This book is an autobiographical account of a professional blackjack player, one who joined a team of such players to earn money from big casinos nationwide. They were card- counters, using a fairly simple "point" counting technique by which they could judge whether, and when, to begin laying large bets. They worked as a team, and each member had a particular role. And while card-counting is not illegal, casino bosses frown on it and will kick out a counter who is winning too much money, banning them entirely . Readers of this book vicariously enjoy the thrill of what it's like to win tens of thousands of dollars, along with the horror of losing just as big.

This is a very personal account. Josh Axelrad was recruited into a team of card counters, and as his skill increased, so did his winnings. To outwit the casinos, he disguises his appearance and takes on different personalities. In one laugh-out-loud episode he adopts a flamboyantly gay personality that disarms the casino staff, who entirely underestimate him and what he's doing. Meanwhile, it's not just the exciting action that makes this work so enjoyable, but the author's exuberant over-the-top prose.

As revealed in the book, Axelrad had contracted with the publisher to do this autobiographical account while he was still earning money as a professional gambler. But everything changed... he'd been banned from the casinos, and having grown addicted to gambling, he moved into online poker. His addiction grew worse, and long story short, he lost all of his money. So the last 20% of this book is sobering -- we learn of the dark side of the gambling world, and follow the author as he begins to attend Gambler's Anonymous.

I "loved" much of this book, and am glad I read it. I hope the author has found a satisfying life beyond gambling, and if he ever wrote another book, I would read it. ( )

I liked this book. An interesting look into the author's life as a professional black jack player, but also touching on some of the psychological impact of the lifestyle. A quick read, I recommend this one. ( )