The Hi-Opt I Count

Also Known as the Einstein Card Counting System

The Hi-Opt I blackjack card counting system was originally created by Charles Einstein in 1968. Lance Humble and Julian Braun made some refinements to the system, and popularized the Hi-Opt I Count in Humble's book, The World's Greatest Blackjack Book.

The point values are distributed as per the table below:

2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
0	+1	+1	+1	+1	0	0	0	-1	0

The Hi-Opt 1 system is similar to the Hi-Lo Count, the main difference being that the 2's and aces count as O in the Hi Opt I. The Hi-Opt I has also been called the Einstein Count.

A separate count of aces is kept in the Hi Opt I and the count of the aces determines multiple deviations from basic strategy.

Hi Opt is an abbreviation of "highly optimum".