Who Solved Blackjack?

It was a question that had haunted casino owners for years – who solved blackjack? Finally, the answer seems to have been found, and it’s a name few people will recognize.

Edward Thorp is a mathematician and professor who wrote the book “Beat the Dealer” in 1962, which detailed a system for card counting at blackjack. While his system wasn’t perfect, it was good enough to give players a significant edge over the house.

Thorp’s system was based on the work of another mathematician, Roger Baldwin. Baldwin had published a paper in 1956 that showed how to beat roulette by tracking the motion of the ball and bet accordingly.

Thorp adapted Baldwin’s ideas to blackjack and developed a system that could be used to great effect by skilled players.

Thorp’s book caused an uproar in the casino industry, and led to changes in the way blackjack was played and dealt. Casinos began using multiple decks of cards instead of just one, and they also started keeping track of players who seemed to be winning too much money.

Despite these changes, Thorp’s system continued to be effective, and he became one of the most famous gamblers in the world. He even appeared on “The Tonight Show” with Johnny Carson to discuss his winnings.

Today, Thorp is still considered one of the foremost experts on gambling, and his work has inspired many other books and articles on the subject. While he may not be a household name, Edward Thorp can rightfully be called the man who solved blackjack.