Customer Reviews

Twenty-First Century Blackjack

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The most important thing you need to know about this book is that Thomason's system simply does NOT work. Despite Thomason's claims, there is no logical reason to think it should work; there is no convincing (that is, statistically significant) evidence that it does work; and there is CONSIDERABLE evidence, from both math and computer simulations, that it does NOT work. I have simulated this system using CVSim (a popular commercial simulator), with my own simulator, and with a modified version of a "freeware" simulator. All together, I have the results from many billions of hands. All three simulators gave precisely the same result: This progression produces slightly worse results, in terms of amount lost per dollar bet, than flat betting. My own simulator also accumulated results by "sessions" ranging from 100 hands (about an hour of playing time) up to 50,000 hands, and it also compared flat betting to the progression on the same hands, as Thomason does in the book. In ALL cases, the progression had fewer winning sessions than flat betting, and flat betting beat the progression in more than half the sessions. It seems likely that Thomason was merely self-deluded at the time he wrote the book (as a result of the insignificant number of blackjack hands that he used for testing), but he now knows about these results, after lengthy debate with myself and others on Stanford Wong's [...] forum. It's hard now for me to avoid the conclusion that Thomason simply doesn't care that a lot of people will lose a lot of money playing this system. You don't need to be one of them. Do NOT fall for the idiotic "reasoning" that since card counting is hard, you should play a progression. This is really just an example of Thomason's inability to deal with ordinary logic.

I have won most of my sessions of play since I bought this book. It is very well written and the author does know what he is talking about. he has data to back up his ideas. If you don't want to learn how to count cards, then this is the next best thing. if you do want to count cards and learn advantage play methods I would recommend Best Blackjack by Frank Scoblette, who wrote introduction to this book, or KO Blackjack by Olaf Fuchs and Ken Ventura. But for me, I like the positive progression that the author describes and I really like the money that I've won!

Really a much needed work looking at areas in blackjack that have for much too long been ignored. A fresh approach that could well be the first step in a new path at beating the game. Although the book focusses mainly on a 5000 hand sample (that is much too small) for analyses, this sample is reasonably representative of actual real world expectations. I have played this game for over 20 years and found Mr. Thomason's ideas to comply with my observasions - I am glad that someone has at last come forward to share such new ideas in a simple and clear 'no frills' way. This book is certainly not going to go down well with the card-counting community, but then again, their days are COUNTED and it is good news to know that there is hope to surpass the old expectations in the modern game. My gut feeling is that this book may well become a classic like 'Beat the dealer' did thirtysomething years ago.

After meticulously dealing 5,000 hands of blackjack and recording the results of three separate betting systems playing the same hands, and after several hundred thousand computer simulations comparing the three betting systems, flat, progressive, and card counting, the author admits he doesn't know why his system works, page 96. This is a very detailed book; Mr. Thomason makes a good argument for his system. Even if you skip over the numerous pages of charts and review the summaries you will be impressed by the amount of effort Mr. Thomason put into the research for this book. It is not a definitive study and in his conclusion, page 173, he admits this is only the "tip of the iceberg". He also admits much more research should be conducted to verify his findings and conclusions. This is not a how to book or for most blackjack players. Readers who enjoy a considerable amount of documentation will enjoy the book. This treatise will turn off readers searching for an easy to read blackjack book. Card counters will not enjoy the book or the results of his tests. Flat bettors eyes will be opened and should profit using this progressive system. I'm glad a bought it and will keep it in my gaming library. I will use some the information in the closing chapters when I return to Las Vegas later this year.

I have been reading Walter Thomason's articles in the great gambling magazine The New Chance and Circumstance and I have always enjoyed what he has to say. I have always been cynical of progressive betting systems in general but this book had gotten such good publicity that I decided to read it. I'm glad I did. I have been playing basic strategy at blackjack for 20 years but I could never count cards as it gave me a headache. This four step progression of Mr. Thomason (used with his quit point strategy) has worked for me in my last 15 trips to Las Vegas. It is a much better way to play than just flat betting or increasing ones bet on a whim.

Walter noted that there was a world of difference when suddenly he started using quit points. From another book I read I picked up another stunning idea : Table observation.

Walk up to a table and observe the dealers upcard when he or she is dealing. If 3 out of 5 hands the dealers upcard is 6 or less, the dealer is having a bad trend, sit down and start playing. If the dealers upcards are paint or anything else keep observing until the above rule ( 3 out of 5 upcards [hands] being 6 or less)is met, then sit down.

This amazing rule will allow you to never sit down in the middle of a dealer hot streak and causing you to lose 4 in a row so you have to use your quit point or have you sit down in a lukewarm table where you are losing clusters of 2 or 3 hands. This way the trend is cold for the dealer and you have a higher edge right off the bat. This along with quit points and Thompsons betting system make you a dangerous player. You are only sitting at the table when it is good for you and not the dealer. When the table goes bad, you are gone. When the table gets good while you are observing, you are in.

Good luck.

This book basicly repeats the essence in Blackjack for the Clueless. The research in this book is unscientific, as the author himself said. Through my own research, I found that his method only helps me not to lose too much, but not winning.

The idea of progressive betting as illustrated by the author do make some sense. Most forms of gambling is often streaky in nature due to one important thing: Luck. Blackjack is not an exception. More often than not, either you keep winning or you keep losing. With the method of progressive betting coupled with the idea of 'quit points' as illustrated in this book, you will more often than not win more or lose less. You are in control when you follow the technique illustrated in the book. I'm really regretful of not being able to get this book earlier. It's a must have for any blackjack player, regardless of whether you are a flat bettor or a card counter.

Not everyone is a card counter and I believer that the average card counter struggles counting...Mr. Thomason's progression system with the stop points is just what the non-counter needs....Gambling of any kind is streaks and trends, all this does is help you take advantage of those streaks, you bet more when winning and less when losing...you are always doing it with money you have just won.... I have tried the different counts(Ko, Red 7 etc) and have found that for the most part, it takes the enjoyment out of playing......this progressive system helps....I'm not saying if you are a very good counter, you should stop and start using this and neither does Thomason...he is pretty much stating that this is better than flat betting.....needless to say, since I have started using Mr. Thomasons system, I am up $1,000 over about the last month and a half...(I live close to a couple of casinos and am able to go 4-6 times a week) and I am pretty much a $5-$10 better...I have used his $10 progression and have been ahead...Have I had losing sessions, yes, but if you are down $150 during a session, then this progression helps you get out or close to out of the hole your in....BUY THIS BOOK AND GIVE IT A TRY!

The author presents many theories that are interesting and unique. My problem is that 90% of this book is research/results, and 10% is actual gambling advice. Who is the target audience? This book might be relevant to gambling theorists but is not helpful to your average gambler. I am a basic strategy player and felt let down by the lack of advice and tips. I still don't know how you could implement his quit point strategy in today's casinos with crowded tables and tight rules. I would give this book four or five stars if the book was 50% research and 50% advice.