1. A method for predicting a mode value of a block of an image using one of an encoder and a decoder, the method comprising: receiving, by a processor, mode values for a predetermined number of neighboring blocks of the image, the predetermined number being at least two, a mode being a block classification that informs a decoder module of a predictive strategy to use for the block, each mode value falling within a range of integer values; using a probability table, by the processor, to compute a probability of each mode value in the range of integers given the mode values for each neighboring block, the probability table having a first axis comprising every possible mode value within the range of integer values, and second axis comprising a list of sequences of binary digits representing mode value of the neighboring blocks, each binary digit indicating whether or not a mode value of a neighboring block of the predetermined number of neighboring blocks is equal to a corresponding mode value on the first axis, the probability table being populated by probabilities that mode value of the block is equal to the corresponding mode values on the first axis given the corresponding sequence of binary digits in the second axis, the computing comprising: calculating the binary sequence of all of the neighboring blocks for a first mode value on the first axis, locating the binary sequence in the second axis that matches the calculated binary sequence of all of the neighboring blocks of the block, identifying the probability that the block has a mode value equal to the first mode value based on the located binary sequence in the second axis and the first mode value on the first axis; and repeating the calculating the binary sequence, the locating the binary sequence and identifying the probability for every mode value on the first axis; and selecting a mode value for the block, by the processor, based on the computed probabilities of each mode value in the range of integers being selected; and coding the selected mode value, by the processor, using an entropy coder.