… Multiple Authors. Tales From the Felt: An Illustrated Anthology. Good Pen Press / Blackjack Apprenticeship; Nov 2022 (100 pages) – Excellent. Highly recommended. From the book, “In the first illustrated anthology of its kind, 21 blackjack professionals step out of the shadows to tell the strange but true adventures they have lived along the road to legally beating casinos for millions of dollars.” Authors include Tommy Hyland, Josh Axelrad, Colin Jones and many others. Proceeds from this book are being donated to Blackjack Hall of Fame Inc. a 501c3 that helps those affected by problem gambling. [ Blackjack Hall of Fame ] [ Blackjack Apprenticeship ] [ AMAZON: Tales From the Felt ] [ 11/28/22 Gambling With An Edge Podcast ]
Steve Aldrich. Casino Blackjack: Your Best Bet. Zauberman Press, Lakewood CO; Feb 1, 1989 (58 pages) – Good. Recommended. According to the biography, this book was written by a professional magician and sleight of hand expert from Denver, CO. Not sure why, but I originally had this book as not recommended. After another review, I’ve given this book a thumbs up! The book is a bit short on words and a bit dated, but Aldrich gives honest advice and presents correct basic strategy advice. [ AMAZON: Casino Blackjack… ]
Abram Alexander. Advanced Tactics in Casino Advantage Play. Amazon Digital Services; 2011 (119 pages) – Good. Recommended. Foreword by Arnold Snyder. From the advertising: In this text, Abram Alexander gives readers practical advice on tactics available to advantage players in modern casino conditions. He includes discussions of tactical approaches to card counting, shuffle tracking, and other techniques, with an emphasis on winning at a worthwhile rate across many different games. His findings, as presented in the text, have been derived not only from the wide body of advantage gambling literature, but also from over a decade of experience as a professional gambler. This book is not for beginners. It is intended for readers who are already familiar with one or more forms of advantage play. [ AMAZON: Advanced Tactics in Casino Advantage Play ]
J. Edward Allen. The Basics of Blackjack. Gambling Research Institute / Cardoza Publishing; 1984 – 1990, Revised in 1992 (48 pages) – A pocket sized beginner’s handbook reviewing the basics, including rules, strategies, card counting, money management, etc. Includes a correct basic strategy and a short glossary. Renamed to “The Basics of Winning Blackjack” in 1992, when Cardoza Publishing began publishing it. [ AMAZON: The Basics of Blackjack ]
Ian Andersen. Burning the Tables in Las Vegas. Huntington Press; 1999, 2002 (305 pages) – Outstanding. Highly recommended. This was the long awaited sequel to one of the best-selling blackjack books ever written, Turning the Tables on Las Vegas. Many consider Andersen as one of the the top professional blackjack players in the world. Absolutely must reading for higher stakes players who want to extend their playing career in today’s tough games with electronic and computer surveillance. This book is already considered a classic. It includes powerful strategies for high-stakes players and an entertaining journey into professional blackjack play in today’s casinos. The second edition published in 2002, includes 35 pages of new material and includes a foreword by Stanford Wong. [ Win 02/03 Snyder BJF 111 ] [ Spr 99 Snyder BJF 111 ] [ AMAZON: Burning the Tables in Las Vegas ]
Ian Andersen. Turning the Tables on Las Vegas. Vanguard Press, New York; 1976 (205 pages) – Excellent. Highly recommended. Contains an excellent treatment of casino comportment, the use of camouflage techniques, barring, and the use of psychological manipulation of casino personnel and dealers. This is the first book to explain tells. Ian Andersen was born Irving Louis Lobsenz in Jersey City in 1943, but according to court records, has changed his name at least twice. His current name ??? is believed to be Rusty Kent London. He has also written two other books – The Big Night in 1979 (a novel) and Making Money in 1978. [ 6/22/87 K. Bishop New York Times ] [ 10/17/89 New York Times Quarterly Index 85 ] [ 90 Patterson Blackjack: A Winner’s Handbook 100 ] [ AMAZON: Turning the Tables on Las Vegas ]
Eugene D. Anderson. Playing Blackjack to Dramatically Win for a Change and Win Consistently. Page Publishing; Apr 17, 2019 (44 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, A Unique Approach. From the advertising, “This method of playing blackjack to win, and to win in this unique way, has never before been seen after being perfected over a span of twenty-five years. … You will win consistently because of the unique betting system. In this book, you will win every time the dealer goes bust, and yet you will never go bust. Every time you win a hand, you regain all previous losses, and you gain profits you get to keep. The betting system of going through a six-hand doubling works amazingly well, and every time you win, you win all previous losses back.” Nothing unique here with this obviously worthless progressive betting system. [ AMAZON: Playing Blackjack to Dramatically… ]
John Archer. The Archer Method: An Expert’s Guide to Winning at 21. Wilshire Book Co., / Henry Regnery Co., Chicago, IL; Aug 1, 1973, 1978 (204 pages) – Recommended for its time. Also called, “The Archer Method: An Expert’s Guide to Winning at 21“. Includes the Jacques Noir (One-Two) count with Archer’s playing strategy.
Ashley, Elizabeth and Maria. The Secret Diary of an All-Girl Blackjack Team. CIPP; Nov 26, 2015 (348 pages) – Good. Recommended with some reservations. Subtitled, How to Count Your Way to Financial Freedom. From the advertising: “Welcome to our crazy world! We are Maria, Ashley and Elizabeth— an all-girl professional blackjack team currently beating casinos across the United States. We are three women who traded our dead-end jobs for high-roller suites and we’ve never looked back.” Whether the stories in this book are true or not is not the issue. The book provides an interesting story that reads like a novel, however, it surprisingly includes solid information about basic strategy, the Hi-Lo card counting system, play deviations, the Illustrious 18, Kelly betting, team play tactics, etc. And then, out of the blue they start talking about card clumping and how to pick the right table based on how well other players are doing. They appropriately call this “voodoo table magic” and leave it up to the reader to believe in it or not. Includes a good glossary and an excellent “further reading” section. Ignore the voodoo stuff and the book is worth a read. [ theblackjacksociety.com ] [ AMAZON: Secret Diary of an All-Girl Blackjack Team ]
Austin (Aus the Boss). The Simplest Way to Win at the Blackjack Tables. Computerized Systems Institute; 1973 (41 pages – spiral bound) – Review TBD. Subtitled, “MONEY… is the name of this game“. [ AMAZON: Simplest Way to Win at the Blackjack Tables ]
Josh Axelrad. Repeat Until Rich. Penguin Press HC; 2010 (272 pages) – Very good. Recommended. Subtitled, A Professional Card Counter’s Chronicle of the Blackjack Wars. From the advertising: “A deliciously wry, edge-of-the-seat memoir of making a fortune with card counters across a wide swath of blackjack in America.” Arnold Snyder comments, “This is a beautifully written memoir…“ [ REVIEW: blackjackforumonline.com ][ youtu.be/1-9JoLIkhyM ][ axelrad.net/blog/ ][ AMAZON: Repeat Until Rich ]
Daniel Bailey. Blackjack Freedom. CIPP / MLR Publishers; Nov 4, 2010 (60 pages) – From the advertising: “Blackjack Freedom is a simplified counting and betting system that enables anyone, not just those who scored an 800 on their math SAT’s, to master card counting forever, gain a worthwhile edge over the casinos…” Bailey offers a new slant on true count conversion for the Hi-Lo count. However, the strategy outlined in the book is only presented for the 6-deck game. His concept is very interesting, however, it still requires a bit of memorization. As far as all of the play variations he recommends, they look OK, but I didn’t check them all for accuracy. The best piece of advice he gives is, “When you get the shoes with the high counts, the most important thing you have to do is bet accordingly. Being able to pull the trigger and lay down your big bet at the right time is what this is all about.“ [ AMAZON: Blackjack Freedom ]
Roy Bain. Splitting Tens. Page Publishing; Jan 13, 2017 (182 pages) – Not recommended. From the advertising, “If you are new to the game of Blackjack this is your chance to learn a winning strategy! For the seasoned player, this book will point out the flaws in “Basic Strategy” which gives the House a bigger edge so they end up with your money most of the time.” Flaws in basic strategy? I don’t think so! [ AMAZON: Splitting Tens ]
Roger Baldwin, Wilbert Cantey, Herbert Maiseland James McDermott. Playing Blackjack to Win. M. Barrows / Cardoza; 1957, 2008 (92, 144 pages) – Excellent. Highly recommended from a historical perspective. Subtitled, A New Strategy for the Game of 21. The first published version of a basic strategy and the predecessor to Edward Thorp’s book. The original edition is definitely a collector’s item. From new edition advertising, “This new edition of the rarest and most influential blackjack book in the history of the game brings together the most famous contributors in the game. Privately published in 1957 in an extremely limited quantity, this was the first book ever to print the correct winning strategies for the game of blackjack. This instant collector’s item includes a foreword by blackjack legend Edward O. Thorp, whose best-selling classic, Beat the Dealer (which relied on the original Playing Blackjack to Win), changed the public’s perception of 21 forever, plus an introduction and additional material from Arnold Snyder (Blackbelt in Blackjack, Big Book of Blackjack), along with new material from the authors.” The four authors of this book are collectively known as “The Four Horsemen of Aberdeen“. Includes a foreword by Charles Van Doren. See Blackjack Hall of Fame. [ AMAZON: Playing Blackjack to Win ] [ SEE REPORTS ]
Barfarkel. You’ve Got Heat. Research Services Unlimited; 2004 (233 pages) – Good. Recommended. Subtitled, The Vegas Card Counting Adventures of LV Pro. From the advertising: “Fascinating true story of a low stakes casino player who used every angle to win enough money to increase his playing bankroll five fold from $2,000 to $10,000 while simultaneously enjoying free vacations in Las Vegas. The techniques he used to gain the advantage over the casinos -card counting, casino coupons, and casino promotions – are explained in detail in the book.” [ AMAZON: You’ve Got Heat ]
Barfarkel. You’ve Got Heat (Volume II). Research Services Unlimited; 2007 (233 pages) – Review TBD. Subtitled, Turning Up the Heat. Volume II encompasses the subsequent 20 trips that Barfarkel took to Las Vegas and Reno during the period of October 2003 through October 2007. Pi Yee Press (bj21.com) sold this e-book in their catalog so it is probably pretty good.
Sam Barrington. Ask Dr. Blackjack. AuthorHouse; Jan 9, 2013 (156 pages) – Not recommended. Tweaks to basic strategy and a special money management plan that forces you to leave when you have hit a goal. One Amazon reviewer comments, “All strategies are based on progression and progression can’t be beaten!” Well, a special money management plan can’t beat the game either. [ AskDrBlackjack.com ] [ AMAZON: Ask Dr. Blackjack ]
Gino Belli. Win and Earn With Blackjack. Independently published; Feb 12, 2020 (102 pages) – Not recommended. From the advertising, “PLAY AND WIN AT THE BLACK JACK A MATHEMATICAL SYSTEM THAT GUARANTEES YOU HIGH CHANCE OF WINNING!” Yes, it looks like the book is in all capital letters! Well, at least the preview is. [ AMAZON: Win and Earn With Blackjack ]
Lloyd Bennett. Z-System. Z-Systems, Las Vegas, NV; 1980 (69 pages) – Good. Recommended. Subtitled, A Simplified Guide to Profitable Blackjack in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Includes an approximation of basic strategy plus useful information about hotels, motels and local transportation. Of course, the latter is a little out of date by now. My copy also included two plastic basic strategy cards – one for single-deck and the other for multi-deck games. [ 10/80 Wong Blackjack World 164 ] [ AMAZON: Z-System ]
Michael Benson. Blackjack Strategy. Lyons Press, 2000, May 1, 2004 (176 pages) -Good. Foreword by Bert Randolph Sugar. Subtitled, Tips and Techniques for Beating the Odds. The authors explain when to take a hit, when to stand, when to split, and when to double-down and how all these decisions, as well as how much to bet on any particular round is affected by the card count. Includes a comprehensive list of blackjack rules, including specific casino rules and regions and surveillance techniques that houses use to weed out card counters, and a glossary of terms. A few errors in the basic strategy charts but overall solid advice. IMAGE [ AMAZON: Blackjack Strategy ]
Alan Berg. The Counting Game. Barricade Books; Nov 23, 2007 (207 pages) – Good. Recommended. Subtitled, An Accountant Reveals How to Win at Blackjack. From the advertising, “Blackjack has long fascinated–and defeated–players who think they have the system to win. Berg tells how he beat the odds at the blackjack tables again and again. He exposes the new tricks he discovered through his experiences and his strong relationship with statistics from his long career as a CPA. Unlike more technical gambling books, this one is written to aid players of all levels.“ [ Review by Howard Schwartz ][ AMAZON: The Counting Game ]
Mark Billings. The Ultimate Edge. BookSurge Publishing; 2009 (434 pages) – Full review TBD. Subtitled, Professional Blackjack in the 1980s. From the advertising: … tells the little-known story of four men who became instrumental in changing the face of contemporary professional blackjack, winning the admiration of players the world over, and the disdain of casino bosses everywhere. Through traditional narrative and detailed examples, deep technical insights, and his own instinct for the game, Billings tells a compelling tale of improbable friendship, cutting-edge blackjack, and good old human obsession. [ markbillings21.com/ ][ wizardofodds.com ][ A Wonderful Phrase by Bob Dancer ][ AMAZON: The Ultimate Edge by mark billings ]
BJANALYST. aka Conrad Membrino. Blackjack KO with Table of Critical Running Counts. Bookwhip Company; Dec 10, 2019 (206 pages) – Looks like this is an updated version of the book of the same name by Conrad Membrino. If interested, be sure to read ET Fan’s article. From the advertising, “Traditional blackjack card counting wisdom is that the selected count should be balanced and if side counts are kept they must be separately tracked by rank which rank is not included in the primary count. This book will dispel these myths as the primary count selected for blackjack is the KO count and for Spanish 21 is the Hi-Low both of which are unbalanced with a pivot of a true count of four and so calculation of true counts of four or more when big bets are made are relatively insensitive to errors in estimated decks played as compared to balanced counts which have a pivot of zero. Also plus minus side counts are exact, easy to keep and the ranks in the side counts may also be counted in the primary count. All strategy changes are made using addition, subtraction and multiplication and then compared to a critical running count so that no division is necessary. The primary unbalanced counts are ideal for the shoe game, plus minus balanced side counts are easy to use, true counts of four or more are relatively insensitive to errors in estimating decks played and finally the counts are very powerful as measured by correlation coefficients between the tagged value of the derived counts and the effects of removal for each strategic situation.“ [ AMAZON: Blackjack KO with Table of Critical Running Counts ]
BJANALYST. aka Conrad Membrino. High-Low with Plus/Minus Side Counts. Xlibris Corp; Jul 18, 2018 (270 pages) – If interested, be sure to read ET Fan’s article. From the advertising, “This book is a sequence to KO with Table of Critical Running Counts, KO with 45m79c, and KO with 45m79c and AA89mTc, where plus/minus side counts were used with the unbalanced KO as the primary count. This book replaces the unbalanced KO with the balanced high-low as the primary count to which plus/minus side counts are added. Side counts analyzed for use with high-low are Am6c, 5m9c, AA78mTc, Am8c, and 7m9c. The side bets of Lucky Ladies, Super 4, and Blazing 7s are also covered. Generally, for the shoe game, use high-low with AA78mTc and 5m9c. And for the two-deck game, use high-low with Am6c and 5m9c. Also shown for comparison are analogous side counts when KO is used as the primary count, such as KO with AA89mTc and 5m7c, for the shoe game. For the two-deck game, use high-low with side counts as KO is not recommended for the two-deck game.“ [ AMAZON: High-Low with Plus/Minus Side Counts ]
BJANALYST. aka Conrad Membrino. KO with 5m7c and AA89mTc. Xlibris Corp; Aug 7, 2019 (270 pages) – If interested, be sure to readET Fan’s article. From the advertising, “This book is the fifth book in a series starting with KO with Table of Critical Running Counts which book should be read first. This book replaces the more difficult 45m79c side count covered in earlier books with the simpler and easier to use 5m7c with very little loss in power. This book covers the 5m7c and AA89mTc used with the KO in analyzing the S17 (dealer Stands on soft 17) blackjack game and includes summaries of how to use these side counts to help with Lucky Ladies, Super 4 and Blazing 7’s bets which derivations were covered in previous books. This book includes simulation results that show that that the KO with 5m7c and AA89mTc outperforms the Hi-Opt 2 with Ace side count (HO2 w ASC) for all scenarios for both the no late surrender and late surrender game. Although no simulations were done for KO with 5m7c alone, based on simulations that were done, it is estimated that KO with 5m7c is approximately on par with HO2 w ASC. Thus if no side bets such as Lucky Ladies or Super 4 are offered and just one side count is to be used then use KO with 5m7c.“ [ AMAZON: Ko with 5m7c and AA89mTc ]
BJANALYST. aka Conrad Membrino. KO with 45m79c. Xlibris Corp; Oct 12, 2017 (144 pages) – If interested, be sure to readET Fan’s article. From the advertising, “This book is a supplement to KO with Table of Critical Running Count. The 45m79c (Four, Five minus Seven, Nine count) is included as a side count to be used with the primary KO count. Traditional blackjack counting wisdom is that the primary count should be balanced, and if side counts are kept, they must be separately included by rank, which ranks is not included in the primary count, and an excess or deficiency of that rank is calculated by taking into account the number of cards of that given rank played and decks played. This book and other books to follow, which will include a second and third side count to add to the KO and 45m79c covered in this book, will show that both statements are false. The primacy count is the KO, which is unbalanced with a pivot of a true count of four, and the 45m79c is a plus/minus balanced side count with the 4, 5, and 7 included in both the KO count and in the 45m79c. Plus/minus side counts are exact and easy to keep. The ranks in the side counts may also be included in the primary count or in other side counts if more than one side count is used. All strategy changes are made by using a linear combination of the side counts with the primary count, with the result being compared to the critical running count for the particular strategy change so that no division or any other calculations are necessary. Near the pivot of a true count of four, where large bets are made and so accuracy is paramount, the true count is relatively insensitive to errors in estimating the number of decks played. Finally, k in KO + k*(45m79c) is selected so as to maximize the absolute value of the correlation coefficient between the tag values of the derived count and the effects of removal for each strategic situation.“ [ AMAZON: KO with 45m79c ]
BJANALYST. aka Conrad Membrino. KO with 45m79c and AA89mTc. Xlibris Corp; Jan 24, 2018 (396pages) – If interested, be sure to read ET Fan’s article. From the advertising, “This book is a sequel to KO with Table of Critical Running Counts and KO with 45m79c, which should be read first. This book covers the 45m79c and AA89mTc used with the KO count in analyzing the S17 (dealer stands on soft 17) blackjack game. Included is an analysis of the Lucky Ladies and the Super 4 side bets. The Am8c, 6m2c, 67m23c are compared as a third-side count to the KO with 45m79c and AA89mTc. Finally, the KO with just the Am6c side count for the two-deck game, the 5m7c, Am6c and Am7c as second side counts to KO with AA89mTc and Spanish 21 using Katarina Walkers unbalanced Hi-Low as the primary count with 455m8AAc and Am6c as side counts are covered.“ [ AMAZON: KO with 45m79c and AA89mTc ]
Jack Black. The Card-Counting Guide to Winning Blackjack. Consumer Publications, Kings Park, New York; Jun 1, 1983 (70 pages) – Subtitled, Beat the Casinos at Blackjack. Contains a simplified system that uses the Hi-Opt I count values. Snyder writes, “It seems like a waste.“ [ 2/84 Wong Blackjack World 30 ] [ 3/84 Snyder BJF 46 ] [ 84 Joel Friedman & S. Wong ReviewsC&S Vol.26,41 ] [ 90 Patterson Blackjack: A Winner’s Handbook 107 ] [ AMAZON: The Card-Counting Guide… ]
Kevin Blackwood. The Counter. Wooden Pagoda Press; 2002 (312 pages) – Excellent. Highly Recommended. Anthony Curtis of the Las Vegas Advisor says its a “fascinating look into the unique life of a professional card counter — written by one of the world’s top players.” Stanford Wong, blackjack author and expert, says its a “well-crafted story with memorable action scenes, intriguing plot twists and character redemption… I really liked The Counter.” Doyle Brunson, two time World Series Poker Champion, says its “ABSORBING! Gambling, God, greed and girls clash in this powerful and provocative novel.” And Rob Wiser, of Casino Player Magazine, says its a “riveting insider’s tour through the world of high stakes blackjack… every page crackles with authenticity.” This book received Blackjack Review‘s editor’s choice for best blackjack novel for many years. SAMPLE | FAQ [ Spr 02 Snyder BJF 110 ] [ REVIEWS: kevinblackwood.com ][ AMAZON: The Counter ]
Kevin Blackwood. Play Blackjack Like the Pros. William Morrow Paperbacks; 2005 (288 pages) – Excellent. Highly recommended. Foreword by Stanford Wong. Blackwood is a high stakes pro who has spent years in the trenches. This book summarizes his style of play (which is aggressive and selective) and presents a realistic presentation of his accomplishments, mistakes and life as a professional player. [ REVIEWS: kevinblackwood.com ][ AMAZON: Play Blackjack Like the Pros ]
Kevin Blackwoodand Larry Barker. Legends of Blackjack. Research Services Unlimited; 2009 (138 pages) – Excellent. Highly recommended. Subtitled, True Stories of Players Who Crushed the Casinos. This is an e-book. Fascinating story of the MIT and Czech teams. From the advertising:This book is unlike any other blackjack book because it contains the true stories of the ingenious pioneers who unraveled the secrets to winning at blackjack, and the legendary blackjack players and teams who used this information to win millions of dollars in casinos throughout the world. [ ANNOUNCEMENT: blackjackinfo.com ][ AMAZON: Legends of Blackjack ]
Christopher Brady. Casino Surveillance – How Casinos Thwart Cheaters and Advantage Players. Self Published / Amazon Digital Services; 2016. (63 pages) – Very good. Recommended. Subtitled, A Guide Written for a Major Casino. An excellent introduction and insight into how casino surveillance should monitor cheaters and advantage players. Concentrates primarily on blackjack. Very good advice to all casinos where Brady writes, “It is important that we do not accuse an advantage player of a crime. Advantage players are, after all, simply making a gambling decision based on information that we have provided them! Implying that it’s a crime to make an intelligent decision carries some very serious legal implications.“ [ AMAZON: Casino Surveillance… ]
Rick Blaine. aka Rick “Night Train” Blaine. Blackjack BluePrint. Huntington Press; 2006, 2014 (380 pages) – Excellent. Highly recommended. Subtitled, How to Play Like a Pro … Part-Time. Think of this as everything you need to know about team play that Ken Uston never told you. Rick Blaine has been involved with blackjack teams since 1985. He has played on teams, organized teams, managed teams, and trained team players. He’s been on teams that won and teams that failed. If you are considering joining a team, or forming one, read this guide to the nuts and bolts of running a team as a successful business venture. Anyone even considering joining a team must own this book. “This is a wonderful book, filled with a wealth of information rarely seen between the covers of a single blackjack work. Rick is unusually qualified to write so knowledgeably on so many different areas, having done it all in his extensive blackjack career.” – Don Schlesinger. “One of the true road warriors, Blaine shows you how to beat the casinos at blackjack and still keep your day job.” – Max Rubin. [ BJRNET: Blackjack Blueprint ] [ AMAZON: Blackjack Blueprint ] [ SEE REPORTS ]
Julian Braun. How to Play Winning Blackjack. Data House Publishing, Chicago; 1980 (172 pages) – Excellent. Highly recommended. An excellent book to learn and understand basic strategy. Also presents the Hi-Lo point count. Nice color strategy charts. The money management section included in this book, however, was not written by Braun but by his publisher, Harry Fund! That section is not recommended. [ 80 C&S Vol.10,38 ] [ 6/80 Wong Julian Braun Answers BJW ] [ 90 Patterson Blackjack: A Winner’s Handbook 94 ] [ 83 Schlesinger BJF 32 ] [ March 2000 Snyder BJF 34 ] [ AMAZON: How to play winning blackjack ] [ SEE REPORTS ]
Andrew Brisman. Scratch & Play: Test Your Blackjack IQ. Puzzlewright; Jun 5, 2012 (96 pages) – Review TBD. From the advertising, “This book will take your blackjack skills from bust to boom. Scratch-off circles present you with sample hands, so you can figure out the optimal strategy for every possible situation. It’s up to you to decide whether to hit, stand, split, double down, or surrender. Tips and tricks adorn the pages, but the best way to learn is to dive right in and play. Don’t hit the tables until you hit Scratch & Play Test Your Blackjack IQ!” Interesting! [ AMAZON: Scratch & Play… ]
Bill Brown. 190,000,000 Hands of Blackjack. Casinos Plus, Las Vegas, NV; 1989, 1990 (238 pages) – Good. Recommended. This computer analysis in book form contains practically nothing but computer simulation statistics. Simulations include factors such as surrender, doubling down, hard hitting and standing, single- and multi-deck play, dealer expectations, splitting pairs, soft hitting and standing, insurance, dealer hitting and standing on soft 17 and special styles of play. Discusses advantages and disadvantages of double exposure. [ 9/91 Snyder BJF 50 ] [ AMAZON: 190,000,000 Hands of Blackjack ]
James R. Brown. Blackjack: Atlantic City Style. M & H Distributors; 1991 (176 pages) – Good. Recommended. Subtitled, A New Easy to Understand Guide for East Coast Gamblers. An interesting and informative guidebook for Atlantic City players. Includes topics such as basic strategy, the rules, progressive betting systems, taking advantage of a card counter’s abilities, etc. Also includes an extensive reference section. [ AMAZON: Blackjack: Atlantic City Style ][ AMAZON: Basic Blackjack for the East Coast ]
John Bukofsky. Blackjack: Play Like the Pros.Lyle Stuart; Aug 2006 (288 pages) – Very Good. Recommended. Subtitled, A Complete Guide to Blackjack, including Card Counting. According to Amazon listing… “John Bukofsky is an electrical engineer and expert blackjack player who has played throughout the United States and Europe. Because of his card counting skill, he has been barred from playing in Las Vegas, harassed in Atlantic City and Connecticut, and has played alongside some of the highest rollers in the world at the casinos in Monte Carlo. John is married with two children and lives in southern New Jersey.” Don Schlesinger comments, “Bukofsky makes it easy for the reader to master the skills needed to become a successful player. Many blackjack books skimp on details, especially when it comes to the mathematics of the game or complete card counting systems. Not so here. I highly recommend it.“ [ AMAZON: Blackjack: Play Like The Pros ]
Richard Canfield. Blackjack Your Way to Riches. Carol Publishing (Lyle Stuart), New York; 1977 (213 pages) – Good. Recommended. Very interesting reading, but win rates are exaggerated. Written by a former pit boss who discusses basic strategy, card counting, pit bosses, playing styles, and playing blackjack in general. Includes Canfield’s Expert count system. Canfield’s Expertand Mastersystems were available through the Blackjack Monthlynewsletter. [ Braun C&S Vol.2, 47 ][ Wong C&S Vol.4, 48 ][ c78? Rouge et Noir 14 ][ 90 Patterson Blackjack: A Winner’s Handbook 98 ][ AMAZON: Blackjack Your Way To Riches ]
Jimmy Cardano. An Honest Guide to Blackjack. Independently published; July 23, 2019 (192 pages) – Review TBD. Written for the casual recreational player. Bibliography is excellent as all of the books listed are highly recommended. Includes accurate basic strategy charts. Preview looks good. [ AMAZON: Honest Guide to Blackjack ]
Avery Cardoza. Essential Blackjack Wisdom. Cardoza Publications; 2002 (140 pages) – Good. Recommended. “Do not hold your cards with two hands.” That is tip #1 in the basic playing tip section which gives you an example of the “wisdom” in this book. Includes numerous basic strategy situations and advice on playing the game. The main concern is the advertisement in the back of the book which promises an advantage in multiple-deck games with a non-counting system?? [ AMAZON: Essential Blackjack Wisdom ]
Avery Cardoza. Quick Guide to Winning Blackjack. Cardoza Publications; 2001, Dec 30, 2003 (128 pages) – Review TBD. Subtitled, 30 Minutes to Beating the House. From the advertising, “The average blackjack player wants to learn fast and win fast. This easy-to-read guide gives him exactly that. In just 30 minutes, casual blackjack players – 95% of the estimated 125 million blackjack players in the US alone – learn the basics of play and the strategies that can make them winners. Blackjack is hugely popular because with proper play, bettors can actually have the advantage over the casino and the skill to win money – with the odds! From the rules and variations, to the basic play options including surrender and insurance, readers learn how to play smart, get free comps from the casino and have a great time while beating the casino at blackjack! This new edition includes 25% new material: simplified card counting for average players, updated strategy information for single and multiple deck games, and new information on getting comped to free meals, rooms, and shows!“ [ AMAZON: Quick Guide to Winning Blackjack ]
Avery Cardoza. Winning Casino Blackjack for the Non-Counter. Cardoza Publishing, Santa Cruz, CA; 1981, 1985, 1990, 1992, 2002 (160 pages) – Good. Recommended. Includes nicely laid out basic strategy charts for most single- and multiple-deck games in Nevada and Atlantic City. The only concern is the advertisement in the back of some editions of the book which promises a 0.5% – 1% advantage in multiple-deck games with a non-counting system?? [ 6/83 Snyder BJF 46 ][ 90 Patterson Blackjack: A Winner’s Handbook 107 ][ Fall 92 Dalton BJR 18 ][ AMAZON: Winning Casino Blackjack for the Non-Counter ] [ SEE REPORTS ]
Bryce Carlson. Blackjack For Blood. Compustar Press, Gamestar Press; 1992, 1993, 2010 (248 pages) – Excellent. Highly recommended. Subtitled, The Card-Counters’ Bible, and Complete Winning Guide. The best part of this book is Carlson’s insight into what I call the art of twenty-one. This textbook covers the basics through advanced card counting. Includes an ace neutral two level count called the Omega II count. The 1993 edition included a coupon for a free copy of Carlson’s Omega II Blackjack Machine software, which ran on the Apple II computer. [ ERRATA ] [ 7/10/92 Review The Card Player ][ 9/92 Snyder BJF ][ Fall 92 Dalton BJR 1.2 ][ Summer 93 Dalton BJR 2.3 ][ BJRNET: Blackjack For Blood ][ AMAZON: Blackjack for Blood ]
Carlo O. Carlson. Bone Head Blackjack. Western Printing and Publishing, Reno, NV; 1964 (55 pages) -Review TBD. Subtitled, Directions For Winning at 21. According to Gardner (see reference below), Carlson claimed to earn $400 or $500 a week (in 1964) playing blackjack using his own “keeping-track-by-the-toes-fingers-and-assorted-anatomical-limbs” system. This system was developed before Revere or Einstein published their counting systems. [ 80 Gardner Gambling: A Guide to Information Sources 39 ]
D. V. Cellini. The Card Counter’s Guide to Casino Surveillance. Huntington Press; c2008 (135 pages) – Excellent. Highly Recommended. Sub-titled: A Snyder Professional Report. Foreword by Steve Forte. Preface by Arnold Snyder. From the advertising, “… packed with inside advice on solo and team-play tactics; how to fly below the radar screen; how to confuse the agents and software; successful camouflage and counter-offensive techniques; and even sure-fire ways to get busted.” Great stuff! [ Win 02/03 BJF 112 ][ AMAZON: The card counter’s guide to casino surveillance ]
Carlson Chamblissand Thomas C. Roginski. Fundamentals of Blackjack. GBC; 1990 (228 pages) – Excellent. Highly recommended. This is one of the best traditional style books on blackjack to come out in the 1990s. Nice description of the rules of blackjack, the mathematics of the game and the history of card counting. Be sure, however, you get the correction sheet since there are some errors. [ 6/90 Snyder BJF 50 ][ AMAZON: Fundamentals of Blackjack ]
Carlson Chambliss and Thomas C. Roginski. Playing Blackjack in Atlantic City. GBC; 1981 (281 pages) – Very good. Recommended. A very thorough mathematical and computer analysis of the early 1980’s Atlantic City blackjack game. Written just before early surrender was discontinued. Much of their analysis is probably still applicable today. Stanford Wong, however, in his review of this book stated that some of the mathematical sections are simplistic. The assumptions made in the book simplify the mathematics but underestimate the amount of risk involved in playing blackjack. [ 90 Patterson Blackjack: A Winner’s Handbook 101 ] [ 8/81 Wong BJW Vol.3,137 ] [ 9/81 Snyder BJF 25 ] [ AMAZON: Playing Blackjack in Atlantic City ]
Bill Channels. aka William R. Channels. The (Darn Near) Complete Book of Winning at Blackjack. CIPP; 2012 (234 pages) – Very good. Highly recommended. Bill Channels is the GameMasterand author of the Blackjack School curriculum on the Blackjack Review Network, BJ21 and BlackjackInfo web sites. From the advertising, “Card counting made easy: Showing not only what you need to know, but how to learn it. You cannot expect to win at Blackjack by just reading a book. If it were that easy, there would be no Blackjack games available in the casinos. However, you can win by developing the skills needed to give you a long-term edge at the game and this book will show you how to do that. The lessons in this book will take you step-by-step through the process of learning how to play each hand properly, how to count cards, how much to bet and other techniques we use to extract money from the casinos. The course is long, but this is not something you have to learn overnight. Take your time, do what I say and you’ll soon be on your way to playing a winning game of Blackjack. Winning at Blackjack is a lot more fun than losing, even if you’re just a “recreational” player. What you can learn from this book are skills you’ll be able to use for the rest of your life. Opportunities to play good Blackjack games are expanding rapidly in North America, Europe, Asia, Africa and South America. Through my Website and in private lessons, I’ve taught hundreds, if not thousands of people how to win at Blackjack over the past 20+ years. This book is the next-best thing to having me sit with you at the table. “ [ Blackjack School ] [ AMAZON: The (Darn Near) Complete Book of Winning at Blackjack ]
Robert M. Charlton. Better Blackjack. Charlton High Tech.; 1985, 1986 (36 pages) – Good. Recommended. Subtitled, An informative book every visitor to a casino should read! Yes, although short, Charlton’s booklet provides good advice on basic strategy and playing this game in a casino. Includes a basic strategy card and a good bibliography and recommended reading.
Kenneth S. Y. Chin. Understanding and Winning Casino Blackjack. Vantage Press, New York; 1980 (133 pages) – Not recommended. This is a mathematical essay on the game. From the advertising, “Casino blackjack is a game easy to learn and to play–a player only tries to achieve a hand better than the dealer’s. However, because of the many inherent advantages allowed to the dealer, the player is behind before the game begins. The player’s calculated disadvantage is approximately 8%; but in playing, it seems more like 30% or more. To compensate this disadvantage, a player needs to understand the inherent advantages for the dealer and for the player, the probability of winning or losing on a given hand, the arrangement of card patterns in modifying the decision of hitting or standing, the importance of a dependable betting system, and other topics discussed in this book. Hopefully, a diligent reader will learn how to “secure against defeat”, and how to increase his chance for winning and for fun.“ [ 90 Patterson Blackjack: A Winner’s Handbook 107 ] [ AMAZON: Understanding and Winning Casino Blackjack ]
G. Phillip Cline. Beat the Odds Blackjack. Lyle Stuart; Dec 1, 2003 (144 pages) – Review TBD. Subtitled, Playing the Percentages Without Counting Cards. See book by Matt Summers with book of same name??? [ AMAZON: Beat the Odds Blackjack ]
Carl R. Cohen. Beating the Blackjack Slot Machines. Self published, Philadelphia, PA; 1985 (32 pages) – Not recommended. Strategies for IGT, Meyco and Summit blackjack machines. Cohen offers advice on strategy, reviews the rules, payoffs and presents tips for more effective play. Material is currently out-of-date. [ 84 C&S Vol.28,34 ] [ AMAZON: Beating the Blackjack Slot Machines ]
Kevin D. Cole. Playing Blackjack to Win. Authorhouse; Nov 29, 2012 (110 pages) – Review TBD. 2nd edition. From the advertising, “Unbelievable… all of this exciting information in one book!! It’s no surprise that many professional Blackjack players have said that Play Blackjack To Win is the easiest to understand and most complete book ever written to teach an amateur how to be a consistent winner.“ [ BACK COVER ][ AMAZON: Playing Blackjack to Win ]
Donald L. Collver. Scientific Blackjack & Complete Casino Guide. Arco Publishing, New York; 1966, 1971, 1977 (159 pages) – Not recommended. From the advertising, “A former dealer on the Las Vegas Strip reveals his scientific system for two problems of play that, once mastered, mean the difference between winning and losing: casing the cards and learning the percentages.” Collver uses the terms, casing the deck and advanced casing to describe his method. In it he kept track of the excess of tens over other non-ace cards and low cards (2-5) over other non-ace cards plus a count of aces. According to D. Howard Mitchell (DHM), his playing strategy was relatively crude since he did not have the benefit of a modern optimization program. [ 80 Gardner Gambling: A Guide to Information Sources 39 ] [ AMAZON: Scientific Blackjack & Complete Casino Guide ] Softback [ AMAZON: Scientific Blackjack & Complete Casino Guide ] Hardback
Jerry Connelly. See book entry under Larry Ristvedt. The North Dakota Blackjack Book.
Arthur Conrad. The Devil’s Blackjack System. Independently Published; Dec 4, 2019 (90 pages) – Review TBD. Interesting title! [ AMAZON: The Devil’s Blackjack System ]
Raymond J. Christ. Winning Blackjack. Dorrance Pub; 1995 (30 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, The Easy No-Count System. Includes nonsense progression betting advice including the win progression, the loss progression and the double progression system. From the advertising, “You will find out how to WIN at blackjack – without card counting! You’ll learn three “super” blackjack systems – the Loss Progression, the win Progression, and the PATENTED DPS system!” Only 30 pages? Doesn’t really qualify as a book. [ AMAZON: Winning Blackjack ]
Count of Monte Carlo. Blackjack: A Little Knowledge is a Dangerous Thing. President Books; 1963. (76 pages) – Not recommended. Labeled as Volume 1. Not sure if there is a volume 2? Cool cover design! The “Count” rabbles on about blackjack and other topics, gives really bad basic strategy advice and then promotes his “Controlled Progression” system. [ AMAZON: Blackjack by the Count of Monte Carlo ]
Chad M. Courter. aka Everett Tibbetts. 10 Step Blackjack: The Beginner’s Guide to Beating Blackjack. CIPP / Shutterstock.com; Nov 29, 2011 (130 pages) – Recommended. From the advertising, “Have you ever wanted to make money while playing the casino’s most popular game? 10 Step Blackjack uses a systematic approach to teach a player of any skill level to be a winner.” Introduces what Courter calls the Ambition Count and the Unbalanced Ambition Count. Both these counts are suit aware! Do we really need another counting system? See book by Everett Tibbetts with the same book title. Note to author: Ed Thorp’s last name does not end with an “e”. [ 10stepblackjack.com ] [ AMAZON: 10 Step Blackjack ]
Ben Crawford. How I Went From Waiting Tables to Being a Professional Blackjack Player (on Accident). Amazon Digital Services; 2012 (40 pages) – Good. Recommended. This is Ben’s story of how he learned how to count cards, got involved in team play and why he started the Blackjack Apprenticeshipweb site. This e-book won’t teach you about basic strategy or card counting. However, it is a well-written short auto-biography of Ben Crawford – husband, father, card counter and entrepreneur. [ AMAZON: How I Went From Waiting Tables… ]
Ben Crawford. The 29 Minute Card Counting Book. Amazon Digital Services; 2014 / Nov 22, 2018 (35 pages / ?? pages) – Full Review TBD. Subtitled, The Best Knowledge & Practical Advice that you will ever receive about how to Count Cards. This is Ben’s e-book, from Blackjack Apprenticeship. Probably good. Foreword by Colin Jones. Illustrated by Aberaham Moreno. [ AMAZON The 29 Minute Card Counting Book ]
Derick Crawford. How to Play Blackjack for Beginners. Independently published; May 4, 2023. (78 pages) – Review TBD. Subtitled, “A Beginner’s Guide to Basic Strategy, Gambling Bankroll, and Card Counting.“ [ AMAZON: How to Play Blackjack for Beginners ]
Richard Cui. Blackjack Academy. Amazon Digital Services; Feb 17, 2019 (143 pages) – Review TBD. From the advertising, “I emphasize the trade-off between simplicity and performance: I discuss how easy each aspect of optimal play is to actually use in a blackjack game, and I recommend simplified versions, where desirable, that give nearly optimal performance. A serious player should ideally be carrying out a number of distinct mental processes simultaneously, rapidly, and accurately; he may well wish to drop the least valuable ones, to ensure his fidelity to those more worthwhile, as well as to lower his stress level.“ [ AMAZON: Blackjack Academy ]
Richard Cui. Blackjack Card Counting Tricks. Amazon Digital Services; Mar 2, 2019 (253 pages) – Very good. Recommended… however! From the advertising, “Being a counter means using a point count to keep a running track of what cards have been dealt, and then doing a bunch of “related calculations.” The tricky part is that you have to do these other calculations simultaneously, and you have to do them quickly; things like (1) remembering the correct blackjack basic strategy, (2) converting the running count to what’s called (3) a true count, (4) deviating from blackjack basic strategy, depending on the true count number just calculated, and (5) applying a correct blackjack strategy. Some advanced card-counting methods also involve keeping a side count of aces, because the ace is such a valuable card when it comes to blackjack strategy. And the entire effort should be orchestrated with the same relaxed air you used in ordering a cocktail at poolside the night before.” A well written instructional guide to card counting and what to expect as a card counter. Presents a decent presentation of a level-one point count (Hi-Lo) and a level-3 point count (Uston Advanced Point Count). I am concerned, however, about all of the other gambling books written by a “Richard Cui” which appear to promote progressive betting and other nonsense strategies. [ AMAZON: Blackjack Card Counting Tricks ]
Richard Cui. Non-counting Blackjack Strategy. Amazon Digital Services; Feb 13, 2019 (120 pages) – Review TBD. From the advertising, “This book will teach you how to win without the blind memorization and boring tedium usually associated with blackjack card counting. The computer-tested blackjack basic strategy is carefully explained so that every play you make is easily learned. In addition, all the winning strategies are presented in an easy-to-read blackjack chart. You’ll learn how to beat the single-deck game without counting cards, and how best to adjust your play for multiple-deck games whether you’re a player in Las Vegas, Northern Nevada, Atlantic City, the Mississippi riverboats and Indian reservations, or you’re heading for play in Europe, Asia, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, or anywhere else blackjack is found.“ [ AMAZON: Non-counting Blackjack Strategy ]
Richard Cui. Perfect Blackjack. Amazon Digital Services; Mar 3, 2019 (?? pages) – Review TBD. From the advertising, “This book contains proven steps and strategies on how to master all aspects of blackjack game, from basic blackjack rules to advanced blackjack card counting concepts that will teach you how to win money at the tables.“ [ AMAZON: Perfect Blackjack ]
Hugh Cunningham. See book entry under Dave Wilhite. Playing 21 For More Pleasure.
Donald Dahl. Progression Blackjack. Citadel; Oct 1, 2000 (155 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, : Exposing the Card Counting Myth and Getting an Edge in “21”. The title says it all. An Amazon reviewer comments, “I spotted this nonsense book at a local bookstore and scanned through it for a good laugh.Let me save the suspense: Dahl’s strategy is basically this: increase your bet while you’re winning, lower your bet while you’re losing. Sounds great doesn’t it?“ [ AMAZON: Progression Blackjack ]
Michael Dalton. Blackjack: A Professional Reference. (BJAPR) Spur of the Moment Publishing, Merritt Island, FL; 1990-1993 (201 pages) 1999 (Online) 2016 (Major update 1000+ pages). – Subtitled, The Encyclopedia of Casino Twenty-One. In 1993, this book was the most comprehensive and complete reference to the game of twenty-one ever written. Over 1300 entries included reference listings of books, magazines, publications, articles, reports, videos, software and other products available for serious players of the game. Also included was the most complete blackjack dictionary ever compiled explaining blackjack terminology, system and strategy descriptions, rules, and miscellaneous blackjack trivia. Basic strategy charts were included that covered most blackjack games in the world. Fully cross-referenced with recommendations. In 1999, this book became a living document on the Blackjack Review Network web site under the name The Encyclopedia of Casino Twenty-One. In 2017, the book was renamed The Encyclopedia of Blackjack. It is the book you are now reading 🙂 MORE INFO [ 93 Original Book Reviews ] [ 6/92, 3/91 Snyder BJF ][ 4/91 Olsen First BJ Player in Outer Space BJC 1 ][ 4/6/91 Schwartz Sports Form Newspaper 6 ][ 9/92 Olsen Review BJC 40 ][ Sum 92, Win 93 Dalton BJR ][ Fall 93 Dalton 3rd Edition Announcement BJR ][ AMAZON: Blackjack: A Professional Reference ]
John Dana. Blackjack: How to Win the Las Vegas Way. Coast Publishing, Las Vegas; 1965, 1968 (64 pages) – Review TBD. Subtitled, Revised Winning Systems. Endorsed by Nick the Greek. Introduction by dealer Tony Korfman and a section on Money Control by Ben Holiday. [ AMAZON: Blackjack: How to Win… ]
Darkstar with Paul Martin. DarkStar Blackjack. CIPP; 2015 (176 pages) – Excellent. Highly recommended. Subtitled, The Ultimate Blackjack System To Riches. From the advertising, “Blackjack is beatable! When I tell people that I play Blackjack and count-cards they either think it is almost impossible or that it is incredibly easy. The truth, as usual, is somewhere in between. Card-counting itself is very easy. Knowing what to do with the information is more difficult. Turning all of that into a profitable venture is even harder. This book will give you all of the information you need to do all three. It will also help you be a better recreational player if that’s as far as you want to take it.” Very cool title and cover! Darkstar is a blackjack dealer and a professional blackjack player. Well written and provides solid advice for all levels of players who are serious about beating the game of blackjack. During my review, links didn’t work to darkstarblackjack.com. [ darkstarblackjack.com ] [ AMAZON: DarkStar Blackjack ]
A. Frank DeSalso. Six Simple Winning Blackjack Secrets of the Pros the Casinos Hope You Don’t Know. CCVI; 1979 (45 pages) – Review TBD. From the advertising, “A huge majority of us have little or no knowledge of the winning strategies involved in the game of Blackjack. This book is a must for anyone with the desire to step up to the Blackjack table. Without these secrets you might as well just give the casinos your money. Without this information the establishment will take your money and they will take it quickly. This book was designed to keep the strategies simple and easy to follow and easy to remember with the enclosed laminated index card for quick reference while you are at the Blackjack table. Truly a simple yet powerful gambling tool.” [ AMAZON: Six Simple Winning Blackjack Secrets… ]
Jesus de Sosa. Discoveries in Black Jack. iUniverse; 2006 (94 pages) – Review TBD. Subtitled, Strategies and Mathematics. From the advertising: This book is about computer simulation, experiments, and theoretical approaches to unify various strategies in black jack. Advice to author: ‘blackjack’ is one word 🙂 One star rating on Amazon example: “This book confuses me, as I don’t know if it is for a math class or about playing blackjack. Lots of pages of computer code and complex math formulas, I just don’t know how it relates to playing the game. Worthless.” Another reviewer says it is “… some guy’s master’s thesis gone awry.“ [ AMAZON: Discoveries in Black Jack ]
Harry Diamond. How to Win at UK Blackjack. Spiral Publishing; 1993 (35 pages) – Recommended. Arnold Snyder gave this a good review in 1993, because of the big list of all the UK casinos and the excellent treatment of the High-Low count. [ Dec 93 Snyder BJF 100 ]
Ron DiBenedetto. Precision Blackjack. ???; 1995 (330 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, A Complete Advanced Blackjack Methodology. From the advertising, “Ch 1: The Casino Industry Ch 2: Developmental Stages of PBJ Ch 3: PBJ Evolves Ch 4: The Fundamentals Ch 5: PBJ Basics Ch 6: Flexible Strategy Ch 7: Advanced Card Play Ch 8: PBJ Table Factors Ch 9: PBJ It’s in the Application Ch 10; Mode Betting w/ 6 Betting Guide Sections Ch 11: The PBJ Rules Ch 12: Money Mgmt. Ch 13: PBJ Power Tactics Ch 14: Expert Player Section Ch 15: Documentation A non-counting blackjack method that stresses money management, table selection, card play, betting , table departure and discipline. Ch 16: Trip Plan Ch 17: Home Practice“. [ precision21.com/ ] [ AMAZON: Precision Blackjack ]
Dante A. Donatelli. Blackjack – Total Profit Strategy. Mar Lee Enterprises, Greenburg, PA; 1979. – Not recommended.
Lee Douglas Jr. Winning Blackjack Made Easy. Poverty Hill Press, Reno, NV; 1982 (52 pages) – Very good. Recommended. A basic introduction to blackjack including history and how to play your hand. Basic strategy, money management, card counting and a strategy for European play. [ 82 C&S Vol.20, 55 ] [ AMAZON: Winning Blackjack Made Easy ]
Daniel Dravot. The Color of Blackjack. CIPP; 2008 (78 pages) – Good. Recommended. George C, author of several excellent card counting reports, gives this a good review: “This book is an enticing and simplified methodology that squeezes every last drop from the KO count. A beginner shouldn’t have any problems taking the original KO count and by using the color coded “cool, hot and warm” concepts shown by Daniel to optimize their play. You’ll be playing professionally just after reading and applying the concepts that Daniel shows in the first four chapters of the book.” Ken Smith also comments, “What is the easiest and most powerful card counting system? TKO as taught in “The Color of Blackjack”. A bold statement that I was happy to confirm. I think it yields value to anyone considering KO…” [ thecolorofblackjack.com ][ REVIEW BY GEORGE C: thecolorofblackjack.com ][ REVIEW BY KEN SMITH: thecolorofblackjack.com ][ AMAZON: The Color of Blackjack ]
Leon B. Dubey Jr. No Need to Count. A. S. Barnes and Co., San Diego; 1980 (208 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, A Practical Approach to Casino Blackjack. A well-written text but contains inaccurate information. Written by a former site supervisor of a team of consultants to IBM working on systems for the Space Shuttle at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. [ REVIEW: blackjackforumonline.com ] [ 6/83 Snyder BJF 45 ] [ 86 Gwynn El Cheapo Systems BJF 17 ] [ 90 Patterson Blackjack: A Winner’s Handbook 107 ] [ AMAZON: No Need to Count ]
Ian Dunross. Blackjack: Everything You Need to Know About Blackjack From Beginner to Expert. Amazon Digital Services; 2016 (154 pages) – Full Review TBD. I believe I saw an earlier version of this book that was only 65 pages long. Generally accurate advice and information about the game. Biggest pet peeve: Dunross spells blackjack as two words “Black Jack” and capitalizes it everywhere. 🙂 [ AMAZON: Blackjack: Everything You Need To Know… ]
Frits Dunki-Jacobs. Betting on Blackjack. Adams Media; 2004 (224 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, A Non-Counter’s Breakthrough Guide to Making Profits at the Tables. According to the advertising: “…covers all the tactics and tricks needed for consistent success. The author explains how players can win repeatedly by knowing the probabilities of the game and analyzing the betting strategies and attitudes that are connected with achieving continual success at the tables.“ From the book, “I’ve tried to count cards… and all I succeeded in doing was getting a severe headache playing the game…” So, the author writes a book on blackjack! Well, I will give the author some credit. He does say, “You really can’t win — at least not for long stretches at the tables. The house’s edge will most certainly grind your stake to zero dollars. Believe me, it’s a mathematical certainty.” Basic strategy charts in the book do appear good though. [ AMAZON: Betting on Blackjack ]
Edward Early. The Ultimate Blackjack Book. Barricade Books, New York, NY; 1995 (149 pages) – Good. Recommended. Subtitled, Playing Blackjack With Multiple Decks. Hardly the ultimate book of any kind but worth a read none-the-less. Includes sections on side bets such as Super Sevens and Over/Under and blackjack variations such as Multi-Action. According to the cover, Edward Early is a Professor of Engineering and a computer expert and resides in Connecticut. [ AMAZON: Ultimate Blackjack Book ]
Ken Einiger. Play to Win. Huntington Press / Amazon Digital Services; 2013 (144 pages) – Good. Recommended. Max Rubin calls this “The best book ever about the realities of tournament blackjack.” From the advertising: “Despite the highly publicized rise of poker, blackjack remains the most popular casino table game and tournaments are a fun way to enjoy the game. Written by a proven blackjack-tournament champion, this book covers a wealth of tournament subjects and strategies in an accessible style that’s particularly of interest to the novice player.“ [ AMAZON: Play to Win ]
Charles Einstein. Basic Blackjack Betting. GBC; 1981 (144 pages) – Recommended with reservations . For all you streak betting fans this book includes some interesting streak theory and money management ideas. Although not recommended as a system in and of itself, card counters may find useful camouflage betting ideas in this book. See Ralph Stricker’s report Cycles and Circumstances. [ 90 Patterson Blackjack: A Winner’s Handbook 101 ] [ AMAZON: Basic Blackjack Betting ]
Charles Einstein. How to Win at Blackjack. Cornerstone Library, 1968. Casino Press, New York; 1971, 1975 (166 pages) – Good. Recommended. The original publication describing the count that was later optimized as the Hi-Opt I. Einstein was a well-known San Francisco newspaper columnist and author. [ AMAZON: How to Win at Blackjack ]
Greg Elder. Blackjack Card Counting. CIPP / Amazon Digital Services; Oct 31, 2012, Mar 4, 2013 (46 pages / 11767 words) – Review TBD. Subtitled, How to be a Professional Gambler. Amazon preview looked promising. From the advertising: “How to become a professional blackjack card counter. The good news is you don’t have to be a mathematical genius to learn how to count cards, the bad news is many of the Hollywood movies depicting the life of a card counter as fast cash and penthouse suites make it all seem a little too easy. This book will give you a realistic look at what it takes to be a professional card counter.“ [ AMAZON: Blackjack Card Counting ]
Bryan Evans. Winning at Blackjack. Shire Publications; 1985 (187 pages) – Good! Recommended. Subtitled, How to Successfully Beat the Casinos at Their Own Game. For the beginning player. Rules of the game, basic strategy, the Hi-Lo count, casino comportment, etc. According to Evans bio, he is (was) a professional card-counter. According to Arnold Snyder, “This book breaks no new ground, but it’s all right.“ [ Jun 86 Snyder BJF 50 ] [ AMAZON: Winning at Blackjack ]
Roger L. Ford. Advantage Blackjack. Silverthorne Publications, New York; 1999 (160 pages) – Not recommended. From the advertising, “… a powerful playing strategy that has been proven to beat the blackjack dealers cold! The powerful Advantage Count is the easiest card tracking strategy ever devised. Unlike typical blackjack systems, which require large commitments of time and cash, you can start with a very small bankroll and win huge sums of money in a very short time period! The dynamic Advantage Betting Strategy is the best we have ever seen! Combining it with the simple, but highly effective count strategy puts you at an overwhelming advantage over the blackjack dealers. It is a cinch to win with this powerful proven strategy!“ [ AMAZON: Advantage Blackjack ]
Roger L. Ford. Power Blackjack. Silverthorne Publications, New York; Oct 22, 2001 (230 pages) – Not recommended. From the advertising, ” … unlike any previously published blackjack strategy! It does not rely on card counting. It is not a theoretical system like most blackjack strategies. Instead it is a practical winning strategy that has been thoroughly tested by real players in real casinos. This strategy is so powerful that a player using $5 as his base bet can make $154 an hour! The manual is jam-packed with the critical information you need to beat the game – *You will find out the exact steps you will take to win using proven “hit and run” tactics. *You will learn secret techniques to reduce your losses to almost zero while letting your profits soar! *A special bonus chapter reveals how you can use this strategy to beat the online casinos. *You will even learn how you can double your bankroll every 6 1/2 hours! This manual has everything you need to start winning with unbelievable consistency! By special arrangement, $50 of valuable coupons are even included free with every book. There is no doubt that the success enjoyed by others can be repeated. You too can win $154 an hour or even much, much more by using these proven tactics. All you have to do is try. Here is your complete guide to future profits! “ Click on the link below if you believe in this nonsense. [ AMAZON: Power Blackjack ]
Steve Forte. Read the Dealer. Self published; 1986. – Outstanding. Highly recommended. This book teaches players how to determine the dealer’s hole card by reading “tells” or using dealer body language. I almost wish Forte didn’t publish this book since after its publication most casinos discontinued the practice of dealers peeking under tens to check for naturals. Still, this book should be mandatory reading for all serious players because it gives insight into the game not available elsewhere. [ 86 Snyder BJF ][ 90 Patterson Blackjack: A Winner’s Handbook 96 ][ AMAZON: Read the dealer ]
Scott Frank. Blackjack For Winners. Barricade Books, Inc., Fort Lee, New Jersey; 1993 (136 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, The CORE System That Beats the Dealer. A system to beat non-random shoe games is presented where the player only counts the 5s, 6s, 7s and 8s – otherwise known as the “core”. [ 9/93 Snyder BJF 98 ] [ AMAZON: Blackjack For Winners ]
R. W. Frawley. Blackjack: How to Play and Win Like an Expert. Sunnyside; Jun 1, 1985 (32 pages) – Review TBD. Introduction to the game. Discusses psychological attitudes and blackjack etiquette. At only 32 pages, it can’t offer too much of interest. [ AMAZON: Blackjack: How to Play and Win… ]
M. Mitch Freeland. How to Count Cards at Blackjack. Gamblers Express Publishing / Amazon Digital Services; 2016?, 2018. (96 pages) – Review TBD. Subtitled: Learn the Easiest Optimum Card Counting and Camouflage Strategies to Produce Greater Profits: Beginning and Advanced Blackjack Strategies. He discusses the Speed Count, High-Low, Hi-Opt I, KO and REKO counts. The author has written at least eight other books on casino gambling. Preview looks good! [ mitchfreeland.com/casino-gaming.html ] [ AMAZON: How to Count Cards at Blackjack ]
M. Mitch Freeland. How to Play Blackjack For Beginners and Win. Las Vegas Book Company / Amazon Digital Services; 2016?, 2018 (126 pages) – Review TBD. Subtitled, Learn Basic and Advanced Strategies for Optimum Winning Play.The author has written at least eight other books on casino gambling. [ mitchfreeland.com/casino-gaming.html ] [ AMAZON: How to Play Blackjack… ]
Gerard A. Fuerle. See book entry under Ken Uston, Dollars and Sense….
Glenn Furst. The Fabulous Las Vegas System for Winning at “21” – Blackjack; 1975. – Not recommended. Seen listed on the UK Amazon site.
Thomas Gaffney. Winning Blackjack in Atlantic City and Around the World. Carol Publishing; 1990 (105 pages) – Good. Recommended for beginners and novice players interested in the Atlantic City games. Good history of Atlantic City gaming and blackjack. Sections on blackjack in Nevada, the Caribbean, Europe, and elsewhere are poor. NOTE: Amazon suggests there may be a newer edition published by Kensington Publishing as it shows a 1998 date and 112 pages??? [ AMAZON: Winning Blackjack in Atlantic City… ]
Billy Joe Garner. aka Billy H. Garner. Easy Blackjack for the Average Joe. Self Published; Jan 30, 2005 (122 pages) – Not recommended. From the advertising, “The average person can easily learn how to play and win the game of blackjack with this new basic strategy, developed using high speed simulations of over a trillion hands. Twelve betting progressions, two of which developed from original research, are presented along with tips on how to manage your money and yourself.” A new basic strategy? Betting progressions from Billy Joe? I don’t think so. [ AMAZON: Easy Blackjack for the Average Joe ]
A. R. Gasso. Blackjack: Money Management & Basic Playing Strategy. ????; c199? (?? pages) -Review TBD [ IMAGE ]
Kevin Gerard. How to Play Blackjack. Amazon Services / Independently Published; 2015, Feb 1, 2018 (51 pages) – Review TBD. Updated in 2018. Subtitled Best Beginner’s Guide to Learning the Basics of the Blackjack Game! Rules, Odds, Winner Strategies and a Whole Lot More… . Gerard has also written beginner books on craps and poker. [ AMAZON: How to Play Blackjack ]
John Gollehon. All About Blackjack. Putnam Publishing / Perigee – Berkley Publishing; 1985, 1987, 1988 (60 pages) – Beginner’s pocket-sized guide to the game of blackjack. Comparison of playing conditions in Atlantic City vs. Nevada. Includes a simplified count-strategy and reasonably good advice for the time. [ AMAZON: All About Blackjack ]
Leslie M. Golden. Never Split Tens!Copernicus Books / Springer; 2017 (312 pages) Very good / fascinating! – Subtitled, “A Biographical Novel of blackjack Game Theorist Edward O. Thorp PLUS Tips and Techniques to Help You Win”. From the advertising, “Renowned probability theorist Edward O. Thorp revolutionized the casino industry by developing card counting systems for the casino game of blackjack. Les Golden, the celebrated blackjack, roulette, and craps columnist for Bluff Europe, Gambling.com, iGaming Business, GamblingOnline, and Jackpots Review magazines, tells Thorp’s incredible true story of lucrative applied probability with charm, wit, and humor. ” Although the stories may not be entirely true or accurate, this is a fascinating and engaging novel that every card-counter will enjoy reading. Includes a rare biography of Harvey Dubner, the original developer of the Hi-Lo system. [ Cornell Univ – Class of ’65 ] [ AMAZON: Never Split Tens ] [ Harvey Dubner and the Hi-Lo Strategy ]
Virginia Graham. See book entry under C. Ionescu Tulcia. A Book on Casino Blackjack.
Peter Griffin. The Theory of Blackjack (TB). Huntington Press, Las Vegas; 1979, 1981, 1986, 1988, 1996, 1999 (270 pages) – Excellent. Highly recommended. Subtitled, The Compleat Card Counter’s Guide to the Casino Game of 21. This book is considered the bible on the mathematics of blackjack. A well-written text filled with the author’s wit and humor but it will probably be rough going for most readers. To follow it, the reader must have an understanding of higher mathematics. Peter Griffin is to be highly commended for this masterful contribution that has aided in our better understanding of the game. Peter Griffin died from cancer at the age of 61 on Oct. 18, 1998. [ 1/80 Wong Wong’s BJN 4 ] [ 3/81,12/81, 3/86, 6/88, 3/99 Snyder BJF ] [ c81? Rouge et Noir 5 ] [ 90 Patterson Blackjack: A Winner’s Handbook 102 ] [ AMAZON: Theory of Blackjack ] [ SEE REPORTS ]
R. J. Grosso. Card Counting Paranoia. Self Published; 1993 (41 pages) – Not recommended. This spiral bound book appears to be written for the casino industry. Snyder comically reviews it, “Get this book! Fantastic! Finally, a casino insider has the guts to tell the truth about the game of blackjack! Card counting doesn’t work. Basic strategy doesn’t work. … ” For players, however, Snyder writes, “This guy Grosso is out to lunch“. [ 101 Snyder BJF Dec 94 ]
Richard Earl Gummer. The Blackjack Player’s 10 Commandments. American Music Teachers Services, Fresno, CA; 1976 (53 pages) -Review TBD [ AMAZON: Blackjack Player’s 10 Commandments ]
Tom Hagenand Sonia Weiss. The Everything Blackjack Strategy Book. F+W Publications / Simon and Schuster; 2005 (304 pages) – Good. Recommended. Subtitled, Surefire ways to beat the house every time. From the advertising, “Expert player Tom Hagen and author Sonia Weiss guide you through the basic rules, and reveal the surprisingly easy tricks the casinos don’t want you to know. Whether you’re counting cards or doubling down, you’ll master the intricate techniques you need to win-putting the odds in your favor every time!” Decent basic strategy advice for beginners and an introduction to the many card counting systems available, advice on comps, tournaments, team play, online gambling, history of the game and more. However, they spend too much discussion of all of the progressive type betting systems available. Cool graphics! Typo: p38 Basic Strategy 4-4 vs 5 & 6: Should split, not stand. [ AMAZON: The Everything Blackjack Strategy Book ]
Larry D. Haight. Haight on Casino Blackjack. Amazon Digital Services; 2017 (272 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, Cash Flow Investment Programs (The Art of Investment). According to advertising, “This book does not promote or endorse gambling. It shows Investment accounting strategies specific to casino Blackjack. The reader learns to develop a casino Blackjack business with investment grade cash flow.” A very strange book. A lot of rants from the author who does not believe card counting works anymore. Haight writes, “For someone studying card counting to conquer the game of Blackjack, the best advice is, ‘It isn’t going to work.‘” Modified basic strategies, different betting systems and algorithms, stop losses… need I say more. [ AMAZON: Haight on Casino Blackjack ]
Larry Dean Haight. Haight on Crushing Casino Blackjack. Amazon Service; Mar 1, 2020 (321 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, “Change Crushing Blackjack Into a Business“. From the advertising, “Casino Blackjack can be low investment, profitable business. The secret is betting programs reverse engineered from the casino’ betting operation. Learn minus count card play, betting in Round Robin Rotation (the silver bullet), variable interval loss recovery routines, Attack/Defense and Hybrid routines with accounting based algorithms. This is the ultimate blackjack education. You will learn to develop and manage your own blackjack business.” More ranting! [ AMAZON: Haight on Crushing Casino Blackjack ]
Lyman Hall. Winning Blackjack. Taylor Trade Publishing; Nov 22, 2003; (96 pages) – Review TBD. From the advertising, “…author Dr. Lyman Hall divulges his time-tested formula for success at the blackjack table. He pulls no punches. He feels that your time is too valuable to waste on diplomatic jargon and pie-in-the-sky promises. Dr. Hall has been called “America’s Dean of Blackjack Teachers.” He has played the game in nearly every casino in the United States and Europe. Hall has also had first-hand experience with offshore casinos in the Caribbean, aboard ships, and on the Internet. In short, he knows how to win at any venue. In the fact-filled pages of Winning Blackjack, Dr. Hall shares his insider secrets learned through many years of “trial and terror.’” Hmmm… trial and terror? [ AMAZON: Winning Blackjack ]
Sam Han. Han’s Blackjack Strategy. HANS Publisher; Feb 1995 (113 pages)
– Not recommended. Subtitled, The Simplest and the Strongest Card Counting System. Han writes about simplifying a card counting system but after reading this book I was more confused than ever. Basic strategy charts appear to be correct though. [ AMAZON: Han’s Blackjack Strategy ]
Richard Harvey. Blackjack The Smart Way. Mystic Ridge Books; Feb 1999, 2000 (288 pages) -Not recommended.. Often offered with the audio tape entitled “Preparing You to Win”. Advertises a “amazing 88.24%” win rate. One Amazon reviewer commented, “Voodoo nonsense“. I agree! [ blackjacktoday.com ] [AMAZON: Blackjack The Smart Way ]
Richard Harvey. New Ways to Win More at Blackjack. Mystic Ridge Books; Jun 25, 2004 (192 pages) – Review TBD. See above. [ blackjacktoday.com ] [ AMAZON: New Ways to Win More… ]
Joshua Hornik. The Double-Down Guide to Blackjack. Puzzlewright; May 4, 2010 (128 pages) – Review TBD. From the advertising, “These are the smartest, simplest tactics for winning blackjack ever—even a total novice can bet on it. Joshua Hornik belongs to a group of professionals who prove their talents at the table every day, and he knows that to come out on top, you have to count the cards. In this revised version of the popular guide to the game, Hornik explains blackjack’s rules and basic strategy, how to do the actual card counting, and how to use the information the numbers reveal to make the right bets. Throughout, examples of hands illustrate the tactics, and an interview with a pro provides astounding insight.“ [ AMAZON: Double-Down Guide to Blackjack ]
Joshua Hornik. Mensa Guide to Blackjack. Sterling Publishing Company; Jun 1, 2005 (128 pages) – Not Recommended. Some well written parts and a concise introduction to basic strategy, card counting and the more advanced techniques and strategies of the game. However, the basic strategy charts and discussion have some serious errors in it such as recommendations to hit a hard 17 against a dealer upcard of 7,8,9,10 if the dealer hits soft 17. According to the bio on the back of the book, “Joshua Hornick claims he is a former professional solo and team blackjack player. An MIT graduate, he was a member of the MIT Blackjack Team, playing and training with all the key people depicted in the best-selling book Bringing Down the House.” [ AMAZON: Mensa Guide to Blackjack ]
John G. Houghton. The “Perfect” System to Winning Blackjack. Houghton Publishing, Stateline, NV; c1991. – Review TBD. Basics of the game, basic strategy, card counting and a betting and money management strategy. Houghton is a former casino 21 dealer. [ 10/1981 The Card Player ]
Te Chiang Hu, Peter H. Shin and Peng Du. Best Bets in Blackjack. Inkwater Press; 2011 ( ~ 144 pages) – Review TBD. Includes chapters on the rules of the game, elements of probability and theory of games, understanding the dealer… and yourself, basic strategy, advanced strategy, global view, gambler’s ruin, all systems of card-counting and blackjack tournaments. Preview looks good! [ AMAZON: Best Bets in Blackjack ]
Bob Hubby. Blackjack Tracker. Self Published; Apr 1, 2000 (206 pages) – Review TBD. Spiral-bound. From the advertising, “50,000 professionally dealt blackjack hands listed by the win/loss record along with the running count. Ideal to to evaluate money management methods of play or to even design your own system. Better than a computer, as it allows you leave negative tables, just like in a real casino situation. The biggest advantage is in building your confidence in your method of play. Thing you can evaluate, would be the relationship of negative cards to counting. You can also evaluate the advantage of carrying progressions or regression into the next shoe. Helpful to beginning as well as advanced players.” Seems a bit silly and insignificant but I will wait until I see the book to give a full review. Author claims to be a card counter since the 1960s and a former casino dealer. [ AMAZON: Blackjack Tracker ]
Thomas F. Hughes. Dealing Casino Blackjack. GBC; 1982 (78 pages) – Short introduction to dealing casino blackjack. Formerly titled Dealing 21 (c1978)?. From the advertising, “Planning to attend a dealer’s school? Want to learn what makes a good dealer? Or, if you just want to know what training a dealer must undergo, this book’s for you. More than 40 illustrations, indexed with glossary. “ [ AMAZON: Dealing Casino Blackjack ]
Lance Humbleand Julian Braun. Blackjack Gold. International Gaming, Toronto; 1976 (121 pages) Retitled Blackjack Super Gold. B&G Publishing, Las Vegas; 1979 (143 pages) – Good. Recommended. Subtitled, A New Approach to Winning at 21. For the beginner and experienced player. Concentrates on basic strategy, money management, how to avoid being barred, advantages and disadvantages of head-on play, and gambling outside the United States. Casino cheating seems to be exaggerated. Most, if not all, of the important material can be found in Humble’s World’s Greatest Blackjack Book. [ 80 C&S Vol.10,63 ] [ AMAZON: Blackjack Super/Gold ]
Lance Humbleand Carl Cooper. The World’s Greatest Blackjack Book. (WGBJB) Doubleday & Company (Bantam), New York; 1980, 1987 (405 pages) – Excellent. Highly recommended. This may not be the greatest book ever written but it still is one of my favorites. Covers basic strategy up to the excellent Hi-Opt I card counting system. [ 3/81, 9/87 Snyder BJF ] [ 80 Cooper The Making of T.W.G.B.B. C&S Vol.11,42 ] [ 90 Patterson Blackjack: A Winner’s Handbook 98 ] [ AMAZON: The World Greatest Blackjack Book ] [ SEE REPORTS ]
Koko Ita. 21 Counting Methods to Beat 21. GBC; 1976 (65 pages) – Alternate title: 21 Green Fountain Gambling Strategies. A bit out-dated but presents a valid point count (Green Fountain Count) .
Eliot Jacobson. The Blackjack Zone. ??, Las Vegas; 2004 (190 pages) – Very good. Recommended. Subtitled, How to Win at Blackjack and Life. This book is for the player who wants to know what works, what doesn’t and why. In a casual, humorous, and easy-to-read manner, Jacobson takes you through basic strategy, the skills necessary to survive as a hobbyist, and then on to card counting and advantage play. The Blackjack Zone explains * What basic strategy is and how to use it, * How to become an advantage player, * How to choose the right game, dealer, and casino, * How to separate myths about blackjack from the realities of the game, and * How to think like a winner and much more. The author holds a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Arizona. See Advanced Advantage Play. [ cardcounter.com ] [ AMAZON: The Blackjack Zone ]
Ryan James. Blackjack Card Counting – Learn How to Count Cards. CIPP; 2013 (78 pages) -Review TBD. Subtitled, An Interactive Games Quiz Book. From the advertising, “Card counting in blackjack can easily be learned and our Interactive Games quiz book makes it fun. You will learn blackjack counting basics in a True or False format. As you progress through the quiz you will learn all the basics of card counting in blackjack and we end the book showing a real life example and how to do the proper count.“ [ AMAZON: Blackjack Card Counting ]
Yusuf Javari. See book entry under Ken Titchkosky. Better Blackjack for Business or Pleasure.
Blackjack Jeff. Playing With the Masters. AuthorHouse Publishing; Sep 26, 2011 (68 pages) – Not recommended. From the advertising, “My name is Jeff Friend I have 33 years experience in playing the game of blackjack. I think of this game as a sport, and being a good team player. Having good manners and respect for others is so important. I believe people will enjoy reading this book because it teaches, most miss played hands and good common sense plays, and why we do them.” The author seems like a nice guy, but good manners, a betting strategy and advice about going home after you double your money is NOT a winning strategy. [ AMAZON: Playing With the Masters ]
Barrie Jefferies. The Best Work Ever Produced on Blackjack. Foulsham & Co.; Nov 1, 2010 (192 pages) – Review TBD. From the advertising, “A lifetime of committed research from Monte Carlo to Macau, Barrie Jefferies writes with absolute integrity, the patience of Job and a tight focus on the mathematics of probability at the table. This is an important gambling book that is certain to become the Classic work. It is the only work that proves the maths to Player, Croupier and Casino Owner alike. It’s a numbers game and its mathematics are at the root of winning. So statistics and probability are in the weave of the text and exciting to the number nuts among us.” One customer review on Amazon: “I have read over 80 books on Blackjack and this is one of the worst! This author does not have a clue as to what the game of Blackjack is about. He doesn’t believe in card counting and has some complicated system that he thinks can beat the house. His system makes no sense at all. I suggest you take a pass on this one, don’t waste your money!” Anybody want to send me a copy for review? Best work ever? I highly doubt it! [ AMAZON: The Best Work Ever… ]
Ken Jennings. Why You Can Win Money at Blackjack. P-Press, 131 NW 4th Street, #196, Corvallis, OR 97330; 1987 (210 pages) -Review TBD ???
Ron Johnson. True Blackjack. Nook / CIPP; 2015 (232 pages) -Review TBD. Subtitled, Winning Without Being Detected. From the advertising, “True Blackjack is an easy to understand, practical guide to all things blackjack, from card values and beginner rules to soft and hard hand explanations, examples, and advice for playing split hands and double downs. Whether you are brand new to the game or have plenty of action under your belt you’ll find everything you need to beat the game of blackjack. Author Ron Johnson offers his own story of how he went from novice player to card counter and professional blackjack team player and shares the ups and downs of hitting the casinos on a regular basis. Along the way you’ll learn Basic Strategy, actual card count systems, and get introduced to the inside of the casino and what the bosses look for in the way of cheating and advantage players. You’ll also learn the best way to practice, how to look like a rookie at the tables even when you are an accomplished player, and how to maximize your wins without giving away your secrets!“ [ AMAZON: True Blackjack ]
Dean A. Johnston and Robert J. Johnston. Millionaire Blackjack. Ovation Publications / Deago Enterprises.; 1982 (104 pages) – Explains basic strategy and includes a count similar to the Green Fountain Count. According to Wong, this count was excellent but the authors rounded their playing strategy indexes to multiples of 3, thereby lowering the efficiency of the system. Out of print. [ 88 Watson Beating Casino’s Blackjack 106 ] [ 82 Griffin C&S Vol.18,43 ] [ 5/82 Wong Nevada Blackjack Vol.4,83 ] [ AMAZON: Millionaire Blackjack ]
Colin Jones. The 21st Century Card Counter. Huntington Press; Sept 2019 (287 pages) – Excellent to outstanding. Highly recommended. Subtitled, The Pros’ Approach to Beating Today’s Blackjack. How to beat the game in the 21st century! If you have ever wondered what it takes to become a professional blackjack player this is the book for you. The bottom line is that whether you are a professional or amateur card counter the skills to beat the game are the same. Are you a gambler or an investor? Answering that question will determine your future success in this game. This is Colin Jones’ story! An exciting story of someone who resolved to never gamble! Includes stories by several Blackjack Apprenticeship members. Foreword by Tommy Hyland. [ REVIEW: Henry Tamburin ] [ AMAZON: 21st Century Card Counter ][ blackjackapprenticeship.com ]
T. J. Jorgensen. How to Become a Blackjack Jedi. Independently published; 2009 (127 pages) – Review TBD. The author writes, “I am a card counter and play a flawless plus minus strategy. … To play a winning game requires skill, no emotions, knowledge, and the ability to count cards.“. According to his bio, he is “… a professional blackjack player and his winnings exceed 1 million dollars. He is well known for his live tournament play both locally and internationally.” He also claims he took lessons from Lawrence Revere before he died and that Ken Uston was one of his team mates. [ AMAZON: How to Become a Blackjack Jedi ] [ tjsblackjackcorner ]
Michael A. Joseph. Card Counting Course for the Casino Pit Boss and Floor Supervisor. Self Published; 2000 (98 pages) – Review TBD. Spiral-bound. From the advertising, “Card handling and cheating expert Joseph proves a manual for pit bosses and supervisors who need to identify blackjack card counters. Covers all the techniques used for counting such as the basic strategy, table conditions, number of decks, counting systems, deck penetration. While the book focuses on what management should look for, it is also a guide for people who want to learn how to play and win at blackjack.” [ AMAZON: Card Counting Course… ] [ SEE REPORTS ]
John F. Julian. Julian’s No-Nonsense Guide to Winning Blackjack. Paone Press, Lynbrook, NY; 1992 (121 pages)
– Recommended with reservations. If you ignore chapter 7, which includes some silly progressive betting advice, this book provides solid advice for the beginning player. Includes sections on basic strategy, card counting, double exposure, multiple action and bankroll requirements. Presents what the author calls the Scan Techniques for single-deck, which I would consider as valid and useful. [ Win 93 Dalton BJR 14 ] [ AMAZON: Julian’s No-Nonsense Guide… ]
David N. Kalinevitch. Blackjack Made Easy. Instructional Training Media; 1978 (96 pages) – Review TBD. Subtitled, A Workbook with over 3000 practice hands. I believe the Kalinevitch 10 Count is described in this book. [ AMAZON: Blackjack Made Easy ]
Catherine Karayanis. Winning Secrets of Online Blackjack. Course Technology; 2012 (325 pages) – Review TBD. From the advertising: “… the book provides coverage of blackjack basics, concepts and strategy, blackjack etiquette, myths and common mistakes, and numerous tips and tricks to help get readers started playing online blackjack.” [ AMAZON: Winning Secrets of Online Blackjack ]
Peter Karl. You Can’t Win… Unless. Telemachus Press / Amazon Digital Services; 2012 (104 pages) – Review TBD. Subtitled, An Investigative Look at the Game of Blackjack. From the advertising, “This book is believed to be the first investigative look into the game of blackjack. Written by award winning television investigative reporter Peter Karl, it picks apart every possible hand one can get while playing blackjack. Karl played tens of thousands of hands of blackjack and literally recorded thousands of hands to show readers the true odds of winning. Karl even took lessons for a year from the author of ‘The World’s Greatest Blackjack Book‘. Karl outlines how you can become a good player if you can develop the discipline it takes to become a winner.“. [ AMAZON: You Can’t Win… Unless ]
Jimmy Kizzire. No Card Counting Blackjack for Winning. (In cooperation with Robert B. Elliot). Gaming Books Intl; 1987 (90 pages) – Not recommended. A betting progression strategy with an incorrect basic strategy. For $100 more you can send away for their “advanced” system! [ AMAZON: No Card Counting Blackjack… ]
Tony Korfman. Blackjack: Playing to Win. Gaming Books Intl.; 1985, 1986, 1987 (56 pages) – Recommended with reservations. Subtitled, A Humorous and Informative Gaming Guide. Beginner’s booklet written by a casino executive with a sense of humor. Some good and bad advice and an interesting glossary. [ AMAZON: Blackjack: Playing to Win ]
Christopher Lamparello. An Amazing Guide to Winning Every Time You Play Blackjack. City Books Publishing Company; 2000 (145 pages) – Not recommended. Includes a non-counting method. From the advertising, this book “… reveals the method that author Christopher Lamparello has used at the blackjack tables to beat the game. He has never left Las Vegas a loser, and he shows you what he did to achieve that feat…without counting cards. Much more than a ‘basic strategy’ book, ‘An Amazing Guide‘ will reveal some secrets about the game that many dealers themselves do not know. Enjoyable, entertaining, a fun read, but most of all, a method that finally works.” Wow, to win every time? Lamparello is also the author of several “get rich” type books. [ AMAZON: An Amazing Guide to Winning… ]
Roger LeBlanc. Blackjack Secrets. CIPP / Amazon Digital Services; 2014, 2015 (124 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, How I Play the Odds to Win. From the advertising, “Let me tell you that nobody but nobody has looked at the game of blackjack the way I have. I have studied the odds of where the house beats you, and I can honestly tell you that you can counterattack the system the casino plays when you play my system. I can guarantee that you will be playing on an even playing field against the casino. Remember, the system the casino plays is a good system for them. You have to be prepared to play a system that is at least as good or better than the one the casino plays. You should not be fooled into playing a system that they want you to play, because their system is good for them, but not good for you. A lot of players don’t realize this. In order to be a winner, you must not fall into their trap.” Leave when you are ahead? A good piece of advice if you can’t beat the dealer in the long run. [ AMAZON: Blackjack Secrets by LeBlanc ]
Arnold Bruce Levy. Hit and Run. Barricade Books; 2000 (166 pages) – Review TBD. Subtitled, How to Beat Blackjack As a Way of Life. From the advertising, “This book is more than just about playing blackjack. It’s a clear journey around all the existing bear traps waiting for players, who either can’t manage their money or who go off on a ’tilt’ anytime something goes wrong, or allow a casino to distract them from their goal–to win. The book is packed with short stories, incidents, and examples of people getting lucky, coincidences, oddball happenings and never ceases to be interesting. Levy talks about bosomy women, cheating, illegal casinos, phony casino promotions, the false promises pitched to lotto players, premonitions, video poker, keno and roulette. It’s his skill at capturing the true color and language of the gambler, in all his glory and often in the disaster mode, which makes this book click.“ [ AMAZON: Hit and Run ]
Marvin G. Lindemann. Breakthrough in Blackjack. Vantage Press; 1973 (94 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, Including Common Sense and Horse Sense at the Races. Includes an approximately correct basic strategy and a valid simple counting method. The extent of Mr. Lindemann’s analysis is hand dealing himself thousands of hands and recording the results. [ AMAZON: Breakthrough in Blackjack ]
Patrick Linsenmeyer. Modern Card Counting: Blackjack. Williams Intl Publishing; 2015 (144 pages) – Good. Recommended. Edited by Lori Worsencroft. From the 2nd edition advertising: Modern Card Counting is the perfect book for serious players looking to beat the house. I’ve taught blackjack card counting to high school drop-out’s and PHD’s and I can teach it to you. Beat the house at their own game. Find out how to make $1 Million with no statistical risk. Modern Card Counting includes absolutely everything you need to know… and more. Hmmm, no statistical risk???? A discussion of basic strategy to card counting. Introduces the Red Zen count and even has a short treatment on shuffle tracking and ace sequencing. The first edition of this book has a different author name: See book by Cris Statz. [ AMAZON: Modern Card Counting: Blackjack ]
Lynne Loomis. See book entry under Mason Malmuth. Fundamentals of 21.
John Lucas. Real World Blackjack. Xlibris, Corp, 2012 (58 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, How to Win at Blackjack Without Counting Cards. Written by a blackjack dealer who “reveals” his secrets to beating the game. Basic strategy, betting strategies, money management… all are revealed in just 58 pages. [ AMAZON: Real World Blackjack ]
Gerald J. Lynam. The Best Blackjack Book Ever!!. Evergreen Media; Jan 1, 2010 (??? pages) – Review TBD. Subtitled, No Ands, Ifs or Yeah-Buts About It: A Treatise. From the advertising: “… aptly named. There are no others which even approach it. This Book strikes at the heart of truly knowing the Game of Blackjack and WINNING at the Game. This is the Major Leagues. You will Quickly! Quickly! become a Blackjack Card Counter and you will be entertained while learning. A Nice Combination! The Author, an Advanced (+) Blackjack Card Counter, gives the Casual Player very simple specific instructions which result in that Player achieving a high percentage of the Win of a prolific Advanced Card Counter (and without the pain). Very importantly, you will also learn to avoid the Pitfalls of the Game, including avoiding the most grossly inaccurate advice offered by ‘experts.’ Gerald Lynam holds BS and MBA Degrees from Nice Places and is a Certified Public Accountant (Inactive). He is a former Officer in the United States Marine Corps, was a Senior Corporate Officer (Operations) for an S&P500 Company and is a Member of various High IQ Societies. He lives in Arizona. Two (2) Blackjack Basic Strategy Cards included with every Book ordered.“ [ AMAZON: The Best Blackjack Book Ever ]
James W. Madden. Beating Blackjack: A Dealer’s Perspective. Self Published; July 2022 (50 pages) – Review TBD. From the advertising, “The information presented is based on both mathematical and practical observations from a dealer with 40 years experience on the Las Vegas strip. Jim Madden sees people win and lose every night, and knows what it takes to play winning blackjack. He gets to the point in short order, oftentimes using actual events to make a point. Everything you need to know to beat the game of blackjack is explained here. How to play the game, basic strategy, money management, Jim’s ten-count and the psychology of winning.” [AMAZON: Beating Blackjack]
Skip Della Maggiore. Philosophies of Blackjack. Radd Publishing; Mar 12, 2010 (107 pages) – Review TBD. From the advertising, “This book is about playing Blackjack, and the thinking behind the playing of Blackjack.“ [ BACK COVER ] [ AMAZON: Philosophies of Blackjack ]
Mason Malmuth. Blackjack Essays. Two Plus Two Publishing; 1987, 1988, 1991, 1996 , 2000 (242 pages) – Excellent. Recommended. Foreword by Arnold Snyder. A lot of new ideas and concepts here. Must reading for the player wishing to stay on top of new developments in blackjack. Discusses card domination, blackjack biases, cheating tipoffs, money management, head-up play, front loading, first basing, myths and realities, etc. [ 9/87,6/88 Snyder BJF ] [ AMAZON: Blackjack Essays ]
Mason Malmuth and Lynne Loomis. Fundamentals of “21.“ Two Plus Two Publishing; 1993 (66 pages) – Very good. Highly recommended. This is the perfect book for beginners and novice players. Mason and Lynne have also published three other books in this series: Fundamentals of Poker, Fundamentals of Craps, and Fundamentals of Video Poker – all are highly recommended. [ AMAZON: Fundamentals of “21” ]
Alan Mandel. The S.E.X. Blackjack System. Bronx Books; 1987 (224 pages) – Not recommended. S.E.X. stands for Select (as in selecting a table), Enter (as in entering a game), and eXit (as in exiting the game). Come on guys and gals! Does sex really sell in the title of a blackjack book? Click below and buy this book on Amazon and I will get about 20 cents commission to support the encyclopedia you are reading. Includes a level 1 (Hi-Lo type) card counting system that is only used for betting purposes. No play variations are recommended and only the running count is used. [ AMAZON: The S.E.X. Blackjack System ]
Rich Mann. How to Play Blackjack for a Living. Creative Publishing., Tustin, CA; 1997, 2004 (?? pages) – Not recommended. According to their online advertising, the ebook includes a progressive blackjack system and they make an apparent association with the MIT blackjack team. No expert review of the system shown on the site — just a lot of average joe testimonials. Author claims to be a former pit boss and casino executive which probably explains a lot. Author believes in the notion of hot and cold dealers. [ http://www.blackjack4living.com ] [ AMAZON: How to Play Blackjack for a Living ]
Gregory Mannarino. Gregorian Strategy for Multiple Deck Blackjack. Lyle Stuart / Citadel; 2003 (224 pages) – Not recommended. Publisher comments, “The revolutionary strategy that will help every player beat the house without counting cards. Gregory Mannarino has devised his own Gregorian Strategy, the only strategy that is specifically designed to take advantage of the rules offered by multiple deck games. By understanding the basic rules of the game and their variations, players will begin to realize that some games have rules that are more favorable to the player than others, learn how to determine the probabilities of winning various combinations of player and dealer-up cards, and learn how to attack the dealer when he’s most vulnerable.” A reader comments, “The Gregorian Strategy consists entirely of an incorrect Basic Strategy table. According to my rough calculations you will lose approximately twice as much over the long run if you follow the author’s strategy instead of basic strategy.” I think I will take this reader’s advice and pass on this one. [ AMAZON: Gregorian Strategy… ]
Tommy Mariba. Millenium Blackjack: A Clumped Card Game. Amazon Services; Jan 8, 2020 (108 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, A Continuous Shuffling Machine Blackjack. I only had to read the preview of this book to give this a thumbs down. The author believes in the theory of card clumping and strategies such as TARGET as the way to play the game. [ AMAZON: Millenium Blackjack ]
Dustin D. Marks. Cheating at Blackjack. Huntington Press; 2016 (256 pages) – Excellent. Highly recommended. Subtitled, Inside the Mindset and Methods of the Game’s Most Successful Cheaters. From the advertising: It may be shocking and it’s certainly dangerous. Nevertheless, this unique book represents the definitive resource on how professional con men cheat at blackjack and other card games. The author, a former high-stakes cheater, explains an amazing array of specific moves with clear understandable text and detailed illustrations. Covers switching cards in play, stacking the deck, adding to the bet after seeing the cards, stealing chips, mucking, tells, counting tips, how to use disguises, and the use of computers, hacking techniques, and sophisticated electronic devices to get the money. Cheating at Blackjack provides a view inside the dark hidden world of casino cheating, where the stakes are high, and not just in terms of the money to be won.This new edition combines the best of the author’s two books on the subject, updated to reflect today’s conditions. This book is recommended. Cheating is not! See CAB 2000. [ AMAZON: Cheating at Blackjack ]
Dustin D. Marks. Cheating at Blackjack Squared. Index Pub Group; 1995 (202 pages) – Excellent. Highly recommended. Subtitled, : The Dark Side of Gambling. One of the definitive resources on how professional con men cheat at Blackjack and other card games. A modern day classic text on cheating and card manipulation in blackjack. This book is recommended. Cheating is not! See CAB 2000. [ Winter 96 BJR 5.1 ][ AMAZON: Cheating at Blackjack Squared ]
Dustin D. Marks. Cheating at Blackjack (and Advantage Play). Index Pub Group; 1994 (230 pages) – Excellent. Highly recommended. An exceptional although controversial treatise on the shadier side of casino twenty-one. A must read for even the most honest of players. This book is recommended. Cheating is not! See CAB 2000. [ Fall 94 Dalton BJR 3.4 ][ AMAZON: Cheating at Blackjack & Other Casino Games ]
Angie Marshall. A Woman’s Guide to Blackjack. Lyle Stuart / Carol Publishing; 1999 (153 pages)
– Recommended with reservations. Subtitled, Turning the Tables When the Cards are Stacked Against You. The premise of the book is that just being a woman gives them a built-in edge. That has been and probably is true even today. Some incorrect basic strategy advice is given for multi-deck games and an attempt to explain the Hi-Opt I count is presented. If you ignore the basic strategy and card counting advice, women may find this book useful. For basic strategy and card counting advice, read some of the other books referenced in the back of the this book. [ AMAZON: A Woman’s Guide to Blackjack ]
Harry M. Mathews. The Quick Learn Method For Winning at Multiple-deck Blackjack. Self published; Oct 1, 1992 (116 pages + flash cards) – Not recommended. Incorrect basic strategy and bad advice. This book will not teach you to count cards but attempts to teach a modified basic strategy based on the author’s own experience. [ AMAZON: The Quick Learn Method… ]
John Mayand Frank Scoblete. Get The Edge At Blackjack. Bonus Books; 2000 (165 pages) – Good. Recommended. You will find some great camouflage ideas in this book as well of a slew of an introduction to some advanced ideas and concepts. [ Win 00 Snyder BJF 109 ] [ AMAZON: Get the Edge at Blackjack ]
David McDowell. Blackjack Ace Prediction. Spur of the Moment Publishing; 2004 (160 pages) – Good. Recommended with cautionary advice. Subtitled, The Art of Advanced Location Strategies for the Casino Game of Twenty-One! This is McDowell’s attempt to cover the art of blackjack sequencing, a dark art that very few gambling professionals truly understand, let alone have mastered. The basic method involves memorizing a string of cards hoping that their order will be partially maintained by the shuffle. Under optimal conditions, this can give you an advantage a card counter could only dream of. The method is both completely legal and very difficult to detect. This technique, also known as ace prediction, ace tracking, sequence tracking or key carding remained the closely guarded secret of a handful of high-stakes professional blackjack players for more than 20 years. Ace prediction can be extremely profitable given the right conditions. Sequence trackers will find in this book the author’s own formula for identifying the profitable games. The author begins the book by studying all known published references on the subject. Chapter 2 examines aspects of non-random shuffling. Chapter 3 is the author’s own analysis of non-random shuffling using a statistical procedure provided by Ed Thorp. Chapter 4 tells how to identify and exploit weaknesses in casino shuffles. Chapter 5 offers practical advice on locating Aces in shuffled decks. Chapter 6 explains how to predict Aces during the game. Chapter 7 deals with the calculation of mathematical expectation using simple formulas. Chapter 8 gives advice on bet sizing, probability of ruin, return and risk. Finally, the tables at the end of the book may be useful for making your own analyses of shuffles. Intermixed in the author’s exhaustive presentation are some exciting and fun stories from the pits. This book was the center of some serious controversy within the AP blackjack community when it was first published. Be sure to get the book’s errata sheet and read Arnold Snyder’s review / critique. See The Poolside Report.MORE INFO [ ERRATA ] [ Snyder Errata in McDowell’s Errata ][ BlackjackAcePrediction.com ][ BJRNET: Blackjack Ace Prediction ][ AMAZON: Blackjack Ace Prediction ] [ SEE REPORTS ]
John McWhinnie. The A B C’s and D of Casino Blackjack. Amazon Services / Authorhouse; Dec 28, 2010 (128 pages) – Review TBD. Subtitled, A Layman’s Guide to Winning a Little and Losing Even Less. From the advertising, “This book is for the beginner or recreational Blackjack player who wants to enjoy playing without being intimidated. If one has the discipline to follow the strategies presented, one can actually come out a winner. The title, “The A, B, C’s and D of Casino Blackjack” identifies it as a primer for beginners rather than promising riches to professional gamblers. This book provides a conservative approach, and will help you avoid the simple mistakes that cause players to lose in the long run. It is amazing how many players do not bring enough bankroll, bet consistently, understand Basic Strategy or practice good money management. ” Preview looks good! [ BACK COVER ] [ AMAZON: The ABC’s and D of Casino Blackjack ]
Stephen Mead. Beginner to Pro. Mead Publishing; 2002 (176 pages) – Review TBD. Subtitled, Everything you need to know in order to beat the casino at their own game. [ AMAZON: Beginner to Pro ]
Stephen Mead. You Can Win! : Blackjack Made Easy. Dorrance Pub. Co.; 1999 (52 pages) – Review TBD. Appears to be written by a casino employee. Stresses the memorization of rules, money management, casino etiquette.
Barry Meadow. Blackjack Autumn. TR Publishing / Huntington Press; 1999 (352 pages) – Excellent. Subtitled, A True Tale of Life, Death and Splitting Tens in Winnemucca. – Highly recommended. From the advertising: “When Barry Meadow decided to take two months off from his life to play blackjack in every Nevada casino, he had no idea what he would find. Leaving behind his business, his fiancee, and his son, he set out on the road with a suitcase, a tape recorder, and $8000 on the journey of a lifetime. Every day would be an adventure. With no guarantees of anything except a long time away, a long way from home. He ran into cowboys and Indians, suffered the Stardust curse, and learned more about the real world of gambling than anybody should have to know.” A great fun read! Arnold Snyder comments, “Get this book! It’s all true.” [ Sum 99 Snyder BJF 111 ][ AMAZON: Blackjack Autumn ]
Renee Taft Meloche and Tom Meloche. The High-Tech Gambler. Amazon Digital Services; 2012 (157 pages) – Excellent. Highly Recommended. Subtitled, The True Story of Keith Taft & His Astonishing Machines. Fascinating story of one of the pioneers of blackjack advantage play using a concealed computer. From the advertising: “In 1972, Keith Taft’s toes secretly tapped, sending messages to a 15-pound computer strapped around his waist. Tiny red, green and yellow lights flashed on and off in the frame of a pair of eyeglasses signaling how to play his hand at blackjack. By 1977–the 15-pound monster was a calculator-sized computer with a tiny keyboard attached to his thigh. In 1983 a mini-video camera inside his belt buckle could glimpse the dealer’s hole card. Thor appeared next, a godlike program able to accurately predict where the cards were after a shuffle. These are just a few of the inventions of Keith and Marty Taft, fully described for the first time in this book.” See Keith Taft. [ AMAZON: The High-Tech Gambler ]
Conrad Membrino. Blackjack KO with Table of Critical running Counts. XLIBRIS; 2016 (144 pages) See book of same name by BJANALYST. – If interested, be sure to read ET Fan’s article. From the advertising: Unbalanced counts in blackjack card counting system have been known for years, but author Conrad Membrino thinks that there was no easy and quick way to convert it to a true count. He created a table of critical running counts where a true count can quickly be referenced by just referring to the running count and estimating decks played with no division or calculations necessary. [ prweb.com ][ ARCHIVE: blackjackforumonline.com ][ AMAZON: Blackjack KO with Table of Critical Running Counts ]
C. Joseph Mennec. Casino Blackjack Oddservations “21” More or Less. Pica Corp, Phoenix, AZ; 1979 (72 pages) – Good. Recommended. More then 300 “verselections” are presented with ideas on money management, soft hands, splitting, surrender, percentages and gambling terminology, etc. A fun book with minor strategy advice but the reason to buy this book is all the limericks and fun blackjack rhymes. This is NOT a blackjack strategy book. [ AMAZON: Casino Blackjack Oddservations “21” More or Less ]
Ben Mezrich. Bringing Down the House. Simon & Shuster / Free Press; 2002, 2003 (272 pages) – Excellent. Recommended. Subtitled, The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions. Here is the story that is loosely based on the MIT Blackjack Team which reportedly won millions card counting. You will have to give the author a pass on the many embellishments though. [ Win 02/03 Snyder BJF ] [ WIKIPEDIA: Bringing Down the House ][ AMAZON: Bringing Down the House ]
Ben Mezrich. Busting Vegas. William Morrow; 2006 (304 pages) – Good. Recommended. Subtitled, A True Story of Monumental Excess, Sex, Love, Violence, and Beating the Odds. This is Mezrich’s second book which is also loosely based on the MIT Blackjack Team. Many events in this book are partly based on incidents that occurred during 1992-1993, and when Semyon Dukach was a team captain. [ WIKIPEDIA: Busting Vegas ][ AMAZON: Busting Vegas ]
M. H. Millman. The Ultimate Blackjack System. Dornbush Enterprises, Teaneck, NJ; 1979 (32 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, A Guide to Professional Level Playing for Beginner and Expert. Three sections after a short introduction: Break-Even system, The Simple Count System, and The Advanced Count System. Blackjack expert and theorist Peter Griffin comments, “Reasonably written, but not new, might help an intelligent beginner, but a less-complete version of my own book, or Thorp’s Beat the Dealer, and I don’t like the title at all.“ [ 80 C&S Vol.10,28 ]
Bryan W. Mitchell. NWQ Blackjack. Infinity Publishing; 2004 (168 pages) – Review TBD. From the advertising, “If you wish to become a professional blackjack player or simply a winning recreational player, NWQ Blackjack, will set you well on your way to being a consistent winner. In this book you will learn this powerful system from Bryan Mitchell, a professional blackjack and poker player with over 20 years experience as a winning player. The NWQ system not only turns the casino’s edge into an advantage for you; but NWQ is also effective in limiting the risk and difficulty that goes along with using most other published blackjack systems.“[ AMAZON: NWQ Blackjack ]
Moraine Mono. AceMT for Blackjack and Spanish 21. Bosque Montana; Feb 9, 2021 (144 pages) – Recommended with reservations. From the advertising: “If you are a card counting pro already, this book will show you a new system – AceMT – that counts A, K, Q, J and 10 only. If you are used to the old-fashioned Hi-Lo card counting system, this book will show you how to migrate to AceMT in no time while giving yourself 167% more time to relax.” AceMT represents a new card counting concept where only the high cards are counted. The idea is simplicity, however, the true count calculation that is required does appear much more complicated than what is required in a typical balanced count. The book does an excellent job of explaining many of the typical card counting concepts and is worth reading for that value alone. Additional simulation results are required for me to give any recommendation for AceMT. [ AMAZON: AceMT for Blackjack and Spanish 21 ]
Jay Moore. Blackjack Secrets: A Handbook for Beginners. Skyhorse Publishing; 2011 (160 pages) – Not recommended. Author recommends charting a table based on whether the table is “noisy”, loaded with happy people, with lots of chips in front of players. Sounds a little like TARGET. The author believes card counting is “history” and not worth the effort. No basic strategy charts are in this book. [ AMAZON: Blackjack Secrets by Moore ]
Jay Moore. The Most Powerful Blackjack Manual. Trafford Publishing; 2004 (208 pages) – Not recommended. From the advertising, “Any book can teach the rules and basic plays of blackjack, but only this one offers real insight into the mental game— particularly the winning combination of analytical thinking, self-discipline, and cool decision-making that will give you an immediate edge at the table. Using the author’s proven ‘Delayed and Up’ method, as well as detailed analysis of more than 20,000 actual casino hands, you’’ll learn to recognize when you have the advantage over the dealer, determine the best ways to manage rules variations, and significantly increase your chances of winning… all without counting cards.” A betting system and an incorrect basic strategy. [ AMAZON: Most Powerful Blackjack Manual ]
Tim Morgan. The Morgan Method. Four Star Enterprises; 1977 (40 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, How to Play blackjack Against the Shoe. Twenty short chapters written supposedly for intermediate to advanced players. Just another attempt at pushing a worthless progressive betting system on the public. From the book, “Card counting is very difficult to do with even one deck. … To try to do the same thing with four deck shoe is not possible… “. Seriously, it is not that hard. It just takes practice!
David H. Morse. Blackjack Reality. Dimension 21, Inc, New Jersey; 1997 (100 pages) – Excellent. Recommended. Subtitled, The David H. Morse Method for Winning at Blackjack. For the first time ever the closely guarded secret of “signature cards” (also known as “key cards”) has been exposed. Morse has finally hit upon a practical phonetic method to remember these cards. Most of this book, however, is not about signature cards. It is about a very personal (David Morse’s) method for winning at twenty-one. It is an excellent classic training guide for learning how to count cards (Wong’s halves count is used in the discussion) and most of the important technical requirements (including bankroll requirements, bet sizing, standard deviation, estimating your advantage) are presented very well. The book’s color charts are very unique and are presented in such a manner that may aid in their memorization. FULL REVIEW [ ARCHIVE: learn21.com ]
Basil Nestor. The Smarter Bet Guide to Blackjack. Sterling Publishing; 2003 (128 pages) – Very good. Subtitled,Professional Strategies for Winning. Includes Spanish 21 and Double Exposure. Includes basic strategy, profitable table conditions, dangerous card combinations, counting cards, etc. I did notice a couple of minor errors in the basic strategy charts (e.g., you should split 6s vs 2 in a DAS game). Basil Nestor is (was?) an author, journalist, columnist for Casino Player magazine. [ AMAZON: Smarter Bet Guide to Blackjack ]
Robert J. Neuzil. Blackjack, Blackjack, Blackjack. The Roler Press, Mesa, Arizona; Nov 1, 1993 (83 pages) – Review TBD. A spiral bound introduction to the game, basic strategy and card counting. [ AMAZON: Blackjack, Blackjack, Blackjack ]
Mike Newman. Dealer’s Special. GBC; 1979 (79 pages) – Good. Recommended. Subtitled, Inside Look at the Casino Scene by a Working Blackjack Dealer. A behind the scenes look at the casino gaming scene and written by a Las Vegas Strip blackjack dealer. Covers lifestyles of dealers, their responsibilities, how players take advantages of their mistakes, and the funny side of the casino. [ AMAZON: Dealer’s Special ]
Jim E. Noble and Jerry B. Noble. Ace the Tables. Outskirts Press; Jun 13, 2018 (106 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, How to Gain the Advantage in Blackjack. Written by a Father / Son team. Principle number 2: “There should be a minimum of four players at the blackjack table… and never ever EVER(!!) play heads-up against the dealer“. Sounds like the author(s) have had some really bad sessions playing heads-up 🙁 . One comment they make about card counting is that “… it all just became too many numbers flying around to keep it all straight“. So they abandoned card counting and began using a technique they termed “Table Observation”. [ AMAZON: Ace the Tables ]
Walter I. Nolan. Facts of Blackjack. GBC; 1970, 1976 (54 pages) – Recommended. Subtitled, An Introduction to the Game of Blackjack as Played in Legal Casinos Throughout the World. Walter Nolan is the pen name of the late John Luckman who, with his wife Edna, started the Gambler’s Book Club in Las Vegas. [ AMAZON: Facts of Blackjack ]
Annie O’Dwyer and Michael Riley. First Base Blackjack. CIPP; 2009 (82 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, What it Takes to Beat TODAY’S Game. From the advertising, “First Base Blackjack: What It Takes To Beat Today’s Game, juxtaposes Riley’s testosterone fueled hit and run style with O’Dwyer’s subtle mastery of the game to evoke a book full of dynamic moves for a new generation of players. Explaining reasons why “Card Counting and Basic Strategy Does Not Work”, look for O’Dwyer and Riley to be a major influence in the Blackjack landscape for years to come.” Hmmm… card counting does not work? Basic strategy is WRONG? Card clumping? A betting strategy? We’ve seen this all before! [ firstbaseblackjack.com ] [ AMAZON: First Base Blackjack ]
Larry W. Ost. Exposing the Myths of Blackjack. Mill City Press; 2017 (416 pages) – Review TBD. Subtitled, A Unique Approach to Blackjack. From the advertising,“… uses a statistical approach to investigate all possible player hands (first two cards) and dealer up cards for two strategies. The recommended player option for each is documented in detailed data tables and play cards that summarize the results. The Basic strategy is the commonly accepted one that recommends player options that will provide him/her with the maximum profit/minimum loss. The second strategy is the ROI Strategy that uses a risk averse technique to slightly alter some player recommendations, allowing players to retain most of their winnings while eliminating some recommendations that offer little return in exchange for additional wagers. All results are presented in terms of dollars and cents, a measure of merit that all readers will understand. This Return-On-Investment approach and the unique presentation of results provides the reader/player with an easy-to-understand approach to the game. This has been done for one deck, two decks and six decks, and for all of the commonly used player and casino rules for blackjack. Play cards for different scenarios are displayed side-by-side so the reader can easily identify differences. Commonly used, but questionable player recommendations, are identified as potential myths and discussed in detail. In addition to a final summary, several wagering techniques are discussed.“ [ AMAZON: Exposing the Myths of Blackjack ]
Jeffery A. Oxley. Winning Blackjack for the Average Joe. CIPP; Oct 31, 2017 (136 pages) – Good. Recommended. Subtitled, Double Deck Training Manual. The Wizard of Odds (Michael Shackleford) comments that this book “gives the most thorough treatment of basic strategy I have ever seen… Overall, a great piece of work!“ [ AMAZON: Winning Blackjack For The Average Joe ]
Excellent. Highly recommended. Contains an excellent treatment of casino comportment, the use of camouflage techniques, barring, and the use of psychological manipulation of casino personnel and dealers. This is the first book to explain tells. 
John 
– Good. Recommended with some reservations. Subtitled, 
Austin
Barfarkel
Sam Barrington
Michael Benson
Alan Berg
Christopher Brady
James R. Brown
John Bukofsky
Jimmy Cardano
D. V. Cellini
Bill Channels
Robert 
Arthur Conrad
Raymond J. Christ
Count of Monte Carlo
Richard Cui
Richard Cui
Richard Cui
Richard Cui
Donald Dahl
John Dana
A. Frank DeSalso
Jesus de Sosa
Frits Dunki-Jacobs
Edward Early
Charles Einstein
Greg Elder
R. W. Frawley
M. Mitch Freeland
Thomas Gaffney
A. R. Gasso
Kevin Gerard
Larry D. Haight
Lyman Hall
Richard Harvey
Richard Harvey
Joshua Hornik
John Hurn
Koko Ita
Barrie Jefferies
Ron Johnson
T. J. Jorgensen
John F. Julian
David N. Kalinevitch
Catherine Karayanis
Tony Korfman
Roger LeBlanc
Arnold Bruce Levy
Gerald J. Lynam
Skip Della Maggiore
Rob McGarvey
Ben Mezrich
Ben Mezrich
Bryan W. Mitchell
Jay Moore
Jay Moore
Tim Morgan
David H. Morse
Basil Nestor
Mike Newman
Walter I. Nolan
Jeffery A. Oxley
