Best Blackjack Books

The book that started it all, Playing to Win by the Four Horsemen, was originally printed only 5,000 times. This makes the original edition a highly prized collectible for blackjack aficionados due to its extreme rarity.

The blackjack style played during Baldwin and his team’s era involved a single deck (SD), with the dealer forced to stand on soft 17s (S17), but in today’s casino environment, this version is essentially extinct.

This fact makes “Playing Blackjack to Win” more of a reference point than an actual primer for the modern game, providing players with a glimpse into the analysis.

One of Wong’s lesser-known works, Winning Without Counting, was written for players who are unable to perform rapid-fire mental calculations or prefer to avoid any chance of a brush with casino security.

As the title implies, “Winning Without Counting” involves a combination of non-counting based strategies designed to help players improve their overall odds. Of course, much of the advice centers around nothing more than basic strategy, but Wong also includes several supplements meant to replace traditional card counting.

Wong suggests that many dealers bend (or warp) the corners of their aces and ten-value cards while squeezing them to check for blackjack. He advises carefully watching the dealer’s cards while scanning for warps and surrendering accordingly.

Other alternative strategies include kinetics, or the study of body language, shooting for six-card charlies, or drawing six cards without busting, which wins even when the dealer makes a 21 total in some games.

Supremely deserving of its title, Basic Blackjack by Wong is simply a refresher course on a basic strategy offered by one of the game’s true forerunners.

Published 17 years after his groundbreaking Professional Blackjack introduced players to advanced concepts like “Wonging,” Wong keeps things quite basic with this entry. Of the book’s 18 chapters, 2 through 15 cover basic strategy charts applicable to several common rule setups and regional variations.

Wong touches on his concept of warps, but overall the book is dedicated to nothing more than the humble task of teaching readers the ins and outs of basic strategy.

Fred Renzey, a freelance casino gaming writer, made a significant impact with the publication of the original Blackjack Bluebook in 1997, followed by the direct sequel, Blackjack Bluebook II. The focus of these books is to provide an introduction to the finer aspects of the game, particularly targeting novice players.

In this book, Renzey presents his analysis casually and easily understandable, dividing the book into four sections: “Unique Nature of Blackjack,” “What Makes Blackjack Tick?” “Proper Blackjack Strategy,” and “Gaining the Edge.“

Renzey introduces practical concepts such as the “Rule of 9,” which guides players on how to evaluate soft hand situations by considering the dealer’s up card.

According to this rule, players with an ace-2 through ace-7 soft hand should add the dealer’s up card to their non-ace card. If the total is 9 or higher, doubling down is recommended, while totals below 9 should prompt the player to hit.

Throughout the book, Renzey presents clever rules and maxims that simplify complex theoretical concepts into manageable formulas suitable for casual players. By conveying advanced blackjack theory in plain language, Renzey creates an entry point for inexperienced players while also providing valuable insights for experienced players to enhance their strategies.

Kevin Blackwood’s book, Play Blackjack Like the Pros, draws inspiration from Phil Hellmuth’s Play Poker Like the Pros in terms of cover design, structure, and writing style.

Blackwood, a professional gambler and blackjack specialist, delves into the world of blackjack and poker as an aspiring author.

His first published book was 2002’s The Counter, a work of fiction centered on the adventures of an advantage player attempting to win $1 million.

In Play Blackjack Like the Pros, Blackwood offers strategic tutorials covering basic rules, debunking myths, and introducing skills for intermediate, advanced, and professional players.

The book is clearly intended for the uninitiated, composed of an introduction, 18 chapters, three appendices, and a glossary. Blackwood covers the rules of the game, the essentials of basic strategy, and common blackjack myths before moving on to skills employed by intermediate, advanced, and professional players.

Arnold Snyder’s Big Book of Blackjack is a comprehensive encyclopedia that delves into the rich knowledge of the game.

As a legendary strategist, Snyder presents this book as a convincing testament to its significance. He takes readers on a captivating journey through the game’s history, intertwining facts and legends to glimpse the past.

Profiles of influential figures in blackjack lore add a special touch, given Snyder’s personal exchanges with these experts.

Snyder offers a refresher on his renowned Red 7 counting system and provides strategy charts for the latest game variations, such as BJ Switch, Double Exposure, Super Fun, and Spanish 21.

In-depth exploration of optional side bets like Royal Match, Lucky Ladies, and Over/Under further enhances the reader’s understanding.
For blackjack enthusiasts who admire the game’s allure and beatable nature, The Big Book of Blackjack stands as a timeless monument, capturing twenty-one’s enduring appeal.

Edward O. Thorp, a math professor, sought to go beyond the concept of optimal strategy invented by the Four Horsemen in blackjack. His goal was to completely reverse the house edge completely, eliminating any casino advantage.

While at MIT and New Mexico State University, Thorp utilized an IBM 704 computer to explore the impact of card counting and tracking exposed cards. He also incorporated the Kelly Criterion, a theory on optimal betting patterns, into his research.

Thorp’s extensive analysis led to the creation of the legendary “ten-count system.” This system relied on a “Thorp Ratio” derived from the number of non-ten value cards divided by the number of ten-value cards in a shuffled deck. Players would keep track of the exposed cards while starting with the numbers 36 and 16 in their heads.

Thorp’s book, “Beat the Dealer,” tapped into the growing interest in casino gambling and became a phenomenal success, selling over 700,000 copies and earning a spot on the New York Times Bestseller List.

As a result of Thorp’s groundbreaking work, casinos swiftly implemented countermeasures, transitioning from single-deck games to two- and four-deck shoes.

In recognition of his achievements, Thorp was among the inaugural members inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame in 2002.

Every serious blackjack player knows the name Stanford Wong, but one of the most prolific gambling authors of all time is actually a pseudonym used by finance professor John Ferguson.

Intent on pursuing gambling as a profession, Wong accepted a $1 salary as a university professor in exchange for permission to skip faculty meetings.

Eventually, Wong combined his own mathematically derived charts and tables with a general primer on blackjack rules, advanced concepts, and card-counting strategies to form Professional Blackjack.

Among the innovations introduced by Wong was back-counting, which later became known simply as Wonging.

According to Wong’s approach, players simply stood back and watched a table while running through their count. Only when the count became favorable to the player would they jump into the game and bet in large increments. Because of the success enjoyed by Wonging players, casinos instituted a rule barring players from joining the table mid-shoe.

Working as a statistics, calculus, and differential equations professor at Sacramento State, Peter Griffin proposed adding a course on the mathematics of gambling to the school’s curriculum.

After a research trip to Las Vegas to study the game, Griffin “got his clocked clean,” as he later reported in a New York Times profile. The humbling experience prompted Griffin to compile a wealth of statistical evidence on the subject of blackjack as he attempted to further the general understanding of the game’s intricacies.

Griffin published The Theory of Blackjack: The Compleat Card Counter’s Guide to the Casino Game of 21 in 1979. The book included the first calculations of the house edge encountered by “average” players, which Griffin pegged at roughly 2 percent.

Among Griffin’s other theories were methods used to assess the accuracy of a card counting system and formulations of basic strategies based on the most current rule setups and shoe sizes.

In his groundbreaking 1980 book, “The Blackjack Formula,” Arnold Snyder introduced the concept of deck penetration—the percentage of the deck played and exposed. He emphasized that skilled counters should capitalize on higher deck penetration to maximize their advantage.

In 1983, Snyder published “Blackbelt in Blackjack,” an extensive guide for this game enthusiasts. It featured comprehensive tutorials on basic strategy, intermediate to advanced counting systems, and techniques to evade detection, such as shuffle tracking and deck camouflage. The book introduced various counting systems, including the Red 7, Hi-Lo, Zen, and True count.

Snyder’s contributions extended beyond writing. He has served as the editor of Blackjack Forum since 1981, a vital platform for professional players and game theorists to exchange ideas and conduct research.

In recognition of his expertise, Arnold Snyder was inducted into the esteemed Blackjack Hall of Fame in 2002. His book, “Blackbelt in Blackjack,” remains a valuable resource for enthusiasts and professionals seeking to enhance their skills.

After more than two decades of honing his craft in casinos around the American West, Revere sought to improve upon Thorp’s card counting system. He collaborated with IBM computer scientist Julian Braun to update Thorp’s ten-count system.

The results of their work were published in “Playing Blackjack as a Business,” which advocated the Point Count, the Five Count Strategy, the Reverse Plus-Minus Strategy, and the Ten Count Strategy.

As opposed to Thorp’s academic language, Revere wrote like an everyman. His experience as both a casino employee and a professional gambler allowed him to teach how to avoid detection while counting.

Ever the hustler, Revere only offered the single-deck version of his strategies in the book. He charged extra for access to his “advanced point count” systems.

Born in 1946, Don Schlesinger pursued his passion for blackjack theory after graduating with a mathematics degree from the City College of New York (CCNY) and earning advanced degrees in French. In 1997, he channeled his expertise and years of interest into the publication of “Blackjack Attack: Playing the Pro’s Way.”

Now in its third edition, “Blackjack Attack” has become a revered and indispensable work in the realm of this table game literature. The book includes a condensed compilation of the most effective card counting indices ever devised, famously known as the “Illustrious 18.”

Additionally, it introduces concepts like the Creating DI (Desirability Index) and SCORE (Standard Comparison of Risk and Expectation) to optimize game selection based on various rule setups and scenarios.

Recognizing his exceptional contributions, Schlesinger was rightfully inducted into the prestigious Blackjack Hall of Fame in 2014.

Ian Andersen, made a significant impact on the world of blackjack with his books on casino comportment and advantage play. His first book, “Turning the Tables on Las Vegas,” delved into casino game theory and taught card counters how to avoid detection while exploiting their edge. However, his later work, “Burning the Tables in Las Vegas: Keys to Success in Blackjack and in Life,” garnered attention.

After leaving a corporate management career, he became a successful professional player, traveling across the country while counting cards. “Burning the Tables in Las Vegas” aimed to address the increasing bans on advantage players by offering updated strategies for experienced counters.

One notable aspect of the book is the introduction of the “Ultimate Gambit” strategy in the fourth chapter. Andersen proposed deliberate deviations from basic strategy to camouflage advantage play, such as doubling down with a 10 against a dealer’s 10. By incorporating these calculated deviations while maintaining an accurate count, Andersen believed players could disguise their advantage without sacrificing their edge.

Ian Andersen was inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame in 2012. His books continue to be valued resources for players seeking to navigate the complexities of the game and maximize their chances of success.

Authored by a pair of Ph.Ds, The World’s Greatest Blackjack Book may not live up to its ambitious title. Still, Lance Humble and Carl Cooper succeeded in crafting a high-quality manual to improve the game for beginners and intermediate players.

Section 6 of the book is essentially a basic strategy tutorial, dividing the entirety of Blackjack’s optimal play chart into several smaller charts. Section 7 introduces the Hi-Opt I card counting system, which expands on a theory pioneered by Charles Einstein in the 1960s.

When using the Hi-Opt I system, players begin a new deck or shoe with a base count of 0 before adding or subtracting for each exposed card. Under the Hi-Opt 1 system:

Players are instructed to increase their bets on high counts while lowering their bets when the count drops into negative numbers.

One book stands out this ins type of literature as a definitive guide to success on the felt—Ken Uston’s “Million Dollar Blackjack.” Published in 1982, this groundbreaking work has earned its place as a treasured resource for gamblers seeking to enhance their skills and understanding of the game.

Within the pages of “Million Dollar Blackjack,” Uston presents a comprehensive primer on all aspects of blackjack, from mastering basic strategies to diving into the intricacies of card counting.

What sets this book apart is Uston’s incorporation of his Advanced Point Count system. This innovative approach utilizes seven indices to assign card values, providing professional players with a more precise and effective tool for card counting.

By implementing this system, players gain a strategic advantage, enabling them to make informed decisions based on a deeper understanding of the cards in play.

Uston’s expertise and experience as a successful player shines through his meticulous guidance and insights in “Million Dollar Blackjack.” This seminal work has empowered countless players to take their game to new heights, unlocking the potential for substantial profits at the blackjack tables.

Mason Malmuth, a professional poker player and the owner of Two Plus Two Publishing, brings his expertise with his book “Blackjack Essays.”

With a background in mathematics and a passion for analyzing gambling games, Malmuth’s journey into the blackjack world began in the early 1980s. His concept of card domination, also known as shuffle tracking, is a key focus in the book.

Malmuth’s technique involves keeping the count active after a shoe ends and using the inverted count to estimate the value of the remaining unseen cards.

“Blackjack Essays” caters to experienced card counters, delving into theoretical concepts, biases, and outdated techniques. Malmuth’s expertise and analytical approach make this book a valuable addition to this table game literature.

“Knock-Out Blackjack: The Easiest Card-Counting System Ever Devised” introduces the KO counting system, an unbalanced counting method that offers a simplified approach to card counting. Based on the All Sevens system found in “The Book of British Blackjack,” the KO system provides players with a straightforward and effective way to gain an edge at the table.

Vancura and Fuchs’ collaboration resulted in a concise volume that presents the principles and techniques of the KO system, making it accessible to both beginners and experienced players.

“Knock-Out Blackjack” has become a valuable resource for gamblers seeking to enhance their skills and improve their chances of winning. With their expertise and innovative approach, Vancura and Fuchs have significantly contributed to the world of card counting.

In Blackjack for Blood: The Card-Counters’ Bible, and Complete Winning Guide, Carlson provides a comprehensive introduction to the game, one suitable for true beginners, before delving into the depths of advanced counting strategy and camouflage.

Carlson explains his personal counting technique, the Advanced Omega II System, in great detail, laying the secrets to more than 40 years of profitable big bet blackjack. Even as a balanced count, the Advanced Omega II System is known as one of the more difficult indexes to memorize and apply.

In a rare interview granted to the Swedish gaming website, Kasinocentralen, Carlson expressed satisfaction with his book’s legacy, revealing:

“When I wrote Blackjack For Blood, I wanted to create a comprehensive guide that would assume the reader knew nothing about Blackjack and would lead him step by step from rank beginner to as far as he wanted to go, including all the way to world-class pro. Based on its continued success, and the feedback I get from readers, I think BJFB has fulfilled this goal even beyond what I hoped for.”

Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six MIT Students Who Took Vegas for Millions is an enthralling book that delves into the captivating journey of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) blackjack team.

Founded by J.P. Massar and his partner Bill Kaplan, the team merged the worlds of card counting and investment banking. With a bankroll of $89,000, they recruited talented math prodigies, creating a revolving cast of MIT blackjack teams that operated worldwide. Their remarkable fusion of skills resulted in the team earning millions of dollars.

Written by Ben Mezrich, the book became a New York Times Best Seller, shedding light on the experiences of team member Jeff Ma. While classified as nonfiction, the book faced scrutiny for alleged creative liberties. In 2008, “Bringing Down the House” was adapted into the successful film “21.”

Modern Blackjack Second Edition, a comprehensive manual by Norm Wattenberger, is a vast resource consisting of two volumes spanning 540 pages. It can be accessed for free through Wattenberger’s website, while paperback versions are also available.

With his extensive experience as a card counter spanning over 30 years, Wattenberger is a trusted authority in the field.

The e-book version of Modern Blackjack Second Edition offers continuous updates and is a valuable source for in-depth analysis of blackjack strategy.

Wattenberger covers essential topics such as basic strategy and the REKO and FELT card counting systems, providing comparative analysis.

The book also delves into various casino conditions, exposes scams and myths, and presents methods for applying Wattenberger’s conclusions in real casino settings. It is a valuable resource for gamblers seeking to enhance their skills and understanding of the game.

Advanced Advantage Play is a complete book that stands as the ultimate resource for gaining an edge against casino table games. This book provides invaluable insights into beating and safeguarding a variety of table games and side bets found in casinos worldwide, including blackjack, baccarat, and pai gow poker.

Drawing from the esteemed blog APHeat.net by Dr. Eliot Jacobson, Advanced Advantage Play goes beyond traditional gameplay to explore advantage play strategies against marketing and promotions. Supported by computer analysis and statistical data, this book presents information in an accessible manner, making it essential for anyone seeking to outsmart or protect themselves against casino table games.

Although the book covers a wide range of table games beyond blackjack, it also delves into the numerous side bets available in casinos. This book is worth reading, even if you’re not an advantage player.

While it may be one of the more expensive blackjack books available, its insights are invaluable. Mastering just one advantage play technique will quickly offset the cost of the book, making it a worthy investment.