1. Blackjack Ko Counting
2. Blackjack Ko Count
3. Ko Blackjack Counting System

KO Card Counting at the Game of Blackjack

Now to more clearly see the difference in performance between KO and HiLo, I created a percentage chart. Whenever the line is above 100%, KO Blackjack has the advantage and below, HiLo Blackjack has the advantage. In summary, from a penetration of 41 cards to 124 cards (3.63/6 to 5.21/6) KO performance varies from 99.5% to 102% of HiLo. The KO System was invented by Olaf Vancura, Ph. D., and Ken Fuchs and is detailed in their book Knock-Out Blackjack: The Easiest Card-Counting System Ever Devised. The KO card counting method is very similar to the Hi/Lo system in that players assign a +1, 0, or -1 to cards to keep their running count.

The KO card counting method is also known is the Knockout card counting strategy which had been explained in the book Knock Out Blackjack.

In this system the values of all the cards is the same as in the Hi Lo system of card counting except for the value of the 7s. 7 is considered as a low value card in KO and therefore the card is given a plus value unlike in Hi Lo system where 7 has a neutral value. Another difference between both of these systems is that KO in an unbalanced strategy while the Hi Lo count is a balanced card counting method.

Unbalanced Strategy

KO is an unbalanced strategy which makes it a Level 1 strategy. What this would mean is that if the player would have to begin at 0 and then count the entire deck using the KO strategy, the player would not end at 0. In the KO strategy, 7 is given the value of +1 so it would add 4 more points to the deck while in Hi Lo strategy it is considered as a neutral card. If the player counts the cards with the KO strategy perfectly, at the end of the deck the count would be +4.

Blackjack Ko Counting

Players who want to use the KO strategy would have to keep a running count throughout that game, it's much like playing free online roulette where a strategy should be kept in order to win over the long run. Starting at 0, the player would have to add or subtract 1 according to the cards which are dealt at the table. Whenever a new hand is dealt, the count would continue from the last hand and will not have to be refreshed until a new shoe has been shuffled. If the count is heavy on the high or low side it shows that the deck too is heavy on the low or high side. A high plus count would show how many smaller cards are left I the deck while it is the opposite for a high minus count.

Beginning the Count

An initial running count formula is used to determine where the count would start form. If there is just one deck used, the count should begin at 0. However, with the KO system the player would have to refer to the specific IRC for the situation.

Like any other card counting method, the player will have to practice often at home continuously before perfecting the system. The easiest way to cross check is that at the end of the entire deck the count should be +4. The player would also have to keep a running count without pausing, making any mistakes or without counting out loud or giving any signals of counting cards.

Once the player gets accustomed to the method, there are a few things which would have to be kept in mind while trying it out at a casino. Learn how to count the cards in pairs like with flash cards. This would reduce the counting time quite significantly. The KO card counting method is not very difficult and with just some practice it can be perfected.

Blackjack Ko Count

Ko Blackjack Counting System