Customer Reviews

Burning the Tables in Las Vegas: Keys to Success in Blackjack and in Life (Gambling Theories Methods)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a fabulous book both for the casual player like myself or the expert. Ian Andersen writes well and is able to bring to life true gambling vignettes that are not only mesmerizing, but also really give the reader the flavor of what it's like to be a high stakes game player. Yet he only plays when he has an edge. This concept of "advantage play" is far different from the ideas I had about gambling. The skills he uses can be applied to many areas of life. The section on communication skills and optimistic thinking are current state-of-the-art stuff. Very useful! In fact, those are the best words to describe this book --very useful, in gambling and in life. A brilliant read!

What's new in this second edition of Burning the Tables in Las Vegas? Mostly Chapter 9 on Green Chip Play. If you have a copy already, it's probably not worth it to buy the new edition, but you might want to borrow a copy to read this short new chapter on low-roller betting. In a nutshell, Andersen tells you how to win with $25-$50 bets, but don't expect to make a living at it.

Andersen spends about half the book talking about the mechanics of blackjack, and only the first few pages cover the basics. The rest is strategy and tactics, and he brings Stanford Wong along to add his expertise. The other half of the book covers topics that are not specific to blackjack, but are just as important: history, psychology, money management, risk management, health, demeanor. It is difficult to say exactly how much of a professional gambler's success is due to playing well and how much is due to people skills, being alert, reading a room, and staying healthy.

This is an up-to-date book that takes into account the way casinos operate today, not twenty years ago. Andersen adds a lot of what should be common sense to the nuts and bolts of playing winning blackjack. You probably don't need someone to tell you not to piss off the dealer (or even shoot them a disgusted look when you're losing), but it doesn't hurt to be reminded. Especially by a proven winner.

A very detailed and well written book explaining the strategy of a high stake blackjack player. However,this book is not for beginners or the casual player.What I like most about this book is that it is not watered down with tables,history,and rules of the game. Just the meat and potatoes about what and what not to do in an casio environment.

Absolutely awesome. Anderson understands the casino game very well. Just buy this book. That is all I can say.

Contains excellent discussions of cover plays, psychology, high rollers and other keys to be a pro.

Absolutley must reading.

This book provides a rare glimpse into the life of a successful gambler. It is filled with real-life exciting stories. It was exhilarating for me to read about someone who can actually beat the casinos at their own game. While the casinos are plying Ian with fabulous suites and first class airfares, Ian is taking care of his casino contacts with thoughtful gifts. Who's hustling whom? The irony is mind-boggling. A real hoot! If you want to understand how the mind of a professional gambler works, this book is for you.

Excellent well thought out 300+ page book. The author details the specific strategies used, but more importantly gives the reader the psychological secrets to winning. An entertaining read.

Ian Andersen is an entertaining writer as well as a longtime high-stakes professional blackjack player. With his latest offering, "Burning the Tables in Las Vegas," Andersen has attempted to update his classic from the '70s, "Turning the Tables on Las Vegas," and make it relevant to today's game. The results are mixed. "Burning" is a good read for sure, with many fascinating vignettes about life in the high-roller fast lane, as well as quite a bit of useful information for pros on how to survive and prosper in an age of high-tech casino surveillance. But, all that aside, it still left me wanting. Andersen may write about blackjack with the entertaining talent of, say, a Bryce Carlson, but he lacks the solid mathematical knowledge of a Carlson, or a Wong, or a Schlesinger to back it up. For example, with his so-called "Ultimate Gambit," he is all too happy in the name of camouflage to reduce his edge to not much more than half a percent, and then throw even more ev out the window with fairly large bets at craps and other negative-expectation games. His whole approach smacks of a certain lack of appreciation for the harsh realities of variance and standard deviation. Don't get me wrong, "Burning" is a very good book, and I think serious bj players will find it enjoyable and useful, but in the real world of professional play--high stakes or otherwise--it laces in a little too much fantasy with the facts to rate five stars.

Ian Anderson, whoever he really is, is a great story-teller. He's probably borrowed half his tales from floor gossip, but so what? The point is that casinos have become aggressive in going after people they think can win. You have to utilize psychology and human foibles to keep from being targeted.

This book, and its predecessor, "Turning the Table on Las Vegas", will show you how. You won't use everything the author talks about. Don't try. Read what he is talking about, not what he is saying, if you get the drift. If you do, and you read Stanford Wong's book, you'll win in the shadows while the Ustonites get kicked out of casino after casino. I know. I do.

I am new to card counting and after reading this book - I feel like I have a whole new perspective on playing blackjack as a business. There is so much good information here. I would recommend this book a a must-read for anyone interested in counting as a business or just for fun!!

entertaining stories about how to conduct your self and what can be learnt from playing black all over the world. teachs you how to disguise you card counting but you'll need something else like 'ko blackjack' to actually learn card counting, quiet entertaining. Jumps around a lot, kinda ADHD type book.