Edward Thorp

Edward Thorp is the first name of the Blackjack Hall of fame. His strategy is considered valuable even today, 30 years after releasing. As the majority of great blackjack players, Thorpe is a MIT graduate. During his student years, he used to fly in Las Vegas with his wife and friends to study the strategies. In 1961, they also managed to create an incredible device. Along with the counting system, the device was indeed the best weapon against any casino. Edward Thorp is not only a good blackjack player; he is the best blackjack player.

Beat the Dealer

Thorp claimed that the title of the book was uninspired. However, the title says it all. At the moment of publishing, the casinos were not prepared for the avalanche of good player applying Thorp's methods. Of course, the casinos managed to develop some systems to prevent players from winning, but Thorpe was already a rich man.

The blackjack book is a rare piece of gambling literature. As Thorp himself said without false modesty: "Beat the dealer is a book presenting a system that really works. This is why it remained a bestseller for 50 years, and I am sure it will live long after my death. I am proud to present such a system, and I am sure that the casinos would think twice before laughing at nerds. I proved that mathematics is stronger than any rigged table and Pit Boss, and I am really proud of my work."

The theory was also welcomed in the mathematics world. The specialists there rushed to the Las Vegas casinos, creating panic on the streets of this gambling metropolis. The casinos had to change the basic rules of gambling, and some of them that were not fast enough had to be closed.

The simplest method to prevent people from winning with the Thorp system was to increase the number of decks. While this method stopped the players from winning for a while, some variations of the theory appeared. Those theories were based on the new circumstances, and again, players had the advantage. Unfortunately, the device used by Thorpe was discovered after a while, so the player was legally banned from all the USA casinos. Don't feel sorry for him, as he is doing just fine even now.

Controversial and adored at the same time, Thorp is an emblem of the mathematic world. The practical usefulness of his card counting system can't be neglected, and we could say that his tactics and methods will remain actual for many years to come.