- Best Blackjack Card Counting Books List
- Blackjack Card Counting Game
- Best Blackjack Card Counting Book
- Best Blackjack Card Counting Books On Amazon
- Blackjack Card Counting Practice
- Best Blackjack Card Counting Books For Beginners
The World's Greatest Blackjack Book by Lance Humble – Claimed to be a book for all blackjack players by Nick Christenson, The World's Greatest Blackjack Book covers blackjack basics, the casino environment, basic strategy and the Hi-Opt I counting system. A good value for $12. Description: This just might be the most popular blackjack book ever written. Million Dollar Blackjack by author Ken Uston is widely regarded as the definitive volume on counting cards. Uston's own methods of card counting are presented in this book, and he used them to make millions in the casinos of Las Vegas and Atlantic City.
Blackjack is very unique casino game. Unlike luck-based games like slots or roulette, blackjack can be beaten using strategy. It's impossible to win every single hand, but using good blackjack strategy can give players an edge over the house, letting them come out ahead over time.
Over the years, blackjack strategies have been developed by gifted players, mathematicians, and other blackjack fans. Below are the books they have written to help players around the world learn how to beat the dealer.
Some of these black jack books are quite heavy, filled with statistics and mathematics, complex card counting techniques, and detailed strategy charts. Others are much simpler, offering theorietical strategies and tips. Most are wildly entertaining, filled with humor and interesting stories from eccentric personalities like Stanford Wong or Ed Thorp.
One of the best blackjack counting books is Stanford Wong's 1975 masterpiece Professional Blackjack. Thanks to it, many amateur punters had their interest in card counting sparked. Professional Blackjack is a comprehensive guide to card counting that you should keep in your pocket at all times. Wong laid down all the resources you might need. As the name suggests, this book focuses on its entirety on Knock-Out Blackjack card counting strategies. It is one of the best-processed publications focused on this area. You can buy the book here. Thorp's Beat the Dealer: A Winning Strategy for the Game of Twenty-One. An excellent blackjack book that serves as an introduction to card counting and an explanation of how to get away with playing a winning game in a casino. Contains the hi-lo system with indices from -1 to +6, plus material on what it is like making a living counting cards in a casino. 256 PAGES $14.95.
These books are required reading for anyone serious about mastering the game of blackjack. Many of the authors featured here have a place in the Blackjack Hall of Fame – this is definitely not a coincidence!
Whether you're looking for the best blackjack card counting books or basic black jack strategy books, this list is a great place to start. Use the 'Buy now' button to purchase any of these books on Amazon.com.
Holy Rollers - Blackjack Card Counting Documentary
| Director: Bryan Storkel |
| One of the largest blackjack teams in America is made up entirely of Christians. While they succeed at winning millions, how will they find a place for faith in card counting? Holy Rollers is undoubtedly the best documentary about blackjack card counters ever created. If you are a blackjack player, we guarantee you will love this. |
Read the Dealer
| Author: Steve Forte |
| Read the Dealer is concerned with basic strategy, statistics or any of the usual advanced player techniques. Instead it peers into the psychological responses of dealers that anyone regardless of their other blackjack skills could profitably employ. Although much of the content in this book is now outdated since most dealers are aware of these 'tells', it is still very useful particularly in non-US casinos. Published in 1986 the book is currently out of print and extremely hard to get a hold of. |
Playing Blackjack as a Business
| Author: Lawrence Revere |
| Originally published in 1969, this is the hallmark blackjack book that started the revolution within blackjack that led to all the innovations and developments that happened afterward. Lawrence Revere had been a professional player, dealer, pit boss and casino owner since 1944 and knew every aspect of the game the way no one else before him had. Taking it even further the book includes helpful visuals like strategy charts. Even though the focus is on single deck games, it is still considered required reading. |
Beat the Dealer: A Winning Strategy for the Game of Twenty-One
| Author: Edward O Thorp |
| Without question one of the most exciting and influential books in Blackjack. Edward Thorp was an MIT mathematician who borrowed money from mobsters and tested his theories in Vegas before publishing his findings in this New York Times bestseller, instead of going the traditional academic route. His gamble paid off and Edward Thorp is considered the father of card counting and a pioneering legend in blackjack. |
Million Dollar Blackjack
| Author: Ken Uston |
| Ken Uston is one of the games' most famous players and authors on the subject of blackjack. He is considered one of its greatest contributors both in his contribution to theory and publishing. In Million Dollar Blackjack, Uston is at the very top of his form describing advanced counting methods, front play, spooking and his outrageous ideas on camouflage. Published in 1981, it is still widely read for his descriptions of tournament play techniques not to mention Uston's outlandish and brilliant style. |
Basic Blackjack
| Author: Stanford Wong |
| One of the most useful books on blackjack, this is a complete introduction to basic strategy and a powerful reference for its comprehensive list of game variations. It includes information on winning without card counting, and is written in easy to understand language with Wong's hilarious style. Some of the techniques inside have lead Las Vegas casinos to update their rules, but many other destinations still play the blackjack variations that this book provides profitable legal means for getting ahead on. |
Professional Blackjack
| Author: Stanford Wong |
| One of the best blackjack card counting books out there, Professional Blackjack was the title that propelled Stanford Wong into the upper echelons of the Blackjack world, with its descriptions of a technique now described as 'Wong-ing.' A complete explanation of the High-Low counting system, double exposure and how to handle larger four shoe decks instantly made Wong a force so unstoppable that casinos had to modify their rules. |
Blackbelt in Blackjack: Playing 21 as a Martial Art
| Author: Arnold Snyder |
| Arnold Snyder is the foremost leading author and expert on the subject of blackjack, the self proclaimed 'Bishop of the Church of Blackjack.' With numerous titles on specialized aspects of the game he is able to cover everything in a compact and straightforward ‘HOW TO' format. In 21 powerful chapters readers are lead through a training process to learn everything from the basic rules and strategy to how to master the most powerful techniques for winning at the casinos. |
The Blackjack Shuffle Tracker's Cookbook
| Author: Arnold Snyder |
| What is shuffle tracking and why is it so difficult to understand and use in real life? In this brief and highly readable black jack strategy book, Snyder breaks it all down in easy to read language. Shuffle tracking, also called ace tracking, is the alternative to card counting and just starting to blossom as an advanced playing technique. Once the basics are laid out using the appropriate cookbook and recipe analogies more complicated and never before revealed techniques are explored. |
Theory of Blackjack
| Author: Peter Griffin |
| Required reading for all serious blackjack players, this is the masterwork of one of blackjacks greatest thinkers and the man who helped with the calculations in both Lawrence Revere's Playing Blackjack as a Business and Edward Thorp's Beat the Dealer before working with Lance humble to create the best counting systems in practice today. The Theory of Blackjack is mostly concerned with the mathematical basis of the game: exploring possible side strategies and variations in several card counting systems. |
Theory of Blackjack
| Author: Lance Humble |
| The first and arguably the best introduction to the powerful Hi-Opt I counting system by Lance Humble, who helped develop the method with Julian Braun in the 1970′s. Almost double the volume of the average blackjack reference book, it includes a complete introduction to the game of blackjack and a comprehensive breakdown of this powerful counting system, which has lead generations of enthusiasts to refer to his book as ‘the classic blackjack bible.' |
Knock-Out Blackjack: The Easiest Card-Counting System Ever Devised
| Author: Ken Fuchs and Olaf Vancura, Ph.D. |
| Anyone familiar with blackjack knows the basic theory behind card counting. The problem for most players is the complexity and distractions that take something that is theoretically easy and make it difficult or impossible to practically employ at busy casino tables. With the average player in mind a new unbalanced counting method, the KO count was created and clearly described so that blackjack players can easily get an advantage over the casino. The book contains a wealth of useful information. |
How to Play Winning Blackjack
| Author: Julian Braun |
| This book is a straightforward and conceptual explanation of basic blackjack strategy compiled by one of the greatest mathematical geniuses in the history of blackjack. The book is presented without a lot of ego or frills, making it a world class instruction manual. It is designed to teach players all of the ins and outs of the game, helping them to master and beating the game of 21. The book comes highly recommended by other members of the Blackjack Hall of Fame, such as Al Francesco. |
Beyond Counting: Exploiting Casino Games from Blackjack to Video Poker
Best Blackjack Card Counting Books List
| Author: James Grosjean |
| For serious players interested in never-before-seen play techniques this hard to find book may very well be a good investment. The straightforward language is well written, however it is not for beginners as the mathematical analysis and insights are the big draw. Grosjean is considered the inheritor of Peter Griffin's crown as this generation's blackjack math guru. But unlike Griffin he also provides psychological insights that are often over looked and may play an equal role in winning. |
Advantage Play for the Casino Executive
| Author: Bill Zender |
| One of the greatest books ever written on the all important basic strategy of blackjack, Bill Zender is famous for being a casino manager, gaming control agent and author. A broad subject range is covered on such advanced topics as: shuffle tracking, reading the dealers hole card, warp hole card strategy and tell strategies. Also included is information on rolling rhythm for craps and roulette wheel bias. If you want to know what the casinos already do this is must read. |
Blackjack Attack: Playing the Pros' WayBuy from Amazon.com
| Author: Don Schlesinger |
| Considered one of the greatest card counting books ever written several advanced techniques are explained in detail: back counting shoe games, team play, win rates, betting techniques, statistical insights and the 'Illustrious 18″ and 'floating advantage' topics never before covered. Schlesinger also teaches you how to evaluate new rules and strategies. Newer editions include a great deal more content and a comprehensive index so make sure you've got the most recent edition of this excellent book. |
Burning the Tables in Las Vegas: Keys to Success in Blackjack and in Life
| Author: Ian Andersen |
| Burning the tables in Las Vegas is the sequel to another book, Turning the tables on Las Vegas. Both are excellent but the sequel makes our list for priceless strategy advice for the unique issue of high stakes bankrolls. With a forward by Stanford Wong, this is an instant classic for advanced and professional players who want to avoid problems with casinos if you want to be a high roller playing at the professional level. |
Bringing Down the House
| Author: Ben Mezrich |
| The story that made casino blackjack an adventure premise and MIT mathematics students swashbuckling heroes, this is the true story of the MIT team. Starting with a group of intelligent mathematically inclined college students trained in the essentials of card counting and team play they managed to extract millions of dollars from casinos world wide. Their fantastic circumstances and success also met with equally fantastic problems and counter strategies. Don't miss this one. |
A Man for All Markets: From Las Vegas to Wall Street
| Author: Edward Thorp |
| In his new book, legendary card counter Edward O. Thorp will take you on a journey from casinos to Wall Street. All professional blackjack players are familiar with Thorp's name ever since he published his iconic book, 'Beat the Dealer', which popularized card counting and changed the gambling landscape forever. |
I've put together a list of 21 blackjack books that every player should read.
This list includes books for beginners, intermediate players, and experts. By finding and reading the books listed below you can get a complete education in blackjack.
1 – Beat the Dealer
Edward Oakley Thorp is an American mathematics professor and blackjack player from Chicago, Illinois. He's known as both the father of card counting for his revolutionary work in blackjack and father of the wearable computer after making the first wearable computer and using it in a casino.
He received a Ph. D in mathematics in 1958 and worked as a professor from 1959 to 1982. During this time he developed his blackjack theory which was based on the Kelly criterion.
Over 50 years have passed since Thorp wrote Beat the Dealer and it's still influencing how people play blackjack today. Beat the Dealer was the first book to mathematically prove you can use card counting to beat the house advantage.
His point based system revolutionized how blackjack was played. Using his system you assess the composition of the remaining cards in the deck and bet based on this. His book covers basic rules, how to overcome casino counter measures, winning strategies for any level player, charts to illustrate concepts, and ways to spot cheating.
2 – Professional Blackjack
Stanford Wong is the pen named used by John Ferguson, who is a gambling author and member of the Blackjack Hall of Fame. He created one of the first blackjack odds analyzing software called 'Blackjack Analyzer' for personal use, but it later became commercially available.
Wong's interest in blackjack started in 1964 when he was teaching a finance course. He left his teaching job to pursue his dream of a gambling career. His pen name Wong refers to an advantage in blackjack that he made popular in the 1980s.
Wong's most popular book, Professional Blackjack, was published in 1975. His book covers what all blackjack players want to know; how to win without getting kicked out of a casino.
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While reading his book you'll learn the basics of blackjack, the High Low count system he uses, the three level Wong Halves Count, and information about the Over / Under 13 side game that can be found in some casinos. At the end of his book you'll find 100 pages worth of charts showing various things related to the game.
3 – The Theory of Blackjack
Peter A Griffin is one of the original seven Blackjack Hall of Fame members, mathematician, and author. His first interest in blackjack was in 1970 when he went to Nevada to do research for a course on the mathematics of gambling. After losing all his money, he was determined to do further research.
In 1979 his book Theory of Blackjack was published and it became a blackjack classic. His book shares the methods behind today's card counting system. He provides his techniques to determining the accuracy of a card counting system, how to analyze betting and playing strategies for any system, and finding the basic strategy for playing any set of rules and any number of decks. Although his book covers the background of card counting, it's more mathematically based than your average blackjack book.
4 – Blackbelt in Blackjack
Arnold Snyder is a member of the Blackjack Hall of Fame and was making a living playing blackjack when he started writing books. He felt the need to write about blackjack because it bothered him to see all the bad information being put out by so called experts who didn't even play the game.
His book Blackbelt in Blackjack was published in 1983. It's said this book is for professional players who are looking to further their winning ability but this book covers the basics of blackjack to the more advanced techniques. His book covers everything you need to know on blackjack such as team play, multiple deck camouflage techniques, pros shuffle tracking, 7 count, zen count, true count, hi lo count, and more.
5 – Blackjack for Blood
Bryce Carlson started playing blackjack in 1970. His interest in blackjack didn't stem from wanting to make a lot of money; it was from wanting to beat the casino. Carlson gained his blackjack knowledge by reading many great books and trading tips with several famous blackjack players he got to meet over the years.
His book Blackjack for Blood was published in 2001. It's for people who don't know anything about blackjack but want to get started. His book starts with blackjack basics and then goes to the information he learned from world class players. He covers the strategy he personally uses while playing, the Advanced Omega II System for card counting. Carlson developed the Omega II Blackjack Machine, which is computer software that helps him analyze blackjack so he can improve his playing.
6 – Knock Out Blackjack
Knock Out Blackjack was published in 1998 and written by Ken Fuchs and Olaf Vancura. This book teaches you The KO Count. This count was a revolutionary new way to count cards.
The belief that the Hi Lo involved too much counting and took the fun out of the game is what led Fuchs and Vancura to write this book. They developed the KO Count by making one major change to the Hi Lo method. This change is that 7 is a low card instead of a neutral. When you see a 7, you add a one to the count. This leads to an unbalanced system.
This book goes into depth of how the KO Count method works and some suggestions on how to play the game while using this method.
7 – Playing Blackjack as a Business
Lawrence Revere was a controversial figure in the world of gambling because he was both a player and worked for the casino. He played under several aliases such as Leonard Speck Parsons and Paul Mann. He was a pit boss, owner, troubleshooter, dealer, and professional Blackjack player over the course of 28 years. His first introduction to blackjack was when he was 13 and began dealing blackjack in home state of Iowa.
His book Playing Blackjack as a Business was published in 1971 and includes strategies he developed with the high speed computers made by Julian H. Bruan with the IBM Corporation. These counting strategies are The Revere Point Count, The Revere Five Count Strategy, The Reverse Plus Minus Strategy, and The Ten Count Strategy.
His Revere Point Count is considered a benchmark strategy. He also had a high level strategy called Revere Advanced Point Count but it's unnecessarily complicated and rarely used today.
8 – The World's Greatest Blackjack Book
The World's Greatest Blackjack Book by Ken Cooper and Lance Humble was published in 1980.
This book is a complete system blackjack card counting book. It starts with information about blackjack and why card counters can win. It then jumps into the social part of blackjack card counting such as reading the dealer, talking to the pit boss, choosing the casino, and when it's time to make a fast exit.
You then learn about the card counting system promoted in this book, Hi Opt 1 counting system using a side count of aces. After that the book covers private blackjack games, playing multiple hands, additional tips, and more.
9 – Million Dollar Blackjack
Ken Uston was a famous blackjack player best known for his concept of team play blackjack. He graduated from Yale with honors and was Senior Vice President of the Pacific Stock Exchange when he gave up his career to peruse blackjack.
He was first famous for earning millions of dollars from casino. He was then famous for being banned from many casinos around the world causing him to disguise himself to get back into these casinos.
Uston filled a high profile law suit that said casinos couldn't ban someone for card counting, and he won. This caused casinos everywhere to change their blackjack rules and increase the decks in a game.
His book Million Dollar Blackjack was published in 1982 and includes all of his knowledge related to blackjack and his experiences throughout his gambling career.
10 – Blackjack Attack
Donald Schlesinger is a member of the Blackjack Hall of Fame and author of Blackjack Attack which is widely considered one of the most important books relating to blackjack today.
Blackjack Attack is a collection of Schlesinger's articles from the Blackjack Forum of Arnold Snyder. First published in 1997, it's currently in its third edition which has twice as much information as the second edition.
This book is for players that already have a good understanding of basic blackjack information and card counting and have played it in a live game setting. He covers camouflage, risk analysis, systems comparison, optimal betting, team play, and more. The third edition added his reexamination of Peter Griffin's work and the most accurately devised basic strategy and effects of removal charts.
11 – Basic Blackjack
Another great blackjack book by Stanford Wong, Basic Blackjack was published in 1992. Basic Blackjack covers what the title says, the basics of blackjack. It covers the basic strategy variations in blackjack found whenever blackjack can be found.
He goes over common rule variations like whether the dealer hits soft seventeen or the number of decks. He also covers uncommon rule variations and how they change the player's strategy and expectations.
At the end of the book you also find information about tells, warps, and other tricks. These last three chapters of the book have been debated as crossing the line from advantage to cheating.
12 – Play Blackjack Like the Pros
Play Blackjack Like the Pros was published in 2005 and is an instructional book by Kevin Blackwood. Blackwood is a professional blackjack player and has played in the Ultimate Blackjack Tour and the World Series of Blackjack.
In his book he teaches the million dollar strategies he uses. You'll learn about blackjack in high and low stakes casinos, shoe games, online, and tournaments. As with most blackjack books you start with an overview of the game but then he teaches his own card counting method for novice, recreational or professional.
His book also covers information about money management, team play, and camouflaging techniques. Blackwood also shares his stories and successes at the table.
13 – Blackjack Essays
Mason Malmuth is a professional gambler that has written over 600 articles and 20 books. In 1978 Malmuths interest in gambling sparked during an overnight stop in Las Vegas on his way to California. 9 years later in 1987 he left his corporate job to pursue a career in gambling and gambling writer full time. He currently owns Two Plus Two Publishing.
His book Blackjack Essay was published in 1996 and is aimed at advanced blackjack players.
Blackjack Essay covers:
- Shuffle tracking
- Blackjack biases
- Theoretical concepts
- Current blackjack
- Supplemental strategies
- Mistaken ideas
- Playing in a casino
- Front loading
- Obsolete techniques
- Gambler's ruin
- Back counting
- The one deck game
- Betting strategies
- Becoming a professional
- Casino preparation
- Heads up play
- First basing
- And more.
14 – Blackjack Blueprint
Rick 'Night Train' Blaine is a well known professional blackjack player who brings in a mid-seven figure salary from his blackjack playing alone. He plays blackjack all over the world alone and also as a blackjack team player or leader. He's best known for his teaching skills for new blackjack players.
His book Blackjack Blueprint was published in 2005 and has everything you need to know about blackjack and how to make money playing it. You learn about card counting, basic strategy, maximizing potential, playing solo or on a team, tournaments, shuffle tracking, casino comps, playing in disguise, outwitting the eye in the sky, and more.
His revised edition also contains new information about rebates on gambling losses, disguising wins, hiding chips, risk of identity theft, personal privacy, and more. His main point of the book is a blueprint layout of how you can make blackjack a part time money making career.
15 – Get the Edge at Blackjack
Get the Edge at Blackjack was published in 2003 and written by John May. This book takes you into the secret world of professional blackjack players to teach you how to win like the pros and beat the casinos.
Casinos now use high tech mechanisms that allow them to count cards with the players and use facial recognition to look through disguises. With these new improvements, winning at the casino hasn't been harder.
In his book, May covers dealer hole card play, automatic shuffling machines, exploiting dealer errors, Kelly betting, and more. All the subjects May covers are lightly gone over and refer you to many books that go over the specific subject in greater detail.
16 – Golden Touch Blackjack Revolution!
Frank Scoblete, also known as King Scobe, is author of Gold Touch Blackjack Revolution!, which was published in 2006. Scoblete's interest in gambling first started while he was in Atlantic City doing research for the part of a gambler in a play. In 1989 he left the theatre company and started writing about gambling.
Blackjack Card Counting Game
In his book you learn about the easiest advantage blackjack method ever developed, Speed Count. Speed count is considered by some less powerful that both the Knock Out count and the Hi Low.
But this is not believed by everyone and the Speed Count is much easier to learn than the traditional count.
17 – Modern Blackjack
Modern Blackjack was written by Norm Wattenberger and published in 2010.
Best Blackjack Card Counting Book
His book covers:
- Over a 100 variations
- Modern basic strategy
- Casino heat
- Modern card counting systems
- Current casino conditions
- Scams and myths
- Casino comportment
- Strategy comparisons
- Hole carding
- Shuffle tracking
- Spanish 21 hole carding
- And team play.
His book goes into great details and shows the remarkable amount of research he put into each subject. Modern Blackjack teaches you everything you need to know from blackjack basics to the advanced strategies used by blackjack professionals.
18 – Blackjack Bluebook II
Blackjack Bluebook II was written by Fred Renzey and was originally published in 2003. This book is a handbook on how to play blackjack and win legitimately at casinos. It contains many visual scenarios and a color coded strategy chart to help you grasp the basic strategy of the game.
He disproves many blackjack myths and correctly shows how to play several hands that are usually misplayed. You learn 3 different card counting systems for entry level up to professional. It also includes the KISS count and many outside of box tips that are rarely written about. These include:
- The Magnificent 7 Hands
- Profiting from Other Players' Hands
- Hi Card / Lo Card Layouts
- True Fudging with Unbalanced Counts
- The Nifty 15
- And The Ace / 10 Front Count.
19 – Big Book of Blackjack
Another book by the Blackjack Hall of Fame member Arnold Snyder, Big Book of Blackjack was published in 2006. This book is a big book of everything you need to know about blackjack.
Snyder fills this book with his over 25 years of experience in blackjack advice for players of all stages from beginning to advance players. Along with his guidance he includes winning techniques that have never been in a nationally distributed book. He focuses on both teaching you how to play blackjack and keeping the fun of the game while winning.
Best Blackjack Card Counting Books On Amazon
20 – Blackjack Wisdom
Blackack Wisdom was written by Arnold Snyder and is a collection of his best articles. This book isn't a guide to blackjack with a certain method; it's a mixture of all the blackjack information Snyder has written and learned about over the years.
You'll read how Snyder keeps blackjack fun with his humorous remarks throughout the book. He also talks about several other blackjack books and why you need to read them to build on your blackjack knowledge.
21 – Winning Blackjack for the Serious Player
Winning Blackjack for the Serious Player was written by Edwin Silberstang and published in 1993. His book covers the basic rules of the game as well as a simple card counting method.
It includes:
Blackjack Card Counting Practice
| Author: Edward Thorp |
| In his new book, legendary card counter Edward O. Thorp will take you on a journey from casinos to Wall Street. All professional blackjack players are familiar with Thorp's name ever since he published his iconic book, 'Beat the Dealer', which popularized card counting and changed the gambling landscape forever. |
I've put together a list of 21 blackjack books that every player should read.
This list includes books for beginners, intermediate players, and experts. By finding and reading the books listed below you can get a complete education in blackjack.
1 – Beat the Dealer
Edward Oakley Thorp is an American mathematics professor and blackjack player from Chicago, Illinois. He's known as both the father of card counting for his revolutionary work in blackjack and father of the wearable computer after making the first wearable computer and using it in a casino.
He received a Ph. D in mathematics in 1958 and worked as a professor from 1959 to 1982. During this time he developed his blackjack theory which was based on the Kelly criterion.
Over 50 years have passed since Thorp wrote Beat the Dealer and it's still influencing how people play blackjack today. Beat the Dealer was the first book to mathematically prove you can use card counting to beat the house advantage.
His point based system revolutionized how blackjack was played. Using his system you assess the composition of the remaining cards in the deck and bet based on this. His book covers basic rules, how to overcome casino counter measures, winning strategies for any level player, charts to illustrate concepts, and ways to spot cheating.
2 – Professional Blackjack
Stanford Wong is the pen named used by John Ferguson, who is a gambling author and member of the Blackjack Hall of Fame. He created one of the first blackjack odds analyzing software called 'Blackjack Analyzer' for personal use, but it later became commercially available.
Wong's interest in blackjack started in 1964 when he was teaching a finance course. He left his teaching job to pursue his dream of a gambling career. His pen name Wong refers to an advantage in blackjack that he made popular in the 1980s.
Wong's most popular book, Professional Blackjack, was published in 1975. His book covers what all blackjack players want to know; how to win without getting kicked out of a casino.
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While reading his book you'll learn the basics of blackjack, the High Low count system he uses, the three level Wong Halves Count, and information about the Over / Under 13 side game that can be found in some casinos. At the end of his book you'll find 100 pages worth of charts showing various things related to the game.
3 – The Theory of Blackjack
Peter A Griffin is one of the original seven Blackjack Hall of Fame members, mathematician, and author. His first interest in blackjack was in 1970 when he went to Nevada to do research for a course on the mathematics of gambling. After losing all his money, he was determined to do further research.
In 1979 his book Theory of Blackjack was published and it became a blackjack classic. His book shares the methods behind today's card counting system. He provides his techniques to determining the accuracy of a card counting system, how to analyze betting and playing strategies for any system, and finding the basic strategy for playing any set of rules and any number of decks. Although his book covers the background of card counting, it's more mathematically based than your average blackjack book.
4 – Blackbelt in Blackjack
Arnold Snyder is a member of the Blackjack Hall of Fame and was making a living playing blackjack when he started writing books. He felt the need to write about blackjack because it bothered him to see all the bad information being put out by so called experts who didn't even play the game.
His book Blackbelt in Blackjack was published in 1983. It's said this book is for professional players who are looking to further their winning ability but this book covers the basics of blackjack to the more advanced techniques. His book covers everything you need to know on blackjack such as team play, multiple deck camouflage techniques, pros shuffle tracking, 7 count, zen count, true count, hi lo count, and more.
5 – Blackjack for Blood
Bryce Carlson started playing blackjack in 1970. His interest in blackjack didn't stem from wanting to make a lot of money; it was from wanting to beat the casino. Carlson gained his blackjack knowledge by reading many great books and trading tips with several famous blackjack players he got to meet over the years.
His book Blackjack for Blood was published in 2001. It's for people who don't know anything about blackjack but want to get started. His book starts with blackjack basics and then goes to the information he learned from world class players. He covers the strategy he personally uses while playing, the Advanced Omega II System for card counting. Carlson developed the Omega II Blackjack Machine, which is computer software that helps him analyze blackjack so he can improve his playing.
6 – Knock Out Blackjack
Knock Out Blackjack was published in 1998 and written by Ken Fuchs and Olaf Vancura. This book teaches you The KO Count. This count was a revolutionary new way to count cards.
The belief that the Hi Lo involved too much counting and took the fun out of the game is what led Fuchs and Vancura to write this book. They developed the KO Count by making one major change to the Hi Lo method. This change is that 7 is a low card instead of a neutral. When you see a 7, you add a one to the count. This leads to an unbalanced system.
This book goes into depth of how the KO Count method works and some suggestions on how to play the game while using this method.
7 – Playing Blackjack as a Business
Lawrence Revere was a controversial figure in the world of gambling because he was both a player and worked for the casino. He played under several aliases such as Leonard Speck Parsons and Paul Mann. He was a pit boss, owner, troubleshooter, dealer, and professional Blackjack player over the course of 28 years. His first introduction to blackjack was when he was 13 and began dealing blackjack in home state of Iowa.
His book Playing Blackjack as a Business was published in 1971 and includes strategies he developed with the high speed computers made by Julian H. Bruan with the IBM Corporation. These counting strategies are The Revere Point Count, The Revere Five Count Strategy, The Reverse Plus Minus Strategy, and The Ten Count Strategy.
His Revere Point Count is considered a benchmark strategy. He also had a high level strategy called Revere Advanced Point Count but it's unnecessarily complicated and rarely used today.
8 – The World's Greatest Blackjack Book
The World's Greatest Blackjack Book by Ken Cooper and Lance Humble was published in 1980.
This book is a complete system blackjack card counting book. It starts with information about blackjack and why card counters can win. It then jumps into the social part of blackjack card counting such as reading the dealer, talking to the pit boss, choosing the casino, and when it's time to make a fast exit.
You then learn about the card counting system promoted in this book, Hi Opt 1 counting system using a side count of aces. After that the book covers private blackjack games, playing multiple hands, additional tips, and more.
9 – Million Dollar Blackjack
Ken Uston was a famous blackjack player best known for his concept of team play blackjack. He graduated from Yale with honors and was Senior Vice President of the Pacific Stock Exchange when he gave up his career to peruse blackjack.
He was first famous for earning millions of dollars from casino. He was then famous for being banned from many casinos around the world causing him to disguise himself to get back into these casinos.
Uston filled a high profile law suit that said casinos couldn't ban someone for card counting, and he won. This caused casinos everywhere to change their blackjack rules and increase the decks in a game.
His book Million Dollar Blackjack was published in 1982 and includes all of his knowledge related to blackjack and his experiences throughout his gambling career.
10 – Blackjack Attack
Donald Schlesinger is a member of the Blackjack Hall of Fame and author of Blackjack Attack which is widely considered one of the most important books relating to blackjack today.
Blackjack Attack is a collection of Schlesinger's articles from the Blackjack Forum of Arnold Snyder. First published in 1997, it's currently in its third edition which has twice as much information as the second edition.
This book is for players that already have a good understanding of basic blackjack information and card counting and have played it in a live game setting. He covers camouflage, risk analysis, systems comparison, optimal betting, team play, and more. The third edition added his reexamination of Peter Griffin's work and the most accurately devised basic strategy and effects of removal charts.
11 – Basic Blackjack
Another great blackjack book by Stanford Wong, Basic Blackjack was published in 1992. Basic Blackjack covers what the title says, the basics of blackjack. It covers the basic strategy variations in blackjack found whenever blackjack can be found.
He goes over common rule variations like whether the dealer hits soft seventeen or the number of decks. He also covers uncommon rule variations and how they change the player's strategy and expectations.
At the end of the book you also find information about tells, warps, and other tricks. These last three chapters of the book have been debated as crossing the line from advantage to cheating.
12 – Play Blackjack Like the Pros
Play Blackjack Like the Pros was published in 2005 and is an instructional book by Kevin Blackwood. Blackwood is a professional blackjack player and has played in the Ultimate Blackjack Tour and the World Series of Blackjack.
In his book he teaches the million dollar strategies he uses. You'll learn about blackjack in high and low stakes casinos, shoe games, online, and tournaments. As with most blackjack books you start with an overview of the game but then he teaches his own card counting method for novice, recreational or professional.
His book also covers information about money management, team play, and camouflaging techniques. Blackwood also shares his stories and successes at the table.
13 – Blackjack Essays
Mason Malmuth is a professional gambler that has written over 600 articles and 20 books. In 1978 Malmuths interest in gambling sparked during an overnight stop in Las Vegas on his way to California. 9 years later in 1987 he left his corporate job to pursue a career in gambling and gambling writer full time. He currently owns Two Plus Two Publishing.
His book Blackjack Essay was published in 1996 and is aimed at advanced blackjack players.
Blackjack Essay covers:
- Shuffle tracking
- Blackjack biases
- Theoretical concepts
- Current blackjack
- Supplemental strategies
- Mistaken ideas
- Playing in a casino
- Front loading
- Obsolete techniques
- Gambler's ruin
- Back counting
- The one deck game
- Betting strategies
- Becoming a professional
- Casino preparation
- Heads up play
- First basing
- And more.
14 – Blackjack Blueprint
Rick 'Night Train' Blaine is a well known professional blackjack player who brings in a mid-seven figure salary from his blackjack playing alone. He plays blackjack all over the world alone and also as a blackjack team player or leader. He's best known for his teaching skills for new blackjack players.
His book Blackjack Blueprint was published in 2005 and has everything you need to know about blackjack and how to make money playing it. You learn about card counting, basic strategy, maximizing potential, playing solo or on a team, tournaments, shuffle tracking, casino comps, playing in disguise, outwitting the eye in the sky, and more.
His revised edition also contains new information about rebates on gambling losses, disguising wins, hiding chips, risk of identity theft, personal privacy, and more. His main point of the book is a blueprint layout of how you can make blackjack a part time money making career.
15 – Get the Edge at Blackjack
Get the Edge at Blackjack was published in 2003 and written by John May. This book takes you into the secret world of professional blackjack players to teach you how to win like the pros and beat the casinos.
Casinos now use high tech mechanisms that allow them to count cards with the players and use facial recognition to look through disguises. With these new improvements, winning at the casino hasn't been harder.
In his book, May covers dealer hole card play, automatic shuffling machines, exploiting dealer errors, Kelly betting, and more. All the subjects May covers are lightly gone over and refer you to many books that go over the specific subject in greater detail.
16 – Golden Touch Blackjack Revolution!
Frank Scoblete, also known as King Scobe, is author of Gold Touch Blackjack Revolution!, which was published in 2006. Scoblete's interest in gambling first started while he was in Atlantic City doing research for the part of a gambler in a play. In 1989 he left the theatre company and started writing about gambling.
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In his book you learn about the easiest advantage blackjack method ever developed, Speed Count. Speed count is considered by some less powerful that both the Knock Out count and the Hi Low.
But this is not believed by everyone and the Speed Count is much easier to learn than the traditional count.
17 – Modern Blackjack
Modern Blackjack was written by Norm Wattenberger and published in 2010.
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His book covers:
- Over a 100 variations
- Modern basic strategy
- Casino heat
- Modern card counting systems
- Current casino conditions
- Scams and myths
- Casino comportment
- Strategy comparisons
- Hole carding
- Shuffle tracking
- Spanish 21 hole carding
- And team play.
His book goes into great details and shows the remarkable amount of research he put into each subject. Modern Blackjack teaches you everything you need to know from blackjack basics to the advanced strategies used by blackjack professionals.
18 – Blackjack Bluebook II
Blackjack Bluebook II was written by Fred Renzey and was originally published in 2003. This book is a handbook on how to play blackjack and win legitimately at casinos. It contains many visual scenarios and a color coded strategy chart to help you grasp the basic strategy of the game.
He disproves many blackjack myths and correctly shows how to play several hands that are usually misplayed. You learn 3 different card counting systems for entry level up to professional. It also includes the KISS count and many outside of box tips that are rarely written about. These include:
- The Magnificent 7 Hands
- Profiting from Other Players' Hands
- Hi Card / Lo Card Layouts
- True Fudging with Unbalanced Counts
- The Nifty 15
- And The Ace / 10 Front Count.
19 – Big Book of Blackjack
Another book by the Blackjack Hall of Fame member Arnold Snyder, Big Book of Blackjack was published in 2006. This book is a big book of everything you need to know about blackjack.
Snyder fills this book with his over 25 years of experience in blackjack advice for players of all stages from beginning to advance players. Along with his guidance he includes winning techniques that have never been in a nationally distributed book. He focuses on both teaching you how to play blackjack and keeping the fun of the game while winning.
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20 – Blackjack Wisdom
Blackack Wisdom was written by Arnold Snyder and is a collection of his best articles. This book isn't a guide to blackjack with a certain method; it's a mixture of all the blackjack information Snyder has written and learned about over the years.
You'll read how Snyder keeps blackjack fun with his humorous remarks throughout the book. He also talks about several other blackjack books and why you need to read them to build on your blackjack knowledge.
21 – Winning Blackjack for the Serious Player
Winning Blackjack for the Serious Player was written by Edwin Silberstang and published in 1993. His book covers the basic rules of the game as well as a simple card counting method.
It includes:
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- Five practice quizzes
- Money management
- Tipping guide
- Eight rules of self-discipline
- And sage advice for being a winner
His book also includes basic strategy charts based on location such as Vegas or Atlantic City. This book doesn't go in depth about advanced card counting strategies and only covers the Hi Low counting method. It's an easy to read book to help you get serious about playing blackjack.
Conclusion
21 blackjack books every player should read has a book for everyone. Among these books you can find ones that teach you the basics of blackjack to books that teach you professional strategy and secret methods used by the pros.
It doesn't matter if you're looking for mathematically proven systems, how to make a load of money, or how to keep the fun in the game, you can find a book that fits your needs here.
