The Blackjack War

Since the introduction of the popular card game of blackjack, people have been looking for ways to beat the dealer and win the game. For every new tactic the players employ, the casinos are sure to come up with new rules to offset the player advantage.

The "war" started in 1962 when Edward Thorp published the famous book, "Beat the Dealer" which became a sensational bestseller. Suddenly, ordinary people became interested in the game and how anyone can beat the dealer. The casinos were instantly overcome with a fit of panic and started to change the rules of the game, but it was short-lived as players refused to accept the lopsided rules.

Ironically, the book did more good than harm to the casino's profits. The casinos were surprised to see more revenues and profits coming their way. It seems that the players who flock to the casinos have read Thorp's book but didn't bother to understand and apply the system of calculations outlined in the book.

As a result of Thorp's book, blackjack became so popular that it overtook craps as the game of choice for most gamblers. The casinos were more than happy to comply with the bigger demand and placed more blackjack tables.

By the 1970s, scientists, university professors and mathematicians began developing more powerful blackjack systems. The books " Playing Blackjack as a Business" by Lawrence Revere and "Winning Blackjack" by Stanley Roberts came out in the market. Then came the enormously popular and effective Hi-Opt I system by Julian Brown. Professional gamblers jumped from the Revere system to the Hi-Opt system, making a huge dent on casino profits.

The casinos were floundering on a wave of panic and hysteria. To counter the commercial blackjack systems, casinos began introducing multiple-deck blackjack games. Then came Ken Uston and his controversial way of playing using whole teams of players.

In 1976, Uston published the book "Big Player," which described how he and his teams won several millions of dollars using the Hi-Opt system. As a result, Uston was banned from several Las Vegas casinos and in revenge, he filed a multimillion dollar lawsuit.

Uston's success and consequent debacle did nothing to deter professors and other intellectuals from developing better and more powerful blackjack systems. Neither did it deter the casinos from placing countermeasures, such as more decks and the cutting of cards out of play. Blackjack became so difficult and complicated that ordinary gamblers found it very difficult to win.

With the help of computer technology, some players turned to electronic brains to help them win. The most famous was Keith Taft's pocket computer which triggered the outlawing of computers from casinos.

Until now, a few blackjack pros continue to win in blackjack, but no matter the strength and effectiveness of the strategies used, there are still millions of blackjack players who continue to lose in the game. In the end, both the player and the casinos win.