Card counting explained: the Hi-Lo method
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Card counting tracks cards already seen in a shoe. It does not identify the next card. Hi-Lo is a way to summarize whether the remaining cards are relatively rich in high or low ranks.
The three groups
2 through 6: +1
Add one when each low card is revealed.
7 through 9: 0
These ranks do not change the running count.
10 through ace: -1
Subtract one for tens, face cards and aces.
Start with a running count
Begin at zero after a shuffle. Add the value of each exposed card once, including the dealer's visible cards. Do not guess the value of an unseen card.
Try this sequence: 2, king, 6, 9, ace, 4. The running count moves to +1, 0, +1, +1, 0, then +1. When a complete deck has been counted correctly, the final total is zero because Hi-Lo is a balanced system.
Convert to a true count
In a multi-deck shoe, divide the running count by the estimated decks remaining. A running count of +6 with three decks left gives a true count of +2. The same running count with six decks left gives +1. A positive count indicates relatively more high cards remain, not that the next card will be a ten.
Why shuffling matters
A count only describes the unplayed part of the same shoe. Once all cards are shuffled back together, restart at zero. A game that redraws from a fresh deck every hand does not carry that information forward. A continuous shuffler also changes how useful a running count is.
Our free game is an entertainment simulation with programmed outcomes. We do not claim it preserves a casino-style shoe or offers realistic counting practice. Use a physical deck for the counting exercise, and use the game for familiarity with its controls.
Practice without wagers
- Shuffle a deck, turn over cards slowly and keep a running count.
- Check that you finish at zero.
- Repeat with pairs of cards and look for groups that cancel.
- Learn the basic strategy chart separately before studying count-based changes.
Card counting is more involved than assigning values. Rules, shuffle depth and errors matter. This introduction does not give a betting plan, promise income, or advise real-money play.
Reference: Wizard of Odds Hi-Lo introduction.