Hi-Opt I vs Hi-Opt II: What Is the Difference?

The core difference is complexity versus power. Hi-Opt I is a balanced level-one count that ignores aces and twos, making it clean and quick to run. Hi-Opt II is a balanced level-two count that assigns values of one and two to more cards, so it measures the deck more precisely but demands more effort. Both usually work best with a separate ace side count. In short, Hi-Opt I is the accessible option and Hi-Opt II is the advanced one.

What is the Hi-Opt I count?

Hi-Opt I, short for Highly Optimum, is a balanced level-one system designed for strong playing accuracy with modest effort. Its values are lean: threes, fours, fives, and sixes count as plus one, tens count as minus one, and everything else, including aces and twos, counts as zero. Keeping aces out of the running count is deliberate, because it keeps the count focused on the ratio that matters most for playing decisions, while the aces are tracked separately for betting. You still convert the running count to a true count by dividing by the decks remaining, just like Hi-Lo. The result is a system that is simple to run yet sharp for strategy deviations, which is why it has a long history among serious players.

What is the Hi-Opt II count?

Hi-Opt II is the level-two upgrade, built for players who want more precision and are willing to work for it. Instead of only plus one and minus one, it assigns plus one to twos, threes, sixes, and sevens, plus two to fours and fives, and minus two to tens, while aces, eights, and nines stay at zero. Because some cards now carry two points, the count tracks the changing deck composition more finely than a level-one system can. Like Hi-Opt I it is balanced and ignores aces in the main count, so it too pairs naturally with an ace side count. The extra resolution improves both betting and playing decisions, but every card now requires a larger and less uniform mental adjustment.

How the card values compare

Seeing the two schemes together makes the difference clear, since the pattern is that Hi-Opt II simply resolves more cards at a finer grain:

• Hi-Opt I: threes through sixes are plus one; tens are minus one; aces, twos, sevens, eights, and nines are zero.
• Hi-Opt II: twos, threes, sixes, and sevens are plus one; fours and fives are plus two; tens are minus two; aces, eights, and nines are zero.
• Both are balanced, so a full deck counts down to zero.
• Both ignore the ace in the running count and rely on a separate ace side count for betting.
• Hi-Opt II uses two-point values, which is what raises its accuracy and its difficulty.

Why both rely on an ace side count

Neither Hi-Opt system counts the ace in its main running count, which is a design choice with a trade-off. Aces are unusual: they matter enormously for hitting a blackjack, which drives your betting edge, but they matter far less for the small hit-and-stand decisions the running count guides. By leaving aces at zero, Hi-Opt keeps the running count cleanly tuned for playing strategy. To recover the betting information, players keep a separate tally of aces seen versus expected, known as an ace side count, and adjust their bets when aces are rich or poor. This split makes the systems accurate but adds a second number to track. It is a large part of why Hi-Opt counts are considered advanced.

How much more powerful is Hi-Opt II?

Hi-Opt II does measure the deck more accurately than Hi-Opt I, particularly for betting correlation, so in theory it can extract a slightly larger edge. The improvement, however, is incremental rather than dramatic, and it only materializes if you run the harder count and its ace side count without errors. As with every step up in complexity, the practical gain is smaller than the paper gain, because more moving parts mean more chances to slip during a long, distracting session. A player who runs Hi-Opt I cleanly will often match or beat a player who runs Hi-Opt II sloppily. The extra power is genuine but marginal, and it is meaningful mainly to disciplined, high-volume players chasing every fraction of edge.

Which is harder to run?

Hi-Opt II is clearly the more demanding system. Level-two values mean you add and subtract ones and twos in both directions, so the arithmetic is heavier than Hi-Opt I, where every card is just plus one, minus one, or zero. Layer the ace side count on top, which both systems encourage, and Hi-Opt II asks you to maintain two separate running tallies while converting to a true count and sizing bets. That is a lot to hold together as a dealer moves quickly and the pit watches. Hi-Opt I, by contrast, is close to Hi-Lo in difficulty and quite manageable once basic strategy is automatic. For most people the effort gap between the two is wider than the performance gap.

Which should you learn?

For nearly all players the sensible path is Hi-Opt I, or an even simpler system like Hi-Lo, before ever considering Hi-Opt II. The reason is the same theme that runs through all card counting: the edge is small, so reliability beats theoretical precision. Hi-Opt I gives excellent playing accuracy with a manageable load, and adding the ace side count later is an optional refinement. Hi-Opt II belongs to committed players who already run a simpler count flawlessly, log serious hours, and want to squeeze out the last fraction of an edge. If you are still building speed or making occasional mistakes, the advanced system will likely cost you more than it returns. Start simple and earn your way up.

How Hi-Opt compares to Hi-Lo

Hi-Opt I and Hi-Lo are close cousins in difficulty, both level-one balanced systems, but they differ in emphasis. Hi-Lo counts aces as minus one, folding some betting information straight into the running count, while Hi-Opt I ignores aces and recovers that information through a side count. This makes Hi-Opt I slightly stronger for playing deviations and Hi-Lo simpler for pure betting, since Hi-Lo needs no separate ace tally to function. For a beginner who wants one number to track, Hi-Lo is often the friendlier start. For a player who does not mind an ace side count and wants sharper strategy indexes, Hi-Opt I is attractive. Both capture most of what counting can offer, so either is a solid foundation.

Frequently asked questions

What is the main difference between Hi-Opt I and Hi-Opt II?

Level and precision. Hi-Opt I is a level-one count using only plus one, zero, and minus one, so it is simple to run. Hi-Opt II is a level-two count that adds two-point values to more cards, measuring the deck more finely for a slightly larger edge, but it is harder to keep accurately.

Do I have to use an ace side count with Hi-Opt?

Both Hi-Opt systems ignore aces in the main count, so a side count of aces is recommended to capture their betting value. You can run the base count without it, but you lose accuracy for bet sizing. The ace side count is a big reason these systems are considered advanced.

Is Hi-Opt II worth the extra difficulty?

For most players, no. Hi-Opt II is more accurate on paper, but the gain is marginal and only appears if you run it and its ace side count without errors. A simpler count kept cleanly usually performs just as well. It suits disciplined, high-volume players, not beginners.

Which Hi-Opt system should a beginner choose?

Hi-Opt I, if you want a Hi-Opt system at all. It offers strong playing accuracy with a level-one workload close to Hi-Lo. Master basic strategy and a simple running count first, then add the ace side count later. Leave the level-two Hi-Opt II until you are experienced and consistent.