The Beginning of the Basic Strategy

Professional gamblers back in the old days love the game of blackjack for just a simple reason: the simplicity with which they use the concept of the game to turn the odds to their advantage. Back then, blackjack only uses a single card deck, which made it very easy to predict or guess the cards that have already been played. The lone card counting system that was identified by the casinos was the casing the aces in which the gambler would increase their wager in the second part of the card deck if there are no aces that come up on the first half of the card deck.

Back in 1956, science became involve with the whole process in the form of four scientists, Roger R. Baldwin, Wilbert E. Cantey, Herbert Maisel and James P. McDermott. These four men is known as the 4 horsemen, who have released three years of blackjack study called "the Optimum Blackjack Strategy" in the American Statistical Association's Journal. Baldwin explained in the journal how they have utilized scientific and mathematical calculations to the game of blackjack with the use of different odds and statistics to scale down the casino edge.

Baldwin and his co-authors made a technique that if utilized correctly could make the game of blackjack a break even game during the latter part of the game. It was the 1st time that any individual or group publicly game that blackjack uses more skill than luck. This concept is where the idea of basic technique in blackjack came from. Despite what the article contains, only a few players heed the article. But a mathematics teacher at MIT, Edward O. Thorp, who has a keen interest in odds theory, did take a look at the article.

He studied Baldwin's theory and using a digital computer, made a more useful technique in the game and published a book on how to edge out the casino dealer in 1962. The 1st printing of the book, which features a basic technique for card players, has problems but looks promising. Thorp featured the idea of card counting. A computer programmer from IBM, Julian H. Braun, later developed the strategy that Thorp made by utilizing a mainframe computer, an IBM 7044.

Casinos became agitated with this development and by 1964, modified the rules of the game. Angry, players responded to the change by not playing the game and spending their cash on other casino games. Casino facilities then bring back the usual rules of blackjack but the game is now played with a multiple deck. Players returned and blackjack became a good game for casinos and players alike. Some players do use basic technique but they do not how to exploit it properly so the advantage remains most of the time to the casino.