Ko Count Blackjack
Like any card counting system, the KO method assigns values of +1, 0, or -1 to the cards in a game of blackjack. Knockout Card Point Values 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 0 0 -1 -1.
The KO Count, or the Knockout Count, was popularized in the book Knockout Blackjack by Ken Fuchs and Olaf Vancura. This is an example of an unbalanced card counting system, because the total number of -1's and +1's in the deck don't balance to 0 when you count through an entire deck. The KO card counting strategy is one of the most popular and used card counting strategies for blackjack players. If you’re new to blackjack then this might be the most beneficial system to use because it is known to be easier then other systems. The Knockout or KO card counting technique is one of them. These is different than other popular card counting techniques and unlike the High-Low card counting technique, KO technique assigns value 7s of blackjack shoe. In Hi-Lo technique, 7s are the neutral cards with the value 0 but in this KO technique 7s have a value and that value is the +1. Baer was born on February 11, 1909, in Omaha, Nebraska, to Jacob Baer (1875–1938) and Dora Bales (1877–1938). His father was the son of Aschill Baer and Fannie Fischel, who were Jewish emigrants from Alsace-Lorraine and Bohemia, respectively; his mother was of Scots-Irish descent.
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KO, or also known as knockout, is a common system used by blackjack card counters. There are a number of other systems out there such as Hi-Lo, Hi-Opt 1 and Hi-Opt 2. The basic concept of card counting is to start at a reference point such as 0. When certain cards are shown on the table, you add or subtract to this number until the count is at a desired level that would give you a greater edge.
There are two different categories of card counting. One is a balanced system, where you start off at 0 and count the cards and should end up with a total of 0 when the last card is dealt. If the count isn't 0, then you did it wrong! The other category is unbalanced card counting, where the end total is not necessarily 0. Knockout (KO) is an unbalanced card counting system.
KO Card Counting Strategy
KO or Knock Out strategy begins with the fact that when the whole deck is used up, the count should not end up being zero. Normally there are an equal amount of points that apply to certain valued cards, but in this case, we would give the seven cards a positive 1 count. When a seven is seen on the table, you are adding one point to your starting reference count of 0 to give 1 point now.
The Hi-Lo counting system is one where there are equal points that add up to 0 when the last card is dealt. KO Knockout gives the 7 card that extra point, so at the end of a deck of cards, your final count should be 4. This is because of the four 7 cards in the deck. Multiply the number of decks by 4 to get your final count when playing with multiple decks of blackjack cards. The reason for this small variation is the convenience in not having to make conversions to the true count value. Below is a table of what count number you should add when you see one of these cards being dealt.
| Card Value | Points |
|---|---|
| 2,3,4,5,6,7 | +1 |
| 8,9 | 0 |
| 10,J,Q,K,A | -1 |
Benefits of KO Card Counting
The system is not that difficult to learn. For example, in the KO count table above, if a 7 card is seen, add 1 point to your total. If an 8 card is dealt, don't add anything to the count and if an ace or ten point card is seen, then subtract a point. Keep in mind, you need to do this in your head and you have to pay attention to all the cards on the table, even the dealer and other player cards.
The Knockout card counting system is designed to be easier on the player when trying to keep track of the true count and the running count. The running count is actually the important number here and it depends on how many decks are being used. The true count is the number that you are adding up in your head. To find the running count, just divide the true count by the number of decks being played. For example, if you have a count of +8 while playing with a shoe having 8 decks of cards, your running count would be converted to only +1.
The benefit of this system is you don't have to keep doing the running conversion. It is easy for novice blackjack players who are just learning how to count cards and there really isn't much different between the Hi-Lo card system and the KO counting system either.
There are many card counting systems that are used when playing blackjack and each system has a different level of difficulty and accuracy. One of the easiest systems to use is the KO, or Knock Out system. This system was first used in 1992 and was called the All Sevens system. This is one of the most basic systems used by blackjack players today and it is a perfect system for new card counters. The Knock Out system is an unbalanced counting system that uses a running count. Since this system is unbalanced, there is no need for the calculation of a true count.
Ko Count Blackjack Poker
Using the KO / Knock Out System
Blackjack Rules
This system does not use all cards in the deck, which is why it is one of the easiest to use. Most of the cards that are counted will be worth +1, which will create the unbalance. The initial running count will start with zero and players will then add or subtract a value based on what cards are in play. The following table depicts the counts for each card that is considered with this system.
| Card Value | Points |
| 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 | +1 |
| 8, 9 | 0 |
| 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace | -1 |
When the running count using this system reaches +2 or higher, it indicates an advantage for the player. The higher the count, the more of an advantage the player will have during the game.
When to Adjust Bets
Using this system, the easiest betting strategy is to increase bet amounts when the player has the advantage and lower bets when the house has the advantage. This betting strategy is based on playing a single deck game of blackjack, but can be altered slightly to accommodate games with multiple decks.
It is important for players to know when to increase and decrease their bet amounts when using this system. The following table lets players know when they should alter their bet amounts based on the running count when playing a single deck game.
| When running count is more than 0 | When true count is less than 1 |
| The betting amount is the same as the table minimum | The bet amount can be calculated as (running count +1) times the betting unit |
When playing a game that uses 6 decks, things should be adjusted:
| Running count of more than -3 | True count of more than, or equal to -3 |
| Betting amount is equal to table minimum | Bet amount is 2 times table minimum for -3 and -2 counts and 5 times table minimum for -1 to +1. Increase the bet after each running count increment of 2 by doubling the bet. |
House Edge with the KO System
Ko Count Blackjack Rules
When using this system properly, it is possible to enjoy a house edge of 1% to 2%. The amount that is won from the game will depend on the ability to count cards and alter the bet amounts at the right time. Since the KO system is simple to use and only counts a few of the cards in play, it is a preferred selection for beginner card counters who want an accurate, yet simple system.
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