REKO Card Counting System in Blackjack

REKO stands for Ridiculously Easy KO. This system delivers on both counts. It really is a very simple counting method that is easy to learn and can bring the casino to its knees mightily.

Reko system was developed by Norm Wattenberger, the author of Modern Blackjack, a fairly known internet pioneer. Wattenberger also developed software systems to perfect the art of card counting. However, you do not need a computer program to master REKO, because this system is very easy to learn and use. The REKO system is actually a simplified variant of the KO system, similar to the system used in MIT Blackjack. The MIT team robbed Las Vegas casinos of a lot of money and was also a subject of the well-known movie 21.

It must be noted that REKO system has received some criticism from dedicated card counters.

The Basics of REKO system

This system works with numerical values assigned to cards to create a running count that results in a positive or negative number. Positive numbers (+2,+3, +4) indicate that the deck is advantageous to the player and the player can increase their bets to take advantage of this. A negative number (-1, -2, -3) indicates that the deck is in house's favour and raising the stakes would not be good.

The problem with REKO system is its lack of complexity. While it works just like other, more advanced card counting methods, it does not use enough card values.

The starting count does not start with 0. You start the count by multiplying the number of decks in play by -2. In the eight-deck game, your starting count is -16. In a six-deck game, your starting point in -2. That is, REKO assumes that the deck is advantageous to the house right from the start. Before any bets can increase, the count must fall into a positive range.