Blackjack For Blood: The Card-Counters' Bible, and Complete Winning Guide

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BLACKJACK FOR BLOOD was the first book on BJ I ever read, and only because it was personally recommended to me several years ago by a professional player in Las Vegas. In retrospect, it is the only book I'd ever have needed to master the game, and I refer to it often while training, and while planning gaming trips.

While there are other BJ books that are perhaps more comprehensive about the theory and history behind the game (Julian Braun, Edward Thorpe), or more detailed about the actual life one can lead as a card counter in a casino (God, I wish I had had the chance to meet and talk with Kenny Uston before he died!) or even more fun to read (Scoblete's books are great, as well) Carlson's book is as complete as you'll need; comprehensive in its detail of the game, and all the intricacies of playing in a casino from camoflage (critical if you're going to play as a counter) to betting stategies.

When I first started playing, I just used the Basic Strategy section. When I had mastered that, I moved on to learning his Level Two count (and contrary to other reviewers, I found it easy enough to learn and master). As my game improved in actual casino play, I moved on to varying my playing (and betting) strategies based on the count of the cards. As I said, I've referred to the book often.

I now play at casinos many times a year, am almost totally comped on all my trips, and win far more than I lose. I have no desire to play professionally--why bother? But it's a terrific and lucrative hobby. And the writers, players, and counters are right: It's not the money that's the thrill for me...it's knowing you can beat the game.

Like anything else, you get out of this book what you put into it. Learning to count cards is not difficult, but it's a skill that takes work. If you really want to guarantee you'll be a winner in virtually any casino in the world, you want BLACKJACK FOR BLOOD.

This book has it all. It's mathematically accurate, highly informative, up-to-date, and beautifully written. In addition, Carlson's anecdotes of high-roller life in the casino fast lane make for a really fun, entertaining read. Carlson is both a mathematician and a successful high-stakes Blackjack player, and he presents the concepts behind card counting in an easy-to-understand way that is informative, practical and very entertaining. This book is just chock full of priceless information. It presents the theory of card counting, basic strategy, game selection, camouflage, casino comportment, special "commando" tactics, money management, risk of ruin, etc., etc., as well as Carlson's own Advanced Omega II System, which all the experts agree is the strongest BJ system going. AOII is a level-2 card-counting system that I've found easy to learn and easy to use. And it works! It really gets the money. K-O and Hi-Lo don't come close. This book is da bomb! If you could only have one book on BJ, this should definitely be it. Highly recommended.

As good as this book is about explaining the "theory" of card counting and basic strategy tables, I would just like to point out that card-counting is all but impossible to actually do in today's casinos. No casino anywhere will allow you to do this successfully -- even if they will still offer any kind of Blackjack game that contains at least the majority of player-favorable rules that make card-counting possible as a means to overcoming the casino's edge.

Furthermore, if you do get such a good game, and the casino will turn a blind eye to you as an expert card-counter, they will most likely limit the table's spread to no more than 4 units, and put a maximum cap on bets to $25, or $50, or $100. Mostly, the cap will be about $25 to $50, and that's very rare if this happens at all. The way that Blackjack is now played in major casinos worldwide simply doesn't allow for the practice of the theory in anything even close to proximal parity.

What was once a mathematically sound theory that was able to be successfully applied in practice as a means of defeating the house edge in Blackjack, and thus derive a player-positive expectation from the game and make it turn a profit, is now firmly part of history. Casinos simply got tired of being taken for millions by Blackjack teams and well-bankrolled players, and changed the rules and methods of dealing and playing the game. Additionally, they hired personnel that knew how to count cards better than the players trying to beat the casinos. Furthermore, surveilance technology is now so sophisticated that any person who walks into any casino is instantly identified, and if the casino personnel even so much as suspect that you are a card counter, they will simply ask you to leave. The theory is wonderful -- but no longer as profitable as it once was in practice.

It is NOT my intent here to discourage you from buying this book, or enjoying the strategy and content as presented. On the contrary -- I wish to ENCOURAGE you to buy it, and also as many other books on Blackjack as you can find. Being a successful Blackjack player in today's casinos requires you to have more than just one skill. Learning from this book will give you a wonderful start in the theory. Then you can read others, and find out how modifications to the theory are possible. Together with some of the other terrific books on Blackjack you can find here, this will make your Blackjack playing experience better, and more profitable. I just want to make sure that anyone reading this understands that this is NOT a criticism of the book, or any other efforts in Blackjack. I just wanted people to know more about the reality of the game in the actual casino.

Blackjack for blood is a great beginner as well as advanced guide to playing blackjack. For the beginner, the description and charts on playing basic strategy are great. For the intermediate player, the book offers a basic hi/lo card counting strategy. And for the advanced player, the book introduces an advanced level two count system that is more accurate to use than the simple hi/lo system. The level two system, however, is slightly more complicated and requires the player to practice longer in order to master. The author also explains all of this in an easy to understand narrated format that makes the book quite enjoyable to read. For advanced players that want to learn the intricacies of the probability theory behind blackjack, I strongly recommend reading "Professional Blackjack" by Stanford Wong. I definitely give this book 2 Thumbs UP! Maybe the only blackjack book you'll need to succeed!

This book has it all. It's mathematically accurate, highly informative, up-to-date, and beautifully written. In addition, Carlson's anecdotes of high-roller life in the casino fast lane make for a really fun, entertaining read. Carlson is both a mathematician and a successful high-stakes Blackjack player, and he presents the concepts behind card counting in an easy-to-understand way that is accurate, informative, and practical. This book is just chock full of priceless information. It presents the theory of card counting, basic strategy, game selection, camouflage, casino comportment, special "commando" tactics, money management, risk of ruin, etc., etc., as well as Carlson's own Advanced Omega II System, which all the experts agree is the strongest BJ system going. AOII is a level-2 card-counting system that I've found easy to learn and easy to use. And it works! It really gets the money. K-O and Hi-Lo don't come close. This book is the bomb! If you could only have one book on BJ, this should definitely be it. Highly recommended.

"BlackJack for Blood" can benefit any player of 21, from new people looking for the basic rules of when to stand/hit/double, to the more ambitious card counter who wants a system that can basically guarantee success at the table.

The unnamed author mixes rules with amusing, relevant anecdotes and actually creates an interesting read. He gives information that will help counters avoid detection and also deals out less-than noble (but not exactly illegal) tricks a player can use to take a few extra chips from those evil casinos.

The meat of the book, however, is a card counting system that takes some serious brain power and practice to master. I always found math to be boring and simplistic in school and received nearly perfect scores on the math sections of scholastic standardized tests. But the card counting system covered in this book may be a little above my mental capacity. It is only for people with Mensa-level processors.

This book is only a 2-level system that has a playing effiency of the 3 and 4 level systems. The playing efficiency is calculated independently by a mathmetician in the theory of BJ. So this stat is not Carlson's smoke blowing , but the facts of mathmatics. On top of that the book is well written and very motivational. The author explains the ups and the DOWNS of a BJ player, and how to manage the money accordingly. Other books to read: BJ as a business, the theory of BJ, professional BJ, Million dollar BJ, take the money and run.

Blackjack For Blood is the best book on blackjack I have ever read -- and I have read just about all of them. According to all the experts, Carlson's Advanced Omega II System (included in the book) is much stronger than Hi-Lo or K-O, and I have found it surprisingly easy to master. It definitely gets the money; that's for sure. I also like the author's writing style. He explains things very well, and he intersperses the hardcore stuff with entertaining stories about his high-rolling experiences in various casinos around the world. All in all, a terrific book on how to beat casino blackjack. I highly recommend it.

Great book. Accurate and mathematically explained. Though the omega 11 count is difficult this book is worth reading. If you have time and patience master AO11 which makes lot of (money). Beware this count is good for single deck and double deck only.
If you are primarly playing shoe games go for hi-low or KO.

do you imagine yourself going from a complete beginner to world class expert in one book plus knowing almost all there is about the game? well, you came to the right place. carlson's book is not only the best blackjack book i've read (and i've read a lot!) but it is also the most enjoyable one (along with ken houston's "million dollar blackjack"). no matter what are your goals - being a world class expert or just enjoying while improving in social games - this is the best book to do it.

I don't want to guess on who supplies the paycheck for " Reviewer: A reader from Las Vegas, NV USA" but... all readers should go to BJ21.com or Card Counter CAFE or any other BJ player hangout to review all the activity that is currently going on to win at BJ.

By the way this book is pretty good but Hi-Lo is a better count system for the begginer to start with.

The system is a good one, but complicated. Way too much so for the average person. If you're a smart cookie, this book is for you with a super-powerful system. If you're a newbie to the game, go with a simpler system like Knock-Out Blackjack or High-Low. These simpler systems are almost as strong in computer simulations, and surpass the complex systems when real-world conditions are factored in.

Bryce Carlson is no doubt a very good blackjack player and an even better statistician. His book gives the average player some priceless advice on how to make the most of your small advantage you gain from counting. On the other hand since I don't have a pentium III chip for a brain I will rate his Omega II counting system complicated at best. My feeling is that this system is not worth the extra effort to master unless you are a professional. His system uses high indices and therefore demands constant practice in order to use it effectively. IMHO There are plenty of easier (level 1) counting systems that are very close to the same accuracy.

I have never played a game of BJ in a casino in my life. I once spent an hour and a half in a Las Vegas casino, spent $20 on a one armed bandit and then went to a movie while the rest of the family blew their money. I don't like to gamble! This book has me convinced that BJ is a game of skill and not chance. It was a fun read, and easy to understand. The mathematics involved seemed correct (although I haven't gotten out the computer to verify)I give it a 4 out of 5 only because I have never read another book on BJ and really have nothing to compare it with. The one thing he emphasized and I liked about his approach was that winning isn't easy and you have to be sharp to do it. I plan on reading a few more books and becoming a lot more proficient with basic strategys and counting systems before I go to the casino, but this book has me convinced I can win.

I've read and studied just about every good Blackjack book published in the last 15 years, from Wong's Professional Blackjack to Vancura and Fuch's K-O Blackjack to Schlesinger's Blackjack Attack: Playing the Pros' Way, and believe me none of these books come close to the level of Carlson's Blackjack For Blood. It really is a BJ masterpiece. Definitely, a must have for serious players.

This book gives an excellent overview of the game of blackjack and an explanation of how to use a powerful counting system, including many index numbers. I've used this system for single-deck games for several years and, for someone who truly knows what they're doing (if you are at all uncertain as to whether or not you fit into this category, you are not in it) this book is literally worth its weight in gold. Make that platinum.

Several of the reviews posted here may lead a person to believe that card counting is easy money. I would caution anyone that it is not as simple as reading a book on a flight to Vegas. Blackjack just doesn't work that way. There is a lot more to consistently beating the game than reading one book, or even ten books. Counting is the easy part, getting away with it in casinos over the long term is a whole different ball game.

There are some very interesting sections in this book but I did not think it was worth it. The counting system is somewhat difficult to learn and the author seems to skirt some issues I wished he'd have covered. I would recommend "KO Blackjack" by Olaf Vancura and Ken Fuchs and or "Best Blackjack" by Frank Scoblete.These two are the best.

This is the best written book on learning blackjack. And it has lots of great material in it. I highly recommend buying it.

However, the book is centered on Carlson's Omega II system, which is simply not a good choice for a first blackjack system. Unlike the most-common system, the Hi-Lo, cards have 5 possible values (-2,-1,0,1,2), instead of 3 (-1,0,1). The Omega II counts 12 of the 13 ranks of cards, whereas many simpler counts only count between 8 and 11. Most daunting of all, to be an effective count for the purposes of betting (as opposed to playing your cards), you really need to keep a separate count going of aces. This is hard to do, especially in shoe games.

The Omega II system was designed to make crazy money on single- and double-deck blackjack. To the extent that casinos even permit that to happen anymore, it's one of the two very best systems for that. But for the modern game, which is almost all shoes, you'll want something else.

I still think one should buy this book, since it really does open up the reader to how to think about the game. But one should also buy, say, Stanford Wong's Professional Blackjack, and just learn the Hi-Lo. If, a year down the road, you're the kind of player who just won't be satisfied unless he's playing the very best, then you can go back to Blackjack for Blood and retrain.

As a book, this is a great read. Bryce highlights the Omega II count system, and also tells a great series of stories along the way. There are sections on cover, what to do when backed off a table, and alternative advantage methods.

I don't know if this is the best system, from a pure card counting standpoint. It's a level 2, with an ace tracking component, which is a bit of brain work. On the other hand, if you are a serious blackjack player, this book is a great resource on many levels.

I have read several books on the hows and whys of Blackjack, but "Blackjack for Blood" was all I ever needed. Absolutely every aspect of the game is discussed: from Basic Strategy to the Advanced Omega II counting system. The best part? It is all laid out in a simple format that even beginners can understand. For those who enjoy the mathematical side of the game, Carlson amazingly breaks down the probabilies of any blackjack table you could play at. Wanna play well??? Get this book!

Great explanations of Blackjack strategies. Convincing statistics and tables on computer simulated results. I feel that I really _understand_ the game after reading the book. Now if I only have time to practice actually counting.....

First off i don't play blackjack in the casinos, i just play for fun with some friends for loose change. This book shows you everything thing that you need to know about blackjack includeing BASIC stradigy and card counting techniques. THis book is for both experience and new players. This book is also a great buy because you will easily win the money back that you spent on this book.

Im not a casino blackjack player, I play for fun with a bunch of friends once a week for some loose change. This book provides everything you need to know, includeing BASIC stradigy and card counting techniques. Its worth the money to buy this book because you will win the money back at a blackjack table. A must BUY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've read and studied just about every good Blackjack book published in the last 15 years, from Wong's Professional Blackjack to Vancura and Fuch's K-O Blackjack to Schlesinger's Blackjack Attack: Playing the Pros' Way, and believe me none of these books comes close to the level of Carlson's Blackjack For Blood. It really is a BJ masterpiece. Definitely, a must have for serious players.

This entertaining and readable book is your key to the casino treasury. Counting cards is hard work. But if you have the discipline, the bankroll, and the method that this book describes, over the long run you have the edge to win. Just make sure that you read it all and study it carefully before you start playing -- it could have been organized a little better.

This book makes it simple to follow the basics and then more advanced techniques of counting. The author understands the risks in this and alerts people to many, most i wasn't even aware of. He also uses a brief history of the game and his personal stories to make the book more interesting than just 'memerize this or that'. The process is easy to follow, the information is easy to grasp as long as you practice it. If you think you're interested in trying this, the worst is that you become a MUCH better basic blackjack player, the best is that you master the basic and advanced systems and start making money. After studing for 2 months in Iraq, my first stop home is Atlantic City, wish me luck. Thanks to Bryce Carlson for the great read!!!

A must have book for your blackjack library! I also recommend, Gregorian Strategy for multiple deck blackjack.

This book has it all, not only does it introduce the game of BJ it also teaches one of the strongest counting methods in use today. A must read for beginners and even the Pro who wants to compare efficiences of your current count to the power and relative simplicity of the AOII count. Definitely for those beginners and rec. players I've seen some of you play and trust me you need this book.

I don't know how many books pay for themselves 20 fold after 72 hours but this one did. Book came in the mail Friday, studied hard all weekend bought 6 decks of $1 cards to try and master the system as quickly as possible, went into the casino sunday evening, came out 45 minutes later with triple my money. This book paaid for itself and gave me a net profit in less than 72 hours...but you better be ready to study your *** off. You have to put in some serious hours to master the system but once you do, EASY MONEY

EXCELENTE LIBRO DE FACIL COMPRENSION PARA PERSONAS QUE NO HABLAN EL INGLES, EL ENVIO RAPIDO LLGA EN BUENAS CONDICIONES Y SIN PROBLEMA ALGUNO EN LA COIMPRA DESCAHO Y RECEPCION

The bind quality of this book is not up to standard, appon reading a couple of the pages just came loose.
The content however is far more substantial and makes one a believer in his Omega II system.
Not a especially easy system due to the necessity of the ace side count (not ace reconed) it is more powerful than most systems in simulations.

The best book about BJ, card counting and mathematical basis of gambling I have ever met. I think it is worth every cent spent on it. If you think seriously about BJ this book is a must!

Not only is this a good book with solid information, I truely enjoyed the author's writting style! This book has all the basic charts that a decent Blackjack book should have and does a good job of explaining them. The "dry" material is nicely broken up with other inspirational and informative sections. Definitely add it to you blackjack library.

There are some interesting stories and the writer writes well but the book is really for high rollers. I found the counting system that he recommends to be difficult to learn. I would recommend this book for reading but it isn't one of the best.

This book is the best I've read so far on the subject of blackjack. It is not only informative it is also entertaining. This book covers all aspects of blackjack. I had more success with the information I learned in this book than other books on 21.