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Blackjack has a colorful history. Shows have been
made out of just parts of it. In fact, I credit Blackjack with launching the development of systems
and books about gambling.
It all started back in the 18th century. There was a
French card game called "Ving-et-un" and it was the
foundation for today's game of Blackjack. Some say
that history comes back around to the present.
In the 1800s, America was anti-gambling in its
stance. Gambling was an underground activity. That
began to change in the 1900s and in 1931 gambling
was legalized in Nevada. Almost five decades later,
Atlantic City followed.
The late 1950s is really were it all started. The
man was Roger Baldwin and is 1956 publication "The
Optimum Strategy in Blackjack" paved the way for the
marriage between man and math in gambling. It's as
if the light went on. Blackjack can be beat.
Six years later a man by the name of Edward O. Thorp
released a book that quickly became a towering hit
and it's the book that's known by many Blackjack
players. The book was called "Beat the Dealer."
The doors were now opened and many started looking
at casinos as a way to get rich. In fact, Lawrence
Revere believed this very thing. He took the simple
concept of winning at Blackjack one step further by
releasing a book called "Playing Blackjack as a
Business."
The wheels were turning and the 1970s marked the
next huge revolution. Computers were now brought
into the mix. Enthusiasts all over were using
computers to create and run simulations-trying to
find the ultimate winning strategy. And it was in
this era that casinos really got worried.
It was one thing for a handful of people to try and
come up with systems while losing real money. It was
another for a wider audience to be able to develop
and test perfected systems. The public was now
developing a hunger for Blackjack knowledge.
Casino operators realized that single-deck Blackjack
was vulnerable. That's when they devised the "shoe."
The "shoe" held multiple decks of cards. When
multiple decks are added to the game, the
percentages change. It's also easier to protect
against card counters.
Given all this, one man-Ken Uston-made a living
beating Blackjack in casinos. He's a legend. He was
so successful at destroying the game that seven Las
Vegas casinos banned him for life.
Uston thought he might have a legal battle, so he
sued. The final judgment came down in 1987. Uston
was found dead in Paris. Did the casino owners kill
him? Was it a deal gone bad? Was it just the wrong
place at the wrong time?
Today, Blackjack books and software programs are all
over. Each year many people go online or visit a
casino in hopes of claiming riches at the Blackjack
table. It still remains a game that can be beat.
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