[.ca] Twenty-First Century Blackjack (ISBN 156625132X)

worth a read to see the other side.:
First let me say to my friends that know me as a guy that generally reviews books and movies from a family oriented point of view.. legal gambling is neither a sin nor a misdemenor in my church, especially since I haven't lost the house doing it. I only do legal gambling, in fact, I only play table games, mostly blackjack. Now the review - There are those your laugh at people who advocate betting up as one enters a winning streak, known as progressive betting. I am just a salesman who occasionally likes to play blackjack. BUT I don't really like to lose. I used to set a specific sum asside that represented the lose limit for my wife and I. And we often went home having lost our limit. OK, that is the cost for having enjoyed ourselves. Well, I'd much rather go home even or ahead. I have tested much of what this book teaches over the last 2 1/2 years. I started with a modest $300 worth of deposits to my gambling fund. I started a diary. I have gone on 12 trips that included a casino and have played 42 days, with 1 to 4 play sessions each day, but it is about 100 play sessions. The sessions seldom exceed 2 hours each because I employ max win and loss goals. I pay all tips to dealers or waitresses who brings me juice and water, from winnings. I only play $5 tables on rare occasions I play a $10 table if that is all there is. Bottom line is that the $300.00 is currently at $271.00. You could say that I have drank a lot of cranberry, orange and tomato juice and gotten over 30 buffets for $29.00. We go to mississippi a lot and its pretty easy to get a room for 24.99. If not, we take the motor home and pay $22 to $33 per night. We have also gotten compted for Kids Quest at Grand Casino. My total also includes the fact that i have lost $210.00 playing non-blackjack table games, otherwise i would have been ahead. But these temptations are part of the casino and can't be ignored. Biloxi, Ms isn't Myrtle Beach, the Dells or Disney World but it does have fun stuff for the kids. Do I recommend this book? YES!!!

Very good book.:
This book is very good, but although the title appears that it will give you new information to the game, most of the material is old. I would recommend it because it is a good beginners book. For a totally new approach to the game, read, Gregorian Strategy for multiple deck blackjack.

Table observation + quit points:
Walter noted that there was a world of difference when suddenly he started using quit points. From another book I read I picked up another stunning idea : Table observation. Walk up to a table and observe the dealers upcard when he or she is dealing. If 3 out of 5 hands the dealers upcard is 6 or less, the dealer is having a bad trend, sit down and start playing. If the dealers upcards are paint or anything else keep observing until the above rule ( 3 out of 5 upcards \ohands\c being 6 or less)is met, then sit down. This amazing rule will allow you to never sit down in the middle of a dealer hot streak and causing you to lose 4 in a row so you have to use your quit point or have you sit down in a lukewarm table where you are losing clusters of 2 or 3 hands. This way the trend is cold for the dealer and you have a higher edge right off the bat. This along with quit points and Thompsons betting system make you a dangerous player. You are only sitting at the table when it is good for you and not the dealer. When the table goes bad, you are gone. When the table gets good while you are observing, you are in. Good luck.

Pay attention:
I am a recreational 21 player who is making the move to more serious play. I have read over 15 books about counting and alternative strategies. I've tried a few of the more controversial methods and counts and had overall success with most. Please pay close attention to the Money Management section of the book. The system works well BUT NOT IF YOU DON"T HAVE THE MONEY TO RIDE THE UPS AND DOWNS. This is a fun, low-stress strategy that can pay dividends if you stick to the math not the emotions. Also try Mannarino's Gregorian Strategy for an eye-opening experience.

Makes a lot of sense:
The idea of progressive betting as illustrated by the author do make some sense. Most forms of gambling is often streaky in nature due to one important thing: Luck. Blackjack is not an exception. More often than not, either you keep winning or you keep losing. With the method of progressive betting coupled with the idea of 'quit points' as illustrated in this book, you will more often than not win more or lose less. You are in control when you follow the technique illustrated in the book. I'm really regretful of not being able to get this book earlier. It's a must have for any blackjack player, regardless of whether you are a flat bettor or a card counter.