The World Greatest Blackjack Book

Rating:
Summary: great intro to blackjack...dont try blackjack online...
Review: HiOpt 1 is the card counting method of this book it is not quite as easy or powerfull as the simple hi lo method however it is better because it is more accurate when used to modify basic strat tables. No one can use card counting to its full potential withought geeting caught so the money variations are made smaller...that is were this book comes in: it presents another way to count cards and make money without large fluctuations in the amount of money being bet per hand...modified stratagie based off of increased knoledge through counting. If you already know the simple Hi-Lo card method and dont want to learn HiOpt 1 try reading books by Stanford Wong. I learned Hi-Lo first.

Rating:
Summary: Good for the beginner, But a bit dated
Review: I found this book in a used book store and read it for fun. The basic system seems to work. I've played the system against computer blackjack games for hours at a time until I get bored and I seem to run pretty even. As he mentions in the book, the basic hit,stand,split,double system simply evens up the odds between you and the house. To actually make money you need to start counting.

The count system he teaches (The Hi-Opt 1) is easy to understand, but it takes a lot of practice to perfect (as does any counting system). From what I've seen on the web it's still a decent system, but it's not one of the more optimal systems that's been developed since this book was written in the 80's. But it's still a good one.

It's funny though to be constantly reminded that this book was written in the late 70's to early 80's. He keeps making references to Farrah Fawcett and Lee Majors and TV shows like "Barreta". That makes it tough to feel like you're learning the latest and best system. Also, if you just want to know the basic strategy and the count system then you can ignore about 380 of the 404 pages in this book. The rest of the book is stories and advice (which is also quite dated) on how the casinos work and how not to get barred as a counter.

Overall, it's not a bad book, but here in the 21st century it no longer rates as "The World's Greatest Blackjack Book".

Rating:
Summary: Overall, a very good buy.
Review: I'm planning my first trip to Vegas and wanted to brush up on my Blackjack skills. I heard about this book from several websites and decided to buy it.

Overall, the book is a very good buy. The author thoroughly explains the ins and outs of gambling and does a great job teaching Basic Strategy, the Hi-Opt I counting method, and adjustments to Basic Strategy to accommodate the Hi-Opt I. The book details many gambling tricks and actions you can use to increase your advantage, explains casino cheating, and details betting procedures, etc. The author also discusses the variations and strategies for non-casino blackjack. The book is also fun to read because of the many stories the author tells from personal experience.

The major downside of the book was that it was printed in the 80's. The comparison of blackjack conditions in various casinos was based off the casinos that existed in the 70's and 80's. Obviously, that has changed drastically. Most of the mathematics and strategies are described for single, double and four deck games, which still exist, but more common these days are six or eight deck games. The only other downside is that the author is paranoid and obsessed with the topic of casino cheating.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is intersted in Blackjack, regardless of their skill level. There is information for anyone in this book!

Rating:
Summary: Good for the beginner, But a bit dated
Review: I've been playing blackjack since I read this book in 1990 and I'm still ahead of the casinos. I've kept a spreadsheet of play now for over ten years, so I know this book works.

Rating:
Summary: Must read
Review: One of the first book i enjoy reading on blackjack, even old this book is great..

Rating:
Summary: Overall, a very good buy.
Review: The Canadian psychologist posing as a semi-pro gambler has, again pulled the wool. Stealing Charles Einstein's simple but powerful count system, he renamed it HiOpt, then HiOpt1. Fortunately, he had Julian Braun calculate the change indices so they are reliable. Of course, he only presents indices from -6 to +6, then only for single deck. But, if you send him money, you may get something closer to what you actually need.
In the text of the book you'll find useless platitudes and tired generalizations, some of which may be slightly true. The book is full of absurd accusations of cheating. When Mr. Wonderful wins he is a brilliant strategy player; but when when he loses he's been cheated? One might think that he must have spent more than a hundred hours at the tables lifetime, but the quality of the writing says otherwise. Save your money. Humble is a phoney, but he's made good money in peddling printed tripe.

Rating:
Summary: Great Book, but the counting system is dated
Review: This is the first book I read on blackjack and it is what made me so enthusiastic about the game. It is recommended read for most all blackjack players. The only gripe I have is that the HI-OPT I system has indices that only spread to +6/-6. When you are playing blackjack the count will somtimes go well out of that range. The counting system is a great start for the novice player but needs some adjustments to satisfy the skilled. As your skill improves you can increase the power of the system by using side counts for A's and running simulations to extend the indices.

Rating:
Summary: Very good, but watch out
Review: This is very good blackjack book. It's very entertaining andeasy to read. The first part of the book concentrates on introducingyou to the gambling world and how it works, with interesting anecdotes as well as useful info. Later in the book he introduces the Hi-Opt I counting system. A very easy to learn and powerful system. Nevertheless the system is weak when certain rules are implemented by the casinos. For example, if the casinos in your area use 6 decks and play european style, this book will be worth it's weight in dirt. It's truely for the amateur player who goes to casinos strictly for fun or to break even. END

Rating:
Summary: This book is a worth while read but...
Review: This was the first book I read on blackjack and overall it provided a thorough description of how to play the game, outlined basic strategy using tables and desciptions, and a coherent explanation of Hi-opt1 counting strategy. What it didn't do is provide sound reasoning for using the hi-opt1 counting system over the more common, and in my opinion simpler, braun method. The book also fell short in how it explains betting correlation. It gave a textual description of how to do it with a few short paragraphs but then spent most of a chapter discussing how to mask your bets. The emphasis on betting correlation seemed to get lost among a lot of "covert ops" to disguise your card counting. Many of these secret methods are useless until you actually learn how to correlate your bets anyway.