How does Hi-Lo card counting work?
QUICK ANSWER
Hi-Lo assigns +1 to low cards (2–6), −1 to high cards (10, J, Q, K, A), and 0 to neutral cards (7, 8, 9). You add these values as cards are dealt to get the running count. A high positive running count means the remaining shoe favors the player.
The values
| Cards | Count |
|---|---|
| 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 | +1 |
| 7, 8, 9 | 0 |
| 10, J, Q, K, A | −1 |
Running count
Start at 0 when the shoe is shuffled. Add or subtract as each card comes out.
Example
Cards dealt: 5, K, 3, 9, A, 2, 8 Count: +1, 0, +1, +1, 0, +1, +1 → RC = +1
Next step
The running count alone isn''t enough — you need the true count to know your real edge. See What is a true count?.
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