目錄
Playing blackjack for fun is one thing, but doing it for real money and with real knowledge is a skill. It takes time and devotion to master the infamous game of Twenty-One.
To achieve this goal, we turn to literature.
Casino Online enthusiasts at Xgtiger have browsed our blackjack library in search of the best blackjack books ever written. Whether it’s card counting you’re learning or the perfect basic technique you’re trying to master, you’ll find wisdom in these volumes.
To keep the list as unbiased as possible, we’ve listed the tomes in chronological order.
Here are the best 10 books about blackjack. You’ve probably heard about some of them, but it’s time to get them.
Playing Blackjack to Win: A New Strategy for the Game of 21 (1957)
Playing Blackjack to Win contains a comprehensive history of the casino game and its early strategies. Although a bit out of date now, the book is a good choice for anyone who has been in the game for a while and wants to learn more.
In talking about the origins of card counting, the four authors set the foundation for all future writers after them. They even implemented an important glossary that is still used today.
Roger Baldwin, Wilbert Cantey, Herbert Maisel and James McDermott, the authors, are the so-called Four Horsemen of Aberdeen. Thanks to their calculations, future players inherited an almost flawless basic blackjack strategy. Additionally, the four men provided the elementary card-counting system that survives today.
The four casino devotees gathered their knowledge and put it into a book in 1957. The first publication was a limited edition. Fortunately, it was republished in 2008, making many players’ career paths easier.
Baldwin, Cantey, Maisel and McDermott made invaluable contributions to the world of gambling. From Playing Blackjack to Winning, there’s a lot to learn about the history and tactics needed to beat it. For the 2008 edition, readers will find a foreword from Edward O. Thorp, the author of the next item in our 10 must-read books for every blackjack player.
Beat the Dealer – Edward O. Thorp (1962)
If you want to play blackjack for real money, you want to beat the dealer. And we want a direct title. In his 1962 blackjack book, Thorp proved that blackjack is a game unlike any other. In Twenty-One, you have a chance against the dealer. All you need is a little math.
Looking at its publication date, it is easy to conclude that this book started it all. Beat the Dealer is a classic and most of its points are still applicable today, almost 60 years later.
In Beat, the Dealer, Ed Thorp lays out the timeline of card counting. The author goes to great lengths to explain to a casual reader what Twenty-One is all about. While a game, it is one of skills. Because of this, it can be docile and able to conquer.
To give you an idea of what this blackjack book is all about, we’ll give you its base point. Thorp maintains that blackjack is the only game with dependent variables. Once a card leaves the shoe, it never comes back. Therein lies the player’s advantage.
Beat the Dealer is among the best blackjack books for beginners. The narrative is straightforward and his storytelling skills are simple to follow. However, since Mr Thorp is a mathematics professor with a strong academic background, he is more than bedrock. His knowledge of Twenty-One shines through every page. Seasoned gamblers will benefit from this read as much as beginners.
Edward Thorp’s nickname is the father of card counting. At the time, his Beat the Dealer was considered the most popular book in the Las Vegas public library. It’s time for you to see why.
Professional Blackjack – Stanford Wong (1975)
One of the best books on blackjack counting is Stanford Wong’s 1975 masterpiece Professional Blackjack. Because of this, many novice players have taken an interest in card counting.
Professional Blackjack is a comprehensive card counting guide that you should keep in your pocket at all times. Wong lays out all the resources you might need. The book holds all the charts and calculations that tell you what steps to take.
It will take some effort and concentration to build the whole thing. After all, mathematics has been Stanford Wong’s hobby for most of his life. He backs up all his statements with solid and valid arguments that are impossible to dismiss.
In particular, Wong focused on clarifying the popular Hi-Lo numbering system. If you don’t know where to start here, this is your stop.
The man became so well known in Atlantic City for his winning streaks that the locals coined the term “wonging”. To wong deliberately beat the table by using Stanford Wong’s blackjack strategy. In plain English, according to Wong, you shouldn’t play when the casino has an advantage. Do not play after the shuffle, but instead watch and wait for the best moment. Wait until you get to a decent plus count and then jump.
Twenty-One is also a game of psychological tricks and other factors you should consider. Mr Wong explained that players don’t just go to a casino and win all the time. In contrast, the temporal winning percentage is only around 2%. It’s all about waiting for that perfect point to attack.
With the author’s sensible approach to the casino game and clear description, everyone should be able to cope with wonging. If you have any doubt that counting cards for blackjack works, you should try this book.
Blackjack Attack – Don Schlesinger (1997)
If you are looking for blackjack books for beginners, you may want to skip to number 5. Blackjack Attack by Don Schlesinger is perfect for experienced gamblers. This is not a beginner’s book so its complexity may throw you off. So, cover all the other volumes on the list and then return to Schlesinger’s chef-d’oeuvre.
Blackjack Attack, aside from a catchy name, boasts a detailed and thorough study of the nature of blackjack. Viewing Twenty-One not as a casino game but as a complex idea of complex mathematical formulas, Schlesinger goes deeper than anyone else.
For Don Schlesinger, Twenty-One is more than a form of entertainment. Rather, it is a temple of skill, intense concentration and great devotion. Almost a craft in Schlesinger’s eyes, blackjack in this book is described as an equation for players to solve.
Don Schlesinger teaches the reader that they don’t have to learn every twist of the game through repetition to win. Many players are misled by this idea. According to the author’s research, about 20 deviations are required to outmaneuver others. Finally, he concludes by discussing the optimal number of places to play.
Furthermore, the author of the best blackjack book ever written explores the pros and cons of team play. As a successful card counter, the author is very familiar with the skills and blankets it in his experience.
This is a very good math based book with a lot of terminology so it is definitely not suitable for beginners. However, once you’ve read all the other great blackjack books on this page, you should come back to Blackjack Attack. In our book, you can’t be a professional without reading this gem.
Million Dollar Blackjack – Ken Uston (1998)
Do you want to learn how to play blackjack? Get your copy of Ken Uston’s Million Dollar Blackjack today.
The author of the 1998 bestseller says anyone can learn to play. And anyone can earn the famous Twenty-One. You just need some persistence and patience. And the knowledge from this book, obviously.
Like Thorp, Uston says blackjack can’t be compared to any other casino game. Unlike, say, roulette, craps, or keno, winning at “21” is easy if you have the necessary knowledge. The following chapters explain why this fact is important and how you, a player, can use it to your advantage.
Million Dollar Blackjack is a suitable blackjack book for beginners because it is from scratch. It is a 300+ page read so it includes all the basic information as well as advanced betting systems. A notable feature in this reading is the Uston Ace-Five Count method. Because of this technique, Uston was able to beat many tables around the world.
In addition, the author of this amazing blackjack book briefly reviews double-deck games and their pros and cons. Plus, you’ll get some tips and tricks that Uston came up with along the way.
Furthermore, in the last few chapters, Ken Uston discusses the legal and illegal parts of the game and other technicalities. A professional player, says Uston, needs to be aware of all aspects of playing “21”.
And perhaps the coolest thing is that you can get the Million Dollar Blackjack book as a .pdf for free. We encourage you to scrabble about the internet or just buy blackjack books on Amazon.
Bringing Down the House – Ben Mezrich (2003)
Not to be mistaken for the same year’s comedy starring Steve Martin, Bringing Down the House is a must read for every blackjack player.
Suitable for all levels of expertise, the 2003 blackjack book served as the main inspiration for two blockbusters – 21 and The Last Casino. In this volume, Ben Mezrich details the gambling journey of 6 M.I.T. students who have made millions playing blackjack for real money.
The six famous players are eponymous for team play in blackjack. The leading characters in the book, Kevin Lewis, Jason Fisher and Micky Rosa, represent the personalities of the six devotees who brought down the house in disgrace.
It doesn’t take an English Literature student to identify the glory of blackjack in this novel. However, the narrative doesn’t take us away from this compelling read. On the contrary, we had praise in common with the author.
If you need that incentive to get you started on Twenty-One, Bringing Down the House might just be it. However, don’t stop at this blackjack book. To beat blackjack, one needs to stay grounded and composed. Elusive tomes like these can easily romanticize the game for the uninitiated.
Bringing Down the House is not just a book about blackjack strategy; it’s a delightful, glorious piece of fiction. It represents the game in a slightly exaggerated way, making it seem “cool” and edgy. Not that it isn’t. Many classify Ben Mezrich’s novel as non-fiction, but just as many people will declare that it is too much. Something like the 1989 best picture Rain Man, Bringing Down the House makes the casino game better. However, this book about blackjack is worth your time.
Bootlegger’s 200 Proof Blackjack: A Survival Guide for Playing the Tables – Mike “Bootlegger” Turner (2005)
Back to the handbooks and moving on to more recent releases, we present you with Bootlegger’s pathfinder.
While “21” is touted as one of the most exciting casino games, Turner also focuses on the practical side of things. Putting all heuristics aside, Mr Bootlegger delves into a detailed analysis of how to 100% win at blackjack. A positive outcome requires expertise, skill, and attention. Anyone can do it; you just have to want it badly.
Bootlegger’s 200 Proof is an adequate blackjack book for beginners. Why? Because it starts by instructing the reader on the basics of the game. Before you get to the advanced levels, an outstanding player must master the perfect basic strategy. At least that’s what Mike “Bootlegger” Turner believes.
In Turner’s book, you will learn the importance of bankroll management in playing blackjack for real money. Knowing when to deposit is just as important as determining how much you should bet on which hand.
Pivotally, in Bootlegger’s 200 Proof, you’ll see the most common blackjack mistakes and how to avoid them. Of all those on this list, this might be the best book, covering all general topics and details.
Another important point is that Bootlegger’s book is far from a tedious, instructive manual. Sure, it will tell you to do this-and-that, but in an approachable even funny way. Moreover, pictures, charts and examples are featured in each chapter, so readers will be engaged throughout.
Finally, Turner included a pocket-sized manual that you can take with you to a land-based casino. But be careful because many casinos frown on those.
Check out Amazon’s blackjack book sales for bargains on this must-have blackjack manual. Also, those interested can read the first 50 pages of the Bootlegger’s guide to online blackjack books
Blackjack Bluebook II – the Simplest Winning Strategy Ever Published! – Fred Renzey (2006)
Of all the books about blackjack, Blackjack Bluebook II has to be the most commercially oriented.
This is a straightforward guidebook for anyone interested in the best blackjack strategies. We also recommend Blackjack Bluebook II to beginners because of its simplicity and systematic approach. For anyone who wants to legitimately win at a brick-and-mortar or online casino, this is the book for you!
As a popular read, Bluebook II is often out of stock on Amazon, but you can find it as a blackjack book in .pdf format. It’s a fairly quick read, with about 220 pages and an easy-to-follow style. This paperback was originally published in 1997; hence the number 2 in the 2006 republication title.
Fred Renzey’s revised book overrides the content of its predecessor. The second book includes some untested strategies. These include Magnificent 7 Hands, the Ace/10 Front Count and interaction with other players’ hands.
Akin to Bootlegger, Renzey turns to the KISS system (Keep It Simple, Stupid) when it comes to Twenty-One. If you like straightforward, laid-back books with simple information and a clean plan, get your copy of Blackjack Bluebook II today!
Repeat till Rich – Josh Axelrad (2010)
The book’s subtitle is A Professional Card Counter’s Chronicle of the Blackjack Wars, so it’s clear what Axelrad has to say.
To anyone looking to become a professional card counter, we highly recommend this blackjack book. Although many times in our blackjack library the perfect blackjack strategy is discussed, Repeat until Rich gets into the psychological side of things. That is, Josh Axelrad focuses on the habit that every professional blackjack player needs to learn and acquire. If you want to be successful at the tables, Axelrad declared, you need to have the right position.
If you ask us, Hit it Rich is like modern psychology for blackjack card counting. It teaches you how to show the right amount of aggression on the table to beat it. Moreover, Axelrad does an excellent job encouraging readers not to be afraid to go all out when necessary.
If you need a little tailwind for your gaming, go to Repeat until Rich by Josh Axelrad. He used to play in a big team and learned a lot along the way. In his book, he organizes all his wisdom and expertise in plain sight.
Above all, Axelrad is a wonderful storyteller and knows how to deliver a compelling story. With the right attitude and clean writing, he convinced us to try new blackjack strategies that we had never tried before.
The 21st-Century Card Counter: The Pros’ Approach to Beating Today’s Blackjack – Colin Jones (2019)
Right, we need the foundation to build it. But we also need innovation and applicability in the modern age. That’s where Colin Jones comes in from the Blackjack Apprenticeship. In 2019, he and his team published a book with Huntington Press. This is an all-encompassing guide that, in a way, summarizes all the techniques above and goes one step further.
Reportedly, blackjack originated in the 17th century. Over the years, it has evolved a lot. Nowadays, it is a never-ending battle between players and casinos as to who gets the upper hand. In The 21st-Century Card Counter, you will become familiar with the strategies that apply to today’s game of Twenty-One.
Vingt-un is one of the most magical games that has kept its original form and managed to evolve at the same time. Gamblers around the world strive to beat the house edge using card counting and the Hi-Lo system. But some are better than others. By some, we mean Colin Jones. The author has been generous enough to share his wisdom with potential blackjack players in this comprehensive study.
The 21st-Century Card Counter is one of the best blackjack counting books in the world. It is a didactic piece of literature that also includes details from the author’s private life. He tells us how he started playing and what got him into card counting.
In fact, you can read the first chapter on his website for free as a blackjack book in .pdf format. We are sure you will be compelled to read more. Then pick up a physical copy, lay back in your favorite chair and let blackjack unfold to you like a book.
Honorable mention
We promise the best blackjack books we have ever written and delivered. But since there are so many of them on the market, we decided to include two honorable mentions.
Check out our final picks for the top blackjack books.
Burning Tables in Las Vegas – Ian Anderson (1999)
In his two books – Turning the Tables in Las Vegas and Burning the Tables in Las Vegas, Ian Anderson draws a timeline of blackjack from the early 1970s to the contemporary era.
To an extent, we would compare Burning the Tables to Axelrad’s Repeat to Rich. Both books talk about the psychology of being a card counter. However, Anderson addresses the question of how to move in order to get more playing time. In other words, if you want to learn how to last at blackjack, read Burning the Tables in Las Vegas.
We didn’t include it in our top 10 for one reason only – it’s a bit old. Some methods from the book are completely inappropriate in the 21st century Twenty One. Still, it’s an interesting read because it makes you think of casino games like a businessman. After all, the subtitle of the book is Keys to Success in Blackjack and in Life. It tells you how to translate your blackjack skills into your personal problem solving.
The Blackjack Insiders – Andrew Uyal (2019)
Finally, we end this list with one of the best blackjack books for beginners. Blackjack Insiders is an inspiring story of a former pit boss who became a professional blackjack player. It doesn’t rank in the blackjack counting books, but it’s a real-life account, which we love.
Andrew Uyal wrote this book that deliberately shifts between fiction and non-fiction. Subtitled How Two Pit Bosses Beat the Casinos at Their Own Game, the read is so well written that you’ll be thinking about it for days.
Blackjack in books is often covered in an idolized way, but not in The Blackjack Insiders. Andrew Uyal does an amazing job keeping his feet on the ground all the way. Overall, The Blackjack Insiders covers both sides of the game – the house and the conqueror. The knowledge of this beautiful book gives you insight that you wouldn’t get otherwise. This is a rare gem that you should not miss. Just wait for that plot twist.
Before You Start Reading…
Casino gambling is one of the most influential industries in the world. It flourished in the 1990s and continues to captivate millions of gamblers worldwide.
Blackjack, as one of the most played and sought after online casino games, is also one of the most written about. From the books we have featured in this article, you will learn all the special tips and tricks you need to become a professional blackjack player.
Conclusion
Are you an avid gaming fan and want to know how to bet on online casino games? At Xgtiger, you’ll get the latest information on this year’s best casino games and a variety of gaming options, all in one place.
To start your online gambling journey, all you need to do is create an account on the site, deposit funds and you’ll be ready to bet on the best and most anticipated casino games.
