The Blackjack Zone: Lessons in Winning at Blackjack and Life [Paperback]

Eliot Jacobson Ph.D. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2005

The Blackjack Zone is for the player who wants to know what works, what doesn't and why. In a casual, humorous, and easy-to-read manner, Eliot Jacobson takes you through basic strategy, the skills necessary to survive as a hobbyist, and then on to card counting and advantage play. To the average player, the information in this book may be worth $200,000 or more. The Blackjack Zone explains: · What Basic Strategy is and how to use it · How to become an advantage player · How to choose the right game, dealer and casino · How to separate myths about blackjack from the realities of the game · How to think like a winner and much more

Editorial Reviews

Review

"If you aren't winning at blackjack and don't know why, you definitely need to read The Blackjack Zone." -- Henry Tamburin, publisher of Blackjack Insider Newsletter and host of Bjinsider.com

"The Blackjack Zone is packed with wise and practical advice..." -- Kevin Blackwood, author of Play Blackjack Like the Pros

About the Author

Eliot Jacobson received his Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Arizona in 1983. Eliot was Professor of Mathematics at Ohio University from 1983 to 1998, where he was undergraduate chair from 1990 to 1994. He was Visiting Associate Professor and Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science at the University of California, Santa Barbara from 1998 to 2009. Eliot has over twenty research publications in mathematics in major international journals. In 2009, Eliot retired from academia. Eliot started his gaming career as a child, learning chess and bridge from his father at age five. He opened a casino in his garage as a teenager and quickly won all the allowance money in the neighborhood. As a young adult, Eliot continued playing games. He achieved the “expert” ranking at chess, ran the GO club at Ohio University, and competed in national bridge tournaments. At a mathematics convention in Las Vegas in 1996, Eliot discovered his talent for card counting. Eliot's brief excursion into advantage play soon blossomed into his second career as an independent consultant and casino table game analyst. Eliot founded Jacobson Gaming, LLC in 2006. His company has quickly grown to be one of the world's leading independent companies specializing in casino table game design, development, analysis, auditing and mathematical certification. Eliot also heads Certified Fair Gambling, a company that offers quality assurance and fairness auditing for Internet casinos. With dozens of publications and media appearances, Eliot is widely recognized as one of the world's top experts on casino table games and casino table game mathematics. He is also the author of Contemporary Casino Table Game Design. Eliot can be contacted through his website: www.jacobsongaming.com

Product Details

• Paperback: 204 pages
• Publisher: Blue Point Books; 1 edition (January 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1883423104
• ISBN-13: 978-1883423100
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #833,497 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #86 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Puzzles & Games > Blackjack

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A casual, humorous, and thoroughly, August 11, 2005

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Blackjack Zone: Lessons in Winning at Blackjack and Life (Paperback)

Poker and Blackjack have gained enormous popularity in the last few years thanks to televised tournaments from Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and various Indian Gaming Casinos from around the country. This has also spawned a small publishing phenomenon of "how to" books in the field. The Blackjack Zone is one of those and has mathematician Eliot Jacobson [...] writing in a casual, humorous, and thoroughly "reader friendly" an introductory book on the game of Blackjack. Jacobson explains what Basic strategy is and how to use it; how to become an advantage player; how to choose the right game, dealer and casino; how to separate myths about Blackjack from the realities of the game; and how to think and act like a winner. An easy and informative read, The Blackjack Zone is especially recommended for anyone wanting to have the very best chance of coming out ahead in a game where the casino would otherwise have the edge.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars good book, but another card counter advocate, July 27, 2007

By 

wannabea poker player "donkey" (minnesota) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Blackjack Zone: Lessons in Winning at Blackjack and Life (Paperback)

This is a good book overall, lots of good info., discussions on BJ myths, stresses basic strategy. Fun to read, well written and recommended reading. It refers the reader to other books on counting. My only objection is that counting is almost worthless in todays shoe games and use of auto shufflers. For every counter that gets lucky and wins consistently with a razor thin edge (coinflip), many others go broke. The author states he is a full time counter, but also mentions his wife makes an above average income, while the back of the book lists the other things he does for income. So I doubt he makes a living playingblackjack. Even so, I liked the book.