Beat the Dealer: A Winning Strategy for the Game of Twenty-One

Beat the Dealer: A Winning Strategy for the Game of Twenty-One by Edward Thorp is considered to be the Bible of blackjack strategy books and rightfully so. Edward Thorp innovated the way people viewed, thought of, and consequently played the game of blackjack. As a Math Professor and financial guru, Thorp worked extensively with numbers and probability. He utilized his insight and understanding of such concepts to devise a system that consistently provided blackjack players with an edge when playing the game of blackjack.

The methods detailed in Thorp’s book Beat the Dealer: A Winning Strategy for the Game of Twenty-One were developed, tested, and proven using a very early IBM Computer. Additionally, Thorp spent a great deal of time putting the methods he details to the test in live casino blackjack games. Whether testing his card counting tactics by means of computer simulation or at actual blackjack tables, Thorp’s game theory has held up and Beat the Dealer: A Winning Strategy for the Game of Twenty-One is considered to be the basis for many card counting techniques that are relevant and in use today.

At 240 pages in length, Beat the Dealer: A Winning Strategy for the Game of Twenty-One by Edward Thorp is a must read for anyone who plays blackjack for profit. Whether you are a part time blackjack player or a full-time craftsman of the trade, Beat the Dealer: A Winning Strategy for the Game of Twenty-One will improve your knowledge and understanding of blackjack game theory. Charts, tests, studies, explanations, and rationale are all used and detailed in this book. The main criticism on the book Beat the Dealer: A Winning Strategy for the Game of Twenty-One is that there are many other blackjack card counting systems that are easier to grasp and better to use. While such things may be the case, Beat the Dealer: A Winning Strategy for the Game of Twenty-One provided the ground work for these card counting systems. The true blackjack player will appreciate gaining insight and understanding to some of the earliest research and blackjack game theory that Thorp provides, which makes Beat the Dealer: A Winning Strategy for the Game of Twenty-One a must read book on winning blackjack tactics and strategy.