Las Vegas Blackjack Diary [Paperback]

Stuart Perry (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1997

For eight weeks in early 1994 the author played blackjack in Las Vegas for stakes of up to two hands of $200. This book describes what happens at every one of the 269 sessions that he played. Perry describes the cover he used, the heat he received, dealer and player interactions, and the mental and financial ups and downs which he experienced.

Product Details

• Paperback: 212 pages
• Publisher: Conjelco; 3 edition (February 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1886070083
• ISBN-13: 978-1886070080
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #751,839 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #91 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Puzzles & Games > Blackjack

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Entertaining and brutually honest, July 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Las Vegas Blackjack Diary (Paperback)

If you ever have thoughts to trying to conquer Las Vegas Blackjack, this is a must-read book. It's a brutally honest book that cuts no corners. I've read it about 18 times, and continue to be fascinated by what Stuart Perry went through during his two month expedition. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK!!!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Experience what it is like to be a serious card counter!, July 7, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Las Vegas Blackjack Diary (Paperback)

This is one of the best books to be written about real life blackjack period! The book almost reads like fiction but is all true.

Perry takes the reader thru a two month journey into his life as a card counter in Las Vegas. He talks about his highs, lows, enjoyment and disappointments. While doing this in an easy to read manner, he also gives lessons on what and what not to do if you want to try your hand at being a serious card counter.

I highly recommend this book!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A rigourous account of the life of a pro blackjack player, August 10, 2001

By 

John May (Bristol, England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Las Vegas Blackjack Diary (Paperback)

In contrast with the fantastic claims made in other gambling books, "Blackjack Diary" is a sober and engaging description of the lifestyle of a pro blackjack player.

The book is brutally honest-the tedium of the daily grind of a card counter, the paranoia, the wild fluctuations, even cheating-all these problems are explained with painstaking detail. This is nothing like, for example, the flamboyant Ken Uston's "Million Dollar" Blackjack. Its often depressing-and clinically accurate (I've been there). Perry deserves great credit for presenting what is undeniably the truth about the existence of the card counter.

A few criticisms of the book-Perry attacks several poor games and some of his pessimistic conclusions about counting in general do not emphasize this factor sufficently. While much of the action is mundane, Perry's prose does little to engage the reader-it often reads like a company's financial report.

Finally, Perry has included a somewhat out of place criticism of shuffle-tracking-an advanced card-counting technique. I strongly believe that for the solo card counter with Perry's meagre initial bankroll such powerful techniques are absolutely essential for survival-I don't recommend Perry's pure counting approach in my own writings because-as "Blackjack Diary" confirms, it leads to psychological if not actual financial wipeout.

That said, this is an absolutely essential purchase for those thinking of taking up card counting seriously.