Theory of Blackjack

Although this is a great book you really need to know what it is and what it IS NOT! It is not an introduction to blackjack. It's assumed you already know how to play the game. It is not an introduction to card counting. The author assumes you already know a card counting system, or at least have a basic understanding of what one entails. It is PROBABLY not going to make you a better player. It's not really a "how to" guide for the game as much as it's a guide to show you how to effectively ANALYZE the game. As the title suggests this book is a fairly comprehensive review of the theory of blackjack. While a traditional counting book will tell you the HOW of card counting, this book will show you WHY it works, how card counting systems are derived, how to compare the power of different card counting systems (the so-called "efficiences") and contrast them to an (linearly) ideal system. You will also learn how to calculate exact probabilities (well, really how to write a program to do this) that could be used to determine the values (in terms of expected return) of different hands or to design a tool that will give you the optimal play in any situation that may arrise in blackjack. This tool isn't to be confused with "basic strategy", which only gives you the optimal play off the top of a freshly shuffled shoe. This book is ideal for someone who is comfortable with playing blackjack in a casino environment, has a basic understanding of the difficulties faced by card counters, and is comfortable with mathematical formulas and their derivations (although a lot of concepts can be understood without a strong background in math, you'll get a lot more out of the book if you can follow its derivations). After reading it you should be in a position where you COULD develop your own card counting system, calculate expected values (essentially probabilities) for given hands and given plays, and have the satisfaction of knowing that you have a better understanding of the inner workings of blackjack than 99% of the people who play the game!

I ran across this book many years ago in a used bookstore (mine was the 2nd edition). I must say this book changed my opinion of books about gambling books. Up to that point, all the gambling books I've come across were laughable. But this book was startlingly different. It thoroughly explains the mathematics behind basic strategy and card counting techniques in a way that really made sense.This may sound too advanced for many folks, but frankly the math is fairly easy to understand (it mostly uses basic statistics that you probably learned and forgot in high school). If you are serious about card counting, the information in this book will help you evaluate BJ counting systems (or even systems you invent). It will also help you subtly modify your play for changes in rules at different casinos. Do you need to be a computer programmer to use this book? No, but it wouldn't hurt. Is this book useful for writing BJ simulators? Yes, but it's also great for really understanding what it takes to be a really good card counter.Personally, this book convinced me that I don't have the patience (or time) to become a good card counter. But at least now I know why.

Peter Griffin is the blackjack authors blackjack author, respected and referenced by everyone in the field. This book is extremely heavy-going and mathmatically sophisticated, fully understood by virtually noone. No system is presented as such. This is, as the book title indicates a book about theory rather than the practice of winning blackjack. To give you some indication of the influence of this book it helps to list some of its achievements:- Griffin created virtually every balanced count system, was the first to develop a plausible method of rating such systems, and created "perfect-play" analysis of every possible hand total. In addition, mysteries such as the decade-old "floating advantage" conundrum are solved. Many many insights are contained herein which have not yet been fully exploited. I have never stopped re-reading it.For anybody who wishes to develop, innovate or understand blackjack systems this is an essential purchase.

if you are a beginner to the field of pro blackjack, don't buy this book. buy "blackjack for blood" and learn all you can until you achieve high skills at this game. then, and only then, you can go to this book which is a treasure to expert players - it sharpens your game, gives you mathematical backround to your methods, and can especially give you an edge on the hard-to-win-but-fast-to-play internet blackjack games.

if you are a beginner to the field of pro blackjack, don't buy this book. buy "blood blackjack" and learn all you can until you achieve high skills at this game. then, and only then, you can go to this book which is a treasure to expert players - it sharpens your game, gives you mathematical backround to your methods, and can especially give you an edge on the hard-to-win-but-fast-to-play internet blackjack games.