Three different folks wrote to ask me if I could recommend a good book or other way to learn how to count cards in Blackjack. No, I can't. The books I learned from are somewhere in storage and some of what was in them is probably obsolete due to rule changes. Remember: I learned this about forty years ago and I'm sure since then, there have been hundreds of new books and computer programs and tutorials. I know I did read Beat the Dealer by Edward O. Thorp, the man many credit for inventing card-counting, and Professional Blackjack by Stanford Wong, the other historic authority. But I read a lot of books.
I absolutely do not recommend card-counting if you're only in it for the money. It's harder work than you think and there will be long stretches where you can do everything absolutely right and still lose. If the dealer is dealing themselves a lot of blackjacks and pat hands, knowing the running count won't help you.
I did it for the same reason I like to work puzzles…to see if I could do it. Once I got ahead, I quit for good. I'm sure if I'd kept on playing, at some point I would have given it all back — and more. If you do try counting cards, also try the part about giving it up. It's the only way to win.