Anvil Table · study notes
What is a running count?
The running count (RC) is a single number you update for every card that comes out. Start at the system’s initial running count, then add the tag for each rank (and, in Red 7, the colour of sevens). You do not reset between hands — only when the shoe is shuffled. Balanced systems convert RC to true count; unbalanced systems bet from RC itself.
Last updated 2026-08-21
Initial running count (IRC)
Hi-Lo, Zen, Halves, and the Hi-Opt/Omega family start at 0. KO starts at 4 × (1 − decks). Red 7 starts at −2 × decks. REKO uses published IRCs for 1, 2, 6, and 8 decks. Starting at the wrong IRC is the most common way to make an unbalanced count lie.
FAQ
Does the running count reset each hand?
No. It runs for the whole shoe. Anvil Table’s “next round” keeps the count and clears the hands.
Related: Hi-Lo, all systems, methodology.
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