On January 3, 2003, at a double-secret location in Las Vegas, some 60 of the world's top professional blackjack players will gather at Max Rubin's annual Blackjack Ball and elect the seven initial inductees into the Blackjack Hall of Fame.
Along with the invited guests at the Ball and a small number of blackjack dignitaries unable to attend the event, the public will be allowed to vote exclusively via this online Las Vegas Advisor ballot.
Please review all 21 initial nominees carefully (along with the discussion forums) and cast your seven (and only seven) votes.
We will keep a running tally of the seven vote leaders throughout the voting period and then post the seven winners on January 4th, 2003.
The final tally of all the public's votes will count as a single ballot at the Ball.
After the first seven winners are inducted, membership into the Blackjack Hall of Fame will be limited to two new members annually until the total reaches 21. Thereafter, only one new member will be chosen each year.
Barona Valley Ranch Resort and Casino in San Diego sponsors the Blackjack Ball and the Blackjack Hall of Fame. Members of the Blackjack Hall of Fame receive an RFB pass at Barona-for life-to not play blackjack there.
To place your votes, select up to seven of the checkboxes and click the 'Place Your Votes' graphic at the bottom of the page.
Ian Andersen One of the most successful solo players of all time. Wrote "Burning the tables in Las Vegas" and "Turning the tables on Las Vegas." Techniques apply mostly to high stakes solo players. Famous, but some claim that he's a mythological character. 116 4.34%
Andy Anderson He did all the work and made Griffin Detective Agency what it is today. Now runs Biometrica. Busted more counters than anyone in the world. Detractors claim he's a self-serving weasel who put innocent schmoes in the book to make himself look good. The pros hate his guts. Supporters tried stuffing the ballot on Dec. 28. 14 0.52%
Benny Binion Legendary owner of Horseshoe casino. Took unlimited bets on single deck blackjack. Took unlimited liberties with professionals in the back room. 78 2.92%
Julian Braun Wrote the ground breaking "How to Play Winning Blackjack." Wasn't a player during his writing days. Still isn't. He's dead. 92 3.44%
Alan Brown World Class player who took a casino beating, took 'em to court, won big and changed the way advantage players were treated by casinos forever. Overly aggressive at times, "Bulldozer" never perfected the art of camouflage play and drew a lot of heat. 14 0.52%
Johnny Chang MIT's most legendary player. 20 year All Pro career. Thinks "Tipping" is a town in China. Perhaps the most unconvincing cross-dresser ever. 29 1.08%
Richard Dougherty The Hyland Team's premier player. Perhaps the most fearless advantage player ever. A consistent six figure winner for decades, he's been barred 100's of times. Likes to torture dumb animals (pit bosses, Griffin Nazis and surveillance twits). 33 1.23%
Al Francesco The "Godfather" of team blackjack, he invented team play (and turned out Ken Uston) and other advantage plays. Still active. Arguably the greatest player who ever lived. He's pushing seventy. He's still sharp, but he better get voted in before he goes to the big game in the sky. 217 8.12%
Peter Griffin Wrote "The Theory of Blackjack." The only mathematical mind in the game on Thorp's level. He only played high stakes with other people's bankrolls. 265 9.91%
Four Horsemen Baldwin, Canty, McDermott and Maisel. The military men who used nothing but pocket calculators to devise the first basic strategy and bring strategy variations to light. Their theories had zero practical applications the real world of blackjack. 39 1.46%
Lance Humble Invented the "Hi-Opt" counts used extensively in the ' 70s and ' 80s. His pen name is "Humble," but he isn't. Named his book "The World's Greatest Blackjack Book." It isn't even close. 25 0.94%
Tommy Hyland Most successful team owner/manager in history, an all-pro solo player and the classiest guy in the craft. His appearances on national television have exposed him to 100's of casino execs. 187 7.00%
Mike Michalek Part of Hyland's brain trust, he's generally credited with inventing shuffle tracking. A consistent winner for 20 years running. Unknown to all but the very elite in the game. Went to high school in Detroit with Anthony Curtis. 45 1.68%
Bradley Peterson Two-time winner of the Blackjack Ball, solo and team player, travels the world, lives a James Bond lifestyle, but gets more girls. Plays for all the right reasons. World Championship Title's are all he's done to set himself apart from the rest of the world's top active pros. 40 1.50%
Lawrence Revere Wrote "Playing Blackjack as a Business" and played extensively in the ' 70s. A renowned cheat who robbed the casinos, his partners and his students. 62 2.32%
Max Rubin Author of "Comp City." Founder and host of Blackjack Ball and Hall of Fame. Knows the player and casino sides of blackjack better than anyone in the game. Unclear on the concept. Thinks losing $1 to get a $10 comp is winning. Consults for a casino. 68 2.54%
Arnold Snyder Author/Publisher of Blackjack Forum Magazine, the premier BJ trade publication for over 20 years Notorious nickel player known to go postal. 265 9.91%
Keith Taft Invented computer play. His devices liberated millions from Vegas and A.C. casinos. Perhaps the most innovative blackjack player of all time. Rarely comes out of hiding these days. 27 1.01%
Dr. Edward Thorp Wrote "Beat the Dealer." Played extensively. Changed the world of blackjack forever. None. He's a lock to make the Hall. 386 14.44%
Ken Uston Wrote "Million Dollar Blackjack." The most famous blackjack player in history. Responsible for legions of newcomers taking up professional play. Traded team secrets for fame and hurt a lot of pioneer's careers. 288 10.77%
Stanford Wong Most prolific writer of professional blackjack books ever. Newsletter and Web Site are the pro's most used reference guides. World's foremost expert on tournament play. Often spotted in Leon Redbone fashion wear, he reportedly gives up good games to the undeserving masses. 383 14.33%
Along with the invited guests at the Ball and a small number of blackjack dignitaries unable to attend the event, the public will be allowed to vote exclusively via this online Las Vegas Advisor ballot.
Please review all 21 initial nominees carefully (along with the discussion forums) and cast your seven (and only seven) votes.
We will keep a running tally of the seven vote leaders throughout the voting period and then post the seven winners on January 4th, 2003.
The final tally of all the public's votes will count as a single ballot at the Ball.
After the first seven winners are inducted, membership into the Blackjack Hall of Fame will be limited to two new members annually until the total reaches 21. Thereafter, only one new member will be chosen each year.
Barona Valley Ranch Resort and Casino in San Diego sponsors the Blackjack Ball and the Blackjack Hall of Fame. Members of the Blackjack Hall of Fame receive an RFB pass at Barona-for life-to not play blackjack there.
To place your votes, select up to seven of the checkboxes and click the 'Place Your Votes' graphic at the bottom of the page.
Ian Andersen One of the most successful solo players of all time. Wrote "Burning the tables in Las Vegas" and "Turning the tables on Las Vegas." Techniques apply mostly to high stakes solo players. Famous, but some claim that he's a mythological character. 116 4.34%
Andy Anderson He did all the work and made Griffin Detective Agency what it is today. Now runs Biometrica. Busted more counters than anyone in the world. Detractors claim he's a self-serving weasel who put innocent schmoes in the book to make himself look good. The pros hate his guts. Supporters tried stuffing the ballot on Dec. 28. 14 0.52%
Benny Binion Legendary owner of Horseshoe casino. Took unlimited bets on single deck blackjack. Took unlimited liberties with professionals in the back room. 78 2.92%
Julian Braun Wrote the ground breaking "How to Play Winning Blackjack." Wasn't a player during his writing days. Still isn't. He's dead. 92 3.44%
Alan Brown World Class player who took a casino beating, took 'em to court, won big and changed the way advantage players were treated by casinos forever. Overly aggressive at times, "Bulldozer" never perfected the art of camouflage play and drew a lot of heat. 14 0.52%
Johnny Chang MIT's most legendary player. 20 year All Pro career. Thinks "Tipping" is a town in China. Perhaps the most unconvincing cross-dresser ever. 29 1.08%
Richard Dougherty The Hyland Team's premier player. Perhaps the most fearless advantage player ever. A consistent six figure winner for decades, he's been barred 100's of times. Likes to torture dumb animals (pit bosses, Griffin Nazis and surveillance twits). 33 1.23%
Al Francesco The "Godfather" of team blackjack, he invented team play (and turned out Ken Uston) and other advantage plays. Still active. Arguably the greatest player who ever lived. He's pushing seventy. He's still sharp, but he better get voted in before he goes to the big game in the sky. 217 8.12%
Peter Griffin Wrote "The Theory of Blackjack." The only mathematical mind in the game on Thorp's level. He only played high stakes with other people's bankrolls. 265 9.91%
Four Horsemen Baldwin, Canty, McDermott and Maisel. The military men who used nothing but pocket calculators to devise the first basic strategy and bring strategy variations to light. Their theories had zero practical applications the real world of blackjack. 39 1.46%
Lance Humble Invented the "Hi-Opt" counts used extensively in the ' 70s and ' 80s. His pen name is "Humble," but he isn't. Named his book "The World's Greatest Blackjack Book." It isn't even close. 25 0.94%
Tommy Hyland Most successful team owner/manager in history, an all-pro solo player and the classiest guy in the craft. His appearances on national television have exposed him to 100's of casino execs. 187 7.00%
Mike Michalek Part of Hyland's brain trust, he's generally credited with inventing shuffle tracking. A consistent winner for 20 years running. Unknown to all but the very elite in the game. Went to high school in Detroit with Anthony Curtis. 45 1.68%
Bradley Peterson Two-time winner of the Blackjack Ball, solo and team player, travels the world, lives a James Bond lifestyle, but gets more girls. Plays for all the right reasons. World Championship Title's are all he's done to set himself apart from the rest of the world's top active pros. 40 1.50%
Lawrence Revere Wrote "Playing Blackjack as a Business" and played extensively in the ' 70s. A renowned cheat who robbed the casinos, his partners and his students. 62 2.32%
Max Rubin Author of "Comp City." Founder and host of Blackjack Ball and Hall of Fame. Knows the player and casino sides of blackjack better than anyone in the game. Unclear on the concept. Thinks losing $1 to get a $10 comp is winning. Consults for a casino. 68 2.54%
Arnold Snyder Author/Publisher of Blackjack Forum Magazine, the premier BJ trade publication for over 20 years Notorious nickel player known to go postal. 265 9.91%
Keith Taft Invented computer play. His devices liberated millions from Vegas and A.C. casinos. Perhaps the most innovative blackjack player of all time. Rarely comes out of hiding these days. 27 1.01%
Dr. Edward Thorp Wrote "Beat the Dealer." Played extensively. Changed the world of blackjack forever. None. He's a lock to make the Hall. 386 14.44%
Ken Uston Wrote "Million Dollar Blackjack." The most famous blackjack player in history. Responsible for legions of newcomers taking up professional play. Traded team secrets for fame and hurt a lot of pioneer's careers. 288 10.77%
Stanford Wong Most prolific writer of professional blackjack books ever. Newsletter and Web Site are the pro's most used reference guides. World's foremost expert on tournament play. Often spotted in Leon Redbone fashion wear, he reportedly gives up good games to the undeserving masses. 383 14.33%