Teaming up to beat the dealer 

In this article, we’re going to take a look at blackjack team play, famous blackjack teams and just what these teams achieved. We’re also going to consider if teaming up can still be done today and look at any alternative approaches that could be taken to the game.

Blackjack is different to other casino games out there. If the likes of craps, roulette, keno or slots are your thing then you need luck on your side. While a bit of luck can still go a long way in blackjack, the game is different as the decisions made by the player can have an impact on the outcome. With there being the ability to bring skill to the table and win, people began to take a closer look at blackjack and how to get the most out of the game.

The types of people attracted to blackjack weren’t your typical casino goers back in the 1950s, 60s and even 70s. Rather than attracting the type of player who would risk it all on the spin of the wheel, blackjack was attracting mathematicians. Why? Well, they could see exactly what was required to beat the dealer and they began to develop systems that were based on maths and probability.

It reached a point where these players mastered card counting. This was a real game changer and led to casinos suffering. However, it wasn’t long until card counters took things to the next level: they began to attend casinos in teams.

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Blackjack team play

A brief history of blackjack team play

The creation of blackjack teams can be credited to the legend, Edward O. Thorp. As a mathematician, it was the brains of Thorp that were behind card counting and he developed this system to such an extent that pro players were soon winning big. From 1959 to 1961, Thorp held the position of professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It was while he was here that things started to get really interesting.

When Thorp perfected his card-counting strategy he shared this with an engineer by the name of Claude Elwood Shannon. The pair would then attend Vegas casinos and play almost every weekend. By using Thorp’s new blackjack strategy, the pair were making 10s of thousands of dollars each time that they visited. The two of them together were the earliest blackjack team and this is a concept that developed.

These beginnings led to the rise of the MIT Blackjack Team. This team comprised students and ex-students who had the ability to master card counting. It all started in 1979 and continued well into the 2000s. By this time, the MIT team had travelled the world and won hundreds of thousands of dollars from casinos across the globe. 

What techniques did blackjack teams use?

When it came to playing as a team, card counting proved to be the most effective technique to use. This would see team members taking their place at various blackjack tables to play. As the game played out, this team member would be responsible for counting the cards. By keeping track, they knew when the deck was at its most favorable.

The player at the table would then need to send a signal to the big player. This signal meant that now was the time to get in on the action and start placing higher wagers. Of course, they’d need to be a degree of discretion otherwise the casino would instantly realize what was going on.

While card counting was the most effective method, some teams explored the use of others. One of these was known as spooking. To pull this technique off, you’d need a team member not involved in the game. They would position themselves so that they have the best chance of seeing the dealer’s face-down card. Once seen, a signal would be sent to the player at the table. This may not have been the easiest strategy to pull off but it was certainly effective when done right. 

Is blackjack team play possible now?

Team play may well be possible but it would be so difficult to pull off that it may just not be worth it. The thing is, card counting remains legal but casinos have done all that they can to prevent players from using this strategy. That means that more decks are being used and more casinos are using continuous shuffling machines. These things alone make card counting that much more difficult and so the opportunities for a team are slim.

Of course, casinos are now more alert to team play too. This means that they know what they’re looking for and will quickly eject anyone that they suspect. Even the likes of CCTV have come on so much over the last few decades and this can spot goings on a mile away.

What are the alternatives?

You’re no doubt disappointed to learn that team play is something consigned to the past. You may have read about some of the greats and thought that you could replicate the success that they experienced. However, team play being almost impossible doesn’t mean that you can’t do anything to beat the dealer.

The best step that you can take is to master basic strategy. Just like card counting, this is all based on math and probability. When you know how this strategy works, you know just what move to make no matter what the situation. It by no means guarantees that you’ll win every time, but it does improve your chances when you’re playing the long game.

Final thoughts 

The days of the MIT Blackjack Team are nothing short of inspiring. The techniques used saw them winning amounts that many of us can only dream of. While blackjack players read books and watch movies that show the glamorous side of all that happened, it is all but impossible to re-live the same kind of experience today.

Casinos are wise to the techniques and are on the alert to spot teams at speed. That’s not to say that there aren’t any blackjack teams operating right now, but is this something that you’d really want to chance?

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