Hi-Opt II Card Counting: Values, True Count & Guide

August 1, 2026 · Counting Edge Editorial

Focus here: the advanced Hi-Opt II blackjack counting system—its Level 2 card values, running count, true count, ace side count, performance measurements, indices, practice drills and differences from Hi-Opt I and Hi-Lo.

Players new to counting should begin with our main blackjack card-counting guide, master basic blackjack strategy and study the simpler Hi-Opt I system before attempting Hi-Opt II.

Hi-Opt II, also written Hi Opt 2, is a balanced Level 2 blackjack card-counting system. It assigns +1 or +2 to selected low cards, −2 to every ten-value card and zero to aces, eights and nines.

Its Level 2 tags capture more information about card removal than a simpler Level 1 count, producing strong published playing and insurance efficiency. The tradeoff is substantially greater mental workload.

Hi-Opt II is also ace-neutral. Aces are not included in the main running count, so players seeking improved betting accuracy normally maintain a separate ace count and calculate a temporary ace-adjusted betting count.

That combination can be powerful when performed accurately, but it does not guarantee an advantage or larger profits. Game rules, penetration, betting freedom, indices, bankroll and execution errors remain decisive.

Hi-Opt II at a glance

Hi-Opt II card values

A practical memory pattern is:

• +1: 2, 3, 6 and 7
• +2: 4 and 5
• 0: ace, 8 and 9
• −2: 10, jack, queen and king

The 10, jack, queen and king are collectively described as ten-value cards. Each reduces the running count by two.

Why Hi-Opt II is a balanced count

A balanced counting system finishes at zero when every card in a complete deck has been counted correctly.

In one deck, the positive cards contribute:

• Four 2s at +1: +4
• Four 3s at +1: +4
• Four 4s at +2: +8
• Four 5s at +2: +8
• Four 6s at +1: +4
• Four 7s at +1: +4

The positive total is +32.

The deck also contains 16 ten-value cards:

16 × −2 = −32

The positive and negative values cancel:

+32 − 32 = 0

A complete one-deck practice countdown should therefore end at zero. The same principle applies to multiple decks.

Why Hi-Opt II is a Level 2 system

The level of a count normally refers to the largest absolute tag assigned to a card.

Hi-Opt II contains both +2 and −2 tags, so it is classified as Level 2.

By comparison:

• Hi-Lo is Level 1.
• Hi-Opt I is Level 1.
• Hi-Opt II is Level 2.

A Level 2 system can distinguish the effect of important cards more precisely. For example, Hi-Opt II assigns +2 to 4s and 5s because removing those ranks has a particularly meaningful effect on blackjack playing situations.

The added precision comes at a cost. Instead of merely adding or subtracting one, the player must switch rapidly among +1, +2, 0 and −2 while following several hands at once.

How to keep the Hi-Opt II running count

The running count is the cumulative total of all exposed Hi-Opt II card values.

Begin at zero after the shuffle and update the total as cards appear.

Worked running-count example

Suppose the following cards are dealt:

A, 5, K, 8, 4, 2, Q, 7, 9, 6, 10

The running count after these eleven cards is +1.

Hi-Opt II card cancellation

Cancellation is essential for handling a Level 2 count at normal table speed.

Rather than processing every card separately, combine cards whose values offset each other.

Useful visual groupings include:

• One 4 or 5 cancels one ten-value card.
• Two +1 cards cancel one ten-value card.
• Ace, 8 and 9 can be ignored in the main count.

Players who attempt to verbalize every tag individually will usually find Hi-Opt II too slow under live conditions.

What a positive Hi-Opt II count means

A positive running count indicates that more weighted low cards than ten-value cards have already left the shoe. The undealt cards are therefore relatively richer in ten-value cards under the Hi-Opt II weighting system.

A negative count indicates that more ten-value cards have already appeared relative to the tracked low cards.

The running count alone does not establish the player’s current advantage because it does not account for:

• The number of decks remaining
• The number of aces remaining
• The blackjack payout
• Dealer soft-17 rules
• Doubling and splitting rules
• Surrender
• Penetration
• The betting and index system being used

A +8 running count with four decks remaining is fundamentally different from +8 with one deck remaining.

How to calculate the Hi-Opt II true count

Because Hi-Opt II is balanced, the running count is converted into a true count for multi-deck betting and strategy decisions.

True count = running count ÷ estimated decks remaining

Example 1: six-deck shoe

Suppose:

• Running count: +12
• Decks remaining: approximately 4

+12 ÷ 4 = true count of +3

Example 2: double-deck game

Suppose:

• Running count: +5
• Decks remaining: approximately 1.25

+5 ÷ 1.25 = true count of +4

Example 3: negative count

Suppose:

• Running count: −8
• Decks remaining: approximately 2

−8 ÷ 2 = true count of −4

The purpose of true-count conversion is not to make the running count “more positive” or “less negative.” It measures the imbalance relative to the size of the undealt card supply.

Hi-Opt II true counts are system-specific

A true count of +2 in Hi-Opt II should not automatically be treated like +2 in Hi-Lo or Hi-Opt I.

The systems use different scales:

• Hi-Lo ten-value cards count as −1.
• Hi-Opt I ten-value cards count as −1.
• Hi-Opt II ten-value cards count as −2.

Each system therefore requires its own:

• Betting ramps
• Insurance thresholds
• Playing indices
• Simulation assumptions
• True-count rounding conventions

Do not import index numbers from another system simply because both systems use the phrase “true count.”

Estimating decks remaining

Accurate true-count conversion requires an estimate of the undealt cards.

Common resolutions include:

• Whole-deck estimation
• Half-deck estimation
• Quarter-deck estimation

The appropriate resolution depends on:

• The number of decks
• Whether the cards are dealt from a shoe or by hand
• The index tables
• The player’s accuracy
• The amount of penetration

Increasing theoretical precision does not help when the added calculation causes more errors.

Discard-tray calibration

Use known stacks of cards to learn how common quantities appear:

• 13 cards: one-quarter deck
• 26 cards: one-half deck
• 39 cards: three-quarters of a deck
• 52 cards: one deck
• 78 cards: one and one-half decks
• 104 cards: two decks

Practice from the angle at which a real discard tray or shoe would be viewed.

True-count rounding and truncation

True-count division frequently produces fractions.

For example:

Running count +7 ÷ 3 decks remaining = +2.33

Possible conversions include:

• Truncate toward zero: +2
• Round to nearest integer: +2
• Use a fractional interval: +2.33

For a negative result such as −2.67:

• Truncating toward zero produces −2.
• Rounding to the nearest integer produces −3.
• Flooring produces −3.

The correct procedure is the one assumed by the Hi-Opt II indices or simulation being used.

Mixing an index table generated with one convention and calculations performed with another can move close decisions to the wrong side of the threshold.

Why aces are neutral in Hi-Opt II

Aces are highly valuable for betting because they combine with ten-value cards to create natural blackjacks.

They also have a different effect on many playing decisions because an ace can count as either 1 or 11.

Hi-Opt II omits the ace from its main count to improve the count’s sensitivity to playing decisions and insurance. The published unadjusted system consequently has:

• Strong playing efficiency
• Strong insurance correlation
• Lower raw betting correlation than an ace-reckoned system such as Hi-Lo

The ace side count restores much of the missing betting information without contaminating the main playing count.

How to maintain the Hi-Opt II ace side count

A standard deck contains four aces.

Track how many aces have appeared separately from the Hi-Opt II running count.

At any point, calculate:

Expected aces remaining = decks remaining × 4

Actual aces remaining = starting aces − aces seen

Excess aces = actual aces remaining − expected aces remaining

• A positive result means the remaining cards contain more aces than expected.
• A negative result means the remaining cards contain fewer aces than expected.

Hi-Opt II ace-side-count adjustment

For the standard Hi-Opt II betting adjustment, each excess or deficient ace changes the temporary running count by two points.

This reflects the Level 2 scale of the system.

Temporary betting count = main running count + (excess aces × 2)

Then calculate:

Ace-adjusted betting true count = temporary betting count ÷ decks remaining

The adjustment can be positive or negative.

Worked ace-side-count example

Suppose a six-deck shoe began with 24 aces.

Two decks have been dealt, leaving approximately four decks.

Assume only five aces have appeared.

• Starting aces: 24
• Aces seen: 5
• Actual aces remaining: 24 − 5 = 19
• Expected aces remaining: 4 decks × 4 = 16
• Excess aces: 19 − 16 = +3

Suppose the main Hi-Opt II running count is +8.

The ace adjustment is:

+3 excess aces × 2 = +6

The temporary betting count becomes:

+8 +6 = +14

With four decks remaining:

Ace-adjusted betting true count = +14 ÷ 4 = +3.5

The unadjusted playing true count remains:

Main playing true count = +8 ÷ 4 = +2

The player therefore maintains two different numbers:

• +2: the normal Hi-Opt II true count for standard playing indices
• +3.5: the temporary ace-adjusted true count for betting analysis

Example of an ace-poor remaining shoe

Use the same six-deck shoe with four decks remaining, but suppose 11 aces have already appeared.

• Actual aces remaining: 24 − 11 = 13
• Expected aces remaining: 16
• Excess aces: 13 − 16 = −3

If the main running count is +8:

Ace adjustment = −3 × 2 = −6

Temporary betting count = +8 −6 = +2

Ace-adjusted betting true count = +2 ÷ 4 = +0.5

The main count suggested a strong abundance of ten-value cards, but the shortage of remaining aces materially weakened the blackjack betting opportunity.

Do not merge the ace count permanently

The ace side count should not be permanently inserted into the main Hi-Opt II running count.

Maintain three separate concepts:

1. The ordinary Hi-Opt II running count
2. The number of aces seen or remaining
3. A temporary ace-adjusted count for betting

After evaluating the wager, return to the main Hi-Opt II count for ordinary playing indices.

Permanently assigning the ace −2 inside the main count would create a different counting system and make the original Hi-Opt II playing indices unreliable.

Hi-Opt II performance measurements

These figures describe characteristics of the main count before side-count improvements.

They do not mean that:

• The player has a 91% advantage.
• The game returns 91%.
• Hi-Opt II wins 67% of hands.
• Insurance is correct 91% of the time.
• A session profit is guaranteed.

Betting correlation

Betting correlation measures how closely the card tags reflect changes in the value of the undealt cards for betting.

Hi-Opt II’s raw .91 figure is lower than Hi-Lo’s .97 because Hi-Lo directly counts aces as high cards. An ace side count can improve Hi-Opt II’s betting performance.

Playing efficiency

Playing efficiency measures how well the count supports deviations from ordinary basic strategy.

Hi-Opt II’s .67 figure is close to the practical ceiling often associated with a single-parameter count. This is one of its principal theoretical strengths, especially in hand-held games.

Insurance correlation

Insurance depends heavily on the proportion of ten-value cards remaining. Because every ten-value card receives −2 in Hi-Opt II while the ace is neutral, the system has strong published insurance correlation.

Hi-Opt II versus Hi-Opt I

Hi-Opt II improves all three published measurements, but it also creates more opportunities for errors.

Theoretical improvement is valuable only when the player can maintain:

• The Level 2 running count
• Accurate deck estimation
• True-count division
• A separate ace count
• Game-specific indices
• Correct basic strategy
• Chip and bankroll decisions

A perfectly executed Hi-Opt I count can outperform a poorly executed Hi-Opt II count.

Hi-Opt II versus Hi-Lo

Why Hi-Lo may be preferable

Hi-Lo has strong raw betting correlation and includes aces in its main count. It is therefore simpler for many six- and eight-deck shoe players.

Hi-Lo also has extensive published:

• Index sets
• Simulation results
• Training software
• Betting studies
• Educational material

Why Hi-Opt II may be preferable

Hi-Opt II has stronger published playing and insurance measurements. It may appeal to advanced players studying deeply dealt single- or double-deck games where strategy variation contributes more value.

The best choice depends on complete game performance and execution accuracy—not which count has the largest number in one comparison column.

Is Hi-Opt II only for single-deck blackjack?

Hi-Opt II was designed with strong playing efficiency and has traditionally been associated with single-deck or hand-held play.

It can also function in shoe games. An ace side count improves its usefulness for betting but is not proof that a particular shoe game is profitable.

In every game, evaluate:

• 3:2 versus 6:5 blackjack payout
• Dealer hitting or standing on soft 17
• Doubling rules
• Doubling after splits
• Surrender
• Resplitting rules
• Deck count
• Penetration
• Table speed
• Minimum and maximum wagers
• Permitted bet spread

A poor 6:5 single-deck table is not automatically rescued by using an advanced count.

Using Hi-Opt II in six- and eight-deck games

Hi-Opt II can be used in multi-deck shoes, but the operational burden increases.

A six-deck player may need to:

• Track up to 24 aces
• Estimate several decks remaining
• Convert a Level 2 running count
• Apply a temporary ace adjustment
• Maintain an appropriate betting ramp
• Wait through many neutral or negative rounds

An eight-deck shoe begins with 32 aces, adding further tracking demands.

Hi-Lo may provide a better practical tradeoff when betting correlation is the main priority. Hi-Opt II remains usable, but the full game should be simulated rather than judged from system metrics alone.

Hi-Opt II betting decisions

There is no universal Hi-Opt II statement such as “raise your wager whenever the true count reaches +2.”

The point at which a game becomes favorable depends on:

• The starting house edge
• The rules
• The ace adjustment
• The number of decks
• True-count resolution
• Penetration
• The betting model

A rational bet ramp also requires:

• Bankroll size
• Expected value
• Variance
• Risk of ruin
• Table limits
• Maximum acceptable spread
• Casino countermeasures

Use game-specific simulation rather than assuming that a higher count always requires the largest possible wager.

Review our guides to blackjack bet spreads and blackjack risk of ruin before connecting real money to the count.

Hi-Opt II playing indices

Hi-Opt II indices specify when card composition changes a blackjack decision from its ordinary basic-strategy action.

Index categories can include:

• Insurance
• Hit versus stand
• Double versus hit
• Split versus another action
• Surrender versus continued play

Indices must match:

• The Hi-Opt II system
• The number of decks
• The table rules
• The true-count convention
• The rounding method
• The index-generation assumptions

Do not use Hi-Lo or Hi-Opt I indices with Hi-Opt II. The Level 2 scale alone makes their numerical thresholds non-equivalent.

Hi-Opt II and insurance

Insurance is a separate wager on whether the dealer’s hole card is worth ten when the dealer shows an ace.

The value of insurance depends on the proportion of ten-value cards among the possible dealer hole cards.

Hi-Opt II assigns every ten-value card −2 and ignores the dealer’s visible ace in its main count. This structure produces a strong published insurance correlation of .91.

The correct insurance threshold must still come from the Hi-Opt II index set and game assumptions being used.

The player’s main hand does not determine whether insurance has positive expectation. A blackjack, 20 or weak total does not change the composition of the unseen cards except through the actual cards held.

Advanced multi-parameter side counts

Aces are not the only cards assigned zero in Hi-Opt II. Eights and nines are also neutral in the main count.

Advanced multi-parameter methods can maintain separate information about neutral cards and use specialized adjustment tables for particular playing decisions.

For example, excess eights can affect a close doubling decision even though an 8 does not change the ordinary Hi-Opt II running count.

This is substantially more complex than an ace side count because it may require:

• An additional side count
• Decision-specific multipliers
• Separate multi-parameter indices
• Temporary adjustments for individual hands

Do not improvise these adjustments. They require tables or software generated specifically for the side count and decision.

For most players, mastering the main count, ace side count and a focused index set is more practical than attempting several simultaneous side counts.

Hi-Opt II practice drill 1: full-deck countdown

1. Shuffle one standard deck.
2. Start the running count at zero.
3. Expose one card at a time.
4. Apply the correct Hi-Opt II tag.
5. Confirm that the final count is zero.

Do not prioritize speed until repeated counts are error-free.

Practice drill 2: pairs and cancellations

Expose two cards at a time and calculate the combined value immediately.

Progress to three- and four-card groups after pairs become automatic.

Practice drill 3: mixed-card packets

Expose an entire blackjack round containing several hands and calculate the net value as one packet.

Example:

5, king, 2, 7, 8, queen

The values are:

+2 −2 +1 +1 +0 −2 = 0

Recognizing that packet as zero is faster than maintaining six separate intermediate totals.

Practice drill 4: true-count conversion

Create random running counts and deck estimates, then calculate the true count.

Apply the exact rounding or truncation convention required by the indices afterward.

Practice drill 5: add the ace side count

1. Begin with a known number of decks and aces.
2. Maintain the ordinary Level 2 running count.
3. Track every ace separately.
4. Pause at random intervals.
5. Estimate the decks remaining.
6. Calculate expected and actual aces remaining.
7. Determine the excess-ace figure.
8. Multiply by two.
9. Create the temporary betting count.
10. Verify the result by counting the remaining cards.

Continue until both counts can be maintained without one disrupting the other.

Practice drill 6: realistic full-table play

Simulate a complete table while:

• Dealing several player positions
• Maintaining the running count
• Tracking aces
• Estimating decks remaining
• Applying true-count conversion
• Following split hands
• Using basic strategy
• Applying selected indices
• Handling chips or recording hypothetical wagers
• Listening to unrelated conversation or background noise

The purpose is to test whether the system remains accurate under realistic mental load.

Use our blackjack card-counting trainer alongside physical-card drills.

Common Hi-Opt II mistakes

Counting the ace as −2

The ace is zero in the main Hi-Opt II count. It belongs in a separate ace side count.

Counting 4s and 5s as only +1

That resembles Hi-Opt I. In Hi-Opt II, both ranks are worth +2.

Counting the 7 as zero

The 7 is neutral in Hi-Opt I and Hi-Lo, but it is +1 in Hi-Opt II.

Subtracting only one for a ten-value card

Every 10, jack, queen and king is −2.

Using the running count without deck conversion

A balanced count requires true-count conversion for appropriate multi-deck betting and index use.

Applying Hi-Lo index numbers

The systems use different scales and card tags. Their numerical thresholds cannot be transferred directly.

Permanently combining the ace adjustment

The ace-adjusted count is temporary and used for betting unless a specialized playing side-count system explicitly says otherwise.

Assuming more complexity guarantees more profit

Additional precision can be erased by slower play, counting errors, inaccurate deck estimates or incorrect indices.

Ignoring table quality

A Level 2 count cannot repair a 6:5 payout, shallow penetration or wager restrictions.

When Hi-Opt II does not work effectively

Continuous shuffling machines

A true continuous shuffler repeatedly returns used cards to the available supply. Traditional shoe depletion is therefore removed, making an ordinary Hi-Opt II running count generally impractical.

Independently shuffled RNG blackjack

If every round is generated independently from a fresh virtual shoe, cards seen in one round provide no useful depletion information about the next.

Shallow penetration

A game can be technically countable but still provide too few favorable rounds to justify the variance, bankroll and mental effort.

Restricted bet spreads

Accurate information has limited financial value when the casino will not accept meaningfully larger wagers during favorable conditions.

Unknown or poor rules

Basic strategy, indices and the starting disadvantage depend on the rules. Do not apply a count before identifying the complete game.

Does Hi-Opt II guarantee a player edge?

No.

Hi-Opt II measures changes in card composition. A usable player advantage also requires favorable conditions such as:

• A reasonable starting house edge
• Meaningful penetration
• An adequate bet spread
• Accurate ace tracking
• Correct true-count conversion
• Appropriate indices
• Sufficient bankroll
• Low execution error

Even when the player has positive expected value, actual results can remain negative for a long period because blackjack variance is substantial.

Expected value is a long-run mathematical average, not a guarantee about a session, trip or year.

Is Hi-Opt II worth the extra difficulty?

Hi-Opt II may be worth studying for a player who:

• Already performs Hi-Opt I or another balanced count accurately
• Knows basic strategy automatically
• Frequently analyzes single- or double-deck games
• Values playing and insurance efficiency
• Can maintain an ace side count
• Uses system-specific indices
• Can test complete games through simulation

A simpler system may be preferable for someone who:

• Primarily plays six- or eight-deck shoes
• Makes errors with +2 and −2 tags
• Cannot track aces reliably
• Has not mastered deck estimation
• Wants broadly available simulation and index material
• Values speed and accuracy over theoretical refinement

The correct test is not whether Hi-Opt II looks stronger on paper. It is whether its use produces better error-adjusted results in the actual games available to the player.

Frequently asked questions

What are the Hi-Opt II card values?

Aces, 8s and 9s count as zero. Cards 2, 3, 6 and 7 count as +1. Cards 4 and 5 count as +2. Tens, jacks, queens and kings count as −2.

Is Hi-Opt II a balanced count?

Yes. The positive and negative tags in a complete deck sum to zero, so an accurately counted full deck finishes at zero.

Why is Hi-Opt II called a Level 2 system?

Its largest card tags are +2 and −2. A Level 1 system such as Hi-Lo or Hi-Opt I never changes the count by more than one point for a single card.

Does Hi-Opt II require a true count?

Yes. Hi-Opt II is balanced, so the running count is normally divided by the estimated decks remaining before applying true-count betting and playing indices.

Does Hi-Opt II count aces?

Aces are zero in the main count. They can be tracked separately to determine whether the remaining shoe contains more or fewer aces than expected.

How is the Hi-Opt II ace side count used?

Determine the number of excess or deficient aces remaining, multiply it by two, temporarily add the result to the main running count and divide by decks remaining to create an adjusted betting true count.

Is Hi-Opt II better than Hi-Opt I?

Hi-Opt II has stronger published betting, playing and insurance measurements, but it is harder to execute. Accurate Hi-Opt I play can outperform error-prone Hi-Opt II play.

Is Hi-Opt II better than Hi-Lo?

Neither is universally better. Hi-Opt II has stronger playing and insurance efficiency, while Hi-Lo has stronger raw betting correlation and normally requires less mental work in shoe games.

Can Hi-Opt II be used in six-deck blackjack?

Yes. It can work in shoe games, particularly with accurate true-count and ace-side-count procedures, but rules, penetration and execution determine whether the game presents a useful opportunity.

Can Hi-Opt II beat a continuous shuffling machine?

Traditional Hi-Opt II counting is generally not practical against a true continuous shuffler because used cards are repeatedly returned to the available card supply.

Related CountingEdge guides

• Blackjack card counting
• Hi-Opt I card counting
• Hi-Lo card counting
• Card-counting trainer
• Basic blackjack strategy
• Blackjack betting spreads
• Blackjack risk of ruin
• How casinos stop card counting
• How card counters get caught
• How casino surveillance reviews card counters

Technical sources

• QFIT: Hi-Opt II card tags and performance characteristics
• QFIT: card-counting system comparison and measurement definitions
• QFIT: ace-side-count setup and Hi-Opt II adjustment value
• QFIT: blackjack side counts and multi-parameter adjustments
• QFIT: Hi-Opt I comparison data
• QFIT: Hi-Lo comparison data
• Modern Blackjack: Hi-Opt system overview

Technical note: betting correlation, playing efficiency and insurance correlation describe characteristics of the main card tags. They do not include every possible side-count enhancement and do not replace game-specific simulation.