Arnold Snyder
Arnold Snyder is himself an accomplished and respected
professional blackjack player. He is best known, however, for his
contributions to the literature of blackjack.
As editor and
publisher of Blackjack Forum, and as author of numerous
blackjack books, he has presented highly technical information
that is accurate and reliable, in a style that is clear and
comprehensible and marked by his own distinct sense of humor.
Blackjack Forum
Since 1981, Arnold Snyder has been the editor and publisher of
Blackjack Forum, a quarterly trade journal for
professional blackjack players. Blackjack Forum, which
is now published online only, contains articles by professional
gamblers, mathematicians, and attorneys. It also contains
interviews with leading players, reviews of blackjack-related
books and software, a moderated discussion board for blackjack
players to exchange views, and links to the best online
blackjack sites.
Blackjack Books
Snyder has
written a large number of books on blackjack and poker. His
blackjack books include the following:
The
Blackjack Formula (1980): In his first book, Snyder
demonstrated, for the first time, the degree to which a card
counter's win rate was determined by deck penetration.
Penetration, also known as depth of deal, refers to the number
of cards that are dealt before reshuffling. It is expressed in
terms of a fraction of the total number of cards, such as one
half penetration, two thirds penetration, and so on.
The deeper the
penetration, the greater the likelihood of the card
counter's success. In fact, Snyder demonstrated that
penetration had a statistically greater significance in
determining a card-counter's win rate than the card counting
system used, the casino's particular rules, or any other
independent variable. Snyder's insight has since been
confirmed by many independent computer simulations.
Blackbelt in
Blackjack: Playing 21 As a Martial Art (1983; 2nd ed.
1998): This book was designed to lead the beginning
blackjack player step-by-step up to the elite echelons of
the game. Part One, "Earning Your White Belt," introduces
the novice blackjack player to the rules of the game, basic
strategy, a background to card counting, and the mechanics
of actual blackjack play in the casino environment.
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Part Two, "Earning Your Green Belt," explains two card-counting
systems, the Hi-Lo Lite count and the Zen count, in depth. It
also discusses such related topics as true count conversion,
betting strategies, and avoiding detection by casino personnel.
Part Three, "Earning Your Black Belt," is for the most advanced
blackjack players and covers team play, shuffle tracking, and
more.
The
Blackjack Shuffle Tracker's Cookbook: How Players Win (And Why
They Lose) With Shuffle Tracking (2003): This book explains
the advanced blackjack strategy of shuffle tracking. Shuffle
tracking is an advanced technique that is potentially very
profitable but is also very difficult. It is definitely for the
pros only.
The Big Book
of Blackjack (2006): This book includes a fascinating
history of the game of blackjack, from its origin as Vingt-Un in
18th century France, through its transformation to blackjack in
the American Wild West, the inauguration of the modern era by Ed
Thorp, up until the present day. It also includes updated
chapters on playing blackjack, basic strategy, blackjack
card-counting systems, team play, the proliferation of casinos
with their variety of different games and different rules, and
the continuing war between the players and the casinos.
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