George Pappadopoulos.Blackjack’s Hidden Secrets. ME-n-U Marketers; 1999 (28 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, WIN Without Counting. Per the advertising, “…we have developed a no card counting formula that will give you a mathematical percentage edge to win consistently at blackjack.” I don’t think so! The author recommends looking for trends and whether a table is hot or cold, progressive betting, etc. Only 28 pages? Probably should be in the reports section. Buy the book using the link below so I get my 2 cent referral fee 🙂 The book is listed appropriately under the “Humor & Entertainment” book section on Amazon. Oh no, the author created an accompanying “abridged version” audio tape in 2002. [ AMAZON: Blackjack’s Hidden Secrets ]
Richard Parrillo. Blackjack by the Numbers. Sibylline Books; Oct 1, 1993 (169 pages) – Subtitled, The Complete Probabilities Involved with a Single Player at the Blackjack Table. This is Volume 2 of a series. Per the advertising, this book “… is the only complete analysis of every probability involved in the game of Blackjack with a single player at the table. Every previous publication is based upon computer simulations of what goes on during the course of the game, not the actual probabilities. This approach is inherently flawed for two reasons: first, to base results upon what happens with a few million hands, or even seventy-five million hands, is to overlook the vast bulk of possibilities contained within a single deck of cards, & secondly, results are based exclusively upon the accuracy of the computer model used, a factor which the reader is unable to access.“. At first glance, this book seems interesting, but the author refuses to believe that card counting works and proposes the player use a Fibonacci sequence. [ AMAZON: Blackjack by the Numbers ]
Richard Parrillo. Multi-Deck Blackjack by the Numbers. Sibylline Books. Jan 1, 1994 (?? pages) – Review TBD. This is Volume 4 of a series. Previous work was for single-deck only. This book has not been reviewed but if it is anything like his previous work it gets a thumbs down. [ AMAZON: Multi-Deck Blackjack by the Numbers ]
John Patrick. John Patrick’s Advanced Blackjack. Lyle Stuart, Carol Publishing Group; 2006 (336 pages) – Not recommended. From the advertising: Watch for trends, Patrick urges players. When a player wins 3 out of 4 hands, it can be considered a positive sign that the shoe is with him. The reverse applies if the player loses 3 out of 4 hands. Nonsense and dangerous advice! Inaccurate basic strategy. Sells for a penny on Amazon. [ AMAZON: John Patrick’s Advanced Blackjack ]
John Patrick. John Patrick’s Blackjack for the 21st Century. Kensington Publishing; Oct 2004 (288 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, Update your game – and win big! Includes a section on, “Why the typically taught ‘Basic Method’ is fatally flawed and costs gamblers millions“. Seriously? [ AMAZON: John Patrick’s Blackjack for the… ]
John Patrick. John Patrick’s Blackjack – So You Wanna Be A Gambler?. Lyle Stuart, Carol Publishing Group; 1983, 1991, 2000 (193, 208 pages) – Not recommended. Contains an inaccurate basic strategy. Patrick credits Braun with the development, then explains he has made some improvements??? Concentrates on the importance of a good bankroll, knowledge of the game, money management and discipline. The book cover states that John Patrick is the host of a national television show and has over 20 instructional videotapes in circulation. [ 83 C&S Vol.24,38 ] [ 90 Patterson Blackjack: A Winner’s Handbook 107 ] [ AMAZON: John Patrick’s Blackjack… ]
John Patrick. So You Wanna Be A Gambler? – Card Counting. Lyle Stuart; 1983 (371 pages) – Not recommended. Contains inaccurate information. Includes six major sections discussing bankroll, knowledge of the game, money management and discipline. Includes a basic strategy, single-deck application, neutral deck and variations, card recognition, reading a hand, playing 2, 4, 6, and 8 deck games, side count of aces. Also covers regression systems, soft increases, Martingale system, percentage return and the importance of charting. [ AMAZON: John Patrick’s … Card Counting ]
Jerry Patterson. Blackjack: A Winner’s Handbook. Perigee Books/Putnam, New York; 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981 (Book was completely rewritten in 1990 – REDBACK EDITION – See below.) (211 pages) – Excellent. Highly recommended. Good comparisons and overview of many of the blackjack systems of the day. This book was completely rewritten in 1990 so if you want the original material ask for the 1981 edition. Patterson changed many of his ideas about the game of blackjack since he wrote this book. My recommendation for readers is to first find and read this edition (1981) and then, if you are interested, read Patterson’s 1990 version. [ 6,9/82 Snyder BJF ] [ 5/82 Wong BJW Vol.4,95 ] [ AMAZON: Blackjack – A Winner’s Handbook ] [ SEE REPORTS ]
Jerry Patterson. Blackjack: A Winner’s Handbook. Perigee Books/Putnam, New York; 1990 (GREEN BACK EDITION – See above.) (253 pages) – Not recommended. This book has the same cover as the 1981 edition, however, the word “BLACKJACK” is in green instead of red and all material has been rewritten to reflect Patterson’s controversial and unsubstantiated ideas about the game. The central themes to this book are the supposed effects of the non-random shuffle and game biases. Includes an interesting shuffle tracking section. [ AMAZON: Blackjack – A Winner’s Handbook ] [ SEE REPORTS ]
Jerry Patterson.Blackjack: A Winner’s Handbook – Completely Revised and Updated. Perigee Books/Putnam, New York; 2001 (REVISED EDITION See above.) (270 pages) – Not recommended. This book has the same name as the 1981 and 1990 editions, however, the cover is now new. Includes a reasonably good section on Internet gambling. Similar to the 1990 edition which promotes Patterson’s controversial and unsubstantiated ideas about the game. Central themes to this book are the supposed effects of the non-random shuffle and game biases. Also includes an interesting shuffle tracking section like the 1990 edition. [ AMAZON: Blackjack – A Winner’s Handbook ] [ SEE REPORTS ]
Jerry Patterson and Eddie Olsen. Break The Dealer. Putnam Publishing, New York; 1986 (192 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, Winning Strategies For Today’s Blackjack. Readers are told about the effects of non-random shuffles and how a table selection method called TARGET can be used to exploit them. Includes sections on basic strategy, card counting, the shuffle, shuffle tracking, money management and the TARGET method. The reader should be aware that TARGET is NOT an advantage play technique. [ AMAZON: Break The Dealer ][ 2/87 Olsen Blackjack Confidential ] [ 12/86 Snyder BJF 49 ] [ 90 Malmuth Gambling Theory 263 ] [ 3/87 Patterson Response to Snyder Review BJF 21 ] [ SEE REPORTS ]
Jerry Patterson. Blackjack’s Winning Formula. Casino Gaming Specialists; 1980. New York; Perigee Books / Putnam Publishing, 1982 (160 pages) – Good. Recommended. Subtitled, Money Making Techniques for Atlantic City, Nevada and the Caribbean. Written for the beginner, this book presents practical advice for playing Las Vegas, Reno/Tahoe, Atlantic City, and the Caribbean. Includes a section written by a woman player about women players. [ AMAZON: Blackjack’s Winning Formula ] [ 3/81 Snyder BJF 16 ] [ SEE REPORTS ]
Cash Pazo. Gorilla 21. CIPP; 2008, Apr 20, 2016 (146 pages) – Review TBD. Subtitled, Learn to Count Cards and Start a Blackjack Team in Less than Three Hours. Really? Less than 3 hours to learn how to count cards AND start a team? [ AMAZON: Gorilla 21 ]
Stuart Perry.Las Vegas Blackjack Diary. ConJelco, Pittsburgh, PA:1997 (214 pages) – Excellent. Recommended. A brutely honest account of 8 weeks of play by a medium to high stakes player. Destined to become a classic. Also includes chapters on the Hi-Opt I, dealer cheating, barrings, and shuffle tracking. Rated 5 stars in the Summer 1996 issue of Blackjack Review Magazine – “An outstanding blackjack book you will find hard not to finish in one sitting. Absolutely must reading for card counters moving up to medium or high-stakes. Fascinating reading for the rest of us!” Stuart Perry’s real name was Dan Gordon, who passed away on March 18, 2017. [ 96 Dalton BJR 5.3 ] [ AMAZON: Las Vegas Blackjack Diary ]
C. J. Peterson. Blackjack Incremental Betting. CIPP; 2013 (70 pages) – Not recommended. Incremental betting = progressive betting. House money = your money! Author bio: “I am a retired MSEE and decided to write a book about blackjack. My reasoning was if card counting permitted blackjack players to win, on average, there must be at least one other way to win at Blackjack. So I decided to put together an approach and to my surprise I discovered it exhibited a partial overlap with card counting features – without having to count cards – so I eventually decided to write a book so others could try it out. I originally thought it would be fun to visit Casino’s more often than a few times a year but in the process I found out that I had exceeded my original goal of just breaking even and actually started accumulating my blackjack wins over a two year period. By keeping track of my playing experience (hours played and winning total) I was able to “fine tune” the approach. No matter how hard I used to try to win overall the best I could do at a $!0 table was to lose about $10/hour. After nearly two years of playing Blackjack Incremental Betting I have a total win of $2,850 after playing just under 250 hours. This comes out to about +$11/hr. That amount won’t make you rich but it is a lot better than losing.“ [ AMAZON: Blackjack Incremental Betting ]
Tony Petitto. MadEasy Blackjack. MadEasy, Washington, D.C.; c1979 (91 pages + 1 instant computer) – Review TBD. I have not seen this book but the University of Nevada – Las Vegas library describes the instant computer that comes with it as a “pocket-sized reference of gambling possibilities.“ [ AMAZON: MadEasy Blackjack ]
Ronald Plachno. The Complete Blackjack Survival Kit. Amazon Services; Oct 21, 2002 (180 pages) – Review TBD. Edited by Ken Plachno. Subtitled, Explores the Myths and the Math… of odds …of Can You Win? From the advertising, “… uses more than 16 billion of computer simulated hands of Blackjack (the Game of ’21’) to find best play complete with tables. And those tables and odds not only include one deck and six deck examples, but also some newer casino games such as 6:5 Blackjack, Super Fun Blackjack, Spanish 21 and more. The book and its math go further and use math and high speed computer simulation to examine betting and staking strategies. But perhaps the most unique part of this book, that we say makes it ‘complete’, is that it then uses statistics to see what all this means.“ [ AMAZON: Complete Blackjack Survival Kit ]
Leonard J. Poch. Blackjack Nuggets. Resdev Press, Endicott, NY; 1991 (141 pages) – Review TBD. General overview of Atlantic City and Las Vegas followed by an introduction to basic strategy. Includes lots of charts and discusses everything from the rules of the game to subjects called gain distribution, shuffle audit trails, clusters, etc. [ 10/18/91 Review The Card Player 44 ]
David S. Popik. Winning Blackjack Without Counting Cards. Citadel Press / Carol Pub. Group; 1985 (104 pages) – Not recommended. Includes sections on basic strategy, probabilities, the Win-Loss Group System and betting progressions. [ 12/85 Case BJF 50 ] [ 90 Patterson Blackjack: A Winner’s Handbook 108 ] [ AMAZON: Winning Blackjack Without Counting Cards ]
Thomas Alton Price. Blackjack Ace. ATC Publishing; 2013 (60 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, The Best Game in Town! From the advertising: “Don’t just ‘Play’ Blackjack, Become a ‘Player’ – Win Consistently through the easy to learn methods in this book. Learn what to watch for and who to play with. New streamlined Reference Charts are included for easy memorization and practice. Enjoy The Best Game in Town!“. The Amazon preview was all I needed to see to give this a thumbs down. [ AMAZON: Blackjack Ace ]
Dennis Purdy. Illustrated Guide to Blackjack. Lyle Stuart; Mar 2007 (336 pages) – Good. Recommended. Subtitled, 150 Situations & Solutions to Make Winners Out of Beginners. From the advertising, “… former gambling pro Dennis Purdy demonstrates the right move to make in every possible blackjack scenario, using real-game situations and solutions that test and hone reader’s skills. In over 150 fully-illustrated pages Purdy not only reveals the best plays for each hand, he shows Why they work–with clear, concise logic, user-friendly charts, and a unique flashcard format that makes each lesson stick. Mastering essential strategies is made easy for beginners and intermediate players.” According to Dennis Purdy’s bio, “… he moved to Las Vegas at age 35 to become a professional gambler, where he formed several Las Vegas teams. He retired from full-time gambling in 1983“. Very interesting concept for a blackjack book. [ AMAZON: Illustrated Guide to Blackjack ]
Daniel Rainsong, Stephanie Anne Toftoy, Kenneth J. Hepperle and Joshua Milligan (Illustrator). Blackjack: A Winning Procedure – Using Statistical Performances. CIPP; 2009 (232 pages) – Not recommended. Author calls it a parley or modified parley system. It is simply a worthless progressive betting system. [ AMAZON: Blackjack: A Winning Procedure ]
R. Rapaport. See book entry under Ken Uston. The Big Player.
Philip Reed. Wild Cards: A Year Counting Cards with a Professional Blackjack Player, a Priest, and a $30,000 Bankroll. Skyhorse Publishing; 2015 (256 pages) – Recommended. From the advertising: “Philip Reed is coasting toward retirement, looking for one last adventure, when he meets Bill Palis, a professional blackjack player and former member of the legendary MIT team that took the casinos for millions.“ [ blackjackapprenticeship.com ] [ AMAZON: Wild Cards ] [ PODCAST:Dec 2, 2015 ]
Richard Reid. Dynamic Blackjack. ??? – Recommended. According to the original advertising, “Dynamic Blackjack teaches: Solid fundamentals. A dynamic method of playing. The powerful new EBJ II counting system. A multi-tiered method of betting. Three types of shuffle tracking. How to record your session data and why. How to properly analyze your recorded data. [ Excerpt: qfit.com/book/ModernBlackjackPage500.htm ][ REVIEW: blackjackinfo.com ][ ARCHIVE: extremebj.com ]
Fred Renzey. Blackjack Bluebook. Chicago Spectrum Press; 1996. (180 pages) – Recommended. Subtitled, The Right Stuff for the Serious Player. Presents an accurate basic strategy and a simple unbalanced count called the Key Card count”. This count only counts 4s, 5s, Tens and black Aces. Also presents a more advanced balanced two-level count called the Mentorcount. See Fred Renzey. See updated book below. [ Sum 98 Snyder BJF 110 ]
Fred Renzey. Blackjack Bluebook II . Blackjack Mentor Press; 2006. (217 pages) – Good. Recommended. Supersedes the original Blackjack Bluebook from 1996. The new edition is expanded to 40% larger with several previously undisclosed strategy concepts. Includes the KISSunbalanced counting system and balanced 2-level Mentor system. See Fred Renzey. [ casinocitytimes.com/fred-renzey ] [ AMAZON: Blackjack Bluebook II ]
Lawrence Revere. Playing Blackjack as a Business. Lyle Stuart / Carol Pub. Group, New York; 1969, 1975, 1977, 1980. (177 pages) – Excellent. Highly recommended. Subtitled, A Textbook on Blackjack. A bit outdated but still a classic. Contains nice color charts describing the statistical reasons behind basic strategy. Includes four counting systems developed by Revere with computer simulation data from Julian Braun. These systems include the Five-Count, Plus-Minus, Ten Count, and Revere Point Count. Lawrence Revere died in 1977 of cancer. For many years, this book was must reading for all serious players. Editor note:This is my favorite blackjack book of all time! [ 80 Luckman GBC’s Open Response… C&S Vol.11,3 ] [ 80 Griffin …Response to GBC… C&S Vol.12,3 ] [ 90 Patterson Blackjack: A Winner’s Handbook 102 ] [ AMAZON: Playing Blackjack As A Business ]
T. J. Reynolds. The Complete Book of Blackjack; Lyle Stuart; Sept 15, 1998. (204 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, A Comprehensive Guide to Winning Strategies. The author compares blackjack systems from 20 years earlier and not from 1998. As Arnold Snyder says in his review, “Nothing new here!”. [ Fall 98 Snyder BJF 110 ] [ AMAZON: Complete Book of Blackjack ]
Dominique Rhone. How to Count Cards. CIPP; 2014 (38 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled,An Instructional Guide to Counting Cards in Blackjack for Significantly Improved Odds. This indeed is a half-decent short (and large print) introduction to card counting (Hi-Lo). However, the author neglects to enforce the first rule which is a mastery of basic strategy. He doesn’t even have any basic strategy charts in the book. He just points the reader to Google for the charts. His claim that basic strategy can reduce the house edge to 0% is wrong as that might have been the case years ago… but not today. With all fairness, he does point the reader to excellent play, training and simulation software such as Casino Verite and SmartCards. [ AMAZON: How to Count Cards ]
Bobby Rich. Don’t Gamble – Play Blackjack Instead. Bobby Rich’s School of Blackjack, Bettendorf, IA; 1980 (130 pages) – Review TBD. This is a blackjack system in manuscript form. Also called SAM which stands for Skill, Ability and Money Management System. The author wrote an article for the April 1980 issue of Gambling Times magazine called “Playing blackjack in Las Vegas and Atlantic City“. [ 80 C&S Vol.10,35 ]
Larry Ristvedt and Jerry Connelly. North Dakota Blackjack Book. North Plains Press, Aberdeen, South Dakota; Aug 1, 1982. (120 pages) – Review TBD. Subtitled, How to Play — How to Win. [ AMAZON: North Dakota Blackjack Book ]
Stanley Roberts(aka Stanley Sludikoff). Beginner’s Guide to Winning Blackjack. Gambling Times (Distributed by Lyle Stuart), Hollywood, CA; 1983. (241 pages) – Good. Recommended for its time. A beginner’s guide explaining where to play, rule variations, basic strategy, card counting, casino countermeasures, cheating, money management, flash cards, blackjack quiz, betting systems, and rules of casino play. Stanley Roberts’s real name is Stanley Sludikoff who publishes WIN Magazine (formerly Gambling Times). Stanley Roberts, at one time, operated The Stanley Roberts School of Winning Blackjack (circa early 1980’s) in California. He once offered courses in a number of cities throughout the United States. [ 81 Patterson Blackjack: A Winner’s Handbook 171 ] [ AMAZON: Beginner’s Guide to Winning Blackjack ]
[ SEE REPORTS ]
Stanley Roberts (aka Stanley Sludikoff). How to Win at Weekend Blackjack. Scientific Research Services, Los Angeles; 1973. (68 pages) – Not recommended. Looks an awful lot like the first edition of Winning Blackjack. Includes an ace count and a five-six count. [ 2/78 Mitchell BJ Systems From BS to Expert GT 1 5] [ AMAZON: How to Win at Weekend Blackjack ]
Stanley Roberts (aka Stanley Sludikoff). Winning Blackjack. Some manuscripts have been subtitled, Easiest to Learn Advanced System Available. Scientific Research Services, Los Angeles; 1971 – 1985, c1990. (84 – 316 pages) – Not recommended. First edition contained Robert’s 10-count system and contained 84 pages. Second edition included flash cards and was 140 pages. Third edition was 316 pages. Contained good sections on cheating, money management and some practical tips. I would question, however, if you can Win $500 A Day! – Anytime You Want!, as promised in its advertising. Latest edition (c1990) is believed to contain controversial and unproven material. [ 2/78 Mitchell BJ Systems From BS to Expert GT 15 ] [ 3/82 Snyder BJF 33 ] [ 90 Malmuth Gambling Theory 265 ] [ 81 Griffin 2nd Edition Review C&S Vol.17, 47 ] [ 82 Cooper A Second Review C&S Vol.19, 56 ] [ 90 Patterson Blackjack: A Winner’s Handbook 102 ] [ AMAZON: Winning Blackjack ]
Bud Rodo. A Simple Guide to Winning Blackjack. CIPP; Jul 16, 2015 (220 pages) – Recommended with reservations. According to the advertising, “What good is a card counting system if it is too hard to understand or implement? A Simple Guide to Winning Blackjack solves these problems with the Two-Card Count. The strategy is designed for both the beginner and the expert. The novice will learn the basics of blackjack and a simple card counting method. For the experienced player, the advanced concepts discussed in this work can be exploited for maximum profit. … also includes a comprehensive section on Tournament Blackjack strategy. Bud Rodo spent 10 years in Las Vegas and Atlantic City developing and perfecting the Two-Card Count. He holds a BA in Economics from Bucknell University and is a full member the uber-exclusive of GenerIQ Society. ” Preview looks good enough for me to give this a thumbs up, however, if you are smart enough to learn an Ace-Five count you can probably learn the Hi-Lo or KO count with just a little extra effort. An Ace-Five count will get you, at best, even with the house using a 12 to 1 spread in a shoe game. [ AMAZON: Simple Guide to Winning Blackjack ]
Hy Roler. Blackjack: Rules, Strategies, Luck and Other Things. The Roler Press, Mesa, AZ; 1991, 1992. (73 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, In just a few hours you can learn how to play winning blackjack, even if you have never played before! Contains 8 chapters including the basics of the game, basic strategy, money management concepts. A mostly correct basic strategy chart and a non-counting betting strategy — which he prefers over counting. Author does not feel counting is worth the effort. [ AMAZON: Blackjack: Rules, Strategies, Luck and Other Things ]
I. Nelson Roseand Robert A. Loeb. Blackjack and the Law. RGE Publishing, Oakland, CA; 1998. (245 pages) – Excellent. Highly recommended. From the advertising, “Two prominent attorneys in the field of gaming law look at the issues from the blackjack players’ perspective. Issues covered include: Can skilled players be excluded from games just because they can win? Can the casinos force you to show your ID? Can they “backroom” you for interrogation? What constitutes cheating? Do laws differ on Indian reservation casinos? Is Internet gambling legal? Every gambler needs this book. Learn how to protect your rights as a player. Whether you are concerned with the tax laws, the invasion of your privacy, or the fairness of the games, Blackjack and the Law will provide straight answers to your questions.” MORE INFO [ AMAZON: Blackjack and the Law ]
Victor H. Royer. Blackjack Made Easy. ???; 1997 (?? pages) – Review TBD. Subtitled, Learn how to find the best games and maximize your wins. Author bio: “Victor H. Royer, known as Vegas Vic, is the author of more than 50 books. Mostly known for books, articles, and columns on casino games and gambling, he is also the author of Great Casino Slots – Volumes 1, 2, 3, and 4 – and others, Great Gamblers: True Stories and Amazing Facts, as well as several titles of fiction…“ [ AMAZON: Blackjack Made Easy ]
Victor H. Royer. Blackjack Secrets: How to Beat the Game and WIN! (Volume 1). CIPP; Sep 8, 2018; (206 pages) – Review TBD. From the advertising, “Learn an Incredible Simple Strategy for 21st Century Casino Blackjack! – Find out the New Modified Basic Strategy…“. Hmmm… modified basic strategy? I don’t even have to read the book to give this a thumbs down. [ AMAZON: Blackjack Secrets by Royer ]
Victor H. Royer. Powerful Profits From Blackjack. Lyle Stuart; 2002, 2014 (352 pages) – Review TBD. Subtitled, Play-and win-like the best! From the advertising: “The truth behind Shuffling Machines—which are OK, and which to avoid, and why. Includes a Modified Basic Strategy for your best advantage! Also includes a card-size Modified Basic Strategy that you can copy (print) and carry with you. Why you should never split 10s—except in some Blackjack Tournaments. The importance of “soft hands,” and why casinos hate them. How the number “17” can make or break your hand. Why all blackjack games are NOT the same. How to find a casino that offers you the best chance of winning. And much more!” Modified basic strategy? Why? Victor Royer has written many gambling books under the “Powerful Profits” series. [ AMAZON: Powerful Profits From Blackjack ]
Lee Rudolph. Blackjack Consensus or How to Take the B.S. Out of Basic Strategy. Gambler’s Analysis; 1989 (94 pages) – Not recommended. Per the advertising, “Compares more than four dozen basic strategies created by 50 different writers, blackjack experts, and tells you what the consensus opinion is in several hundred plays.” Oh, if he only studied the “good” books he wouldn’t have to worry about this. Seems like a reasonable effort but even Rudolph thinks it is a myth that you can count down a 4-deck shoe game and sustain an advantage over the casino. [ AMAZON: Blackjack Consensus ]
Wanda Russell. Blackjack Dealer Instruction Manual. Casino Executive Training Center; 1993 (64 pages) – Review TBD. Spiral bound. Per the advertising, “This manual discusses 34 key areas of responsibility for the beginning dealer including customer courtesy, dress and personal appearances, general conduct, opening the table and counting the bankroll, the shuffle and dealing, making change, cheque cutting, game protection, minimum and maximum bets, hitting the dealer’s hand, and peeking at aces.“ [ AMAZON: Blackjack Dealer Instruction Manual ]
Carl Sampson. Princes of Darkness. D & B Publishing; 2006. (208 pages) – Review TBD. Subtitled, The World of High Stakes Blackjack. From the advertising, “Princes of Darkness delves into the murky and secretive world of the professional Blackjack player. In a three-year period, Carl Sampson and his team took the casinos for a seven-figure sum and now he reveals how they did it.” One Amazon reviewer indicates this is a novel ??? Victor Nacht wrote, “An intriguing look into the world of a professional blackjack team.“ [ AMAZON: Princes of Darkness ]
Craig Santoro. One Day Blackjack Master. CIPP; 2015 (38 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, The Ultimate Guide to Mastering BlackJack in One Day – Win with Proven Strategies for Beating the Casino. Includes a chapter called “Card Counting is Plain Stupid“. He even suggests that card counting is illegal. Need I say more! [ AMAZON: One Day Blackjack Master ]
Bill Schuffert and Jan Schuffert. Common Cents Blackjack. George Belle Books; 1978 (59 pages) – Not recommended. Illustrated by Fred Parker. Beginner’s book with the basics, charts, illustrations and a glossary of terms. Bill and Jan think you have to be a genius to count cards so they present some basic no-counting type advice. An accurate basic strategy is presented but they fail to mention for what rule-set. A “Fail-Safe” betting strategy is proposed where your max bet is 2 units and you simply leave if you lose 10 bets. [ AMAZON: Common Cents Blackjack ]
Don Schlesinger. Blackjack Attack. (BJA) Huntington Press, Las Vegas, NV (Formerly RGE Publishing, Berkeley, CA); 1997, 2004, 2018. (576 pages) – Outstanding. Highly recommended. Subtitled, Playing the Pros’ Way. Learning basic strategy and a point count system is only the first step to becoming a winning blackjack player. The second step is the advice and information in this book. Arnold Snyder says: “In my opinion, Blackjack Attack will become an immediate classic in this field, a reference book on the game that no serious player can afford to be without.” Blackjack Attack includes a foreword and introduction by Stanford Wong and Arnold Snyder. Topics include back-counting the shoe game, betting techniques and win rates, evaluating new rules and bonuses, statistical insights, the “Illustrious 18”, the “Floating Advantage”, team play, camouflage, risk of ruin, and more. This is a ground breaking book that can be considered a classic text and research tool. If you are serious about this game you must know this stuff! Full review in the Summer 1997 issue of Blackjack Review Magazine 6.3. See The World’s Greatest Blackjack Simulation by John Auston. [ 97 Dalton BJR 6.3 ] [ ERRATA ] [ AMAZON: Blackjack Attack: Playing the Pros’ Way ] [ SEE REPORTS ]
Don Schlesingerand Dave Brolley. The Hi-Lo Card Counting System: A Complete Guide to Index Play. Huntington Press, Las Vegas, NV; Jan 2023 (336 pages) – Excellent. Highly recommended if you use the Hi-Lo count. From the editor: “What do you get for the card counter who has everything? How about the most extensive analysis and presentation of strategy-deviation indices ever published? Blackjack Hall of Famer Don Schlesinger and computer whiz Dave “Gronbog” Brolley go far beyond Schlesinger’s legendary “Illustrious 18” to provide current and prospective Hi-Lo players with everything they need to determine how to structure the playing-strategy component of their counting system. Includes more than 300 charts, with plays ranked in accordance with their contribution to overall gain (SCORE), for almost every conceivable combination of rules and conditions.“ [ AMAZON: The Hi-lo Card Counting System ][ BACK COVER REVIEWS ]
Howie Schmidt. Play Blackjack Without Losing Your Shirt. Authorhouse; Mar 1, 2003 (216 pages) – Review TBD. No preview… no description… no reviews on Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Hmmm… and it has been out for over 17 years. Cool title though! [ AMAZON: Play Blackjack Without Losing Your Shirt ]
King Scobe. The Morons of Blackjack and Other Monsters! Paone Press, Lynbrook, NY; 1992. (115 pages) – Not recommended. King Scobe, also known as Frank Scoblete has attempted to cover the emotional aspect of the game in this book. The most disturbing contention made here is that “morons and moronic play can affect your long-range prospects.” The first few chapters of this book contain some decent material, however, take my advice and pass this one by. Chapters 1 through 5, in abridged versions, have appeared in WIN Magazine. [ Spr 93 Blackjack Review 1.2 ] [ AMAZON: The Morons of Blackjack and Other Monsters! ]
Frank Scoblete. Armada Strategies for Spanish 21. Bonus Books, Chicago, IL; 1998. (137 pages) – Good. Recommended. Subtitled, Sink the Casinos’ Hottest New Game. The author covers this interesting variation of blackjack and provides solid advice on how to tackle the game — if you must play it! Since it takes such a large bet spread, not to mention learning a very complicated basic strategy, to achieve even a slight advantage over the casino the author recommends using this game to milk the comp system. Good idea! Since the basic strategy is so complicated the casinos probably won’t recognize your play. Correct basic strategy yields a house edge of 0.82% in this game and using a card counting system can knock it down further. Blackjack pros may want to use Scoblete’s tactics to camouflage their regular game play. [ Fall 98 Snyder BJF 109 ] [ AMAZON: Armada Strategies for Spanish 21 ]
Frank Scoblete. Beat Blackjack Now. Triumph Books; 2010. (192 pages) – Good. Recommended. Subtitled, The Easiest Way to Get the Edge! Includes an introduction to blackjack, card counting (The Speed Count) and tournaments. Also includes a chapter on Spanish 21. Scoblete writes about the 1991 Las Vegas MaximCasino game which I was very familiar with. Indeed, this was the best single-deck game I had ever played in. They dealt single-deck all the way to the bottom and if they ran out of cards they just reshuffled the deck and kept playing. Ahhhh…. the good old days. See end play. [ AMAZON: Beat Blackjack Now ]
Frank Scoblete. Best Blackjack. Bonus Books / Taylor Trade Publishing; c1996, 2004; (283 pages) – Very good. Recommended with some reservations. From the cover: “Take a Hit and Make a Profit! Strategies for Single- & Multiple-Deck Games! How to Take Advantage of Sloppy Dealers. Powerful Easy-to-Master Card-Counting Techniques.” A good book on blackjack strategy and card counting. If it were not for a few pieces of what I consider bad advice, the book would have an excellent rating. This is Scoblete’s best book to date. See full review in the Summer 1996 Blackjack Review Magazine 5.3. [ AMAZON: Best Blackjack ] [ 96 Dalton BJR 5.3 ]
Frank Scoblete. Golden Touch Blackjack Revolution. Research Services; 2006. (182 pages) – Good. Recommended with some reservations. This book contains the Speed Count, which claims to be the easiest advantage blackjack method ever developed. Well, it may be easy but according to The Wizard of Odds, the power is only about 1/3 to 1/2 of the Hi-Lo count. Also available as an online E-book. [ goldentouchblackjack.com ][ wizardofodds.com ][ AMAZON: Golden Touch Blackjack Revolution ]
Frank Scoblete. I am a Card Counter. Triumph Books; 2014. (224 pages) – Review TBD. Subtitled, Inside the World of Advantage-Play Blackjack. From the advertising: They lived the life! Frank Scoblete and his wife the Beautiful A.P. were a devastating card counting team consistently beating the casinos in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, the Midwest and Mississippi. Now Frank will share with you everything he knows about beating the casinos at blackjack, including techniques that only he and a few true pros know such as End Play, the Fat Finger Method, Card Counting, Celebrity Play and Card Grouping. [ AMAZON: I Am a Card Counter ]
Maverick Sharp. Dynamic Blackjack – The Professional Approach. DiamondBack Publishing; Nov 1, 2013. (600 pages) – Excellent. Highly Recommended. Includes the level-3 Dynamic Matrix Pro Count. The Wizard Of Odds give this book a great review and Don Schlesinger calls it “impressive” and “praiseworthy”. From the advertising: “As the world advances into the 21st Century so does today’s modern casinos, who are constantly working hard to make Blackjack another unbeatable casino game. Sadly, the days of the candy stores are long gone. However, for any ambitious player serious about beating these modern casinos you have all the answers right here. We all know that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Dynamic Blackjack is that straight line between the beginner or intermediate player and triumph. There is a wealth of information in this massive 600 page book, including various imperative strategic concepts including: Basic Strategy 101; Theory of Counting Cards; Consequential Effects of Rule Variations; Betting Schemes; Risk Management; Risk Aversion; and Camouflage Techniques. But the most crucial technique introduces you to the Dynamic Matrix Pro Strategy. The DMPro is a Level-3 in complexity, and undisputed as one of the most powerful single parameter systems in its class. Over One-Trillion rounds of simulations were performed in the development of the Dynamic Matrix Pro Strategy including all of the betting schemes that could be utilized in any Blackjack Game you are ever likely to encounter in today’s casinos. Dynamic Blackjack plunges deep into other areas where previous card counting books drop off. Learn the “Psychological Profile” of the professional gambler and the dynamics it takes to become one. If you are brutally realistic about wanting to excel and maintain ‘Expert’ status, this book will unequivocally give you the most ‘Bang for your Buck!!!”‘” [ AMAZON: Dynamic Blackjack- The Professional Approach ]
G. D. Sheneman. Honest to Goodness BLACKJACK. Cobblestone Press; 1996 (80 pages) – Recommended. Subtitled, Easy Step by Step Instructions on How to Play the Exciting Game of ’21’. Includes a nice accurate color basic strategy chart and generally good advice for playing blackjack. No card counting information though.
Moe Shuckelman. Everything You’ve Always Wanted to Know About Blackjack But Were Too Stupid to Ask!. Edited by his son, Shirley. Gollehon Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, MI; Dec 1987. (50 pages) – Review TBD. As the foreword to this book states, “Nothing in this book should be taken seriously. It is a parody, of sorts, that is intended to let you stop and look back at what gambling should really be. Fun.” A great stress reliever before a big game! Moe Shuckelman is also the author of the books, The Blackjack Joke Book and Casino Gambling for Winners subtitled Losers are not allowed to read this book. Sounds like Moe has a sense of humor. [ AMAZON: Everything You’ve Always… ]
Edwin Silberstang. Winning Blackjack For the Serious Player. Cardoza Publishing; 1993, 2002. (288 pages) – Good. Recommended. From my initial review, this book appears to contain solid advice from basic strategy to card counting. Contains the equivalent of the Hi-Opt I point count system. I would question the publisher’s contention that you can “become an expert in two days” as advertised in the back of the book for Cardoza’s Base Count strategy. [ AMAZON: Winning Blackjack for the Serious Player ]
Edwin Silberstang. Playboy’s Guide to Casino Gambling; Volume Two: Blackjack. Wideview Books, New York; 1980. (114 pages) – Not recommended. Originally published as a chapter inPlayboy’s Guide to Casino Gambling, c1972. [ 90 Patterson Blackjack: A Winner’s Handbook 108 ] [ AMAZON: Playboy’s Guide to Casino Gambling, V2 Blackjack ]
Suan Silverston. The Ultimate Blackjack System. CIPP; Mar 4, 2014 (38 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, Blackjack Secrets Casino’s Don’t Want You to Know About! CAUTION: There appear to be many books out there with the same title and even same book cover and by different authors. [ AMAZON: Ultimate Blackjack System ]
Martin J. Silverthorne. The Nine-Count Blackjack Strategy. Silverthorne Publications, Inc, Las Vegas, NV; 2010. (188 pages) – Not recommended. From the book: “You will be able to take just $60 and instantly start making $94 an hour Net Profits on your home computer.You can go to any land-based casino, play with $10 bets and pull in $374 an hour in All-Cash Profits.” Another worthless progression system. Need I say more? [ ninecountblackjack.com ]
Martin J. Silverthorne. Take Down Blackjack. Russell Hunter Publishing, Silverthorne Publications, Inc, Albuquerque, NM; 2012. (172 pages) – Not recommended. From the book: “Take Down Blackjack is a revolutionary new way of winning at blackjack. It is so good that all it takes is $25 to set up $5,000 a day winnings for life.” More progression system nonsense.
Martin J. Silverthorne. Ten Steps to Beat Blackjack. Russell Silverthorne Publications, Inc, Albuquerque, NM; 2012. (~ 65 pages) – Not recommended. More nonsense.
Bob Simms with Glenn Rutherford. Beat’em At Their Own Game. ???; 2000. (??? pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, Have More Fun And Win More Money Playing Blackjack. Bob Simms was a retired teamster who, for many decades, was an avid participant and consultant in many varied aspects of the gaming industry. His web site shows a seriously incorrect basic strategy chart. I doubt if the book or accompanying video provide any better advice. Bob Simms (aka John R. Simms) (born Sept 17, 1938) passed away on Oct 5, 2019. [ ARCHIVE: beatemattheirowngame.com ]
Al Simon. Count Me In. Trafford Publishing; 2011. (356 pages) – Review TBD. Subtitled, A Professional’s Guide to Blackjack. From the advertising: “This book offers a new and interesting insight on blackjack.” Stanford Wong (Blackjack Authority). A look at blackjack from the eyes of a truly modern-day philosopher and political satirist. Paul T. (political analyst). According to the book, Al Simon has been playing blackjack since 1970 and card counting since 1981. [ AMAZON: Count Me In ]
David Sklansky. Sklansky Talks Blackjack. Two Plus Two Publishing, Henderson, NV; 1999. (140 pages) – Very good. Highly recommended. From the advertising: “Blackjack is the one casino game where the player can get an edge over the house. This has been known for almost forty years and many good blackjack books have been written on the subject. In spite of this, there are still only a relative handful of people who are taking advantage of this knowledge. Why is that? David Sklansky believes the reason is that most people think expert blackjack play is too hard to learn. They browse through a blackjack book and are struck by the complex charts and tables. Sklansky realized that these charts were not really needed to show someone how to play an almost perfect game. As a renowned teacher, as well as a professional gambler, Sklansky (already the author of eight books on gambling) has devised a technique that literally talks you through everything you need to know to truly beat this popular game.“ [ Spr 99 Snyder BJF 111 ] [ BOOK EXCERPT ][ AMAZON: Sklansky Talks Blackjack ]
Kenneth Smith. How to Win More Blackjack Tournaments (Volume 1). Research Services Unlimited; 2007 (98 Pages) – Excellent. Highly Recommended. Subtitled, Tips, Tricks, and Strategies to Supercharge Your Game. This is an e-book. From the advertising: “…contains everything you need to take your tournament game to the next level. With material for every skill level, and many concepts that have never before appeared in print, this is a must-read if you are serious about blackjack tournaments.” Much of this book was previously published on BJInsider.com. Covers the rule of 2, 4 and 5 and other strategies. [ blackjackinfo.com ]
Kenneth Smith. How to Win Even More Blackjack Tournaments (Volume 2). Research Services Unlimited; 2011 (131 Pages) – Excellent. Highly Recommended. This is an e-book. From the advertising: “…contains more of his winning strategies that have made him one of the best tournament blackjack players in the world. If you’ve watched any televised blackjack tournaments, or watched (or played against) Ken in a live tournament, you’ve seen his amazing tournament skills (including his stunning $50,000 first place finish in the premier episode of the Ultimate Blackjack Tournament on CBS.) His new e-book contains more of Ken’s tournament playing and betting strategies that were published in his columns in the Blackjack Insider Newsletter (BJI), plus several new strategies, not previously published in the BJI (all articles are now only available in this e-book). You will learn more tips and tricks that have made Ken the best and most feared tournament player.” Much of this book was previously published on BJInsider.com. [ blackjackinfo.com ]
Arnold Snyder. Beat the X-Deck Game. RGE Publishing, Oakland, CA; 1987. (Each booklet is 64 pages each) – Excellent. Highly recommended. Computer analysis by Sam Case. There are 5 booklets in this series for 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 decks. All of these are highly recommended for the serious card counter who wants to know his possible win rate in these games. Contains frequency distribution charts that require the use of a calculator to apply them to your counting system. All distributions assume the player is alone at the table. If not alone, these distributions are still accurate assuming you can see all of the other player’s cards. Considerations for penetration of 50, 65, 75 and 85%. [ BJRNET: Beat the X-Deck Game ] [ AMAZON: Beat the 1-Deck Game ] [ AMAZON: Beat the 2-Deck Game ] [ AMAZON: Beat the 4-Deck Game ] [ AMAZON: Beat the 6-Deck Game ] [ AMAZON: Beat the 8-Deck Game ]
Arnold Snyder. The Big Book of Blackjack. Cardoza Publishing; 2012. (400 Pages ) – Outstanding. Highly recommended. From the advertising: The world’s greatest blackjack player, the legendary Arnold Snyder, shows beginning and advanced players everything they need to know to beat the game of casino blackjack. From the rules of the game to advanced professional strategies, Snyder’s guidance and advice runs the gamut of strategies needed to successfully beat the casino-with the odds! Snyder should know: he’s been a professional player and the guru for serious players for more than 25 years. This book includes winning techniques never before published in a nationally distributed book. 27 easy-to-read chapters and tons of tips make the book both profitable and fun. This book has one of the best discussions of the history of advantage play and the struggle of card counters that I have ever read. Must reading! [ AMAZON: Big Book of Blackjack ]
Arnold Snyder. Blackbelt in Blackjack. RGE Publishing, Berkeley, CA; 1983, 1997, 2005. (124 pages) – Excellent. Highly recommended. Subtitled, Playing 21 as a Martial Art. Includes an introduction to the game as well as advanced techniques and strategies for traditional card counters. Snyder explains basic strategy, the Red Seven count, the Zen count, depth charging, money management, the true count, camouflage techniques, toking guidelines, hole card play, cheating, team play and the effect of table conditions. MORE INFO [ 83 Griffin,Friedman,Braun Reviews C&S Vol.23,36 ] [ 90 Patterson Blackjack: A Winner’s Handbook 103 ] [ 2/83 Wong Blackjack World 23 ] [ AMAZON: Blackbelt in Blackjack ] (RGE Edition) [ AMAZON: Blackbelt in Blackjack ] (Cardoza Edition)
Arnold Snyder. The Blackjack Formula. RGE Publishing, Berkeley, CA; 1980, 1982. (95 pages) – Outstanding. Highly recommended. A breakthrough book containing a mathematical formula for computing a player’s advantage in a blackjack game. Originally costing $100, it is an excellent analysis and write up of your expected win percentage as a function of number of decks, number of players, shuffle point, and rules variations. [ 80 C&S Vol.12, 63 ] [ 90 Patterson Blackjack: A Winner’s Handbook 103 ] [ 6/81 Snyder Some Guidelines for Using TBJF BJF 10 ] [ 12/87 Snyder Son of Blackjack Formula BJF 5 ] [ OTHER REVIEWS ][ AMAZON: The Blackjack Formula ]
Arnold Snyder. Blackjack For Profit. RGE Publishing, Oakland, CA; 1981, 1982. (95 pages) – Good. Recommended. Subtitled, A Guidebook for Card Counters. Contains important information for advanced players. Compares 18 different systems and their assigned point values, measuring any game’s probability, profit vs number of players, profit vs individual casino rules. Uses charts to explain ideas. [ BACK COVER ] [ 81 Patterson Blackjack: A Winner’s Handbook 158 ] [ 6/81 Wong NVB Vol.3,110 ] [ AMAZON: Blackjack For Profit ]
Arnold Snyder. Blackjack Shuffle Tracker’s Cookbook. Huntington Press, Las Vegas, NV; 1994, 1995, 2003. (110 pages) Outstanding. Highly recommended. Per the original advertising, “This isn’t your mother’s cookbook. Instructions in The Shuffle Tracker’s Cookbook don’t cover pastry recipes and browning techniques, but new research on things like slug values, tracking e.v., exploding slugs, danger zones, edge work, over-betting in tracking, and updated ace location techniques. In this 110-page Blackjack Forum Professional Report, Arnold Snyder gives the down and dirty inside story on this powerful, but dangerous, form of card counting, known as shuffle tracking. MORE INFO [ AMAZON: Blackjack Shuffle Tracker’s Cookbook ]
Arnold Snyder. Blackjack Wisdom. RGE Publishing, Berkeley, CA; 1997. (213 pages) – Excellent. Highly recommended. This is Snyder’s first collection of rantings by the game’s most prolific writer and its only self-proclaimed religious leader. Excellent stuff and must reading for serious players. Full review in the Fall 1997 issue ofBlackjack Review Magazine6.4. MORE INFO [ 97 Dalton BJR 6.4 ] [ AMAZON: Blackjack Wisdom ]
Arnold Snyder. Radical Blackjack. Huntington Press; June 2021. (335 pages) Outstanding. Highly recommended. This book was originally planned to be published by Cardoza Publishing in 2013, and was even listed on Amazon. I asked Snyder about it at the Blackjack Balland he confirmed that he probably had about half of the book complete but decided not to complete it because, at the time, the topics were a bit “sensitive” to the advantage player community. In 2020, Snyder apparently decided to finally publish the book and the new cover graphic is shown here. The product description from Huntington Press is shown here: Snyder details his adventures in hole carding and shuffle tracking, milking loss rebates; exploiting online casino bonuses and affiliate deals; using camouflage so effective that pit bosses considered him the world’s worst blackjack player; playing on teams and with investor money, and maximizing results when playing with partners; while topping it all off with miscellaneous stories so wild they don’t fit into any chapter! [ 2013 Proposed Book Cover ] [ Snyder About the Book ] [ REVIEW: Henry Tamburin ] [ AMAZON: Radical Blackjack ]
Lee Solkey. Dummy Up and Deal. GBC; 1980. (123 pages) – Good. Recommended. Interesting introduction to dealing blackjack. [ AMAZON: Dummy Up and Deal ]
Vas Spanos. Winning Blackjack. Blackjack Experts, Inc.; 1993 (?? pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, An Introduction to Strategy Blackjack. See Vas Spanos. [ blackjackmaster.com ] [ AMAZON: Winning Blackjack ]
Dave Stann. Hollywood Blackjack. RGE Publishing; 2007 (185 pages) – Very good. Recommended. Subtitled, An Uncensored Guide to Doing It Like a Pro. According to the advertising: “Hollywood” Dave Stann is a professional gambler and an actor, and combines the two professions on a regular basis. He’s competed in every “World Series of Blackjack” tournament; was a co-host for two seasons of GSN’s “Celebrity Blackjack;” has been featured on A&E’s “Caesars 24/7,” Travel Channel’s “Vegas Challenge,” and Spike TV’s “King of Vegas;” and is currently part of Team UBT for CBS’s “Ultimate Blackjack Tour. ” Known as “the bad boy of blackjack,” Dave uses psychological skill and a very loud mouth to intimidate his opponents; he is a card-carrying member of Mensa; and he has counted cards in casinos around the world both for himself and as a member of an elite blackjack team. Initially a card counter to help pay the bills between acting gigs, Dave has combined his love of gambling with his love for being in front of the cameras and is having the time of his life. In “Hollywood Blackjack,” Dave instructs the reader on how to count cards as well as entertains with hilarious stories about his experiences as a counter both on- and off-camera. [ AMAZON: Hollywood Blackjack ]
Cris Statz. Modern Card Counting. CIPP; July 20, 2011 (126 pages) – See book with the same title by Patrick Linsenmeyer. Subtitled, Modern Blackjack Card Counting Techniques and Systems for Beginners and Enthusiasts. Includes information on a level one Hi-Lo and level two Red Zen count. This is the first edition of Linsenmeyer’s book. The name Cris Statz is an alias. [ AMAZON: Modern Card Counting ]
Ralph Stricker. Silver Fox Blackjack System. Self Published / Silver Fox Enterprises; 1981, 1997. (81 spiral bound pages) – Excellent. Recommended. Subtitled, You Can Count On It. This is a solid course in winning blackjack technology. Highly recommended for new players. A must read for the rest of us. Typically came with 2 audio tapes as well. Full review in the Spring 1996 issue of Blackjack Review Magazine 5.2.MORE INFO [ Spr 96 Dalton BJR Interview With Ralph Stricker ] [ AMAZON: Silver Fox Blackjack System ] [ SEE REPORTS ]
Hazen Stump. Blackjack Systems Revealed. 1980 (?? pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, A Detailed Report on Ten Blackjack Count Strategies. Six systems are studied with 60,000 hand simulations run for each system. [ 6/81 Wong BJW 104 ]
Bert Randolph Sugar. See book heading under Michael Benson.
Matt Summers. Beat the Odds Blackjack. Lyle Stuart; Apr 1, 2000 (176 pages) – Review TBD. Subtitled, Playing the Percentages Without Counting Cards. See book byG. Phillip Cline with book of same name??? [ AMAZON: Beat the Odds Blackjack ]
Matt Summers. Chances Are…: Your Winning Blackjack Strategy. Van Der Plas Publications; 2000 (144 pages) – Review TBD. Chances are… this is not going to get a good review! [ AMAZON: Chances Are…: Your winning Blackjack Strategy ]
W. W. Swift.Be a Winner at Blackjack: Philosophy and Strategy. Sunshine Publishers, Las Vegas, NV; 1978. (16 pages) – Not recommended.
Henry Tamburin. Blackjack: Take the Money and Run. Research Services Unlimited; 1994. (150 pages) – Good. Recommended with reservations. Good advice on basic strategy, finding the most profitable games, avoiding detection and the risks involved. However, I do disagree with Tamburin on his own personal style of play though. See Blackjack Review Magazine below for full review. [ Sum 94 Dalton BJR 3.3 ] [ AMAZON: Blackjack: Take the Money and Run ]
Henry Tamburin. Ultimate Guide to Blackjack. c2015. – Outstanding. Highly recommended. This is Tamburin’s free online blackjack book for beginners. From the advertising: “The 888casino Ultimate Blackjack Strategy Guide is the most extensive and comprehensive introduction to the casino game of blackjack that you will find anywhere.” At the time of this review 18 chapters had been completed. I love the graphics and the presentation. [ AVAILABLE ONLINE ]
Vic Taucer. Blackjack Dealing and Supervision . Casino Creations; 1993. (121 pages) – Review TBD. From the advertising, “A complete manual to instruct dealing and supervising the casino game of Blackjack. The author describes procedures on operations of this game for commercial casino use. This book is a concise guide for the training of dealers. All facets of Blackjack games covered. Glossary, game protection and customer service are dealt with.” [ AMAZON: Blackjack Dealing and Supervision ]
Bryan Thibodeaux.Power Blackjack – An Instructional Guide for the Serious Player . Self published; 1984. (82 pages) – Review TBD.
Harold Thomas. Harold’s Handbook on Blackjack. B.R. Presley & Assoc., Boise, Idaho; 1977. (25 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, The Art of Using Sequential Betting for Fun and Profit. Twenty-one rules make up an introduction to playing blackjack. [ AMAZON: Harold’s Handbook on Blackjack ]
Walter Thomason. Twenty-First Century Blackjack. Introduction by Frank Scoblete. Bonus Books, Chicago, IL; 1999. (186 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, A New Strategy for a New Millennium. A progressive betting system. [ Fall 99 Snyder BJF 111 ] [ AMAZON: Twenty-First Century Blackjack ]
Walter Thomason. The Ultimate Blackjack Book. Lyle Stuart; Apr 1, 2001 (128 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, Basic Strategies, Money Management and More. A betting system! [ AMAZON: Ultimate Blackjack Book ]
D. N. Thompson. The Art of Blackjack. CIPP; Jun 2, 2012 (178 pages) – Review TBD. Subtitled, “Basics, Strategy, Counting & Tactics“. From the advertising, “… a comprehensive guide to the game of Blackjack suitable for players of various skill levels. What makes this book unique among the many that are available is that the author has been on both sides of the table. D. N. Thompson has over a decade of experience on the inside of the pit as a Croupier (casino dealer). Another unique aspect of this book is the subject of tactics. Many books cover the mathematical aspects of the game but mathematical advantage cannot be realized without a knowledge of tactics. The strategic methods outlined in the book are the tried-and-true joined with the special tactical knowledge that one could only acquire as both a dealer and advantage player. Instead of “reinventing the wheel”, D. N. Thompson covers the High-Low card counting method, the ‘Half Kelly which is based on the Kelly Criterion and the Strategy developed half a century ago by the “Four Horsemen of Aberdeen’. The book contains information about the fascinating individuals who developed the methods outlined in the book such as Edward O. Thorp, J. L. Kelly and Claude Shannon.” Preview looks good so far! [ AMAZON: The Art of Blackjack ]
D. N. Thompson. The Game of Blackjack. CIPP; Mar 1, 2016 (178 pages) – Review TBD. Subtitled, “Written by a Croupier (Casino Dealer) & Advantage Player“. From the advertising, “1) Blackjack is a Game: Let’s Play! The history and basics of the game as well as Spanish 21, plus; how to compete in Blackjack tournaments. 2) The Mathematics of the Game: the basics of gaming odds and how they work for the house or the player. 3) Basic Strategy: from the ‘Four Horsemen of Aberdeen’ in 1956 – how to reduce the house edge. 4) Card Counting: the original method by Edward O. Thorp – his story as well as practice routines to master it. Included: the story of John Kelly and the ‘Kelly Criterion’ used by Wall Street hedge funds and advantage players. 5) The Tactics of the Game: the principles of Machiavelli and Sun Tsu with the industry knowledge and unique insights of the author to play the game of Blackjack – a game that can be won with skill.” Preview looks good! Looks similar to his previous work. [ AMAZON: The Game of Blackjack ]
Edward O. Thorp. Beat the Dealer. Blaisdell Publishing; 1962. (236 pages) Vintage Books (Random House), New York; 1966. (220 pages) – Outstanding. Highly recommended. Subtitled, A Winning Strategy For the Game of Twenty-One. Additionally subtitled as A scientific analysis of the world-wide game known variously as blackjack, twenty-one, vingt-et-un, pontoon, or van-john. This is the classic that changed the way we all view the game of twenty-one. This book presents, for the first time, a validated winning strategy (a ten-count) based on the results of computer simulation. Although outdated it is must reading for serious players. Describes blackjack conditions of the 1960’s. The first edition (1962) included interesting material not included in the second edition. The 1966 version has a practical point count (Hi-Lo) that was later revised by Julian Braun. This book was a national best-seller when it was first published. According to a speech Thorp gave at the 21st Blackjack Ball, he played blackjack for the first time in 1958. See A Man for All Markets. [ 82 Hicks A Profile of Ed Thorp… Vol.21,15 ] [ 90 Patterson Blackjack: A Winner’s Handbook 10 3 ] [ AMAZON: Beat the Dealer ] (Paperback) [ AMAZON: Beat the Dealer ] (Hardback) [ SEE REPORTS ]
Everett Tibbetts. 10 Step Blackjack. Amazon Services; Dec 21, 2013. (140 pages) – See book by Chad Courter with the same name. It appears, that in 2013, this book was re-released with the author name changed. [ AMAZON: 10 Step Blackjack ]
Nathaniel Tilton. The Blackjack Life. Huntington Press; 2012. (344 pages) – Very good. Recommended. Subtitled, A Journey Through the Inner World of Card Counting, the Lessons of Teamwork, and the Clandestine Pursuit of Beating the Odds. Foreword by Semyon Dukach, former MIT blackjack team player. From the advertising: … Tilton was just a regular guy with a regular job when he read Bringing Down the House and decided he wanted to do what the players in that book did. A journey through the inner world of card counting, the lessons of teamwork, and the clandestine pursuit of beating the odds, in The Blackjack Life Tilton relates the story of his personal j ourney through the smoke-filled casinos in which he and his playing partner gambled, to the seedy backrooms that he hoped he would never see. More than just wins and losses, The Blackjack Life is about the growth of a man who discovered himself through the unlikeliest of places – the world of professional blackjack — and who now shares his informed view of the opportunities that still exist for skilled players and what it’s really like to travel that road today. This book doesn’t teach you how to count cards.. BUT, it teaches you something more important – what to expect from card counting in a casino!!! [ REVIEW: Richard Munchkin ] [ AMAZON: The Blackjack Life ]
Ken Titchkosky and Yusuf Javari. Better Blackjack for Business or Pleasure. TAJ and Associates, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; 1980. (165 pages) – Review TBD. A beginner’s guide applicable to players in Las Vegas as well as Canadians playing in Alberta casinos. Includes information on European casinos. Presents the high-low system. [ 80 C&S Vol.12, 64 ] [ 10/80 Wong BJW 162 ] [ AMAZON: Better Blackjack for Business or Pleasure… ]
Dario De Toffoli and Margherita Bonaldi. Blackjack A Champion’s Guide. O Books; 2013. (191 pages) – Review TBD. Preview of the book appears promising. From the advertising, “Dario De Toffoli guides us through rules, secrets, tactics and advice, in a book that is as much for beginners as experts. So prepare yourselves to explore the world of Blackjack, which is ‘deconstructed’ and analysed in all its mathematical glory for the first time, making readers more conscious and successful when they play.” [ AMAZON: Blackjack: A Champion’s Guide ]
Alex Trump. Major League Blackjack. Ascon Publishing; Apr 17, 2013. (108 pages) – Not recommended. From the advertising, “If you love the game of Baseball, you will love Alex Trump’s revolutionary new strategy, which uses the rules of Baseball to play 21. Not since card counting was introduced to the game, has there been such a shift in how Blackjack is played. The Major League Blackjack system is easy to learn, easy to understand, automates your betting strategy and takes all the guess work out of play. Major League Blackjack does not involve card counting methods of any kind and simplifies Blackjack in a format that will change the way you play the game forever. This book comes complete with Blackjack basic rules and advanced strategy charts, so no prior experience is necessary in order to understand the MLBJ strategy. Also included are MLBJ Score Cards to keep track of your games pitch by pitch! Major League Blackjack is a must read for Blackjack players at all levels. For the price of a minimum bet at a casino, you can join the Major League Blackjack Revolution today!” Seriously? [ AMAZON: Major League Blackjack ]
C. Ionescu Tulceaand Virginia Graham. A Book on Casino Blackjack. Van Nostrand Reingold / Simon & Schuster; 1982. (130 pages)
– Not recommended, but only because his card counting systems are more complicated than they need to be. [ Sep 82 Snyder BJF 41 ] [ 90 Patterson Blackjack: A Winner’s Handbook 108 ] [ 8/82 Wong BJW Vol.4,12 5] [ AMAZON: A Book on Casino Blackjack ]
Crystal Tummala. Blackjack Winning Attitude!CIPP; Oct 21, 2017. (32 pages) – Not recommended. From the advertising, “In Blackjack Winning Attitude, Crystal Tummala offers a step-by-step plan for increasing your winning success. The method is based on timeless principles of the mind and attraction of what you want in your life. Crystal Tummala introduces a powerful tool that can get you results rapidly!” No amount of a positive winning attitude can overcome the odds in life! Who buys these books or should I say booklets? [ AMAZON: Blackjack Winning Attitude ]
Mike Turner. Bootlegger’s 200 Proof Blackjack. SquareOne Gaming Guides; 2005. (236 pages) – Excellent. Highly recommended. Subtitled, A Survival Guide for Playing at the Tables. A wonderfully written guide that covers the basics of beating the game of blackjack using card counting. See Mike Turner.
Ken Uston. Ken Uston on Blackjack. Lyle Stuart, Secaucus, NJ; 1986. (212 pages) – Excellent. Highly recommended. Subtitled, The Adventures of the KING of “21”. Read this book if you are interested in developing your own team play techniques or if you are just interested in reading a good book on Ken Uston’s team methods. In addition, Uston reveals many of his own personal methods of camouflage and the necessity of having an “act.” [ 12/86 Snyder BJF 46 ] [ 90 Patterson Blackjack: A Winner’s Handbook 100 ] [ AMAZON: Ken Uston on Blackjack ] [ SEE REPORTS ]
Ken Uston. Million Dollar Blackjack. SRS Enterprises / Carol Pub. Group, Hollywood, CA; 1981. (330 pages) – Outstanding. Highly recommended. One of the most complete books on traditional blackjack ever published. Ken Uston, born 1935, discusses everything from card counting to team play. Include the Uston Simple Plus/Minus, Uston Advanced Plus/Minus and Uston Advanced Point Count systems. Also, chapters on the art of single- and multiple-deck play, team methods, front-loading, spooking, cheating, getting barred and tournament blackjack. Flash card pages may be copied or cut out for training. At one time, Uston taught lessons through The Uston Institute of Blackjack in Philadelphia, PA (c1980?). The only complaint I have with this book is its treatment of the contributions of other blackjack authors and experts (besides Stanley Roberts). My advice…just ignore the section in the back! [ 6/81 Snyder BJF 21 ] [ AMAZON: Million Dollar Blackjack ] [ SEE REPORTS ]
Ken Uston. Two Books on Blackjack. Uston Institute of Blackjack, Wheaton, Maryland; 1979. (198 pages) – Good. Recommended. Subtitled, How You Can Win at Blackjack in Atlantic City and Las Vegas and One Third of a Shoe. This is actually two books in one. One describes the story of how Ken Uston and his team won $145,000 in nine days causing Resorts’s January 1979 barring, which made national headlines. The other is a traditional instructional book on blackjack including an introduction to basic strategy, an ace-five count, and a discussion of the legal issues in the barring of counters litigation of the time. The technical data in these two books are contained entirely in Uston’sMillion Dollar Blackjack. [ 79 C&S Vol.8,65 ] [ AMAZON: Two Books On Blackjack ] [ SEE REPORTS ]
Ken Ustonand Roger Rapaport. The Big Player. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York; 1977. (217 pages) – Very good. Recommended. Subtitled, How a Team of Blackjack Players Made a Million Dollars/ Describes the card counting and team techniques used from Las Vegas to Europe to South America to beat the house. Reportedly, his teams won millions in Las Vegas and Atlantic City casinos during the late 70’s and early 80’s. [ AMAZON: The Big Player ] [ SEE REPORTS ]
Andrew Uyal. Blackjack Insiders. Huntington Press; July 2, 2019. (234 pages) – Very good. Recommended. Subtitled, How Two Pit Bosses Beat the Casinos at Their Own Game. Andrew Uyal is a casino floor supervisor in Las Vegas where he manages casino pits in an upscale Strip resort. According to the preview: “You’ll ride along with the two rogue pit bosses as they take on casino after casino in city after city, experiencing wild bankroll swings and being viewed and treated like criminals.” According to the book, these rogue pit bosses were Mark Stevens and Andrew Uyal. According to a review by Henry Tamburin, “This is not a how to play and win book on blackjack; rather it’s an interesting and thrilling story about how a blackjack dealer decided to turn the tables on the casinos and beat them at their own game.“ [ REVIEW: Henry Tamburin ] [ AMAZON: Blackjack Insiders ]
Olaf Vancuraand Ken Fuchs. Knock-Out Blackjack. Huntington Press, Las Vegas, NV; 1996, 1998. (180 pages) – Outstanding. Highly recommended. Subtitled, The Easiest Card-Counting System Ever Devised. Not only is the K-O unbalanced system a valid and winning blackjack method but it ranks as one of the top single-level counts available to players today. The K-O card-counting system eliminates the mountain of mental arithmetic necessary to win at blackjack. Now in its 2nd edition, revised and expanded, is now easier to use than ever. Edward O. Thorp, Ph.D. and author of the original Beat the Dealer commented that, “K-O is a simple and powerful card-counting system… clearly and entertainly presented.” This book also includes an outstanding history of card counting, good blackjack tips and tricks, honest side commentary, and an occasional story or two that brings home the card counter’s cat-and-mouse struggle with the casino. MORE INFO [ 97 Carlson BJR 6.2 ] [ 96 Dalton BJR 5.4 ] [ Fall 98 Snyder BJF 108 ] [ AMAZON: Knock-Out Blackjack ]
John Valente.The Card-Counting Guide to Winning Blackjack. Consumer Publications; 1983. (80 pages) – Review TBD.
Radek Vegas. Blackjack Winner. Amazon Digital Services / Blackjack-Vegas; Feb 1, 2016. (75 pages) – Good. Recommended with reservations. Subtitled, Be a better player and stop losing your money with the best strategies: Start winning – learn perfect basic strategy and card counting to win more money in the casinos. Includes an overview of basic strategy and the various card counting systems. Some of Radek’s advice, especially under the chapter “You’re Enemy The Dealer” indicates he is very superstitious. [ AMAZON: Blackjack Winner ][ blackjack-winner.de ]
J. Phillip Vogel. Blackjack: The Real Deal. RavenHaus Publishing; Nov 1997, Oct 1, 1998. (200 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, A Guide to Blackjack Strategy. From an advertisement: “Let gambler and mathematical genius J. Phillip Vogel teach you the facts that you need to know to be successful at BlackJack.” I highly doubt Vogel is a genius as he offers an incorrect basic strategy and recommends trend betting. Strangely, his Hi-Lo type count is presented in opposite form (High cards are +1 and low cards are -1). [ AMAZON: Blackjack: The Real Deal ]
John Von. aka John “Gator” Von. Gator’s Guide to Blackjack 4 the Occasional Play-yaa. CIPP; May 20, 2011. (28 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, A Beginner’s Guide. From the advertising, “A guide for the occasional blackjack player who needs help in how and what to bet.. How to and when to double down, split and when to stand. Includes a handy reference card.” An incorrect basic strategy in the preview is all I needed to give this a thumb’s down. You call 28 pages a book? [ AMAZON: Gator’s Guide to Blackjack ]
Benson Waithaka. The Ultimate Blackjack System. Amazon Services; Nov 20, 2019 (4 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, Blackjack Secrets Casino’s Don’t Want You to Know About! Four pages? Seriously? Includes a link to a “Blackjack Cheat Sheet” updated in 2006. Well, the link doesn’t work anymore. This is a total ripoff if you had to pay for it. Luckily, I read it with my Kindle Unlimited membership. CAUTION:There appear to be many books out there with the same title and even same book cover and by different authors. [ AMAZON: Ultimate Blackjack System ]
Mark T. Walcker. Play to Win. Player Pub.; 1989. (110 pages) – Review TBD. Subtitled, A Professional Guide for Playing Blackjack. [ AMAZON: Play to Win ]
Katarina Walker. The Pro’s Guide to Spanish 21 and Australian Pontoon. Lulu.com; 2008. (208 pages) – Excellent. Highly recommended. From its advertising: “The best-kept secret in the international pro gaming scene is finally out: Spanish 21, and its Australian counterpart, Pontoon, is even more beatable than Blackjack. “The Pro’s Guide to Spanish 21” will teach you how to play optimally, apply proven Blackjack card-counting techniques to Spanish 21, and do better than you ever did playing Blackjack. Topics covered include: basic strategy for 15+ rule variations, house edge, EOR, standard deviation, the Basic Hi-Lo counting system, optimal betting, indices, money management, camouflage, finding the best games, and much, much more. The author, gaming analyst/programmer Katarina Walker, is recognized as the world authority on Spanish 21 and Australian Pontoon. Foreword written by Don Schlesinger.“ [ AMAZON: Pro’s Guide to Spanish 21 and Australian Pontoon ]
Norman Wattenberger. Blackjack in Color. Online. (?? pages) – Excellent. Highly recommended. Subtitled, A Web-based Blackjack Book. From the book: “Testing the concept that a picture is worth a pile of words, this online book takes a look at Blackjack and Card Counting using 145 charts. Simple concepts through advanced techniques are examined. Simple concepts through advanced techniques are examined. The book won’t teach you a Blackjack ‘system’. A hundred such books exist. Last time I looked, there were 15 chapters. Great stuff! [ AVAILABLE ONLINE ]
Norman Wattenberger. Modern Blackjack.. QFIT.com; 2010. (316 pages) – Excellent. Highly recommended. Subtitled, An Illustrated Guide to Blackjack Advantage Play – FREE VERSION. From their advertising: “Modern Blackjack is a free 540-page web-book covering Blackjack from the basic rules to advanced topics like shuffle tracking, hole-card play, and team play. The rules of Blackjack are very simple. Nonetheless, an amazing amount can be said about this seemingly trivial game. To keep the book to a reasonable number of pages, many pages have been removed and are kept separately. Otherwise, it would contain over 1,000 pages and you would get carpal tunnel syndrome trying to read it online. You can find links on this page and in the book to the extra material. There is also a bit of free software supplied in conjunction with the advanced topics.” The published version (see below) have an additional 120 pages or so of material. [ QFIT.com]
Norman Wattenberger. Modern Blackjack – Volume I. Lulu.com; 2010. (316 pages) – Outstanding. Highly recommended. Subtitled, An Illustrated Guide to Blackjack Advantage Play. From their advertising: “Highly detailed information on casino Blackjack as played worldwide, including over 100 variations, modern basic strategy, modern card counting systems, casino heat, current casino conditions, strategy comparisons, scams and myths, casino comportment and stories from the road. See the preview at www.qfit.com/book. This is Volume I. Volume II is available with advanced strategies. Blackjack expert Don Schlesinger said ‘What Norm fails to tell you is that this monumental work is one of the most important, comprehensive, pieces of research ever done on the game of blackjack’ “.
Norman Wattenberger. Modern Blackjack – Volume II. Lulu.com; 2010. (370 pages) – Outstanding. Highly recommended. Subtitled, An Illustrated Guide to Blackjack Advantage Play. From their advertising: “The second volume contains topics on advanced Blackjack concepts like hole-card play, next-card play, Spanish 21 hole-card play, shuffle-tracking, team play, simulation and takes a deep look into the heart of Blackjack in ridiculous detail not before seen.”
George Watson III. Beating Casino’s Blackjack. STF Electronics, Pasco, WA; 1976, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1988, 1991. (147 pages) – Although, first published in 1976 and revised several times, this book still contains numerous inaccuracies. Contains a brief history of the game, casino rules, card values, basic strategy, the Sum Plus One Strategy, money management, shuffling, dealer psychology, cheating, and a major section reviewing various blackjack systems. Good sections on the psychological aspects of the dealer/player relationship and cheating. [ 80 C&S Vol.9,35 ] [ AMAZON: Beating Casino’s Blackjack ]
N. Richard Werthamer. Risk and Reward. Springer; 2009 (131 pages), 2018 (150 pages) – Not recommended based on other expert opinion. Subtitled, The Science of Casino Blackjack. From the advertising: … analyzes the game in depth, pinpointing not just its optimal strategies but also its financial performance, in terms of both expected cash flow and associated risk. The book begins by describing the strategies and their performance in a clear, straightforward style. The presentation is self-contained, non-mathematical, and accessible to readers at all levels of playing skill, from the novice to the blackjack expert. Careful attention is also given to simplified, but still nearly optimal strategies that are easier to use in a casino. Unlike other books in the literature the author then derives each aspect of the strategy mathematically, to justify its claim to optimality. The derivations mostly use algebra and calculus, although some require more advanced analysis detailed in supporting appendices. For easy comprehension, formulae are translated into tables and graphs through extensive computation. [ AMAZON: Risk and Reward ]
Dave Wilhite and Hugh Cunningham. Playing 21 for More Pleasure! Casino Films, Inc.; c1990s ?? (34 pages) – Not recommended. Classic incorrect basic strategy and a betting strategy advice that won’t give you an edge in the game. Best advice they give is to take a break every now and then! From the wording in the text it sounds like the authors are employees of the Flamingo Hilton.
Glen Wiggy. 1536 Free Waters and Other Blackjack Endeavors. iUniverse; 2012. (232 pages) – Good. Recommended. Subtitled, Finding Profit and Humor in Card-Counting. Deke Castleman, editor for Huntington Press says, “Undoubtedly, the most enjoyable blackjack book I’ve read in my twenty years as the editor of a gambling publishing company. It had me laughing out loud“. I agree, this is a funny book with funny stories. You will enjoy it even more if you are a card counter. Milking the system for 1536 free waters? Now that is funny! Not the book to learn how to count cards… but great fun reading none-the-less. [ AMAZON: 1536 Free Waters and Other Blackjack Endeavors ] [ REVIEW: Richardmunchkin.com ] [ blackjackstories.com/ ]
Muffie Wilkerson. Of Women and Blackjack. AuthorHouse; Sep 19, 2005 (80 pages) – Review TBD. From the advertising: “Finally a book written by a woman for women teaching you the art and skills of winning at blackjack as only one woman to another could relate to! This book reads as a cross between Erma Bombeck, and Rita Rudner go to Atlantic City! Even though it is a “fun read”, my main goal is to teach you the necessary skills you will need in order to play, and actually make money, yes, I said make money at the Blackjack Table! If you are a novice and desire to improve your skills, or for whatever reason never had the nerve to even attempt to play, this book will guide you through every step of the way. I’ve had it with watching my women friends give away their money to the casino’s when there is no reason for it other than not having the skills to play a winning game. Ladies, the beauty of this book is that it is written in true sincerity with a desire to teach women what I have studied and known about for years. Strategy. If you are not familiar with these winning strategies while playing you had just as well be far out in the ocean without a life raft, the sharks will eat you alive! No longer be a “patsy” for the casino’s. I’m not, and you don’t have to be either!“ [ AMAZON: Of Women and Blackjack ]
George Williams. (aka The Grey Knight) Blackjack to Win. Grey Knight Publications, Riviera Beach, FL; 1982, 1984, Dec 20, 2011. (90, 116 pages) – Not recommended. Subtitled, A Layman’s Guide to Beating the Game. Written for the novice and less experienced player. Includes single-deck vs multiple-deck differences, plus-minus count strategy, partner play, casino deportment and practice techniques. According to Snyder, it is poorly presented, includes a difficult count strategy and lacks much necessary information. [ 3/84 Snyder BJF 46 ] [ AMAZON: Blackjack To Win ]
William H. Wingo. Blackjack Compendium. Self published; 2002, 2003, 2004 (146 ~ 170 pages) – Review TBD. Subtitled, A Quick, Comprehensive Guide to Blackjack and Other Casino Games. Spiral-bound. A guide to blackjack and other casino games, the major focus is on blackjack. Includes basic strategy, practice drills, complete charts and removable flash cards. [ AMAZON: Wingo’s Blackjack Compendium ]
Burton Winslow. Bi-Count Blackjack: Beyond Basic Strategy. Self published – spiral bound; 2009. (62 pages) – Not recommended. According to its advertising,“It’s a brand new system of card-counting that lets the player track 36 cards from a deck with ease while telling the player how best to play out each hand. Multiple deck play will actually add to the players advantage. It is superior to plus/minus card-counting systems with running counts that are virtually impossible to follow and with betting patterns that give you away as a counter as well. It provides a wealth of information which will change the way you play your game. … The Bi-Count Blackjack system comes in a 62 page spiral-bound book filled with Blackjack analysis including the weaknesses of Basic Strategy as well as those of most counting systems. Over 40 tables explain the fallacies of card-counting systems with ‘index’ numbers.“ [ AMAZON: Bi-Count Blackjack ]
Ron Witman. Winning Blackjack. Best Printer, Sacramento, CA; 1981 (78 pages) – Not recommended except for historical reasons. Edited by Lee Wiemann. Ron Witman won first place at the World Championship of Blackjack tournament at the Sahara Spring Classic in 1981. So, I guess, he needed to write a book. That’s OK. Pretty much an autobiography of the events leading up to his big tournament win. [ 88 Watson Beating Casino’s Blackjack 107 ] [ AMAZON: Winning Blackjack ]
Stanford Wong. Basic Blackjack. Pi Yee Press, La Jolla, CA; 1992 (224 pages), 1993, 1995 (256 pages). – Excellent. Highly recommended. Includes the most complete explanation of basic strategy available anywhere. Also provides the proper basic strategy for hundreds of unusual and exotic rules. Presents basic strategy and expected value for almost every unusual rule variation ever offered. Examples of rules covered: no hole card to dealer, doubling down on three or more cards, splitting when there is a bet riding that will go on one hand and not have to be matched with a like bet on the other hand, early surrender, five-card hands can be turned in for a half win, over/under, multiple action, double exposure. Also contains interesting tables, such as: probabilities of final dealer totals by upcard; probability of untied naturals by number of decks; and which hands have a positive expected value, by dealer upcard. Also explains how techniques for winning at blackjack without counting cards: tells, warps, front loading, spooking, etc., that first appeared in Winning Without Counting. These are legal methods of getting an edge at blackjack in games where the dealer manually looks under a 10 to see if the hole card is an ace. Most casinos no longer employ this procedure but if you happen to discover a casino where the dealer peeks under 10s, be aware that you might be able to employ the methods described in this book to make money quickly. Example: a “tell” is where the dealer’s body language involuntarily discloses information about the hole card. [ Fall 92 Snyder BJF ] [ Fall 92 Dalton BJR 19 ] [ AMAZON: Basic Blackjack ]
Stanford Wong. Blackjack in Asia. Pi Yee Press, La Jolla, CA; 1979, 1981. (161 pages) – Originally priced at a mere $2000, this book was probably worth its weight in gold at the time. Out of print and probably out of date as well. Chapter titles included: Introduction, Basic Strategy, Counting Cards, Blackjack in South Korea, Blackjack in Macau, Blackjack in the Philippines, Blackjack in Indonesia, Blackjack in Malaysia, Blackjack and Pontoon in Nepal. Topics included rule descriptions, playing strategies, winning techniques that are not allowed in American casinos, currency conversion restrictions, locations of casinos, etc. [ 12/79 Wong WBN 79 ] [ 1/80 Wong WBN 14 ]
Stanford Wong. Blackjack Secrets. Pi Yee Press, La Jolla, CA; 1993. (256 pages) – Excellent. Highly recommended. This book includes over 20 years of winning information that Wong has published at one time or another. Includes excerpts from his newsletters and portions from his earlier books. Some of the most useful information are reprints of letters he has received over the year from Daniel Forbes, Axel Freed, Marvin French, Peter Giles and Donald Schlesinger.MORE INFO [ Spring 93 Dalton BJR 2.2 ][ 6/93 Snyder BJF 101 ][ 8/93 Olsen BJC ][ AMAZON: Blackjack Secrets ]
Stanford Wong.Professional Blackjack. GBC; 1975, 1977. Pi Yee Press; 1980, 2011. William Morrow; 1981. (240 pages) – Outstanding. Highly recommended. One of the best blackjack books to come out in the 70’s and its better in the 90’s. Includes chapters on the rules of blackjack, basic strategy, the Hi-Lo system, how to win without getting kicked out, finer points of casino play, refinements for experts, double exposure, and complete point count strategy charts for the Hi-Lo and Wong’s Halves systems. Get the 2011 (or later) version for updates to the count variation charts. For those of you who are interested, Stanford Wong is a pen-name and he is not really Asian 🙂MORE INFO [ Sum 81 Snyder BJF 20 ][ Win 94 Dalton BJR 3.1 ][ 77 Mitchell C&S Vol.2, 24 ][ 81 Stanford Wong Interview C&S Vol.17,68 ][ 90 Patterson Blackjack: A Winner’s Handbook 105 ][ 81 Patterson Blackjack: A Winner’s Handbook 159 ][ BJRNET: Professional Blackjack ][ AMAZON: Professional Blackjack ]
Stanford Wong. Tournament Blackjack. Pi Yee Press, La Jolla, CA; 1987. (79 pages) – Very good. Highly recommended. The best book that was once available on tournament blackjack. Provided the tournament player the knowledge he needed to gain an advantage over other players. Correct money management and proper tournament playing strategies are provided. In 1992, Wong published Casino Tournament Strategy which replaced this spiral bound book. [ 3/87 Snyder Stanford Wong Spills the Beans BJF 5 ]
Stanford Wong. Winning Without Counting. Pi Yee Press, La Jolla , CA; 1978, 1980. (237 pages) – Excellent. Highly recommended. Includes sections on warp, cheating and tell play. Many of these methods, however, are obsolete in today’s blackjack game but I consider this book as must reading for serious players seeking new ideas. In 1992 Wong published Basic Blackjack which replaced this book. [ 79 C&S Vol.8,70 ][ c80 Rouge et Noir ][ 2/80 Thomas WBN 33 ][ 3/81 Snyder BJF 17 ][ 7/83 Giles CBN 124 ][ 90 Patterson Blackjack: A Winner’s Handbook 105 ][ AMAZON: Winning Without Counting ]
Robert Yoder. How to Play Atlantic City Blackjack (Using the New Rules). Ray Research, Schenectady, NY; 1983? (32 pages) – Review TBD. Basic strategy, rules, mathematical expectation tables and a discussion of card counting. [ 83 C&S Vol.25,35 ]
Mohsen Zadehkoochak. The Book of British Blackjack. Medimage Books; 1992 (60 pages) – Good. Recommended. A decent book about British blackjack from the U.K. A correct basic strategy, an intelligent discussion about card counting, Kelly betting and an introduction to what he calls the “All Sevens” count. The All Sevens count is an unbalanced count similar to the Red Seven count, except you count the black sevens too. [ Dec 93 Snyder BJF 100 ][ AMAZON: Book of British Blackjack ]
Bill Zender. Card Counting for the Casino Executive. Self published; 1990. (138 pages) – Excellent. Highly recommended. Written by a former Gaming Control Agent and casino manager who now acts as a gaming consultant. A traditional card counting text explaining how and why players may deviate from basic strategy, what bet spreads and bankroll requirements really amount to and the legalities of barring players. Also discusses cheating techniques. Includes information on location strategies, computers and countermeasures. Provides accurate basic strategy charts and count indices for the hi-lo and hi-opt I systems. [ AMAZON: Card Counting for the Casino Executive ]
Bill Zender. How to Detect Casino Cheating at Blackjack. RGE Publications; 1990. (178 pages) – Excellent. Highly recommended. Bill Zender is the author of Card Counting for the Casino Executive and is the former Vice President of the Aladdin Casino in Las Vegas. In this book, Zender reveals the hidden “tricks of the trade” of scam artists. Includes 37 photos. Great educational material for players and casino officials alike. [ BJRNET: How to Detect Casino Cheating at Blackjack ][ AMAZON: How to Detect Casino Cheating at Blackjack ]
Richard Parrillo
– Good. Recommended. Subtitled, Money Making Techniques for Atlantic City, Nevada and the Caribbean. Written for the beginner, this book presents practical advice for playing Las Vegas, Reno/Tahoe, Atlantic City, and the Caribbean. Includes a section written by a woman player about women players.
C. J. Peterson
David S. Popik
Dennis Purdy
Fred Renzey
Bud Rodo
Lee Rudolph
Howie Schmidt
Maverick Sharp
Edwin Silberstang
Al Simon
SEE REPORTS SECTION
Vas Spanos
Dave Stann
Cris Statz
Matt Summers
Vic Taucer
Walter Thomason
D. N. Thompson
Nathaniel Tilton
Olaf Vancura Interview
Mike Turner
George Watson III
Muffie Wilkerson
Burton Winslow
Bill Zender Interview
Mohsen Zadehkoochak
