This invention decodes a next significance symbol using a selected context. The invention operates in a loop for each symbol decode for a whole block until the number of decoded map elements reaches a maximum number of coefficients for the block type or a last significant coefficient marker is decoded updating loop variables accordingly. This invention counts the number of decoded significance symbols indicating a significant coefficient and stores the locations of such significant coefficients in an array. An embodiment of this invention estimates the number of significant coefficients in a block and selects the inventive method or a prior art decode method.