What is the Illustrious 18 in blackjack?

Don Schlesinger’s list of the 18 highest-value Hi-Lo playing deviations from basic strategy, ranked by expected-value gain. Insurance at true count +3 is first; 16 vs 10 stand at 0 is second.

Does Anvil Table apply the Illustrious 18?

Yes, when Hi-Lo is selected and the Hi-Lo deviations subscription ($5/month) or All included ($10/month) is active. The trainer uses the published six-deck indexes and a floored true count. Hi-Lo counting itself stays free.

Anvil Table · study notes

Illustrious 18 and Fab 4 — Hi-Lo index plays

Basic strategy assumes an average shoe. A deviation is the play you make instead when the true count says the remaining cards are rich or poor enough to flip a specific hand. Anvil Table applies Don Schlesinger’s Illustrious 18 and Fab 4 when you select Hi-Lo and subscribe to Hi-Lo deviations ($5/month). Hi-Lo counting stays free. Wong Halves has its own Catch-18 table.

Last updated 2026-08-21

Open the 16 vs 10 Hi-Lo drill. The drill builds a study shoe so the floored true count sits at 0; the badge should read stand. Undo or New shoe clears it. Not a live table.

How the trainer uses the count

True count is floored (3.9 → +3, −0.1 → −1). Do the listed action when the floored count is at or above the index; otherwise hit — except tens vs 5/6, which stand rather than hit when you do not split, and insurance, which is a side bet. Late surrender, when offered, is checked first (Fab 4). The trainer will not stand a 16 vs 10 if the chart already surrenders it.

These are the six-deck numbers republished on Wizard of Odds from Schlesinger’s Blackjack Attack. We did not re-simulate them. 1- and 2-deck indexes differ by about a point on some cells; the trainer says so when you set 1 or 2 decks.

Illustrious 18 (six-deck Hi-Lo)

#	Play	Index	When TC ≥ index
1	Insurance	+3	Take insurance
2	16 vs 10	0	Stand (else hit)
3	15 vs 10	+4	Stand (else hit)
4	10,10 vs 5	+5	Split (else stand)
5	10,10 vs 6	+4	Split (else stand)
6	10 vs 10	+4	Double (else hit)
7	12 vs 3	+2	Stand (else hit)
8	12 vs 2	+3	Stand (else hit)
9	11 vs A	+1	Double (S17; H17 already doubles)
10	9 vs 2	+1	Double (else hit)
11	10 vs A	+4	Double (else hit)
12	9 vs 7	+3	Double (else hit)
13	16 vs 9	+5	Stand (else hit)
14	13 vs 2	−1	Stand at ≥ −1 (else hit)
15	12 vs 4	0	Stand at ≥ 0 (else hit)
16	12 vs 5	−2	Stand at ≥ −2 (else hit)
17	12 vs 6	−1	Stand at ≥ −1 (else hit)
18	13 vs 3	−2	Stand at ≥ −2 (else hit)

Fab 4 (late surrender)

Only if the table offers late surrender. Skip the group when Surrender is set to None.

#	Play	Index	When TC ≥ index
F1	14 vs 10	+3	Surrender
F2	15 vs 10	0	Surrender
F3	15 vs 9	+2	Surrender
F4	15 vs A	+1	Surrender (S17; H17 already surrenders)

Fab 4 15 vs 10 is already a chart surrender when late surrender is on, so that index does not change the badge; drill 14 vs 10 instead.

What this is not

Not a full index set. A,8 vs 6 is not Illustrious 18. In this trainer’s multi-deck chart, A,8 vs 6 is already double-else-stand, so a Wong-style extra index would not change the badge. Full indexes: Wong, Professional Blackjack, Appendix A — Anvil Table does not ship them. Wong Halves uses a separate Catch-18 table, not these Hi-Lo numbers — see Wong Halves deviations ($5/month, counter included). The live Hi-Lo overlay is $5/month. Not a live-table device. See methodology and Hi-Lo tags.

Educational study aid only. No real money. Do not use a phone or this trainer to assist play at a live casino table. Trainer.