The Complete Book Of Blackjack: A Comprehensive Guide to Winning Strategies [Paperback]

T. J. Reynolds (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 1998

Reynolds presents clear instructions for learning blackjack, the most populartable game in American casinos.

Product Details

• Paperback: 204 pages
• Publisher: Lyle Stuart (September 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 081840602X
• ISBN-13: 978-0818406027
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #621,221 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #64 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Puzzles & Games > Blackjack

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 10X +ROI in first 3 days, February 8, 2001

By 

Bevetroppo (Meyersville, NJ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Book Of Blackjack: A Comprehensive Guide to Winning Strategies (Paperback)

I bought this book because I was going on vacation to a destination with a casino, and although I'm hardly an avid gambler, I thought I'd spend some time playing blackjack. But this time, I wanted to make sure I knew what I was doing, because I was tired of simply showing up at a table with a pocketful of hope.

I was aware that there were basic systems around for amateurs that purported to even out the casino's edge in blackjack, but to be honest, I'd never taken the time to read about them or learn one. If I ever knew all the right plays, like when to hit, stand, split or double in every conceivable situation, I had long ago forgotten the rules. For example, do you hit a 16 when the dealer has a 7 showing?

Enter "Professor" Reynolds with The Complete Book of Blackjack. I call him Professor because I never would have imagined a more literate, humane, or succinctly instructive treatment of a subject like this. If you ever decide to play blackjack, the section on the "Basic Strategy (BS)" will repay you many times over. In this unit, you learn the cold, hard mathematically validated rules on when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em, reinforced with practical exercises and drills. There's an immensely readable chapter on myths of blackjack, all debunked with the same matter-of-fact, analytically based style. I didn't have time to absorb info on money management techniques and the real payoff that comes from counting systems, but the Professor assured me that I could hold my own with the basic strategy, so I decided to give it a try.

After three days of occasionally studying the tables and quizzing myself until I had BS memorized, I summoned up the courage to enter the casino, despite the fact that the book prudently warned me to practice at home or on the computer first. It's an entirely different game when you know the statistically right thing to do in every situation: violent emotions of hope and despair are replaced with relative calm and dispassionate observation. Don't get me wrong: this system doesn't guarantee that you will win every time out or get rich quick. It just insures you won't make a decision that concedes the advantage to the house.

So what happened? I played for two hours the first night and won $85 betting $5 a hand. I played for 45 minutes the next day with the same betting routine and won $75. Unfortunately Professor Reynolds can't accompany you and swat you in the head when it's time to get up from the table-you have to do that for yourself, although he offers advice on how to quit when you're ahead. Cost of book: $12 plus shipping. Return: $160. Not bad for openers.

I'm sure there are plenty of other books that offer similar systems and probably even more depth, but this a terrific primer for someone who doesn't want to devote his life to the subject. Thanks, Professor!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent discussion of topics from beginner to expert..., May 11, 1999

By 

Taylor S. Gautier - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Complete Book Of Blackjack: A Comprehensive Guide to Winning Strategies (Paperback)

I would consider myself a better than average card player, and I can play blackjack pretty well. But I have never looked at the formal mathematics or strategies involved in playing blackjack, *to win*.

This book covers "BS", the Basic Strategy, in itself enough to improve your game. Once you master this topic (you are dealt an A,7 and the dealer has a 3, what do you do?), the author introduces more and more advanced topics to continually improve you chances of winning (or rather remove the advantage the casinos already have, i.e. your chances of losing)

These advanced topics include several different methods of counting cards (take your pick), ranging your bet based on the count, and then finally using MBS, or "Modified Basic Strategy", complete with a whole new set of tables to master, oh my!

This book provided me exactly the information I wanted to become a better player, namely the BS strategy table, methods for counting cards, and sound reasoning to back it up. As a bonus, the author continually stresses how to reduce the chances of getting wiped out, and in general I think provides some good tips to keep in mind when gambling.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Most Underrated BJ book of all time, August 30, 2007

By 

webb Sentell "Dr Webb" (Louisiana) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Book Of Blackjack: A Comprehensive Guide to Winning Strategies (Paperback)

I am a psychologist and successful low level card counter. When I switched from Hi-opt I to the High-Low count I got Reynolds book first. I subsequently read all the classics et al and used other counts at times but this is absolutely the most underrated book in blackjack. Some of the index numbers are slightly different from Wong at times but Wong's research found that minor index differences aren't a big deal. The book is just a joy to read. Its really too bad that others have not noticed what is probably a Magnum Opus by Reynolds as it is probably the most sound, fun and useful entry to High-low count out there. I love the 101 tips in the back of the book. Excellent advice that I still use. I have made this same claim repeatedly on BJ21 a few years back. Read the other books later. Congratulations, Mr. Reynolds...yours is the most underrated book in the whole realm.