How to Use the Counter
This tool is for learning and practice. It is not intended for casino tables, live blackjack games, or real-money play.
1
Select shoe size — choose 1–8 decks, including the common 8-deck shoe. Changing the size starts a fresh shoe for the selected system.
2
Choose a system — click the tab for the counting system you want to use. The buttons and display update automatically.
3
Enter cards in a practice exercise — choose the matching card button as cards are revealed. Watch the Running Count, True Count, and other indicators change as you practise.
4
Read the shoe and count stats — Cards Left and Decks Left update automatically after each counted card. = 8 means exactly eight decks remain; < 8 means fewer than eight but more than 7.5. Likewise, = 7.5 is exactly seven and a half decks, while < 7.5 means fewer than 7.5 but more than seven. Undo restores the previous shoe state; New Shoe and Clear reset it.
5
Read the count and Betting Suggestion — balanced systems show True Count; KO and Red 7 use their running-count thresholds. The suggestion depends on the selected system. Open Betting or Expert Notes for the exact rules and examples.
6
Ace button (where shown) — in Hi-Opt I, Hi-Opt II, and Omega II, aces are tracked separately. Pressing Ace does not change the running count but updates the ace density stats.
7
New Shoe — starts the selected shoe size over with the correct starting count. Undo can restore the shoe that was active before New Shoe.
8
Undo / Clear — Undo reverses the last card, shoe reset, or shoe-size change. Clear resets the entire shoe, same as New Shoe.
9
Theme toggle — the ☀ button in the top right switches between dark and light mode. Your preference is saved automatically.
10
Action log — the >_ button toggles the action log panel, which slides in from the right on supported screen sizes.
Ace density: in Hi-Opt I, Hi-Opt II, and Omega II the note reports whether remaining aces are rich, poor, or neutral versus expectation. Ace density is shown as additional information and does not automatically change the betting recommendation.
True Count vs Running Count: balanced systems divide the running count by exact decks remaining (with a 0.5-deck minimum divisor near an empty shoe). KO and Red 7 use their unbalanced running-count conventions and system-specific thresholds; the displayed comparison is not a True Count. Open Betting for the rules. A new shoe starts at the selected system's initial count.
Counting Systems
| Value | Cards |
|---|
| +1 | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 |
| 0 | 7, 8, 9 |
| −1 | 10, J, Q, K, A |
| Value | Cards |
|---|
| +1 | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
| 0 | 8, 9 |
| −1 | 10, J, Q, K, A |
IRC = 4 − 4 × decks; this offset makes the full shoe end at +4 (the pivot). Published key counts are +2 (1 deck), +1 (2), −1 (4), −4 (6), and −6 (8). See Betting for the conservative fallback used at 3, 5, and 7 decks.
| Value | Cards |
|---|
| +1 | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and red 7 |
| 0 | Black 7, 8, 9 |
| −1 | 10, J, Q, K, A |
IRC = −2 × decks and pivot = 0. At the pivot, the published shoe betting guide first raises the bet; it is a pivot convention, not a KO key count. Use the separate 7 Red and 7 Black buttons.
| Value | Cards |
|---|
| +1 | 3, 4, 5, 6 |
| 0 | 2, 7, 8, 9 |
| −1 | 10, J, Q, K |
| Ace | A — tracked separately |
| Value | Cards |
|---|
| +2 | 4, 5 |
| +1 | 2, 3, 6, 7 |
| 0 | 8, 9 |
| −2 | 10, J, Q, K |
| Ace | A — excluded from main count; tracked separately |
| Value | Cards |
|---|
| +2 | 4, 5, 6 |
| +1 | 2, 3, 7 |
| 0 | 8, 9 |
| −1 | A |
| −2 | 10, J, Q, K |
Aces are included in the main count at −1. No separate side counting needed.
| Value | Cards |
|---|
| +2 | 4, 5, 6 |
| +1 | 2, 3, 7 |
| 0 | 8 |
| −1 | 9 |
| −2 | 10, J, Q, K |
| Ace | A — excluded from main count; tracked separately |
| Value | Cards |
|---|
| +1.5 | 5 |
| +1 | 3, 4, 6 |
| +0.5 | 2, 7 |
| 0 | 8 |
| −0.5 | 9 |
| −1 | 10, J, Q, K, A |
Fractional tags distinguish more ranks. Values can be doubled mentally to keep whole numbers if preferred.
Starting counts: the six balanced systems start at 0 and sum to 0 over a complete deck. KO starts at 4 − 4 × decks and Red 7 starts at −2 × decks; both unbalanced tag sets gain +4 or +2 per full deck counted, respectively. KO uses a key count and +4 pivot; Red 7 uses pivot 0 and its deck-specific running-count betting guide. The Betting section explains the implemented thresholds.
How Betting Suggestions Are Calculated
Learning examples only: betting suggestions illustrate how a count can relate to a theoretical betting ramp. They do not calculate your actual advantage at a particular table, account for every rule, penetration, bankroll, table limit, or risk, and are not instructions for real-money wagering. This tool is not intended for live casino play.
Balanced systems — Hi-Lo, Hi-Opt I, Hi-Opt II, Zen, Omega II, Wong Halves: all six currently share this application-specific training ramp, using the unrounded True Count (TC = running count ÷ max(exact decks remaining, 0.5)). TC ≥ +4: Max; +3 ≤ TC < +4: High; +2 ≤ TC < +3: Raise; +1 ≤ TC < +2: Slight Increase; 0 ≤ TC < +1: Standard; −2 < TC < 0: Minimum; TC ≤ −2: Sit Out / Minimum. The common bands do not account for differences in betting correlation, rules, penetration, or bankroll, and are not a validated or optimized spread.
KO: the standard KO IRC is 4 − 4 × starting decks and the pivot is +4. For the published key counts available for 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 decks (+2, +1, −1, −4, −6), this app says Minimum below key, Raise from key up to but not including +4, and Max at +4 or above. KO Rookie starts increasing at the key; its source describes the maximum bet as at or near pivot. Standard published key counts were not established here for 3, 5, and 7 decks. For those sizes, this app uses an explicitly conservative fallback: Minimum below +4, Max at/above +4, with no key count claimed.
Red 7: IRC = −2 × starting decks and pivot = 0. The app uses Arnold Snyder's published “Shoe” unit guide for 3–8 decks, and its 1-deck and 2-deck columns for those shoe sizes. At each listed RC threshold, the listed unit level applies until the next threshold: 1 deck: below 0 = 1 unit, 0 = 2, +2 = 4; 2 decks: below 0 = 1, 0 = 2, +4 = 3, +6 = 4, +8 = 6; 3–8 decks: below 0 = 1, 0 = 2, +6 = 3, +8 = 4, +12 = 6, +16 = 8. Zero is both the pivot and the first raise point in this convention; it is not a KO key count. The suggestion category labels summarize unit levels: 1 Minimum, 2 Slight Increase, 3 Raise, 4 High, 6 High (or Max where it is the selected table's highest level), and 8 Max. The note shows the exact unit count. The source calls these guidelines and explains that game rules, penetration, bankroll, limits, and spread constraints affect sizing.
Examples: Hi-Lo RC +8 with 4 exact decks left gives TC +2 and Raise. Eight-deck KO at RC −6 is at its published key count and says Raise; at RC +4 it is at pivot and says Max. Six-deck Red 7 at RC 0 (IRC −12 plus 12 count points) is at its pivot and recommends Slight Increase with the published 2-unit shoe guide; at RC +8 it recommends High and shows 4 units.
Category meanings: Minimum is the baseline 1-unit band; Slight Increase is the next small increase; Raise, High, and Max name progressively higher training bands. Standard and Sit Out / Minimum are produced by the balanced ramp. These labels are not dollar amounts or universal prescriptions.
Advantage and aces: this tool does not calculate a casino-edge percentage. Count Position reports whether KO is below, at, or above its key count. Red 7 shows its first-raise threshold and pivot. Ace density is shown as additional information and does not automatically change the betting recommendation.
These suggestions are educational signals, not bankroll-optimized advice. They do not account for table rules (including S17/H17, blackjack payout, doubling, splitting, or surrender), penetration, bankroll, risk tolerance, table limits, or camouflage. No recommendation guarantees a player edge or a win.
What Changes at Expert Level
Beginner — Hi-Lo
- Three card groups only
- All values are +1, 0, or −1
- Balanced — starts and ends at 0
- True Count uses precise fractional decks remaining
- No ace side count needed
- Easiest to maintain under pressure
Advanced — Multi-level Systems
- More card groups with different weights
- Values of ±2 require separate mental tracking
- Fractional steps in Wong Halves
- Ace side counting adds a parallel track where shown
- Different tags emphasize different counting tasks
- More mental work and more chances for counting errors
Index plays: advanced players deviate from basic strategy at certain count thresholds (index numbers). For example, standing on 16 vs dealer 10 when the count is sufficiently positive. This app focuses on the count and betting signal only — index plays are not implemented.
Half-deck estimation: blackjack players often estimate the remaining shoe in half-deck increments. The Decks Left indicator shows the interval containing the exact remaining amount: = marks an exact whole- or half-deck boundary, and < means fewer decks remain than the next half-deck boundary. This avoids suggesting an exact amount when the shoe is between boundaries. Internally, remaining decks are calculated from the exact number of cards left (cards ÷ 52); the display rounding never changes True Count, which continues to use precise fractional decks remaining. Near an empty shoe, the calculation divisor has a 0.5-deck minimum for stability, while the indicator still reports the actual amount down to = 0.
Balanced and unbalanced counts: balanced tags sum to zero across a complete deck, so their running count is converted to True Count by dividing by exact decks remaining. Hi-Lo, Hi-Opt I/II, Zen, Omega II, and Wong Halves use that path here. KO and Red 7 have a net positive tag total per deck, so the selected IRC offsets that natural drift; their running counts are read against their system's published key/pivot conventions without the app's balanced-count division.
IRC, key count, and pivot: IRC is the starting running-count offset after a shuffle. A KO key count is its published first betting threshold; its +4 pivot is a separate reference where KO's running count corresponds to approximately TC +4 across shoe sizes. Red 7's adjusted IRC makes its pivot 0; the original guide describes this as about a 1% increase over the game's starting expectation and first raises the bet at zero. A key count and a pivot answer different questions and must not be substituted for one another. KO key-count data for 3, 5, and 7 decks was not established in the references used here, so the app shows no fabricated key and applies only the conservative +4 pivot fallback at those sizes.
Betting correlation and limitations: systems differ in how well tag values track the remaining cards' effect on betting (betting correlation), playing decisions (playing efficiency), and insurance (insurance correlation). Different counts and true-count conventions can therefore give different signals. This app intentionally applies one simplified ramp to all six balanced systems and distinct sourced guidelines to KO and Red 7; it does not simulate a specific table's expected value or produce bankroll-sized bets. The bet suggestion does not account for table rules, penetration, bankroll, or risk tolerance. A theoretical ramp is not equivalent to conditions at a real casino table. Labels such as Max are training categories, not advice about an appropriate wager. Index plays are not implemented.
Ace side count: Ace density for Hi-Opt I, Hi-Opt II, and Omega II compares remaining aces with the number expected from exact remaining cards. Ace density is shown as additional information and does not automatically change the betting recommendation.
About Blackjack Counter Tool
This project is for learning counting systems, understanding how counts evolve, comparing methods, practising card values and count tracking, and seeing how remaining shoe size affects True Count. It is not designed for use during actual casino play or real-money gambling.
A tool for learning
Blackjack Counter Tool is an independently developed browser tool for learning and practising card-counting systems. It supports eight systems, 1–8 deck shoes, Running Count and True Count, KO and Red 7 references, a half-deck shoe display, ace side counting where applicable, and educational betting examples. A local copy works offline; no account is required.
Why I built it
I believe useful software should be accessible without forcing people into unnecessary subscriptions. I built this as a straightforward tool you can use for free, without an account, advertisements, or giving away personal information. Software should do what it promises without unnecessary paywalls or data harvesting.
Privacy and independence
Counting happens in your browser. The app has no advertising or behavioral tracking, and it does not upload counting sessions. Your theme preference is stored locally. External project and donation links open only when you choose them. See the Privacy Policy for details.
Amanda Hernow
Independent developer. I build useful software with privacy as a default, avoid unnecessary subscriptions and ad-driven design, and aim to be transparent about how applications work. I do not sell personal information.
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Disclaimer
This tool is intended for educational and practice purposes only. It is not designed for use inside casinos, during live blackjack games, or while gambling with real money.
The count displays and betting suggestions are learning examples. They do not calculate the actual advantage at a specific table, recommend real-money wagers, or guarantee any gambling outcome.
The app helps you study counting methods and observe how their calculations behave in practice.
