Blackjack Hall of Fame

Click on each Member's photo for a more comprehensive biography of each Member

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Members2024-08-15T10:09:10+00:00

Al Francesco
2002
One of the founders of the concept of blackjack teams and one of the most highly respected blackjack players in the history of the game.

Peter Griffin

Peter Griffin
2002
A mathematician and theoretical pioneer and author of the classic book The Theory of Blackjack.

Arnold Snyder
2002
A former professional player and author and editor of Blackjack Forum quarterly.  He revolutionized the ways professional card counters attacked the game.

Edward O. Thorp
2002
Author of the 1960s classic Beat the Dealer, which changed the way we think about blackjack.  He is considered by many as the Father of Card Counting.

Ken Uston
2002
A professional player and author who popularized the concept of team play. Author of several books on blackjack including Million Dollar Blackjack.

Stanford Wong
2002
Blackjack author and analyst who popularized the strategy known as “Wonging”.  Author of several books and newsletters, aimed at serious and professional players.

Tommy Hyland
2002
Manager of one of the longest-running blackjack teams who have taken millions out of the casinos.

Max Rubin
2004
Expert and author, known for media reporting about gambling events and exposing weaknesses in the casinos’ comp systems.

Keith Taft
2004
Inventor who manufactured the first legal hidden computerized devices to aid advantage play.

Julian Braun
2005
A pioneering author who used computers to analyze blackjack statistics.

Lawrence Revere
2005
Author of Playing Blackjack as a Business and a blackjack teacher.

James Grosjean
2006
Computer analyst and professional player and author of the classic Beyond Counting.

John Chang
2007
Former manager of the MIT Blackjack Team, which has won millions from casinos around the world.

The Four Horsemen of Aberdeen


Roger Baldwin, Wilbert Cantey, Herbert Maisel & James McDermott

2008
“The Four Horsemen of Aberdeen”

Richard W. Munchkin
2009
A professional blackjack player and backgammon expert, author, film director and producer.  Co-host of the Gambling With an Edge podcast.

Darryl Purpose
2010
A former professional advantage player who played on Ken Uston’s early blackjack teams.  Today, he concentrates on song writing and his music career.

Zeljko Ranogajec
2011
Professional gambler from Australia and a former blackjack professional player.

Ian Andersen
2012
Expert, professional player and author of two classic books for high stakes card counters.

Robert Nersesian
2014
A Las Vegas lawyer specializing in lawsuits by players against casinos and an advocate for advantage player rights.

Don Schlesinger

Don Schlesinger
2015
Researcher, columnist and long-time blackjack player.  Author of the book Blackjack Attack, a favorite among professional blackjack players.

Bill Benter
2016
A former blackjack team manager and handicapping horse-racing expert.

Don Johnson
2017
Yes, he beat the Atlantic City casinos for over $15 million.

Wally Simmons
2018
A legendary blackjack and horse handicapping pro.

Rob Reitzen
2019

Cofounder of CORE, a California corporation that “banked” the Native American blackjack games in the state. Innovator of a style of play called the “Hammer”.

Anthony Curtis

Anthony Curtis
2020
Professional blackjack and tournament player and one of the most successful publishers of professional gambling books in history.

Cathy Hulbert

Cathy Hulbert
2022

A former Czech blackjack team member. Selected by Card Player Magazine in 1996, as one of the best and smartest card players in the world. Featured in the Gambling Wizards book.

Blair Hull

Blair Hull

2022

A big player in Al Francesco’s blackjack team in the mid-’70s.  Responsible for the Hall of Fame’s success in forming its own 501-C3 Charitable Foundation. Recipient of the first “Ed Thorp Lifetime Achievement Award.”

Maria the Greek

Maria “The Greek”

2023

Maria is the co-founder and one-time manager of “The Greeks” blackjack team. 

Rick Blaine

Rick “Night Train” Blaine

2024

Rick Blaine, known throughout the elite blackjack circles as “Night Train,” is a skilled, disciplined, and winning blackjack player. Rick has taken professional play as a part-timer to new levels, while staying under the radar. 

Blackjack Hall of Fame