freeCodeCamp.org Forum Curriculum Profile Basic JavaScript: Counting Cards Challenge

Guys, could you please help me out?
I am stuck in this challenge:

In the casino game Blackjack, a player can gain an advantage over the house by keeping track of the relative number of high and low cards remaining in the deck. This is called Card Counting.

Having more high cards remaining in the deck favors the player. Each card is assigned a value according to the table below. When the count is positive, the player should bet high. When the count is zero or negative, the player should bet low.

Count Change Cards
+1 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
0 7, 8, 9
-1 10, ‘J’, ‘Q’, ‘K’, ‘A’

You will write a card counting function. It will receive a card parameter, which can be a number or a string, and increment or decrement the global count variable according to the card’s value (see table). The function will then return a string with the current count and the string Bet if the count is positive, or Hold if the count is zero or negative. The current count and the player’s decision ( Bet or Hold ) should be separated by a single space.

Example Output
-3 Hold
5 Bet

Hint
Do NOT reset count to 0 when value is 7, 8, or 9.
Do NOT return an array.
Do NOT include quotes (single or double) in the output.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

And here is my solution:

var count = 0;

function cc(card) {

  // Only change code below this line

  switch(card) {

    case 2:

    case 3:

    case 4:

    case 5:

    case 6:

       count = 1;

       break;

    case 7: 

    case 8:

    case 9:

       count = 0;

       break;

    case 10:

    case 'J':

    case 'Q':

    case 'K':

    case 'A':

       count = -1;

       break;

  }

  var count = count + card;  

  if (count > 0) {

    return console.log(count + ' Bet');

  } else {

    return console.log(count + ' Hold');

  }

 

  // Only change code above this line

}

cc(2);

Welcome, beka_lee.

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Thank you.


I’ve edited your post for readability. When you enter a code block into a forum post, please precede it with a separate line of three backticks and follow it with a separate line of three backticks to make it easier to read.

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Note: Backticks (`) are not single quotes (’).

1 Like

Thank you very much! It is my first ever time coding JS and using freecodecamp, so I’m sorry for creating such mess in the forum.

Because I thought I needed to update the global scope value of count, i.e. save the previous value every time I run a new function with a different value.

For instance, initially I run a function like cc(2) - and my switch function would return the value +1. Then, I wanted this value to be stored in count.
Next, I run a new function cc(3) for example. cc(3) - and my switch function would return the value +1. And I want this value of cc(3) to be added to the previous value of cc(2) which is +1 + 1 = +2.

That is why I wrote

var card = card + count.

Am I right here?
I am open to any feedbacks