Big Book of Blackjack (Paperback)

~ (Author) "John Scarne, gambling's most prolific author, had little to say about the origins of blackjack..." (more)
Key Phrases: start your running count, exposure basic strategy, trip bankroll, Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Royal Match (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The world's greatest blackjack player, the legendary Arnold Snyder, shows beginning and advanced players everything they need to know to beat the game of casino blackjack. From the rules of the game to advanced professional strategies, Snyder's guidance and advice runs the gamut of strategies needed to successfully beat the casino-with the odds! Snyder should know: he's been a professional player and the guru for serious players for more than 25 years. This book includes winning techniques never before published in a nationally distributed book. 27 easy-to-read chapters and tons of tips make the book both profitable and fun.

About the Author

In January 2003, Arnold Snyder who is one of the great legends of blackjack, was elected one of the seven charter members of the "Blackjack Hall of Fame." Snyder is a high-stakes professional blackjack player who has been writing about casino blackjack for over two decades. His first book, The Blackjack Formula (1980), revolutionized the ways professional card counters attacked the games. From 1981-2004, he was the publisher of Blackjack Forum, a quarterly journal on gambling for professional players. He has authored hundreds of articles on casino blackjack in dozens of publications in the past twenty years. He has appeared (in disguise) on the Travel Channel, and in The Hot Shoe, a 2003 video documentary on card counting.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Cardoza (February 28, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580421555
• ISBN-13: 978-1580421553
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #557,027 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Everything Except Counting, July 4, 2008

By	KJinNJ (NJ) - See all my reviews

Just about the entire book deals with
the history, casinos, terminology, side
bets, and the like. Fortunately there
is some info on basic strategy and an
unbalanced count, but don't expect this
book to prepare you to take on the casinos.
An interesting read for those with a
passing interest in BJ, or for a brand
new student of the game.

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Snyder in Perfect Form, September 27, 2007

By	Clark Savage, Jr. - See all my reviews

I was given this book as a gift and had very little interest in Blackjack, but by the time I finished reading it, I was hooked. This book gives an amazingly interesting and complete history of the game, from its very beginnings. So many things were in this book that I have since not been able to find as complete anywhere. Arnold Snyder seems like the authority on the subject and must have done a good amount of research and/or collecting to compile all this information.

Along with the history, it also shows how to play, different variations, and tons of things I didn't expect at all. I learned to play blackjack from this book and it was a great teacher, though I recommend it more for the history aspects. This book is absolutely invaluable and should be on any blackjack player, fan, or fanatic's bookshelf.

11 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome book for players of all levels, March 8, 2006

By	Green Bud - See all my reviews

Ok, so you think you have read all the books on BJ and now you are all that.

Well, think again. If you have not at least peeped out the first six chapters of the Big Book of BlackJack you are not all that. As a fool who has read more than his fair share of blackjack books I figured that this book would be more of the same. Blackjack starting at Thorp and ending in some half assed explanations of advanced techniques. Well, I was way wrong. In the Big Book of Blackjack Thorp doesn't even appear until chapter three. Have you ever wondered where our beloved games origins are really from? I have for one have often wondered about this very question and to my surprise Arnold has done some great research for us and given us many facts and clues to the origins of the game we all love. I am not going to spill the beans so to speak but I feel very educated as to the who and where in days of past our game stems from due to reading the history section of the book.

You learn about vingt-un and also some of the early players of the game from Napoleon to Madame Mustache. Ok, knowing the history of the origins of the game isn't going to make you a master advantage player but it is very interesting to say the least. Like they say you don't know who you are until you look into your past and if you are or hope to be an advantage player this is your past.

Of course none of the modern history of Thorp is discounted or dismissed. The book just shows us that there is more to the story than just Thorp. A lot of positive things were taking place pre-Thorp. The way the book gives this history is awesome for the fact that it sheds great light on the reasons as to why many of the modern greats are greats. It's all tied together in the end on the chapter on the blackjack hall of famers. For example, the modern history lesson of hall of famers shows how Ken Uston may have been a great hype man but that Al Francesco is really the man. Anyone who could be stabbed in the back like that and not be a drama queen is very commendable.

The Big Book goes on to explain the basics, card counting, how to beat side bets, and other advanced techniques. I also enjoyed the chapter on the hall of famers. (too bad James Grosjean didn't make it in the book). What ever your level of play or knowledge this book should be a definite addition to your library.

There are so many books out on BJ that it is mind boggling. I'm not trying to be a shill or anything but I truly recommend this book to players of all levels because it truly has info that you can't find in any other BJ books.