Starting in 2002 the Blackjack Hall of Fame began with a pool of 21 legendary professional players, authors and luminaries nominated for the inaugural selection of the seven greatest blackjack champions. For the first month the voting was open to everyone through an online poll, however the final selection was chosen by elite professional players as it was felt that only those with inside experience could fully appreciate the intelligence and accomplishments -many of which still remain trade secrets. Interestingly the winners chosen at the 2003 Blackjack Ball were very similar to the finalists online. While looking at the years that each member was inducted may lead you to believe that 2003 was skipped, it is actually a misnomer due to the initial nominations and voting taking place in late 2002 while the final votes being cast in January. In that first year a total of seven players were chosen and for the two consecutive years two new additions were added. For reasons not quite clear to those outside of the inner circle the Blackjack Hall of Fame is now limited to one new member each year.
While these Hall of Fame members all have dubious relationships with casinos in general the Barona Casino in Lakeside, California hosts the physical articles associated with the Hall of Fame and throws high-stakes televised tournaments often with members playing for the casino. Clearly it's an unusual arrangement. What can visitors expect from a casino honoring the greatest casino anti-heroes of all time? Two sections feature more traditional items from elaborate plaques with portraits and biographies to all kinds of cheating devices employed over the years many of which were created by the inductees themselves. Hidden cameras, a special computer built into shoes, trick cards and other ingenious toys that have all pushed the limits of perfecting the game of blackjack. Beyond the honor of being recognized as the greatest players, authors and innovators the members are all given honorary lifetime comps by the Barona Casino for full room, dining and beverages so long as they agree never to play against the casino.
For anyone who plays the game or enjoys an incredible real-life story it is worth finding out more about who these icons are. While they might not be household names, all of them have changed the game of blackjack forever. The first seven members to be inducted were:
Al Francesco 2002
Known as the ultimate gentleman player, Al Francesco is the creator of the very concept of team play an idea that changed the entire history of Blackjack. The mastermind behind the concept of the Big Player (BP) he first rose to notoriety through Ken Uston's book, 'The Big Player' in 1977. While Ken credits Al with teaching him how to count cards and the techniques that lead Al and his various teams to extract millions of dollars. All of this was completely invisibly to casinos, until Ken's book was published. Without exception all of the major teams have employed his techniques and many are still profitably in use today. Even more impressively, many of his innovations remain completely unknown to the public for this reason. He is equally revered for his amazing creativity as well as his quiet charm. He is still active in various gambling endeavors continuing to push boundaries and open up new ways of getting ahead.
Peter Griffin 2002
The grandson of mathematician Frank Loxley Griffin, Peter is the iconic math genius who figured out mathematical shortcuts that would allow blackjack players to figure out probable outcomes without requiring complex calculations. A certifiable prodigy with a total fixation for the game he initially proposed a course on the mathematics of Blackjack and during a session of 'research' he lost quite badly and became hooked studying games in Atlantic City, Reno and Las Vegas. He was busy determining the Betting Correlation (BC) and Player Efficiency (PE), two concepts flexible and solid enough to still be in use today. He also accurately described the process for using single, multiple and multi-parameter counting methods without massive computer calculations. Over 20 years he has authored several academic works and presentations on the mathematics of gambling as well as two books, 'The Theory of Blackjack: The Complete Card Counter's Guide to the Game of 21' and 'Extra Stuff: Gambling Ramblings.' He was the first to determine the percentage disadvantage of an "average" blackjack player of 2%.
Peter Griffin passed away in 1998 at the age of 61.
Edward O. Thorp 2002
Best known as the author of the Internationally renowned book, 'Beat the Dealer' Edward Thorp was a mathematics professor at MIT who proved that blackjack could be won through a technique referred to as Card Counting. He was among the first pioneers of computer aided devices for blackjack even learning to program in FORTRAN on an IBM 704 with a special emphasis on card counting schemes and cards that were not reshuffled at the end of a deck. To prove his theories this nutty professor headed off to Las Vegas with $10,000 in money fronted by mobster Manny Kimmel. He won $11,000 in the first weekend before being kicked out by security. Current shuffling rules at casinos are a direct result of Dr. Thorp's success. Once proven he published his book which instantly jumped to the top of the New York Times Best Seller list. He is noted in academic circles for this process as being the first to eschew traditional academic publishing in order to go directly to a mass audience for his findings as well as risking very real physical damage to verify a computer simulation. He was also the first to use a computer as a gambling aid.
Ken Uston 2002
A Yale University and Harvard MBA graduate, Ken Uston is known as the flagrant personality of Blackjack for his wide range of controversies and contributions. For most he is known for his books, "Million Dollar Blackjack" and "The Big Player". This was a result of his association with Al Francesco, who recognized Ken's skill counting cards and made him a member of his team utilizing Al's concept of the Big player (BP). This idea had a team of players at various tables in the casino counting cards and when a count became extremely positive team members would flag down the designated Big Player of BP who would make a significant bet. At the time this bypassed the casinos security and was highly successful. After the book was published Al Francesco's team was barred from playing in Las Vegas and a long standing feud began.
When Atlantic City became a gambling mecca in 1978, Ken moved to New Jersey where he was quickly banned from the casinos for card counting. Just as fast he counter sued the casinos stating that skilled players could not legally be banned. In 1982 the New Jersey Supreme court ruled in his favor and card counting, at least is still permissible. However in direct response casinos have added decks and moved up shuffle points to reduce the advantage for skilled players like Ken.
To get past security at casinos where he was banned Ken Uston is equally famous for his incredible range of disguises both physical as well as with cards.
In the early 1980's when computer games came out he became fixated with Pong, Space Invaders and PacMan due to their obvious patterns. Highly creative in his attempts to 'crack' these games he authored a new book on the subject and became the inspiration for computerized Blackjack games created for the Apple II series, Atari 8-bit family, Commodore 64 and IBM PC.
Ken Uston died in 1987 at the age of 52 in Paris, France.
Stanford Wong 2002
A pseudonym for John Ferguson, Stanford Wong started his gambling career while pursuing a PhD in finance from Stanford university in 1970. He burst onto the Blackjack scene with his 1975 classic, 'Professional Blackjack,' which popularized a technique known as 'Wong-ing.' It was the first instance of players keeping count of a game and only placing a bet after the count had become positive and then stepping out again. It proved so popular that casinos now usually bar this style of play. He also devised a cleaver method for handling the large 4 deck shoe games that has lead many professionals to refer to card counting as 'pre-Wong' or 'post-Wong.'
He then traveled extensively through Asia encountering many different kinds of Blackjack games and in his out of print, 'Blackjack in Asia,' he describes his many and highly creative strategies for beating all of them. Beyond a simple guide it also describes his adventures in illegal currency exchange and customs protocols. In 1980 He published another breakthrough called, 'Winning Without Counting,' a collectors item that describes both legal and illegal card methods with a voracious sense of humor.
His computer program, Blackjack Analyzer was originally created for personal use but later became one of the first commercially available odds analyzing tools on the market.
He has authored over 15 books, all on Blackjack and has contributed enormously to many other important blackjack books, publications and websites. He currently maintains his own Blackjack website that describes the rules and conditions of Blackjack tables in casinos around the world.
Tommy Hyland 2002
Manager of the longest running Blackjack team in history, Tommy Highland is highly respected for his success at the tables as well as his straightforward and polite manner. Where all other professional Blackjack teams have broken up for all kinds of reasons ranging from jealousy and greed to anxiety over losing streaks, Tommy has inspired and lead his team since 1979. The original group started with just $4,000 contributed by each member but quickly made more than ten times that. Because Tommy has been around since the very beginning of the Atlantic City casinos his team has seen all kinds of action from concealed computers (when legal), Big Player techniques, card counting, shuffle tracking and ace sequencing.
While Tommy has played by and merely tested the rules at casinos, it hasn't always been a friendly career. When Atlantic City cracked down on many of the loopholes that made Blackjack a prime target in the late 1970's, his original team all left to take advantage of greener pastures in Asia. Tommy stayed behind and rebuilt the team with friends he had made through golfing another game of concentration and skill.
Even after all these years of playing within the law things can still get sketchy. He's been harassed and threatened, arrested and worse. In 1994 the Hyland team was arrested in Ontario, Canada for an Ace Sequencing scheme. Tommy chose to fight back and legally beat the casino again when the judge ruled that such strategies were not illegal or cheating but the use of intelligent strategy thanks to the expert testimony of fellow player Arnold Snyder.
Arnold Snyder 2002
Arnold Snyder is one of the definitive blackjack experts on the planet and the self proclaimed "Bishop of the Church of Blackjack." His nine published books, numerous articles and online resource have become landmarks for both formula and strategy as well as a commitment for exposing frauds. Because of his intense knowledge and professional accomplishments his expert testimony at Tommy Hyland's 1994 Ontario court battle with a local casino is the main reason why team play is legal in the United States and Canada today.
He is one of the most important authors on the subject of Blackjack for good reason. Beginning with the ground breaking, 'The Blackjack Formula' he was the first to accurately describe the concept of deck penetration or depth of the deal used in card counting. His books when taken together almost read like the encyclopedia of blackjack, from 'The Blackjack Shuffle Tracker's Cookbook,' also the first to describe his mathematical analysis for shuffle tracking in used in the large modern decks, as well as how to track the ever more complex shuffling methods the casinos had devised. For enthusiasts interested in the fascinating history and personalities in the Blackjack world his, The Big Book of Blackjack is a great read. Arnold Snyder has also remained active in advocacy and current issues as an editor of Blackjack Forum an online resource for professional Blackjack players.
Max Rubin 2004
The self proclaimed "Undisputed Overweight Comp Champion of the World," television host, commentator and irascible personality Max Rubin is the fabulous Vegas showman that hosts the ultra exclusive Blackjack Ball. He published 'Comp City' in 1994, a book that focused on the best ways how to receive comps from casinos, regardless of playing skills. He has also been a consultant to casinos and is famous for training casino staff to recognize truly skilled players from intermediate players, famously encouraging casinos like the Barona to allow card counting on the premise that most can't do it right and that removing players from tables costs a casino more in lost players than upping the stakes. He also has numerous ongoing television appearances where he can still be seen today.
Keith Taft 2004
Keith Taft is the undisputed gizmo genius of Blackjack. Along with his son, Marty, they have created some of the most innovative and insane gadgets for beating the casinos. Starting when his son was still a teenager and for the last 30 years they have wired cameras, fabricated tiny computers and innumerable communications gadgets with incredible creativity. Their inventions are the highlight of the Barona Blackjack museum. Their first computer, named George was a 15 pound large rectangular monster that dripped acidic battery acid burning Keith during the trial run. A few years later a major leap occurred with the next version: David. More than just being a pocket sized version of George it also improved the calculation method by using Thorpe's Hi-Low technique and this helped make it simple and straightforward to use. In 1977 after winning $40,000 in one week they set up production to sell the device at $10,000 a pop. Unfortunately the winning streak came to an end quickly when the casinos caught on. Luckily when Marty was busted no one from the casinos to the FBI could figure out exactly what the device was and he was let go. It was only in 1985 that the state of Nevada outlawed counting machines. By then shoe cameras and every other casino beating device had been successfully tested and used.
Lawrence Revere 2005
The father of professional Blackjack playing and author of the first heavily influential guide to blackjack, 'Playing Blackjack as a Business.' Like many other members of the hall of fame, Lawrence Revere is also a unique character with a life story that sounds more like the plot of a movie than a standard author bio. Starting at the age of 13 in the back of a smoke leaden barbershop in rural Iowa he began dealing cards before leaving to study mathematics at the University of Nebraska. As soon as his degree was inked he set out west to begin playing professionally in 1943. Lawrence Revere is one of the few blackjack authorities famous for having been on every side of the game: working as a dealer, pit boss, owner and player for over 28 years. In the 1960's and early 1970's he was considered the preeminent blackjack expert. His often remembered boast was that he was 'barred from playing in all Nevada casinos.' And for good reason. He was the first to conceive, utilize and eventually publish several breakthrough counting strategies that have proven to be the foundation for Edward Thorp and Julian Braun's later work as well as countless others.
He was admitted to the hall of fame posthumously after passing away in 1977 due to lung cancer.
Julian Braun 2005
While Julian Braun lead a comparatively quiet life as an IBM employee with advanced degrees in mathematics and physics his calculation efforts were the start of major improvements in computing blackjack strategies that would forever change the game. It was his advanced understanding of strategy and systems that he contributed to major tomes of the Blackjack library starting with Lawrence Revere's, 'Playing Blackjack as a Business.' In Edward Thorp's first edition of 'Beat the dealer,' the original calculations and strategies remained unclear and imprecise. It was Julian Braun's input, published in the second edition and every addition after that perfected the all important details. At the time it was an epic feat of computer calculations using Thorp's original FORTRAN program on an IBM 707-409. After this he went on to co-develop the HI-Opt I and II counting systems with Lance Humble in the 1970's. This was a major breakthrough because it was the first accurate system that could be easily understood by a majority of players without requiring advanced degrees or heavy computation. He authored his own book in 1980, 'How to Play Winning Blackjack.'
Julian Braun died on September 4, 2000, at the age of 71.
James Grosjean 2006
The youngest member of the hall of fame, James Grosjean got his start like a lot of other blackjack masters at the mathematics department of a major university in his case Chicago University. As the story goes his interest was sparked when he noticed a sloppy dealer hole card and began calculating strategies. That was the beginning. Since then he has contributed a wide variety of well explained and comprehensive player tactics, such as card counting, for blackjack as well as many other casino games that had not received the level of in-depth attention that Blackjack has. These included: Caribbean stud poker, Big Six Wheel, Craps, Let It Ride and Three Card Poker. These can be found in his influential book, 'Beyond Counting: Exploiting Casino Games from Blackjack to Video Poker,' released in 2000.
Not content to limit himself to authorship James Grosjean has also developed gambling computers with the legendary Keith Taft who described his programming as simply, 'brilliant.' But what he is best known and loved for are his legal battles that contributed to the demise of the Griffin Agency, the much hated group responsible for compiling player databases of suspected cheats, card counters or anyone the casinos didn't particularly like. For over 10 years the agency had assisted casinos all over the world in banning and harassing players. But on September 13, 2005 it was over. The Griffin agency was forced to file for bankruptcy after James Grosjean and Michael Russo were successfully awarded $45,659 in damages due to their mistreatment as a result of information given to the casinos by the Griffin agency. This earned him the adoration and respect of the entire gambling community.
Perhaps even more impressively he continued his legal battles with Caesar's Palace, the Imperial Palace and two Nevada Gaming Control board agents. After being pushed around, threatened and wrongfully held by security at the Imperial Palace and a local jail, he was awarded $599,999 in 2005. Or $500,000 in punitive damages for having his rights violated, however a statutory limit lowered the award to $300,000. But he also received the $99,999 in actual damages and $18,000 in interest, in addition to legal fees.
One year later in 2006 he was chosen as the single new addition to the Blackjack Hall of Fame. He can currently be seen competing in the second week of 'The Ultimate Blackjack Tour' on CBS, a 10 week special.
Johnny Chang 2007
In 1981, Johnny Chang was a young MIT student interested in a part time job. After having taken an elective course in the mathematics of blackjack in 1979 he was recruited to be one of the first members of the MIT blackjack team. The first trips to Atlantic City were amateur at best with the other team members who are known to have argued over mathematical formulas and counting strategies more than actually playing. It was a fortuitous series of chance encounters that lead the fledgling members to be taken up by a previously successful blackjack team manager, Mr. Kaplan.
While the advertising method used on campus were the universally ambiguous bulletin fliers, the recruiting process was decidedly more exclusive. A prospective team player had to: play through 8-10 six-deck shoes with almost no errors as well as play under observation at a real casino to further perfect the manner the player would assume during team play. While these were clearly the best and the brightest other advanced strategies such as shuffle tracking and ace tracking became too difficult to add as side counts and Chang made the call to conclude that straight card counting would give the team the highest statistical edge.
Later in 1992 he was the one to formally organize the team into a professional legal business entity, the well-known 'Strategic Investments.' While the team was incredibly successful it was also very poorly timed. The Griffin Investigations agency was at the height of their power to research, track and assist casinos worldwide in baring suspected card counters. That year they noticed something special: most of the suspected counters had Boston addresses, were of college age and could be readily found in the MIT yearbook. The team was able to continue to play profitable, however player turnover was rapid and team moral plummeted. While the team was formally disbanded in late 1993 several splinter groups were spun off. In that year the partners and players were all said to have made between 1-10 million dollars each. The exploits of the team internationally were such that a tell all bestseller, cable television specials and upcoming 2008 Hollywood feature film continue to capture imaginations.
But it was at the 2005 Blackjack ball that Johnny Chang managed to really wow the elite of the Blackjack world all over again by counting down (looking at a deck that has had a few cards removed and identifying the missing cards) two decks in only 33 seconds. If this doesn't sound like an impossible superhuman feat -we suggest giving it a try.
