1. The Field of the Present Invention
The present invention is generally related to a system, method and apparatus for teaching a card game and more specifically, to teaching a method for counting cards in the game of Blackjack.
2. General Background
Blackjack, also known as Twenty-one, is a comparing-type card game which is the most widely played casino banking game in the world. The standard game is played with one or more French decks of 52 cards.
The primary deck of fifty-two playing cards in use today includes thirteen ranks of each of the four French suits, clubs (), diamonds (♦), hearts (♥) and spades (), with reversible Rouennais “court” or face cards. Each suit includes an ace, depicting a single symbol of its suit; a king, queen, and jack, each depicted with a symbol of their suit; and ranks two through ten, with each card depicting that number of symbols (pips) of its suit. As well as these fifty-two cards, commercial decks often include two jokers which are removed in preparation for most popular games. The jokers are usually distinguishable by colour. Modern playing cards carry index labels on opposite corners to facilitate identification of the cards when they overlap and so that they appear identical for players on opposite sides. These stylings, together with the popular imagery on the court cards are labeled as “English” or “Anglo-American” and are the most popular forms of the French deck, especially in countries that speak English. Various alternative stylings include indices at all four corners, court indices in different languages, different court imagery or perhaps novelty stylings, but it should be noted that in all these cases, they are still indeed French decks.
In the game of Blackjack, the player draws cards to an initial two card hand with the object of bringing the total hand value as close as possible to 21 without exceeding it, so that the house, which plays after the player, will fail to get up to the player's total, or will lose by exceeding 21. Blackjack is played in many variations at casinos with different table rules. Much of blackjack's popularity is due to the mix of chance, skill, and the publicity that surrounds card counting, which entails adapting one's wager and playing strategy to the profile of cards yet to be dealt.
The players' object is to win money by getting a card total which will turn out to be higher than the dealer's hand, but without exceeding 21 (“busting”/“breaking”), and taking advantage of certain opportunities which arise within the play to increase the wager. Each hand is played by choosing whether to “hit” (take a card), “stand” (pass), “double” (double wager, take a single card and pass), “split” (make two hands out of a pair) or “surrender” (give up a half bet and retire from the game). Number-cards count as their natural value; the jack, queen, and king (also known as “face cards” or “pictures”) count as 10; aces are valued as either 1 or 11 according to the player's best interest. If the hand value exceeds 21 points, it busts, and its bet is immediately forfeit. After all boxes have finished playing, the dealer's hand is resolved by drawing cards until the hand busts or achieves a value of 17 or higher (a dealer total of 7 including an ace, or “soft 17”, must be drawn to in some games). The dealer never doubles, splits or surrenders. If the dealer busts, all remaining bets win and are paid out at 1:1. If the dealer does not bust, each remaining bet wins if its hand is higher than the dealer's, and loses if it is lower. In the case of a tied score, known as “push” or “standoff”, the bet is normally returned without adjustment.
The best possible hand is a “blackjack” or “natural”, which is an ace and a ten-value card in either order on the initial two cards (not after a split). A blackjack beats any hand which is not a blackjack, even those with value 21. Blackjack vs. blackjack is a push. When the dealer's upcard is an ace, the player is usually allowed to make a side bet called “insurance,” of up to half his wager, which pays 2:1 if the dealer gets a blackjack, and is forfeited otherwise.
Card Counting
The basis of card counting is to keep track of every single card dealt, so a bettor can adjust his/her betting pattern to fit how your particular blackjack shoe is going.
Most card counting systems start with a count of 0. This means that when you first sit down at a blackjack table, the count is 0. Depending on which counting system you are using, this count will fluctuate with every card that is dealt. You must keep track of not only the cards that you are being dealt, but every single card dealt to every player and to the dealer.
With most card counting systems you are looking for a positive count. When the card count is positive, this generally means there have been more smaller cards played and the deck now has a higher percentage of larger cards. When the deck has a high percentage of larger cards, the player has several different advantages:                1. The dealer will bust more often;        2. The player will be dealt more blackjack; and        3. The player will be dealt stronger and higher starting hands.        
When a card count is high, the player bets larger amounts of money because they have a higher mathematical advantage. The card counting doesn't stop here, though. Even when the player is betting more and winning more, the player still must focus and continue to count cards flawlessly. Once the high count starts to drop and gets either neutral or into the negative, the player goes back to betting smaller amounts because the casino now has the higher advantage.
Card Counting Systems
Blackjack card counting is a mathematical system of keeping track of every card dealt from a blackjack deck to better understand which cards are still left in the deck to be played. There are numerous card counting systems in use today that attempt to teach a player how to count cards for increased success at Blackjack. Each of the card counting systems requires that a player learn the system before putting such system to use in a casino at a blackjack table.
The only way to become a skilled card counter is to practice the system that a player intends to be implemented in the casino. The learning process can take several months if not several years to truly master several of the card counting systems described below. A player needs to be constantly practicing specific card counting techniques and skills until the player can count flawlessly.
One prior art method of practicing card counting is to create practice counting charts. You player can create a chart that show the hand being played hand and the dealer's up card, then the player can verbally or mentally recite the proper play. If the player is stumped, the player can refer to the basic strategy charts. The drawback is that such charts are no allowed into casinos.
What is needed is simple system, method and apparatus for teaching card counting systems.