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Ken Uston: The Authority on Blackjack
Ken Uston is one of the biggest names in Blackjack. Players all over the world have read his books on the game, including “The Big Player”, “Million Dollar Blackjack”, and “Ken Uston on Blackjack.” But how did Uston earn his reputation as a Blackjack expert? It all started with his introduction to Blackjack player Al Francesco at a party in 1970.
Learning the Concept of Card Counting
When Uston met Al Francesco, he was immediately intrigued by the professional Blackjack player’s unique ideas and Blackjack team. Francesco decided to teach Uston how to count cards, and then invited him to become a part of his Blackjack team. That’s when Uston’s life began to change.
Uston joined the team as a spotter, a player who keeps track of the card count and signals a Big Player to place the serious bets. Eventually, he moved up to the role of Big Player, and decided to write a book on the strategy the team was using.
The Book that Revealed Team Play Blackjack
Uston’s book, “The Big Player” was published in 1977, and while it made it difficult for Uston’s team to continue playing, it also spread the team-play strategy to other Blackjack players in the U.S. Eventually, the famous MIT Blackjack Club picked up on the Big Player strategy, and used Uston’s methods to establish their own successful team.
Fighting for Blackjack Card Counters
After the book was published, Uston moved on to Atlantic City where he formed his own successful card-counting team. But the casino managers soon caught on to Uston’s tactics, and barred him from playing at the local casinos. It was then that Uston got involved in a legal battle with Atlantic City casinos. Uston felt that it wasn’t fair for a casino to ban players just because they were skilled. In a law suit that went to the New Jersey Supreme Court, it was ruled that Atlantic City casinos had to allow everyone to play, including card counters.
It was a victory for Uston, who continued to play in Atlantic City and also began playing in Vegas casinos using disguises. Uston played the game solo and as part of a team, and went on to publish two more books on Blackjack card counting.
Blackjack Loses a Great Mind
Uston’s success didn’t stop at the game of Blackjack. After becoming a world-renowned Blackjack expert, he began to examine video games, including Pac Man, for player advantages. Uston’s study led him to publish many more books on understanding video games and computers.
Sadly, the world had to say goodbye to Ken Uston, genius and innovator, in 1987. Uston died in Paris, France at the young age of 52. After his death, he was inducted into The Blackjack Hall of Fame.
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