The Revere 14 Count system is another level 4 card counting system developed by Lawrence Revere. It is considered extremely complex and comparable to the RAPC. As with the RAPC, it is rarely used because of the complexity.
The name of the system (14 Count) is derived from the fact that all the positive numbers add up to 14, and all the negative numbers add up to -14. Not sure if that helps to understand the complexity, but I guess it’s an easy way to give the system a name!
It is an advanced level four system, because of the large index range (-4, -3, -2, -1, 0, +1 +2, +3, +4) of cards to track. As you see, that means there are 9 possible values to account for. Oddly enough though, the -1 and -4 are not used in the system, as noted below.
How it works
There are 9 card values and it is considered a balanced system. That means if you were to count down a deck, you would start with 0 and, if counted correctly, your count would end at zero.
Because of it being a balanced system, you will have to convert the running count total into a true count. The big difference between this system and the RAPC, is that you will have to keep track of aces on the side. That adds one more step to think about with this system.
The true count is figured out by dividing the running count by the estimate of decks remaining in the shoe. While it’s not a difficult calculation, it adds an additional step to the process. The hardest part of that is making an educated guess as to how many decks are left in the shoe. As you play more, even that becomes quite easy.
The card value chart is:
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | A |
| +2 | +2 | +3 | +4 | +2 | +1 | 0 | -2 | -3 | -3 | -3 | -3 | 0 |
As the cards are dealt around the table, you assign the above appropriate values to the card and keep a running total count. Once you have your running count, you then have to convert that into the true count and make your bet based on that true count being positive or negative.
Looking at a comparison with other card counting systems, this system does rate better overall than many others. However, there are much easier systems to learn, with practically the same effectiveness.
Revere has other level one and level two systems (Revere Advanced Plus Minus and Revere Point Count, that, if used correctly, can be as effective as the Revere 14 count.
Sizing your bets
Ideally, sizing your bet should be done in a manner that doesn’t draw attention to your playing style. Of course, you want to increase your bets as much as possible when the count is favorable. The idea is to minimize losses and maximize wins, while hiding the fact you are card counting.
Final Thoughts
The Revere 14 Count system is just as difficult to master as the RAPC, and has succumb to the same fate of hardly ever used anymore. The slightly higher effectiveness cannot overcome the difficulty of use. If you have become a Revere fan, check out his Revere Advanced Plus-Minus or Revere Point Count systems for simple, yet effective. The Revere 14 Count system should only be used by highly advanced players.
