Basic Blackjack

I might repeat some of the points already made in the previous review, but my main goal in this review is to let you know what to expect before you buy this book. I first want to say that it is a wonderful book and it is extremely successful at what it tries to accomplish, but I must qualify that by saying that this is not really a book that you will "learn" from. I bought this book expecting something that I can read from front to back, and I thought I might learn new tips and strategies -- I think "Blackjack Secrets", one of Wong's other books, is better for that, though I haven't read it yet. It definitely seems more "readable". "Basic Blackjack" is more of a reference than a learning manual, and you may not need this book at all. Here is what I mean:The book is organized like this: Chapter 1 - Introduction (nothing special, just a usual intro)Chapter 2 - Basic Strategy (this may be all you need from this book; it discusses and gives the chart for Basic Strategy under the most common rules; this information can also be gotten in other books or online -- try http://www.blackjackinfo.com for their Basic Strategy engine)Chapters 3-15 - variations of Basic Strategy (this is the majority of the book; it gives charts for changes that need to be made in B.S. depending on odd rules you may find in casinos, such as doubling down on any number of cards or decks that include jokers)Chapters 16-18 - other tricks that you can use (contains some interesting information on tells and warps, but it is really only valuable in certain situations)My point in outlining the book is to show you that the bulk of its contents is simply variations of B.S. depending on strange rules you may encounter. Don't get me wrong, it's interesting just to read about all the weird rules and side bets you might find in some casinos, but for most people I doubt they will need to learn any of this strategy. Even the information on tells and warps, though fascinating, isn't always applicable; it requires that the dealer check the hole card under a 10. The casino where I play uses an electronic device to check the card, so the dealer never sees it -- pretty much voiding the use of tells and warps.I'm not trying to discourage anyone from buying this book, because it is very interesting, if not always relevant for your particular situation. I just want you to know what to expect before you purchase it.

OK Mr. Counting Pro, you're on vacation where you know there are casinos. You figure you'll stop in and mabey make some money. But when you sit down at a table, you discover that the rules are not what you're used to. BJ pays 2:1, dealer wins ties, and 21 after splitting tens pays 3:2!? What to do now? Well, you could lose your shirt, or you could get Basic Blackjack.Wong's impressive text contains proper basic strategy for just about every rule variation and "bonus" (side bet, coupon, etc) that has ever been offered. It also tells you how to estimate the value of each of these variations. As a bonus, there is a good discussion of non-counting strategies such as warps, tells, and the like. At 256 pages, the amount of material covered is amazing.If you only play Las Vegas or Atlantic City, and already know the stategy for the rules there, you probably don't need this book. But if you like to travel (Europe?) or take advantage of coupon books and other special offers and side bets, it is a must-have.Wong's writing stye is clear and easy to read, although this book is valuable mostly as a reference guide. I found it very interesting to read about all of the rule variations, side bets, and bonuses that the casinos have thought up, even though I will never encounter the majority of them.The one thing that I would have liked to have seen in a text on basic strategy is the expected cost of making the "wrong" play. i.e. How much does one give up by not splitting 33vs5? Obviously it would be impractical to include this information for all of the strategies presented, but it would have been nice to have it for common sets of rules. (This information can be found in Wong's Professional Blackjack.)Overall, a very impressive work.Good Luck, and Good Cards,- Jacob W.