Adaptive variable length coding techniques may be used for entropy coding of residual block coefficients produced by predictive video coding. The techniques may be applied to schemes that code positions of nonzero transform coefficients using zero runs. Coding parameters such as end of block (EOB) shift and VLC codebook selection tables may be maintained as internal states, instead of sending them with coded video slice data. Table entries may be periodically updated based on statistics collected during a coding pass. A special EOB shift table may adapt the position of a special EOB symbol in a symbol set to probability of significant coefficients with magnitude greater than one for a coding condition, such as a coding cycle. Chroma blocks may be coded independently of luma blocks using separate EOB shift, special EOB shift, and VLC codebook selection tables.