Rating: 
Summary: Don't Take This Book Seriously!
Review: John Patrick knowingly gives erroneous advise in this book. He admits to being incapable of using computers to determining how to play. Therefore, he starts with the general consensus (from competent analysts) on how to play then changes it with his own feelings (superstitions I guess). He explains that his money management techniques make up for the erroneous plays. But, all that does is help you lose your money slower, which is all this book can offer. Try one of his detractors' books. Many of them can teach you to play with an advantage over the house.
Rating:
Summary: Avoid this book!
Review: The arrogance and gall of this man is unbelievable. Not only does he knowingly provide inaccurate basic strategy charts but he brags about it! Note he says you will lose less with his system. When losing you will lose slower--not exactly the incentive you may want. You will never make any money taking whatever he says seriously.
Rating:
Summary: All Words No Numbers
Review: The author recommends an inaccurate Basic Strategy (Hit, Stand, Double, Split, Insurance). He justifies the deviations as being conservative. They are conservative in that they will reduce your bankroll variations but in the long run they will cost you money. He recommends betting patterns based on whether you are up or down or if you think you are on a streak. This contradicts the law of independent events described in the first chapter of any statistics text (past wins or losses give no indication of future results). The only benefit from his advice in this regard is that he gives many instances in which to quit gambling (which is good advise anytime you do not have a mathematical advantage). Advantages in blackjack are small, few, and far between. They can be taken advantage of only if you learn and apply specific concepts: Game selection (most can't be beaten) ACCURATE basic strategy (to minimize your disadvantage off the top of the deck), Increasing your bet when YOU have the advantage (NOT if you think you are on a winning streak). This author gives the impression that the house's mathematical advantage is irrelevant and if you apply a betting pattern you can beat any game. The gambling phenomenon is built on this MYTH. Sure, anyone can sit down and get lucky. However, in the long run, no betting pattern can beat a mathematical casino advantage. This book is a colorful read if you don't care for quantitative concepts and want to believe that streaks can be predicted. Casinos will roll out the red carpet and beg for your action. However, if you want to play blackjack with an advantage, start with competent books like Knock-Out Blackjack and suggested readings therein. Then your biggest concern will be getting barred.
Rating: 
Summary: Advanced book on BJ,concentrating on MONEY MANAGEMENT
Review: This book is designed to show the Blackjack player a sensible, yet simple method of counting cards. My main Theory on any form of gambling is MONEY MANAGEMENT and DISCIPLINE, the key ingredients for successful play. My detractors will scream that my methods are very, very conservative. Maybe they are. But the bottom line is that they work and cut losses to the nth degreee. What's so wrong with that? The wins will come......and until they do, cut those potential losses way down.
Rating: 
Summary: It is a great book!
Review: This book really explain how to win. I have tested it by myself, and his theory worked out. I have to give John a big thanks. If you wanna be a gambler, buy the book
Rating:
Summary: Very realistic/conservative approach!
Review: This is the first John Patrick book I have read and I think his system is great. I have read other books on blackjack and they make sense as well but they make it far too complicated to actually remember while you are sitting at a BJ table. Do you honestly think you can keep 3 or 4 different counts at a table? Not a chance! Yes, the more complicated systems claim that they are more accurate but how much more accurate can you get if you can't be perfect at what you are doing? In fact, you will be far less proficient than a regular perfect basic strategy player who isn't using a system or counting. He touches on the fact that some of us are more aggressive and some are less aggressive and he has different betting styles for each of these type of people. I highly recommend his book, practice his system (because you won't remember everything right off the bat and you will see that not nothing is 'EASY', even his system requires a lot of practice). The other thing I wanted to mention is about the mathematical aspect of BJ. John doesn't relay on mathematics but instead points out that any game you play, you will encounter a trend or streak. No matter how you look at it, it happens. You flip a coin and the odds are 50-50 that you will get heads or tails but does this mean you will always get heads, then tails, then heads, etc. NO! You might get 5 heads in a row, then all tails. These are the same type of streaks that occur in BJ and other casino games. John makes us capitalize on these streaks and it works! He answers all my questions in the book.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book by a Great Guy
Review: This is the third time I'll be buying this book having left it in different casino hotels around the country or loaning it out. I have used John Patricks Methods for years and have either come out ahead or even. For a while I was driving to Laughlin from Phoenix to make extra money that's how consistent his methods are. My Dad and Stepmother who are retired always come home with 200-300 extra and that is starting with 60.So to all the "dorks" who claim it doesn't work have fun losing.
Rating:
Summary: how to give the casinos your hard earned cash
Review: This is the worst blackjack book i have ever read.Blackjack when played with basic strategy which is easily memorized(most casinos will allow a crib sheet if you cant)is one of the cheapest forms of entertainment in the world with its house edges against basic strategy ranging from 0 to .5 percent. A five dollar bettor will lose less than three dollars an hour on average while earning comp time and free drinks. Patrick throws basic out the window and instead goes with his moronic unmathematically sound principles of attacking weak dealer upcards and being scared off from dealers strong cards. blackjack is won through the battle of expected values not hunches. The only time basic strategy should be deviated from is when a counting system(one that counts high cards against low cards taking into account amount of cards left and amount of cards played) tells you that you should because of a different expected value because of the changing of tens density. Basic strategy will help you come close to breaking even while counting correctly will help you make money depending on rules , bet spread, penetration and casino tolerance. John patrick will do neither for you instead he will help you lose your money. I wonder if he works for the casinos maybe he does through the griffin detective angency. I would have gave the book zero stars if i could have. If you would like to find a top notch book on blackjack I would reccomend Stanford Wong or Don Schlessinger. My top 3 reccomendations are 1)Basic Blackjack 2)Professional Blackjack 3)Blackjack Attack.
Rating:
Summary: Everyone's an Expert (not)
Review: You people that flame J Patrick don't get it. He's the FIRST to admit that he's deviating from mathematics. His premise is NOT about making you rich. and it is certainly not about mathematics. after YOU play 2 million hands of blackjack and report back how effective splitting 8's Vs 10 is, I will do it. If you play one hand of blackjack per minute 24 hours a day you'll get to the 2 millionth hand in about 4 years. Since I hit the tables about once a month- I'll just go ahead and play for short term gains. I'll hit the 8-8 Vs 10 and lose one bet instead of two and just move on to the next hand. I'll make this claim and stand by it until one of you mathematicians can provide solid evidence against it: "If you study patrick's blackjack books and do NOT deviate what-so-ever you WILL consistently come out ahead, or break even, or incur a small loss. you will never come up broke and demoralized." and THAT is the REAL premise behind patrick's writings. He's writing to the guys who have no money- but insist on going to the casino every so often. he's writing to the roofers, painters, cops, fireman and plumbers of northern NJ who insist on driving 3 hours to AC with a few hundred in their pocket whose wives would shoot them if they found out. ...
Rating:
Summary: Everyone's an Expert (not)
Review: You people that flame J Patrick don't get it. He's the FIRST to admit that he's deviating from mathematics. His premise is NOT about making you rich. and it is certainly not about mathematics. after YOU play 2 million hands of blackjack and report back how effective splitting 8's Vs 10 is, I will do it. If you play one hand of blackjack per minute 24 hours a day you'll get to the 2 millionth hand in about 4 years. Since I hit the tables about once a month- I'll just go ahead and play for short term gains. I'll hit the 8-8 Vs 10 and lose one bet instead of two and just move on to the next hand. I'll make this claim and stand by it until one of you mathematicians can provide solid evidence against it: "If you study patrick's blackjack books and do NOT deviate what-so-ever you WILL consistently come out ahead, or break even, or incur a small loss. you will never come up broke and demoralized." and THAT is the REAL premise behind patrick's writings. He's writing to the guys who have no money- but insist on going to the casino every so often. he's writing to the roofers, painters, cops, fireman and plumbers of northern NJ who insist on driving 3 hours to AC with a few hundred in their pocket whose wives would shoot them if they found out. ...
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