[.ca] The Theory of Blackjack: The Complete Card Counter's ... (ISBN 0929712137)

VERY TECHNICAL:
THIS IS A GREAT BOOK FOR THE CASINO PROFESSIONAL.

This book changed my opinion of gambling books:
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.

The Most Advanced Blackjack Book Ever Written:
The Theory of Blackjack is must reading for the advanced card counter. It is unquestionably one of the best books ever written on card counting. The great thing about this book, is that it is highly accurate, written by a mathematics professor formerly of California State University. The author also possesses some playing experience.

Really a Book for BJ Computers:
This book is for advanced players who are computer literate. It's main purpose is to help program a BJ computer for actual play. Additionally, one can program a BJ simulator to evaluate all the other counting methods on the market to rate their effectiveness. This is not a good read for beginning or advanced BJ card counters. It is for those "experts" who try the fringes. Furthermore, having a BJ computer in a casino is now illegal in NV.

Not for the faint of heart:
I'll start off by saying that this book is a tool for those interested in the underlying mathematics of the game of blackjack. For those people who just want the numbers, many blackjack simulators are currently on the market. In fact, most of the simulators would be more accurate than the numbers in these books due to the fact that you can customise then to your exact table conditions and playing strategies. Even for those who are mathematically inclined, this book is very heavy reading. I've completed university level statistics courses and much of this text is still beyond my grasp. Griffin often does not explain why particular statistical methods are appropriate presumably he assumes familiarity with the underlying mathematics.