If you have started counting cards in blackjack, two numbers show up immediately: running count (RC) and true count (TC). They are related, but they are not interchangeable. RC is what you add as cards come out. TC is how you compare that number across a six-deck shoe and a single deck.
Our free browser trainer shows both on the same bar, so you can keep your own RC, convert to TC, then check yourself. Virtual chips only.
Count All Blackjack is a memory and statistics trainer. It is not real-money gambling and does not promise profit at a live table.
What the running count is
In Hi-Lo, every card gets a tag: 2–6 are +1, 7–9 are 0, and 10 through ace are −1. After the shuffle the count starts at 0. Each exposed card updates that number. That live total is the running count.
- Five of hearts → RC goes up 1.
- King of spades → RC goes down 1.
- Eight of diamonds → RC stays the same.
You never reset at the cut card. You reset only when the shoe is shuffled. The running count is a continuous story of the shoe so far — not a guess about the next card.
What the true count is
True count = running count ÷ decks remaining.
If RC is +6 and about 3 decks are left, TC is +2. If RC is +6 and about 1 deck is left, TC is +6. Same running count, very different density of tens and aces still in the shoe. Betting and insurance decisions in Hi-Lo are based on true count, not raw RC, in multi-deck games.
Decks remaining is an estimate: cards left ÷ 52, or a glance at the discard tray. Round to a half-deck if you need to. Precision to the last card is not the skill — converting at felt speed is.
Why a six-deck shoe needs true count
A +4 running count after one deck of a six-deck shoe is a mild lean. The same +4 with half a deck left is a strong lean. If you size a practice bet off RC alone, early-shoe plus counts look bigger than they are, and late-shoe plus counts look smaller than they are.
True count answers: how many extra low cards have we seen, per remaining deck? That is the number Hi-Lo uses to talk about advantage.
Worked example
Six-deck shoe, Hi-Lo, start at RC 0.
- First two rounds: lots of small cards. RC = +8. About 5 decks remain. TC ≈ 8 ÷ 5 = +1.6 (call it +2).
- Mid-shoe: RC is still +8, but only 2 decks remain. TC ≈ 8 ÷ 2 = +4.
- A clump of tens comes out. RC falls to +2 with 2 decks left. TC ≈ +1.
The running count did not tell the whole story until you divided. Play that sequence in the online trainer and match the RC / TC bar after each round.
When running count is enough
Balanced systems (Hi-Lo, Hi-Opt, Omega II, Wong Halves) need a true-count conversion in multi-deck shoes. KO (Knock-Out) is unbalanced: it never quite returns to zero on a full shoe, and players use a running count plus key counts instead of dividing. See Hi-Lo vs KO if you want to skip the division step.
Single-deck practice still benefits from knowing both numbers. Habit transfers when you move to six decks.
A five-minute drill
- Deal a round in the trainer. Update RC out loud.
- Glance at cards remaining. Estimate decks left (cards ÷ 52).
- Divide. Say the true count.
- Check the bar. If you missed RC, fix tags first. If RC was right and TC was wrong, practice the division.
Do not add index plays until RC and TC are clean at table speed. Accuracy first; then speed. A longer home plan is in how to practice card counting at home.
See RC and TC on a live shoe
Keep your own count, then check the statistical bar. Practice only — no real money.
FAQ
What is the running count in blackjack?
The live sum of every card tag since the shuffle. In Hi-Lo, low cards add +1 and tens through aces subtract 1.
What is the true count in blackjack?
Running count divided by decks remaining. It lets you compare a count in a six-deck shoe with a count in a shorter remaining pack.
Do I always need a true count?
For Hi-Lo in multi-deck shoes, yes. KO uses running count and key counts instead. Start with whichever system you intend to drill, and be consistent.
Next: basic strategy vs counting, the Hi-Lo reference, or play a practice shoe.