A level‑1 balanced count for players who want ace-neutral structure without the full complexity of Hi-Opt II.
Hi-Opt I is one of the most logical next steps after Hi-Lo. It stays operationally light, but it introduces the ace-neutral mindset that separates more technical systems from beginner counts.
Hi-Opt I is a balanced, ace-neutral level‑1 system. It fits players who want more technical control than Hi-Lo while keeping a manageable tag structure.
Use this section as the fast decision layer before you dive into the count map and betting interpretation.
Hi-Opt I was developed by Lance Humble and Carl Cooper, building on the earlier Einstein count associated with Charles Einstein. The modern published version is tied to The World’s Greatest Blackjack Book, with indexes created by Julian Braun.
Hi-Opt I gives +1 to 3 through 6, 0 to 2, 7, 8, 9, and Ace, and −1 to 10-value cards. Because aces are neutral, the system gives a cleaner read on non-ace card composition—but that also means its raw betting efficiency is lower than players sometimes expect without additional ace information.
True Count = Running Count ÷ decks remaining.
Example: a running count of +5 with roughly 2.5 decks remaining gives a true count near +2. That is usually a reasonable first expansion point, but players should be careful not to overstate the edge at mild positives.
Stay at minimum when the count is flat or negative, and also when you know your mental speed is not yet strong enough to convert true count cleanly under pressure.
Do not keep forcing action just because Hi-Opt I is “more advanced.” Leave weak shoes, shallow games, and crowded tables the same way you would with Hi-Lo.
Illustrative thresholds only. In ace-neutral systems, small positives can look cleaner than they really are. Rules, penetration, decks, bankroll, and index quality still decide whether the game is worth real aggression.
Beyond the table
Search for a Hi-Opt I index and you are usually looking for one exact number: the true count where 16 vs 10 flips from hit to surrender, or where insurance turns profitable. Those numbers exist, but they were calculated and published by specific authors for one fixed rule set and deck count.
BJCPRO does not reprint them, for the same reason QFIT — the reference software for exactly this question — does not either: the tables are the authors’ work, not public domain. The math behind them is public, though, and BJCPRO’s engine runs it directly from the exact composition of your table’s shoe, for any rule set or deck count, with no number to memorize.
That is also why a Hi-Opt I index calculated for a six-deck S17 game will not hold at a two-deck H17 table — an index is tied to one specific rule set. The calculator below is not.
Try it here
Set the hand, the dealer up card and how many cards of each rank are still in the shoe. The engine simulates from that exact composition and returns the expected value of every legal decision. Notice that it never asks you for a running count.
Your total: 16
The running count and true count above are shown only so you can compare. The engine never receives them: it reads the composition directly, which is why two shoes with the same true count can return different plays.
Recommended path
The goal is to understand what changes between systems before speeding up the table. Difficulty should rise only when your execution is stable.
The best way to practice Hi-Opt I is not to read more theory but to run BJCPRO shoes until ace-neutral tagging feels automatic and the true-count conversion stops costing speed.
