Peter Griffin's Blackjack Book

Peter Griffin's book, "The Theory of Blackjack: The Complete Card Counter's Guide to the Casino Game of 21" is accounted a classic book of all aspiring blackjack players and has an honorable place next to the bestselling book by Edward Thorp's "Beat the Dealer". In publishing this work, Peter Griffin followed in the footsteps of his grandfather who was also a famous mathematician who published several works. Peter Griffin conducted extensive research on blackjack playing including comparing the statistics of various players in various districts. Although he has played the game himself, he has never played extensively as a professional blackjack player and all his play has been termed "purely experimental research".

Peter Griffin and the Blackjack Hall of Fame

Although never accounted a professional blackjack player, Peter Griffin was nonetheless accorded the honor of being one of the first seven inductees to the Blackjack Hall of Fame (this honor was accorded posthumously in 2002). This was decided as a tribute to his pioneering work in the mathematics of blackjack. For his living, Peter Griffin taught statistics, calculus and differential equations at the California State University. Peter Griffin became interested in gambling and blackjack after proposing to give a course on the mathematics of gambling. In order to better understand the course material he went to Nevada to do some "practical research". After that he began compiling player statistics and comparing them. He is considered one of the first to calculate the percentage disadvantage of the "average blackjack player" (2%). His calculations are referred to even today.

The End of the Griffin Era

Peter Griffin remained an esteemed mathematics teacher at the California State University until his demise in 1998, when he died of prostate cancer at the early age of 61. Since he was accorded the honor of entry into the blackjack hall of fame posthumously, he obviously never had the opportunity of enjoying its benefits or of abiding by its restrictions.