"The Theory of Blackjack" is a really good, old blackjack book. Peter Griffin's information is as good as blackjack information gets. Every serious blackjack player should have a copy of this book, well read, tucked away somewhere.

But, most players really don't need the kind of detail that Griffin gets into. He is a serious mathematician and obviously enjoys discussing all of the minute variations with all kinds of blackjack varieties. Even for experienced players who might just need a refresher, it is over the top. Like the other two great blackjack classics:
"Beat the Dealer" by Edward Thorp and
"Professional Blackjack" by Stanford Wong;
it is similar to when the cavemen first discovered fire: they were so excited about it, they didn't really have it in proper perspective. Card counting isn't all that difficult.

The effectiveness of card counting in blackjack rests on the fact that it is more favorable for the player to make bigger bets when the remaining undealt cards contain a higher than average proportion of large cards, principally 10's and Aces. When the undealt cards contain a smaller than average proportion of big cards (more small cards), the game is more favorable for the house, so the players should make smaller bets then, or stop playing. As Griffin, Wong and Thorp explain, any number of methods for keeping track of the ratio of high cards to low cards will serve as an effective method of card counting.

Currently, the best book on blackjack, one that blows away all the fog, isn't even dedicated to just blackjack.
"How to Gamble at the Casinos Without Getting Plucked Like a Chicken"
does a great job of explaining how to play profitable blackjack. First and foremost, it tells you not to play the lousy varieties, like 8 deck blackjack or 6-5 blackjack or Spanish Blackjack. In about 30 pages, it tells you everything you really need to know about blackjack, without all the bs.

The theories in this book are rock solid, but unless you have a degree in mathematics, it will be a very tough read. There are lots of complex theories and equations that the everyday Joe might have a problem following.
Also, this book mostly covers 1 deck blackjack which is not played in any casino in the world these days. Most casinos use 6-8 decks, but the theoretical aspect of the book holds true regardless on how many decks are used.

Before you buy this book, let me warn you that most of it concerns the derivations and formulae for the game of Blackjack. Amongst MANY other critical and informative Tables, Data, formulae, system comparisons and more, you will be able to "derive" basic strategy for virtually any playing decision, using any number of decks. For instance, are you unhappy with playing 16 vs Dealer Ten by regular basic strategy? Well, you can calculate when to "hit" or "stand" for any multiple card combination. Remember, you may have to read sections more than once, and you need to be at home with calculations and formulae. I love it. In addition, you are given, and shown, how to calculate the betting and playing efficiencies of all of the various Card Counting Systems, as well as that for Insurance. If you don't enjoy seeing how the mathematics of Blackjack play out, this book has the BEST and MOST Complete Basic Strategy advice for virtually any number of decks. Although it is not a book dedicated to learning how to count cards, the wealth of information and the ability to learn how to calculate necessary information, will guide you to making a decision on which system to use, and whether or not to use ANY system. This is, for the Math oriented, the Best and Most Complete book, that gives me the freedom to calculate all those items with which NO ONE else could help me. I am a level 3 card counter, and I use Griffin's Basic strategy with multiple card options that I calculated from this book for my playing strategy.

Although this is a great book you really need to know what it is and what it IS NOT!
It is not an introduction to blackjack. It's assumed you already know how to play the game.
It is not an introduction to card counting. The author assumes you already know a card counting system, or at least have a basic understanding of what one entails.
It is PROBABLY not going to make you a better player. It's not really a "how to" guide for the game as much as it's a guide to show you how to effectively ANALYZE the game.

As the title suggests this book is a fairly comprehensive review of the theory of blackjack. While a traditional counting book will tell you the HOW of card counting, this book will show you WHY it works, how card counting systems are derived, how to compare the power of different card counting systems (the so-called "efficiences") and contrast them to an (linearly) ideal system. You will also learn how to calculate exact probabilities (well, really how to write a program to do this) that could be used to determine the values (in terms of expected return) of different hands or to design a tool that will give you the optimal play in any situation that may arrise in blackjack. This tool isn't to be confused with "basic strategy", which only gives you the optimal play off the top of a freshly shuffled shoe.

This book is ideal for someone who is comfortable with playing blackjack in a casino environment, has a basic understanding of the difficulties faced by card counters, and is comfortable with mathematical formulas and their derivations (although a lot of concepts can be understood without a strong background in math, you'll get a lot more out of the book if you can follow its derivations). After reading it you should be in a position where you COULD develop your own card counting system, calculate expected values (essentially probabilities) for given hands and given plays, and have the satisfaction of knowing that you have a better understanding of the inner workings of blackjack than 99% of the people who play the game!

Peter Griffin's "The Theory of Blackjack" is an absolute classic. No gambling library is complete without it. The longevity of this title is testament to its importance. It has passed the test of time. It stands like a monument.

Although it is an advanced read for most players, understanding the principles it presents is essential to being a successful Blackjack player. Those who can't comprehend it simply shouldn't play for money. I suspect that is why it is one of the few books recommended by Dr. Ford in his book: "How to Gamble at the Casinos Without Getting Plucked Like a Chicken".

This book teaches you how to become a winner. It was one of the first gambling books to honestly and accurately explain how to win at blackjack. While its coverage is not comprehensive, it presents all the essential information and takes some interesting side trips. Those few readers and authors who criticize various portions of it are not to be taken seriously. Either they misunderstand it or they are trying to pump up their own importance by kicking at a giant.

Griffin's relaxed and easy style of writing, for such a technical book, is extremely refreshing, sometimes funny, always informative and simply endearing. If you haven't read this book, you are not fully informed about Blackjack - you have missed a major milestone in the history of the game.