Bringing Down The House

[That Annoying Kid]

First off, if you take one thing away from this thread take away the knowledge that this book is fantastic and well worth the read.

So my mom checked out bringing down the house from our local library and last night she said she was done reading it. So I took a thumber to the faec and instead of watching anime started on bringing down the house. I read it all last night and it was very well done, and the story is intriguing as hell. Moroever, the fact that these smart sumbitches actually pulled this S off makes it all the better  :ph34r:

The guy who wrote it switches from present day to around 92 onwards as the scheme grew and grew. He handles the writing pretty well and the parts about them being in Vegas working the tables is the part that got enthused about the most. The writer also lays out the background to card counting and their specific signals before he jumps into the thick of it and uses the knowledge just imparted upon you to improve the book.

Has anyone else read it? What did you think? If you haven't read it, go out and pick it up and see if you can put it down  

[lolfighter]

So what is it about? Cooking? Kittens? World domination schemes? Little boys with green skin called Kevin Mitchell? Hitchhiking the Galaxy One Last Time? Playing it safe? Playing it unsafe? Bananas in your ears? Help me out here man.

[That Annoying Kid]

hustling casinos legally using math to increase ones odds, not to mention a fairly complicated teamwork routine

[Niteowl]

i think i read a few book reviews and articles on it. very interesting.

http://www.blackjack-king.com/blackjack-ki...s.php?article=3

[That Annoying Kid]

I strongly recommend you take the time to read it niteh, I haven't gotten this up in arms over a good book in quite some time

I'm actually quite the avid reader

[Dark]

MIT does this on a regular basis or something to that effect

i mean they go in and count high:low card ratios and when the high cards are assured to be dealt switch to someone else who then bets the roof

it works quite well

[Necrosis]

I prefer roulette and my ability to pick the winning bet.

[Black Mage]

I prefer roulette and my ability to pick the winning bet.

[snapback]31685[/snapback]

i prefer h4xing my ch1px0rz

bringing down the house you say? i'll look for it

[Satiagraha]

I've seen a television documentary on the MIT team. Apparently, they got away with doing their stuff and earned something like $10M and then they started to get IDed in casinos and any casino they went to, they were asked to leave.

[lolfighter]

Aye, sounds like a good book alright. Nice to see that somebody's getting back at the casinos, and even manages to stay on the right side of the law while doing it.

[Dark]

I've seen a television documentary on the MIT team. Apparently, they got away with doing their stuff and earned something like $10M and then they started to get IDed in casinos and any casino they went to, they were asked to leave.

[snapback]31705[/snapback]

ya funny how that would happen to them after making that kinda of money

Aye, sounds like a good book alright. Nice to see that somebody's getting back at the casinos, and even manages to stay on the right side of the law while doing it.

[snapback]31727[/snapback]

well technically any form of counting of cards be it high/low or straight out counting of them is considered cheating in a casino; however, the ways this book may give some good ways to go about this and not get too noticed

[Niteowl]

it's not illegal though. they can't arrest you, there is no law for being particularly good at math.

however, since they are a private establishment, they can say 'you are too good to play with us, have a steak dinner, and please be on your way'.

[Niteowl]

by the by, if anyone has been to Vegas, how could you EVER EVER think about taking up gambling?!?!

i mean.. there are literally these FANTASTIC kingdoms of wealth, the bellagio, MGM Grand, Luxor, all these INCREDIBLE places which really have no rival in the small amount of travelling i've done in my life. and all this is funded by HOW MUCH MONEY THESE COMPANIES CAN TAKE FROM YOU! i mean, just by the sheer [sic] impressiveness of everything there, you HAVE to know that the decks is stacked against you.

[That Annoying Kid]

gambling == fools tax


the house always wins, unless when that big hand comes and your ready, then you take the house

I'm quoting oceans 11 off the top of my head

just to keep everyone on track, GO READ THAT BOOK

[-Lancer-]

i actually think there was a mini series on this book on FOX. not bad.

[lolfighter]

Yeah, has always astonished me as well: You have these huge, incredibly unbelievably expensive casionos. And you're simply wondering: How can they afford it? Any person with half a brain must realize that it's all the money they take from their customers. Casinos wouldn't even exist if they didn't turn a profit. And the only profit a casino can make is by taking more money from you than you win.

It can only be that irrational feeling: Yes, everybody loses. Except me, I WIN!
It's kept alive by the occasional freak chance where somebody gets lucky and wins multiple millions. I always wonder how many of those lucky winners simply gamble it all away again in an attempt to win even more.

I think I saw Oceans 11. That there movie where a group of people stage an incredibly elaborate scheme to rob a casino, yes? I think there are two versions of it, one old, one new. I saw the new one.
And I've seen Casino. The one with Al Pacino. Whoa, RHYME!

[That Annoying Kid]

oceans 11 == fantastic movie, the remake was even better IMHO, and they have made oceans 12 [it's set in Europe]


has anyone actually gone out and read bringing down the house?

[Black Mage]

not yet