Blackjack Blueprint: How to Play Like a Pro... Part-Time

by Rick Blaine

Book Overview

From the first turn of the card to getting out of a foreign country with a suitcase full of cash, this is the most comprehensive book ever written on learning to play blackjack for profit. This book... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0929712161
• ISBN13: 9780929712161
• Release Date: January 2006
• Publisher: Huntington Press
• Length: 357 Pages
• Weight: 0.67 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Well rounded

There are a million card counting books out there, most of which offer a more thorough examination of card counting than this one does. But then again, for most of us, 300 pages about the minutae of card counting may be a bit much. What this book offers is a quick but sufficient introduction to basic strategy and card counting based on Stanford Wong's Hi-Lo system, which is pretty easy to learn. Blaine spends a chapter on teaching the reader how to count, and then another one on how to adjust to a true count. Subsequently, he shows how to tailor your play (and betting, of course) to the count. The card counting portion takes up less than half of the book. Some of the rest of the book may or may not be interesting to some readers. The sub-title of the book is "How to Play Like a Pro...Part-Time", but much of the remainder of the book is more "professional" in nature. There is a section on zone tracking as well as a LOT of stuff on team play. I am not a professional card counter. In fact, I read the book based mostly on curiosity and the desire to perhaps play at a slight advantage at low stakes on Vegas trips. However, I still found the section on team play interesting on its own merits. Blaine kept a diary of a team and its successes (or in this case, failures). It was nice to see that Blaine didn't sugar coat things and included a section on how even at an advantage, negative swings are inevitable at times. If you're planning a trip to Vegas, the book is definitely worth a read. Pick it up a few weeks beforehand and give the card counting tips some practice and I think it'll be more than worth the twenty bucks you shell out for it.

Factual and complete - great for all levels

Although Rick Blaine has had a "square" job most of his life, he writes with the full knowledge of someone who has spent his life "in the trenches" of playing advantage blackjack around the world. His step-by-step course in learning basic strategy and card-counting blackjack is excellent and utilizes drills and quizzes to solidify the material in the readers' mind before proceeding to the next level. Basic strategy and counting are concepts that are taught in other books, but are very well-presented here. Blaine pays attention to concepts such as bankroll sizing, dealing with all the different people in the casino chain of command, and how and when the casino is observing you that you might not be aware of. The thing that sets this book apart is that Blaine leaves no stone unturned, whether it is discussing casino cheating, tournament play, comp-garnering strategies, shuffle-tracking, ace-location play or the several chapters on team play. In my mind, his most useful sections are on casino comportment and camouflage, and his discussions of the patience and discipline required to become a long-term winner. This book has a wealth of information for beginners, intermediate players, and even those who have been playing with an advantage for many years.

From a former casino supervisor

Not only is this book full of valuable information, it is presented in a way that is easy to learn the right way to make money playing Blackjack. Blaine is meticulous. His insight and those of his contributors are what casinos fear most. Great reference for those serious about making money playing Blackjack.

Excellent Book

Rick "Night Train" Blaine is a top-notch blackjack player and an excellent writer. He's combined the two skills to create a book that is user friendly, extremely informative, and totally beneficial for seasoned players as well as beginners. Besides serving as a terrific primer for anyone who wants to learn how to count cards, Blaine's book is loaded with illuminating tips and anecdotes from inside the world that inspired Bringing Down The House. Prior to reading Blackjack Blueprint, I was pretty much of a blackjack sucker. After reading it and implementing Blaine's strategies -- as I recently explained in the pages of Cigar Aficionado magazine -- I became good enough to get backed-off in a Vegas casino. And, as every blackjack pro knows, when they don't want you to play, you're doing something right. This book is the real deal. Read it and make a pit-boss weep.

Fantastic and comprehesive!! A must for all!

Blackjack Blueprint was a clever, all-inclusive and extensive book on the art of playing professional blackjack. It was wasy to follow whether or not you are an expert player. This book pertains to professionals, as well as people who are interested in becoming one. Rick Blaine is a fantastic writer, and this book is a must!-- Joanna W, Queen Of Spades