Hi-Opt I – Card Counting Strategy

Hi-Opt I – A simple, Level 1, balanced strategy developed by Lance Humble and Carl Cooper. This strategy was built on the Einstein count developed by Charles Einstein in the late 60's. The current version can be found in The World's Greatest Blackjack Book, Doubleday & Company, 1980 by Lance Humble and Carl Cooper. Lance Humble (Igor Kusyszyn) is a retired professor and still plays occasionally. The indexes were created by Julian Braun. Hi-Opt I used to be the most popular count for single deck games. As there are fewer single deck games available, its popularity has waned. The count is very simple to use – however, some people side count the aces for greater strength, greatly increasing difficulty. Bill Zender's Card Counting for the Casino Executive suggests that casinos use Hi-Opt I for single deck games.

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