Hi-Lo Count
The most widely used card counting system in history. Developed by Harvey Dubner in 1963, refined by Stanford Wong and others. Used by the MIT Blackjack Team.
The System
Hi-Lo is a balanced level-1 count. Every card is assigned a value of +1, 0, or -1. Starting from 0, a positive running count means more high cards remain in the shoe — good for the player.
+1
2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6
Low cards leave the shoe.
More high cards remain.
0
7 · 8 · 9
Neutral cards.
Ignore them.
−1
10 · J · Q · K · A
High cards leave the shoe.
Fewer player-friendly cards.
Why "Balanced" Matters
In a balanced system, if you count every card through an entire shoe the final count will always be 0. This means your running count alone isn't enough — you need to convert to a true count by dividing by the number of decks remaining.
True Count Formula
True Count = Running Count ÷ Decks Remaining
Example: Running count of +6 with 2 decks remaining = True Count of +3
Your Edge
Hi-Lo vs KO
✅ Hi-Lo Strengths
- • Most documented system
- • Used by MIT team
- • Works with index deviations
- • Transferable knowledge
⚠️ Hi-Lo Weaknesses
- • Requires true count conversion
- • Mental math under pressure
- • Errors more costly
- • KO slightly more powerful