irrelevant to the value they are assigned to keep a running count.
So bearing in mind the information above, counting cars with the Uston APM should look like this – if your first card is a 7, for example, you need to add 1 to your starting count of zero. If the second card that is dealt is an 8, you don’t need to do anything and your running count will remain at 1. However, if the third card dealt is an ace, you will need to subtract 1 from your running count.
Running Count Keeping Hints
True Count Drills
Approaches Utilized by a Card Counter
Appropriate Games
Zen Count Card Counting System in Blackjack
The KO (Knockout) Card Counting System in Blackjack
Do You Need to Keep a True Count with Uston APM?
Most balanced card counting systems require players to convert their running count into a true count, as this is the step that helps with adjusting the size of the bets. The Uston APM system was invented for single- and double-deck blackjack games.
And many say the Uston APM system being designed for single- and double-deck games eliminates the need to convert the running count into a true count. Others say the system can successfully be employed with multiple decks, which means that the true counts needs to be taken into account and be kept.
Fortunately, calculating the true count is quite simple. All players have to do is to divide their running count by the number of decks still in play. For example, if a player estimates there are two decks left and their running count is at 10, their true count is 5 (10/2).
As already pointed out, the true count is what matters most when determining the size of the bet.
It should also be noted that when first introduced, the Uston AMP system was biased a bit toward hand-held games. These cannot really be found anymore, which makes many believe this card counting system is obsolete.
Adjusting Your Bet with the Uston APM System
The higher the running count goes when using the Uston APM system, the higher the player’s chance for a blackjack becomes. So if your running count moves quickly to +4, that indicates that the chance to be dealt a blackjack is pretty good and the conditions for raising your bet size are pretty favorable.
If the opposite happens and the running count quickly goes to -4, the remaining cards are probably poor, so you will want to reduce your bet.
A good way to size your bet when using the Uston APM method is to use the true count as a multiplier. So if your true count is +1, 0, or negative you will want to bet the table minimum. If the true count goes to +2 or higher, you can multiple the table minimum by the true count value. In other words, if your true count is +3 and the table minimum is $20, you should bet $60.
While a simple technique, Uston APM still needs some practice. A good way to this is by going through a single deck of cards at home. Deal yourself a card and assign it a value according to the above chart. When you finish the deck, shuffle it and go through it again.
The next step is to begin timing yourself when you run through a deck of cards. Keep a record of the time you need to go through an entire deck and try to beat it the next time. It is also a good idea to have some background noises when practicing at home, so you can learn to keep your running and true counts with distractions. As you probably know, there are plenty of them at the actual casino floor.
