There are a lot of myths about gamblers who as if were playing professionally before publication of the basic strategy for one-pack game by Americans Cantey, McDermott, Maisel and Baldwin in1958. But all that was before them still remains a legend. The four statisticians performed their calculations just with the help of hand calculator. However it was their publication in the American Journal of the American Statistical Association causing much excitement among both gamblers and statisticians, and blackjack was considered a game a common player might probably win. Encouraged by popularity of the article in the magazine, copied and learnt by heart by many players, the originators published a book “Winning Blackjack”. Nowadays this book is a scarce edition and it enriches the home library of many professional gamblers.
In 1962 Edward Thorp this time using computer technologies calculate and published in his book Beat The Dealer not only the basic strategy of playing but also card counting. Thorp states that blackjack differs from roulette, craps and other games of luck, the result of every hand in blackjack depends on the previous dealing – it really...