The Omega II blackjack card counting system is one that is quite complex and is often used by experienced and professional players. The system was created by Bryce Carlson and while it is a difficult system to master, it offers a very high level of accuracy. The purpose of the system is to assist players in determining when the cards remaining in the shoe will offer players better odds than using a fresh shoe.
Card counting can benefit any blackjack player and with many different systems in use, players will have to find one that meets their needs and provides beneficial results. The Omega II system is best used by experienced players as it is one of the more complex systems being used. However, the time it takes to master the system will pay off in the long run since it offers the highest accuracy amongst all card counting techniques.
When using the Omega II system, there are two steps to the process when playing a game using multiple decks. Since most casinos use between 4 to 6 decks, this system can be used when playing many variations. The first step is the core of the system and is the running count. Each and every card that is used at the table will factor into this count. There are four different values that are applied to the cards in the game as follows:
| Card Value | Points |
| 2 | +1 |
| 3 | +1 |
| 4 | +2 |
| 5 | +2 |
| 6 | +2 |
| 7 | +1 |
| 8 | 0 |
| 9 | -1 |
| 10 | -2 |
| J | -2 |
| Q | -2 |
| K | -2 |
| A | 0 |
After each card is played at the table, players will deduct one or two points. The math itself is simple and this is the first step in the process.
When used correctly, the Omega II system can provide a true count, which will benefit players when playing any multi-deck game. The second process of the system is determining the true count. This is done by dividing the running count by the number of decks that are remaining in the shoe. This can complicate things since players will have to track the number of all played cards to know how many decks remain.
If there are 6 decks in the shoe and 165 cards have been used and the running count is +12, here is how to determine the true count: with 165 cards being played, there are 3 decks left in the shoe. The true count would then be +4, determined by dividing the running count of +12 by three remaining decks. If a true count is greater than 0, the cards remaining in the shoe will favour the player. If the true count is lower than 0, the cards left will favour the dealer. (Learn more about True- and Running Count here).
The Omega II strategy for card counting is one that is quite complex. For this reason, this card counting system should be use by experienced players who have worked with simpler ways of card counting. Since Omega II is a balanced system for counting cards, it is a bit slower than other methods and can take quite some time to master. However, it offers extreme accuracy during blackjack play, which will benefit any player that has prior game experience.
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Omega II Counting System
