Late at night on the strip walks a man with no name
Or many names, depending on the day

Most other players are fools to think they know the rules
When to hit and when to stay
But this one's found a way


So hold a number in your mind
Keep it close where none can find

You adding and subtracting one by one
Don't need to be Rain Man but your zero starts exact
Two through six: add one to the count

Ten or ace: subtract
And that's the Running Count; divide by decks left to make it True
True Count tells you what to do.


Chorus:
Card counter: where others lose, he'll win instead.

Card counter is the man with the numbers in his head
At least the 19 illustrious
Schlesinger and Wong

Know the count won't steer him wrong

Build a table in your head

Watch the cards turn black and red
Then look up every index with your brain
The higher the count, the more you double, split and stand

And hope your best plays look insane

[Chorus]


Bridge:
Plus plus minus plus minus minus plus plus...

+1, +2, +3, +2...
Is the dealer cheating me? Watch out for security
Can the Pit Boss tell I used the count? I'm looking out

Is it time to run away? Can I make just one more play?
Do they even know what I'm about?


[Chorus]