Blackjack Ball History

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Blackjack Ball Grosjean CupBlackjack Ball (BB, BJB)

According to Max Rubin, The Blackjack Ball is a double secret party that he has hosted since 1997, that pits the world’s most dangerous blackjack players in a battle for the coveted “Blackjack Cup“,  a trophy which proclaims them to be that year’s ‘World’s Greatest Blackjack Player’.”  Entry to the Ball is by invitation only and each guest was originally required to bring one chilled bottle of premium champagne 1)CuveeYes, this only included “full” bottles of chilled premium Champagne.  You know… advantage players will try to get away with anything.  🙂   For the 2018 Blackjack Ball, I brought a nice bottle of Tsarine Cuvee Adriana… a fancy looking gold bottle of French Champagne. to get past the security at the door.   Voting generally occurs at this event for new inductees into the Blackjack Hall of Fame.  Beginning in 2019, each guest also ponied up $100 to help mitigate the cost and help support the longevity of the Blackjack Hall of Fame and the Blackjack Ball.  In 2022, the Blackjack Hall of Fame became a 501c3 non-profit corporation which allowed the Blackjack Ball to have a charitable purpose.  The event has now become a “black tie” event! See 25th Silver Anniversary.  See Blackjack History Database.  See podcasts.
[ Blackjack Hall of Fame ]

Blackjack Ball 2018 CakeWORLD’S GREATEST BLACKJACK PLAYER
BLACKJACK CUP PAST WINNERS

Blackjack Ball 2020 CakeGROSJEAN CUP PAST WINNERS

DATABASE ENTRIES5)Database entries above may be incomplete.  I am looking for exact Blackjack Ball dates to complete 1997 – 2010.  Did you attend?  Know the date?  Let me know!

Event DateEvent Name
01-05-1997

On this day (approx) in 1997, Max Rubin held the 1st annual Blackjack Ball in his basement - an event to celebrate the greatest blackjack players, experts and authors. According to Max, 32 people were in attendance. Wally Simmons won the Blackjack Cup trophy this year for World's Greatest Blackjack Player.

01-02-2008

On this day in 2008, Roger Baldwin, Wilbert Cantey, Herbert Maisel and James McDermott were officially inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame.  Collectively they were known as "The Four Horsemen of Aberdeen".  While serving in the U.S. Army in the 1950s, they discovered and published in the Journal of the American Statistical Association the first accurate basic strategy for blackjack, using only desk calculators. [ Encyclopedia of Blackjack ]

01-04-2008

On this day in 2008, Max Rubin held the 12th annual Blackjack BallJames Grosjean won the Blackjack Cup trophy this year for World's Greatest Blackjack Player.  The Four Horseman of Aberdeen were inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame

12-31-2011

On this day in 2011, Max Rubin held the 15th annual Blackjack Ball.  Michael Shackelford won the Grosjean Cup trophy this year for World's Greatest Blackjack PlayerZeljko Ranogajec was inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame.

01-28-2012

On this day in 2012, Max Rubin held the 16th annual Blackjack Ball.  "Mr. Yuk" won the Grosjean Cup trophy this year for World's Greatest Blackjack PlayerIan Andersen was inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame

01-26-2013

On this day in 2013, Max Rubin held the 17th annual Blackjack BallRichard Munchkin won the Grosjean Cup trophy this year for World's Greatest Blackjack Player.   There was no voting for induction this year into the Blackjack Hall of Fame

01-25-2014

On this day in 2014, Max Rubin held the 18th annual Blackjack Ball.  "Smoke" won the Grosjean Cup trophy this year for World's Greatest Blackjack PlayerBob Nersesian was inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame

01-24-2015

On this day in 2015, Max Rubin held the 19th annual Blackjack Ball.   Rick Blaine won the Grosjean Cup trophy this year for World's Greatest Blackjack PlayerDon Schlesinger was inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame

01-30-2016

On this day in 2016, Max Rubin held the 20th annual Blackjack Ball.   Lee Jenson won the Grosjean Cup trophy this year for World's Greatest Blackjack PlayerBill Benter was inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame

01-28-2017

On this day in 2017, Max Rubin held the 21st annual Blackjack Ball.   Anthony Curtis won the Grosjean Cup trophy this year for World's Greatest Blackjack PlayerDon Johnson was inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame

04-21-2018

On this day in 2018, Max Rubin held the 22nd annual Blackjack Ball.   "Wahoo" won the Grosjean Cup trophy this year for World's Greatest Blackjack PlayerWally Simmons was inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame

02-09-2019

On this day in 2019, Max Rubin held the 23rd annual Blackjack Ball.  "Tony S." won the Grosjean Cup trophy this year for World's Greatest Blackjack PlayerRob Reitzen was inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame

02-22-2020

Grosjean CupOn this day in 2020, Max Rubin held the 24th annual Blackjack BallArnold Snyder won the Grosjean Cup trophy this year for World's Greatest Blackjack PlayerAnthony Curtis was inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame. [ Blackjack Review ]

03-21-2021

On this day in 2021, and because the 2021 Blackjack Ball was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the first annual(?) “Blackjack Call” was attempted via Zoom.

03-15-2022

On this day in 2022, the Blackjack Hall of Fame became a 501c3 non-profit corporation which allows the Blackjack Ball to have a charitable purpose.

10-01-2022

On this day in 2022, Max Rubin and Richard Munchkin held the 25th Silver Anniversary Blackjack BallDarryl Purpose won the Grosjean Cup trophy this year for World's Greatest Blackjack PlayerCathy Hulbert and Blair Hull were both inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame. [ Blackjack Ball ]

Blackjack Ball 2022
2022: The Grosjean Cup Award for the World’s Greatest Blackjack Player was won by Darryl Purpose. The Munchkin Award was won by “WRX”.

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Footnotes

Footnotes
1CuveeYes, this only included “full” bottles of chilled premium Champagne.  You know… advantage players will try to get away with anything.  🙂   For the 2018 Blackjack Ball, I brought a nice bottle of Tsarine Cuvee Adriana… a fancy looking gold bottle of French Champagne.
2James Grosjean was barred from winning any more of these contests in 2008.  But they named the prize after him! 🙂  Check Max Rubin’s site for more information.
3The 2021 Blackjack Ball was canceled, however, on March 21, 2021, the first annual(?) “Blackjack Call” was attempted.  A Zoom session of 50 or so participants was gathered to discuss various items including the possibility of creating a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization for the Blackjack Ball and Blackjack Hall of Fame.
4In March of 2022, the Blackjack Hall of Fame became a 501c3 non-profit corporation. This year, all proceeds and donations from the Blackjack Ball were donated to the University of Nevada Las Vegas to help establish the UNLV Center for Gambling Policy and Health. The 2022 Blackjack Ball was the 25th Silver Anniversary of this event.
5Database entries above may be incomplete.  I am looking for exact Blackjack Ball dates to complete 1997 – 2010.  Did you attend?  Know the date?  Let me know!

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