REKO (“Ridiculously Easy KO”) is Norm Wattenberger’s level-one, unbalanced simplification of Knock-Out. Its documented initial counts and ramps vary by deck count; generic positive-versus-negative advice is not the REKO method.
What REKO simplifies
REKO uses the KO card tags but reduces playing-strategy memorization to one index value, +2, across the supported deck counts. Wattenberger documents the method in Modern Blackjack and compares it with KO Preferred under stated simulation conditions.
Read the card-counting overview before using a running-count system.
Card-tag values
| A | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10/J/Q/K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -1 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +1 | 0 | 0 | -1 |
Cards 2 through 7 are +1, eights and nines are 0, and aces and ten-value cards are -1. That is six +1 ranks, not five. These numbers are card tags or point values; an index is a count threshold for changing a playing decision.
Initial running counts and betting
Wattenberger’s published initial running counts are -1 for one deck, -5 for two decks, -20 for six decks and -27 for eight decks. They are not calculated as -2 multiplied by the number of decks.
Published REKO ramps can increase wagers while the running count is still negative. For that reason, crossing zero is not a universal trigger. Use the complete ramp for the correct deck count, rules, penetration and spread.
Classification and performance
QFIT classifies REKO as unbalanced, level one, ace-reckoned, not suit-aware and based on compromise indexes. Its summary reports betting correlation 0.98, playing efficiency 0.55 and insurance correlation 0.78. These correlations do not guarantee a player edge.
QFIT’s published comparisons show REKO performing close to KO Preferred under the stated rules, penetrations, spreads and five-billion-round simulations. That evidence does not make REKO the MIT team’s count: the MIT teams are associated with Hi-Lo, whereas REKO is a KO simplification.
Practice and limitations
REKO supports single-, double-, six- and eight-deck configurations. Do not claim that fewer decks inherently make it weaker. Practise the exact configuration until tags, the initial running count, the +2 playing index and the documented bet ramp remain accurate under distraction.
Further reading
Blackjack involves financial risk. Set affordable limits before playing and do not treat a count as a promise of profit.
