Theory of Blackjack

Sixth edition of this industry standard blackjack handbook.

Any author whose book makes it to a sixth reprint must surely be writing something people want to read. This is clearly the case for Peter Griffin's Theory of Blackjack. This classic work exposes the intricate methods of card counting employed by professional blackjack players on the world circuit. Griffin's book is all about strategy and provides serious players with knowledge of the mathematics behind successful systems, which is something missing from many other books on this subject. However, Griffin's book is not simply dry theory.

The writing is clear, although the mathematics can be a little difficult to follow. It basically comprises statistical analysis, which isn't everyone's cup of tea. However, if you persevere with the book, your game will undoubtedly benefit significantly. To his credit, Griffin's personality comes through in his writing, and he does a fine job of making the math come alive to some extent. He is witty, entertaining and the book bounces along at a very pleasant pace.

Following the media attention attracted by movies like "21", card counting has once again been placed in the spotlight, making the timing of the release of this sixth edition quite fortuitous. No serious blackjack player can ignore card counting principles, and so the perfect place to begin would be with Griffin's book. Perhaps more suited to the experienced card counter, this book will offer insight and understanding into this fascinating aspect of the casino game of blackjack.

Of course, card counting is not for everyone, but don't make your mind up before reading the Theory of Blackjack.

Peter A Griffin (1937-1998) was one of the original members of the Blackjack Hall of Fame. The grandson of famous mathematician Frank Loxley Griffin, Peter was a math genius who intuitively calculated some of the shortcuts that would allow blackjack players to weigh up the odds of hitting the winning 21. A regular on the tables of Atlantic City, Reno and Las Vegas, where he developed the Player Efficiency and Betting Correlation measures that are widely used by players today. Griffin was the first person to calculate the blackjack player disadvantage of 2%. He died prematurely in 1998 at the age of 61.