Hi-Lo card counting
The profile table below states the level of the system and its balance.
Hi-Lo suits a player learning to count for the first time.
System profile
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Level | 1 |
| Balanced | Yes |
| Ace neutral | No |
Card tag values
The table gives the tag value for every card rank.
The rank shown as ten covers every ten and every face card.
| Card rank | Tag value |
|---|---|
| 2 | +1 |
| 3 | +1 |
| 4 | +1 |
| 5 | +1 |
| 6 | +1 |
| 7 | 0 |
| 8 | 0 |
| 9 | 0 |
| 10 | -1 |
| A | -1 |
Running count start
The running count starts at the value the formula below returns.
The count starts at zero for any deck count.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Formula | 0 |
True count conversion
The true count scales the running count to the decks left.
Divide the running count by the decks the player estimates are left.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Formula | running_count / decks_remaining |
Efficiency figures
The two efficiency figures state what the count predicts well.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Betting correlation | 0.97 |
| Playing efficiency | 0.51 |
| Insurance correlation | n.a. |
Index plays
Hi-Lo publishes a numbered index set for play deviations.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Convention | Act at or above the index true count. |
Below the index the player plays basic strategy.
Insurance is a counting decision and never a basic strategy decision.
| Play | Player hand | Dealer up card | Index |
|---|---|---|---|
| Take insurance | n.a. | n.a. | +3 |
| Stand | Hard 16 | Dealer 10 | 0 |
| Stand | Hard 15 | Dealer 10 | +4 |
| Split | Pair of 10s | Dealer 5 | +5 |
| Split | Pair of 10s | Dealer 6 | +4 |
| Double | Hard 10 | Dealer 10 | +4 |
| Stand | Hard 12 | Dealer 3 | +2 |
| Stand | Hard 12 | Dealer 2 | +3 |
| Double | Hard 11 | Dealer ace | +1 |
| Double | Hard 9 | Dealer 2 | +1 |
| Double | Hard 10 | Dealer ace | +4 |
| Double | Hard 9 | Dealer 7 | +3 |
| Stand | Hard 16 | Dealer 9 | +5 |
| Hit | Hard 13 | Dealer 2 | -1 |
| Hit | Hard 12 | Dealer 4 | 0 |
| Hit | Hard 12 | Dealer 5 | -2 |
| Hit | Hard 12 | Dealer 6 | -1 |
| Hit | Hard 13 | Dealer 3 | -2 |
Surrender index plays
The surrender indices need a rule set that offers late surrender.
| Play | Player hand | Dealer up card | Index |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surrender | Hard 14 | Dealer 10 | +3 |
| Surrender | Hard 15 | Dealer 10 | 0 |
| Surrender | Hard 15 | Dealer 9 | +2 |
| Surrender | Hard 15 | Dealer ace | +1 |
Where these figures come from
Every tag value and every figure on this page traces to a source below.
- https://wizardofodds.com/games/blackjack/card-counting/high-low/
- https://www.qfit.com/card-counting.htm