Blackjack : Blackjack's brief history: analyzing its roots and success

First of all, the key factor in analyzing this issue is to understand the human nature. This is the best way to see the future. Our needs, hopes, problems and dreams are frequently the foundation for our future existence. Therefore, the human nature is one of the most vital ingredients in a complicated gambling business.

Blackjack before 1962

Before the publication of the traditional book "Beat The Dealer" by Edward O. Thorp in 1962 no single player used or was aware of the well known by now Blackjack's Basic Strategy. They played chaotically, using a sort of mixture of superstitions regarding the way in which one hand had to be played. In addition, they gained some experience by playing blackjack at home in the kitchen.

Excluding a small number of expert card-players who spontaneously presupposed that their overbalance would be more if there were more bowers left in a pack, basically none won in blackjack. Obviously, this context was advantageous for the gambling industry. So, till 1962 blackjack wasn't very famous.

The next decade: from 1962 till 1972

After the publication of the book by Thorp the circumstances changed fundamentally. When the book became a runaway success, and the professor Thorp became a globally famed persona, casinos were scared that, considering the new context, everyone could gain knowledge of the system of Thorp and would begin beating casinos winning enormous amounts of money.

The outcome of this fear is obvious. Nearly all casinos changed the blackjack rules creating even a superior overbalance in comparison with the previous set of rules. But, most clients simply refused to play a game with such awful rules. So, subordinating to the law of supply and demand, casinos had to rapidly reinstate usual rules for all. After this, players started right away to gamble again, in significantly larger quantities.

The fame of Thorp's book binged significant advantages to the gambling businesses. Blackjack started to draw crowds of people who believed that they could "beat a dealer" only after they had read one book.

However, casinos' visitors continued to lose the similar amounts of money while gambling blackjack as before. Only the number of blackjack players increased. Basically, nearly all the individuals that read the book purely didn't understand the technique the calculation of tens given in the book worked, and those who acknowledged the issue, didn't take enough effort in order to master the system of calculation from A to Z. Casinos observed in surprise the amazingly increased income.

But, in 1966 the reediting of the book offered the reader a comprehensible calculation system. Throughout that period of time a number of books on blackjack were printed. Casinos were creating more and more tables. Blackjack was becoming the most well-liked game in casinos, surpassing the previous leader, craps.

Blackjack of the 70s

The famous book "Playing Blackjack as a Business" written by Lawrence Revere is accountable for the further boost in reputation of blackjack in the 70s. Revere wrote a condensed version of his systems, so, by 1972 already thousands of copies of the book were sold out. Revere republished a complete version of the book, presenting his easy and effective blackjack's strategies which amplified blackjack recognition even more.

Furthermore, the book "Winning Blackjack" by Stanley Roberts was in the right place at the right time, having a considerable amount of money invested into advertising.

Casinos started to believe that the systems developed with the assist of research methods could significantly control their income. So, casinos began to offer a multi-pack blackjack instead of a one-pack blackjack to resist in front of the systems.

In the early 70s, many scientists, mathematicians, university professors and other "brains" began to write books about blackjack. Some of them developed their own cards' calculation systems. For example, one of the most used and successful systems, is Hi-Opt I, which was developed in 1974 with the support of computer programs designed by Julian Brown with contribution of an unknown postgraduate of an important Canadian university.

Numerous skilled gamblers switched from the Revere system to the Hi-Opt I system because of its relative simplicity and efficiency. On the other hand, many common gamblers began to use the system simultaneously with the basic strategy. These two systems clearly made the major collision upon casinos' earnings. Roberts' systems were more frequently used by amateurs.

The Great Horror

At the end of 1976, Kenneth Uston was shocked by the way how helpful and efficient the simplest systems of Hi-Opt I type could be. In Uston's book "Big Player" is described the way how Uston and his partners won together over a million of dollars playing blackjack.

With the entrance of Uston's point of view, the entire new era of blackjack began. Casinos were again terrified that gamblers could win enormous amounts of money by playing blackjack. So, nearly immediately a number of casinos did away with a one and two-pack blackjack switching to 4, 6 and 8-pack ones. In that context, especially for a usual gambler, blackjack became too complicated.

Further development?

Uston's teams were pursued by Keith Taft with his pocket computer for blackjack which played better than any experts in the globe. Nevertheless, the court of Nevada State stated that this was illegal and implemented new law which condemned users up to five years with confiscation in the existing situation, even though Taft and his advocates were certain of the unconstitutionality of that law.

And there's more! Tommy Hyland created one of the most sophisticated systems of tracking. This certainly was a new headache for casinos, which introduced more packs and make the procedure of riffle even longer, inventing shuffle-machines.

But, Stanford Wong was the first to profit from these shuffle-machines. The key knowledge was to know how they worked. Pitiable casinos didn't know what to do. These machines were rather expensive.

They tried everything! Maybe new versions would help? No, because with each release there was one problem: either nobody played it or professional gamblers instantly discovered the way to beat it. Perhaps the invention of tournaments would work…Right! Old Wong created teams mainly for the tournament fight. Every single fresh rule was calculated and seriously analyzed. In addition, the growth of the Internet caused fast information distribution.

Imagine that now things are more complicated, as the new generation of contemporary gamblers came on stage. Wong, Sneider, Anderson, Dogerty, Shlesinger and many other players who were engaged with theory and practical aspects of Blackjack, were making life harder for casino. Mathematical reproductions of the game were worked out. Articles on Blackjack were published in scientific reviews.

However, in our days a small number of experts still win in blackjack, and will continue winning. Some professionals choose more complicated systems which are abundant (like Hi-Opt II, which was published in 1976). More innovative methods and systems are being developed.

There is no suspicion that it will be harder and harder to win in blackjack. Yet, these difficulties only make gambling more interesting. It is significant to realize that players always have a hope. They can transform the games and I can guarantee you that there will always be a technique to beat them.