K"Hh TlJlt II davout 86pt/Sf, and Ken Usl on, II ' " gh

Irvi ng Bx-sl oc/fb,oIrer bfac/vllckod Vegas ellS/nos

lor smll}1 l(#tIJfUI WI/It Ihe help 01 II r:ompufef
THEODD5
COUPLE
BY RRY HENNEDY
""
... IO''''''''''"$. &nlting
tIM CIIIfIII4J'" o.II/d lIP ItN In.,,;, COUP.
....w.U$lOlf C/NIIlJf>g ..,. hi. ftoI-' ' oom.
I
(Ii(e i ... II game o( chllnce. Ihen Kcilh
Taft is an :lice in Ihe hole lind Ken
Uston 1$ the J01:er. Dolh pia), blnd-
jlle1: but the ((Wmer IS II dccepth'e
(of ee. undelected. unkno ..... n: the 1:lIIer
o nSlage. in coslUme and guin, (or Ihe
dbow to the nbs. Indeed. shuffled :10)'
which Ihe odds that two ,hs.:. m1-
ilar men would meC'1 .lnd Icam up (or !I
cajX'r thlll dutstcd Ihe Nc\-ad:1 cII\"illOl'
o( SI )O.OOO In aile (ell :'\\\OOP I1IU ... 1 be a
mllion to I .
Consider the eonl".lSts, Kellh Taft IS
-45. rllbc Voho "a) rni5Cd
in the femalC Wilds o( CUI l1.1nk. Monl ,
I-I e is II dttpl )' rclisiom Hapt isi. a dire..:: -
IOf of church eholr'\ and 1101 of
the cur.-.cd wd or demon drin\... St alillch
fruml y man. Iow-kcy. "II
Ihe wily.
Then there i) Ken U'ton. Ue \I.'ould
".lIher split 5s th:ln re\{'al th:ll he is 45, :_
d iscllhure he fccb I1Ilpl de-
I,...IC! from " 111)' hl"tlonislic lifC'-
l!o l )' le," A Bela Kappa Voho majIXcd
III econOllll"'" III Yak . a gI1ldulltC or Ihe
H:lr'l':lrd School and II former
'lockbro1.er , he is bt'U\h. namoo)'anl :Uld
as polygonal :I' the mlrro("!; O\'er the CIr-
culaT bed in his. La) \'!!g.'lS bDChdOf Void,
In \ hort. T:lrt lind 'IOn 11l C' ong-
mal odd couple, Ihe Osc;u Madison :md
Felix Unger of t he grnfell Jungle
The ont cammon Ihal \Ilt"lllncly
drew them IQScther i) II burning ura" 10
C<;Ctl Jll; the , h:H!LlI.'s of the eorpomtc
Voorld, Thec!i\l:ntIlJ 'A hieh t hey h:,,c
ceflJcd IS c\' lden('cd b) then frrcdom-
now re\!!rte). Most oftell . Itko:
nlOOll lllM ovcr thell til" kh,. both men
{lrC' given 10 "h' ldl), rlc:.lIina the tingling
mamcnt when thc)' Vo'cre iil")l b)'
Dame Forlune.
For KCllh Tafl, a :.elf-mught \. "Ompulel
en,mcer no'" linnS In Sunn)'Vldc. Od
if.. the romance beg:an innocentl) cnO\lgh
all a \l. cc\..cnd oUl ing 10 RCllo in the f.lm-
II)' camper. Gambling W:li na t on tile
:lge nda. God forbid' Of" SundtlY, Taft ,
his wlft' Dorol h), and Ihl"1f fo ut chlldrt"n
aT!! more accustomed 10 performing re
liglOIl) IlImlC In ... and oldfoll.l!o
homes. find for Ihem Reno 'Aft ... ) lrtetl )' :1
lOur
1llcn teml)(:uion Upon IC:I\' 1I18
1111 e"hlbll of antique C:lrs,. Tart " 11\ gJ\' -
en a " luck)' buc); -' l okC'1I Ihal good
for a doltllr"li wonh of pht ) II I 1larr .. h' ....
Club. A) ullca")' ''' a nun !X"C\..Ing 11110 a
pool halt. he (".I)Cd the CIIISInO and Ihen,
10 Ihe come-on, \cnlured In-
Mde. Though hi." fell IIke:1 "I..'omplcte IIIr
ke)'." hc wa!> f;t.K'lnalcd by Ihe "Iiller lind
hC':I\' )' act ion. p:micul:lrl)' at IhC' table, of-

67
fennl a bcluili nl ll ltlc' lame caUed blact
Jack, Of" 21, Unfamiliar with Ihe rules. he
,"ked a b) lander to plC'liSe uptain.
Picture ('arm roun! as 10 points, he
WitS lold. Aces IIrc eil her one: or I I. All
O1hu cards arc counled tit face yal ut'.
To begin, !he dealer and thc phl),C'1"$ rc'
('C'iYe IWO ca rds apiece. The player t hen
has the option to pat Of " take II
hil." Ihat b. draw one or more addi t ion-
al card$. The ob)ttl is to achieve I lotal
of 21 poinu.- lhc perfecl hand-or com.:
closer 10 Ihal sum Ihlln thC' dellier does.
If eIt her Ihe player or the dealer ucceds
21. he busu." or loses. If t he pla)'cr
dr1lW1i an ace and a IO-' 'll lue card on lhe
first two cards dealt . Ihal is II " muural,"
or blad;j!lck. and it pays 3 ror 2.
Simple enouah, Taft thoughl, and wi lh
hcart r.tClnz, he sal down at one ofthe kid
lables and toot the lucley'
buck pl unse. On lhe finl deal he drew II
pair of lOs lind On Inc second hand
Ihe dcalerbusled, and he: pocketed anath
er dollar, And on the Ihird h:lod-biaCk-
j ack! " I was $0 excited." Tan ralb.
" lh31 1 loot my S), SO klllina and ran. "
OUIIhe hook WIJ,S SC'l. On Ihe five-hour
drl\'e home . his mind j ugalin, equations
like a UNI VAC in o'erdrive. TaO
uh!olcd thai by kpi ng trock of all Ihc
cards th:1I wefe dcal t, he might be able
10 deVise a mathematical sysIem Ihal
would tip Ihe odds in his favor. " Gen
er.alty,' he SiI)'$. "the problem required
the: kind of IcchnolOJY Ihal I deill! ... il h
in my IJ>ork." In fact. he Ihought , h()\lo'
much easier. faster and more: occumte it
would be.- 10 fet'd Ihe data 10 :a computer
and le:I It eal<:ulat e the bcsl play, Of
course. he the would
nevcr I"Cfmit him IC) plunk :I port able
computet dOlJ>'n on their bfackjad; tables.
But what If ", ?
Th<l l was 10 )'ears "&0. Lust January,
:Iftcr hiS daily half hour session or Bible
reading and pr1l)'er. Taft was back allhe
blackJack I3blc5 in Reno, Onl)' Ihl5 lime
he was a shark in lurke:y'S At one
po;nl. after bumping his bel from S50 10
S200. he drew 3 pair of 4s 3nd, e,'er
IImidly. asleed thc female deakr If. er. he
68
ODDS COUPLE _,""",
Fw " .,.;, .n u hold, 1hWd. IhII
Mtd riHJ "'-". II> .
,- . On.'" hi' VffI9Iy '" .,. UJPtPOTw.
was allo""'ed tosphl the pair-thai is. play
eachcll rd as an individual hund and dou
ble his bet 10 5400. "Yeah. sure, " the
dealer snirred disdainfully, "bul spli n inl
4$ ain't sm:lrt."
It was III truth proround. for no t only
di d TaO know the' cuct number and va l
ues of thc urds rem(liflln in tM deC-K.
he kilt' .... that lhe odds dk t3led Ihal the
dcakr was all but 10 lose.
"'-nd so. when dealt anOll\cr 4, he boldly
rcsplil rOr:1 l04al bet of S600. In
10 Ihe dulcr's mocking , Iare. Tan mC'e'k-
Iy plcaded, " My friend DaVid IOkJ me
Ihllt spl itllng .... S:I good pia),."
He: was only Iclline the 11Ulh, David. as
in DaVid \'5, t he: C".a.sino Goli:Hhs, is whnc
Tafl calls tht spaceage microcompuIer
and battery !Ct. (;Ich aboutlhe sizc ofa
deck of cards, Ih31 were hidden i n pock
ets scwn into the hl&/l-waisted IIIhletic
suppofler that he was wearina. All ldon&-
by u ing his biA I()C:$ 10 manipulale II pair
of s"'it chcs that IJ>'e.re eonnttled 10 Ihe
computer by copper wires nlnning dov.'J\
Ihe insides or his pants leas, he had been
" inputlin&" the:! \-alue of each card as it
In turn. thecompuler. whi rling
Ihroug,h 100,000 caJeul:llions a
" I old" Taft Ihe best pas ibfe play by
means or a lappi ng dcvi bUIlt huo Ihe
instep of his len shoc,
In Ihls iOSI2ncc: . respondi ng with" $C.
ries or short and lon8 taps similar to the
dol!; and dashes or thc Morse code, 0:1'
\id dlrecled hinllO; lsupl ap (qU3druple
his bel) and rllllllp-11I88p-lflltllp(spl i t) and
11.p(hilj and , .. ap (lt3nd).
True to the law of
T"n's adaAt'" Ihal "one tap Is worth II
t housand words"-the dealer, drawing 10
a 13. pullw a 101100 busted. "'Mister.M
said, shoving a stack of 5100 chips
aI Tafl. " you may be d umb, but you Sure
lucky." TaR beamed. palled Ihe com
put er purrin, warmly apinsl his slom
ach and ,ushed, "Oct. "",,'OW, I dunno. I
j usl had this sut flinS- "
Ken U$\on first 1(11 Ihill sf/ttial ret'l-
ing for the same: of blad;jack one glim-
me:rinB afternoon while toolit\ his MG
:.cross the San Francisco-Oakland Bay
Bridge. AI Ihe li me he was a senior vice-
preslden! of Ihe PlcirK: lock Exehange.
and bored-so bored that he !r.l\'ef'S('d
the bridlC cach lunch hour to praclicc
playinl blad;jack in a rundo .... 'n bunga-
low ..... llh II leam of " countcn," pro(n-
sional ,amblers ""'ho employ a card-
C<)\lnting )'Stem Ihl'll a\tt:mpIS In 00
mentally what computer docs elec-
tronically, It was no Idle diversion: aft er
weeks ofintensc pract ice. USlon plllnncd
10 ;oin the lealll ror rull-scale assauh
on the Eldorddo of gambling. Las Veps.
On the afternoon en QUCS1kln. 0$100
" I'd JUSt had a Md momina .... 'Ith
Ihe board of &O"'emors. done my u)ual
sycophant nuntbcr and ""35 feclinadown.
8 uI as I crossed the bridge Ihal anec
noon. I JOt 10 ' hint ini 300m where" r d
been and where I was ioing. And sud
denly it hil nit'. lIey. Ihh i .. just like
lion: ill guy!> plolt ing \0
out .... i l \he " cps bigg,ics at tlldr O'A 1l
pme. This coukJ be m chance 10 bU'lI
OUt or my Brooks Urothcrs monke)'
Thai WlLS In 1914, Thf"n' Olonth5 ago
USlon into the nC' w In
It'rnll1iorllll HOIe:1 in AIWIll Ie"
Clly-bul nOi so :lOyane \\,ould nOlICC' ,
Ali the maslC'rmi nd or hi s own tellOl or
" Mr, lJiackjad :" was r laYll1g II
10 .. ' profIlC'. Or prcciscly. riC\> pro-
file, His bC'ard \\,':&s sprayed gny, and he
was wnnn" a WI&. "Coke bot
Ile- "asses and:a sllid !>UII 'A hh
Shrinu's pin in Ihc l::Iprl. IhC' bene r 10
pass himKclrorr a .. Dr, John
a welIlloning J'Sychi:nrisl from l)h()(' nI.lL
- nakina o lf a clbino SCI.) into your
blood.- says USlon/ Wuc;o;trm:II1, "but
)'OU' VC JOt 10 h;l\'C' 3 co"cr 3Cl ,"
Thin ttn (bys 1;lI cr. 31 9:45 p.m, on
Jan. )0, Uston finished 4 Ionl round 01
thC' Il'Ibies und . .. C'ighlC:d do ..... n
wi\h S43.000 \n chip". went 10 l::'I<;h in,
AI l he cashier's cage he \\0' 11.5 Sl opped by
six casino hcm\'lcs. am: or hom pro-
duced a pi ea- or paper rrom 'A hich he
read in an ic), monOlone:
" I rtJ)fC'Se"t Ihc landlo rd or Ihe prem-
i:cs, and I am informi". lOU that you
.re considered 10 be II prorcssional cnrd
counu:r and)'ou flrC flOt allowed 10 pm
bit al 1111,)' blaCkj3d:. Itlbk In l,hl S
I( )'011 atlempl 10 gamble :u a blackjack
lIIb1e. you win be considered a disoukr
I)' ptrson and evicled rrom thc casi no, Ir
you I IC evlclcd and return. I will h:.\'c
you ror u'('Sp3SSi n.s- Ir you re
rmln rlom gambl ing al any
Are \\'ekOme 10 p:l n ici patc in
I n), ochcr &arne a lTered by Ihe casino,"
Wekome 10 Atlant ic Cit y.
In all. wh:1t Uslon calls lhe: Tuc.)(lay
IS.lII Massacre resulted in the b;uring
of 22 susplcd counlers, S\\oping os II
was. thc b:m WIiS 001)' Ihe 181CSI Stopgap
aUcmpl by ICSllliltd g:l mbhng 10 ward
otrlll.h reat that one Uu VCplo casino op-
eralOf 5:l)'S is "by rll r Ihe nI()!; 1 seriotr!;;
problem facing lhe indu)U)' todaY,"
The issuc h. ide open. There i$ not h
ing IlIc13l aboul playinl a s)'\lem in
bl:u:kJUCk or in :In)' OI hC'r C"'ds; no Bamc,
On the eOfltmry. for )e1lfS Ihe I'l1nin& Es-
Ihe pr::Ict icc as the
o P!:lIe of Ihe elC'mally l;ullible, The o ne
Ihing about :1 sySlem pluycor, Ihe old ell
sino solyinB goes. is Ihlil he will lose his
mo nc)' \)'Mematic .. lly,
No .... that (he aAiom has broken do\\,n.
Inc arc crying and lhe
pro 3re ' Rco\oll!" Sc"
eral C'OUnl ers taken 1c:pl aCl ioo on
Ihe grounds Ihat the c:t!;inos h:wC' 1'10
morc r ighl 10 bar a skilled player l lun
hll\'e 10 Ixlr ;I guest o n IhC' of
SCll; or religion. Banish,,-d morc lin1<,'$ th:l"
e\'cn he can counl , Uslon hlls Mkd eight
casi nos-the DunC$, S3nds. Hil lon, fI:I
mingo, Marina. MGM Grund. Sih'er CilY
li nd Holi day Ri"erbo;tl- ror II 101al of
SSS million, The Dunes and S::Inds have
Sl:u k'd OUI of court, ond Ihe olhel C".lses
arc pending. lasl )'ear. to
charges Ihat USton w::as botrred by thc cu-
solely he "d id 1101 loo;e hi\
mone,)' quil e as fa .... 1 U10 most 3
feder-oil cuun in Las Veplt t 'AU
of h iS on t he grounds th:1I Ihe
of Nevada IS nOI obllgaled to force ,,' ;I'
sinos 10 card counlers 10 pl:l)'.
Ix"Claring " I'm o n a UltlOn
halo cngaged a htgh powcrtd Icg:ll learn
and 10 "COlT)' Ihe bail ie 011 the
way 10 Ihe Supreme ourl . if
sary," are rumblings Ih:u Ih('
cml Tmdc Commission may tokc .. c
lion Ihc c:tsmos for J)O!1o"l ble
::I nlitrultl \' lOlalions. Thc Arnericun CIV.
il Libtrlib nion h:.s goltcn invoh'cd,
And 3 deren)<' rund and na
lional ;issoci ulton llrc be Ing formed 10
tight on a uniled fronL ' ''The COnlro-
,'c: rsy." Ouioo. a gambling nude
papcr, " may prove 10 be- a ruse Iowly
burni ll& loward t hc biUest ellploston
in Ihc h istory of k g.'11i 1. ed ganlbling."
rominUftJ
69
h" ' l" ,J.I
'.l onun, a RC"-"l' , t.cI" ..... ttJ rtlt . "rgLll"
th. ,1 Ihe '" Ia" <..,>" Ih:n C":I'IJ"I('"
IlId lilk " f ,' hanlC Il ul ... 11<.'11 ""UI1
tl!" J IC .IIIOl.I l'tJ h' It hc:,;olll l!, :,
}I.llne "I ,"111 nll"l' I, 110 l u ... "HI/hed "
.11 hc.,1.lh., 1 lk fellw " UrH."' " "'lletl
Ihe 1I.,d,I",,,,,1 .. 01 III\'
;" "I't!I"l h mll k", II1;m P. II . }/",,' of
man,hl /, and f: m rb} ' "l .,nc, ..... ,u.:h
I.", .:" tl .. , J' h ,lIer. ,\ It II free
I">< ""l' Itll'I1'Ufl' I h.1I " Iud"' '''c . " I, the
':" ... m,,' :lpj"'\: .. r 10 be , n;, 'll' ... lIl .: .,nll,L
'-' lIh rouhhl' "l'lIlltm "" If L ... tun ;mJ h"
.... '0(.','11' III J' 10 ha\(' on Ihel r
... ,J ... . " ,;mJ /hr \ CM ) or1 I /I/In in '1I.t"
tH",';11 ctlum al ,,a,tll'l1 " I f Ill ,'
Ju mil :.JIIIlI ,matt p\;')C" J, ... 1:11 J ,
. ... hc" ', I hc
-": ut m Ih .. :--' C' IIJ.I ca"n ... TtWH le
1.1.;,1 nul " a .... 1II.,hl) fun) p,n1." "f Iq{
l':llke ' c,;,,1a " T:l I Il1("
,1" .1 lSI In r3n. " ' la iC'" Ihal ("a, ml}'>
'" tWH' ;1 In kccr ffL1 J1l Ihl'H T'lem
IW" per ... on ... "nu ... n \" Ihrm I() he U\IIII'
le,, 1 H. thr I nll"C"" of Itlc 'i1;IIC uf '\ic
,,,lI .. ," I.f t,("cn'l 'd 01 bolt. ..
III "L ll t l "' unt. . .. tIllC Ihe 'LJl l' of N("
'ad:. 1< 11\ on Iht" (";Nnn aCl lo n . ....
-"
0005 COUPLE "0""",",,
I, '"11111111,,,1.
L'uml"l\./,d .... \
O r a, nile I" l uncn'
IC}l.I ll ..... . mll f jll .... " I h(" 'I.U
utL . "' II' , " ' " giUlh. .tnd ... \' 11 J.llllil ... \'1 1
Ihl"'" ,'UI ... hn "' l' " ie,,"\!.' '"
l ft'utllt' '''. In'''1 hl:K"la .. p[:, ).
cr OJUI II ' ... lI d, lu ..... 'l11l c\t,'m It I' III
Iht' lI:rI Ufl' (I f Illl' \:an1l' . ;11111111:111\
"f1" ,al , "".H Ih." I hl' .. k'ul Ihe
fIll l., rtJ Lu " I1I'I1j; .. ... ,11
""' J rc off .11(' p l ump hl1 l.: , ,,11 who al l'
\ h.: ".,ph: or Ihe IIltIU"f} " If I Ih , o.; "
VII I t"uunk .... . Imc '::"'11 ,n;II:'I'\' r.
. I"J Ih w ... . IUI 01'111> bU'lfle,,"-
In .1 hllltl . (.I' In(' ('(\'c u'
11\('\ al(" .t,lldrd ,n Ih!.'tr 0r lnul n ,I ....
1("111 " C,,J ',. ",:' ',I)' \Jnl'
. JI1' C'I;, [ ... hlll' PJ'''L''' Ih .... h!.' :1\c, h,' , ("hllol
"" The t..:Uel the punllc pIa)'. Ihe 11" ,1'::
pia} a ni.l Ihl' more' "' c "'"1' r rUlh
be: lol d. a, ,,' n!Ul t"' jlu. (".u d
,:oull l ln,ll IIF-hL ur Ihe'H' \\I lh 1'1( ....
J"Ccling for 1M Ihe EHrg.l.ld .. " ,\ ,
i .. the fi"t '0 pomL 0111. " Ful ... , .
(Jill' o f !lie. Ihel l' :I re Ij{)
C\ .ulller'" I", nmn(") .
Alld Ih,IU-': llId, mUTC "' ho .. ,<: l u/t'd 11\
g.J1I1t" t-,,:.IU\("" uf buo1-:. (Jm"
T/l 11fJ uf., .,l w(' I / /ol'< r o \\ /fl. Kt"n
C,lon. .. ( :htnf>. " The Fa mN,"s
II ... ", ... h ould 1('l'Op'''l' Lh' lI l'ald
Inl'! h .. , l.:fI.',lIed lTlurt" pl;tH'r,
,,"d In, r,.!-<J pr(Jlu, all VUI of prur",r
11f'1I Thl' (1,' ", Illu) el' \\ hI! .IIt" l" :111) ef
Ie,', a"':I)' \t"I) h li le. t>UI Ihl' (:I"'"
noo. 10 1lt"1 I I ,I II ilia) Ln" .. nge'l Il1l'
t>, rl.ln/:I ..
Lhal me .. ,urc. (" 'l'n Lhl'
""ht H'mm.'11 Jdcn-< , ' OUII '
. I."r, r:l rly or .. ... [hI.'
tJc:d"" - h.I'" ,,. ,hl)rt Cominll'
l('u nl .. Il'(IS'-' o f an,J
hen,'" h" r-'J!,'mial ,ld' a"'ajH. '"l,("" ......
111 r, ur'l" I 11111 I" Ih(' II luntx:r of L;,rJ, Ih. IL
arlO pla>cd. man) ,huOk .. t tht"
,h!/.hl('" h mt II1"L Ihefe ".11'1.) III ttwi!
nlld" .... l m, llIll .... ' :Ift" r h.md Hut
that" d ull) I1l\\e con,uming. T("du':c.:,>,nc
d (""letJ of IOf I h:md, an huw "}
Iialf III mure. :mlll.1) olhcc! I."U' I OIllCfJo :lnd
\\ h.I1 tJlle de"ll" Ihe' II""
("ommandml' nt of Ihe [lit .... " Thou ,h:\11
' 101 rrulong Ih(" n:lIUJ,,1 I rJn,kr of 1: .I \h
from 'hI.' 10 the ,.
....):.!l rJk ...... Ih(" , h ume I, .. " PH"
:llc1l1 Ih;1I Ihl' ""'''' Jer"",) Ca'inu ("un
Irul IMII ur IH: '"
rutlllJ>' I ' n J:III IlmL III)' (1\ 11) th"' ;" I",J
Ihc practlct" bUI tll\O P'CC:L plI:l l C' d the
T ue...Jay Sl lthl FII't . Ihe (om'
ml"Ion J l.'c: rrl'd tl1:11 Ihl' deaJcr\ had til
de;\1 iI mmlllUl1l\ \If I'" o- tl\ll t!, of ... a)
Int o Ihl' " ,hoc.'."' :1 dC:lhng dC"lCe Ih.1I
LI' O 0 1 mill'" Jech. bc:fol e
nUli! Alld w':tllld. II dlfcctnl Ih.tT dc:.II
l'n Ix' c h:IIl!/.ed:.t Ihe I.'ntl "f
IhclI 'hi fh. Ihu, flICI \'mlnjo: Ihe
Pr:'l'ICl' Ilf ' ''' ,lcluIIS d(":l I(' I \
pfel'::11\ for
Wo, tllhat Allant lC e ll ) .... , ,\lld t>c " .. !!.
illS Ihe ...... "1 g:' ml.' I n Ihe .... )rld .. "II 1";\11
the l'OUl1I l'r jlr" lloC1If\l'
and It. .... " " '''del!.'nl) fou nd u\.C.'11 ho',
lilt-: "h;I1 ,lIIltl unl cd 10., c"unll."r, 1. 0'"
\1'11 ' "'11 Bu. rl.,,11 '" III th ...
Inc of .. r\,J
cl ll,cd ... II .. Ul1 T \ "ch:lw ,':lnK' m, . lh ...
k'01.. dt " . n nn Ihc !lanllng thmu!=h
.1 ,'f Ul1l""',I) I hl' LI'I'
nl", rClfCl' '' a .. .tom,: ", ('lI1l' counl '
,'f 11 ... " ... n . '''to h;ld (.0 '" .. Ollnl
l'''' III Illomh 01 "':I}' \. ", .
'un . .. all\lllI .... dTeel on \lUI ]-I", ... ,"c" .... 1.
'Uo.. l,II1I1.,1 .
\\ I,,'" ('/"llrt\,! II", 11., .. ,,,,11
"i .'''lIl1a' til Ihl' j!.lmlllt! ctJ mml ..... It ' n.
( h.llrman J' ....... rh I urJI :lIIO"'l'J Ihal " III,
"".1mml"" u n J .x ... nUl halt \t,IIIJarJ,
un Ih\' "'1I!-Jl".: 1 ,II Ih ... 1101\' TIll" "::,,,,'"
., ...
Ihertfore. rr 10 develop o ..... n !>Inn-
iliu(h." Wilhin . Co. "' cr(
non y.u:. anlt the 01>100 W1IS
busil)' rC'ad : Wi: MOU\' I
IIIL klC, 1I 1 10 U. CLI IJt I'ItOH.)'" J'AL CAIIIl
("tM fRO" I"l..\V AI ooa "'-"'('):JACK I,,
" l1l1"oiC'ally." counlcrC'd U,ton. "II
mC'aM. resC'r'\'c IhC' ngtu 10 e.xcludt
",,inners. ..
,
n II qU=lndary. Ihe Jllmlngcomml'iSIOn
t;Ch('dukd he:armgs in an atl('mpi to
..... orl. OUI addinillOn Qrthc u:rm "pro-
f(',"'lonal counltr." ThC') mlshl j usl
..... coll try ror II tidy ICg:J1 ddnhion or
pornogmphy. ,' \ Commi"iont'r Alben
Merck (1)<;(:,,;,.-.; . " We.' h:ue 10 bamllce a
lot of Ihi np . Wc wan! lhe 10
make bUI :11 Ihe salll(' IIm( I don',
Ihml. lc\cI of skill should be banned."
Clun& Ihe c:xample or thai
shirt t heir ft'nCn 10 accOmmod:lle Ihe
)\rC'ngIM 0( IhC' lr hllle:rs. Merd. SUUC'St$
Ihm Ihere mighl bt' some ..... ay 10 tinker
wilh lhe- blaeij;lck f\110 to sal ish' allll'l' -
l ies conc<rned.
Addi ng insult to incursion. lhroughout
Ihc COn lfO\'C'I'S)' Uiton m:unl:iincd I
C:imp in Room \ 022 al Reio()Jl$ and. on
:in C' k uk t)'pC'\Io rilC'r provided by IhC' ho-
tcl. poundcd OUI mcmOS 10 Ihe
commission. chargi ng the cu:!oi no wilh
priCt" gauging. 1\."Chniques"
und Ol hcr offcnscs. such as forcin& the
crowds of pl aytrs 10 bel abm'c
IhC'lr .. ds by makins "full y 85% of thC'
bllK'kjad: tables 125 minimum."
In his crusadC'r's robes. Uston also
pushed for "an C'n" ironment in
which skillful pi a)' IS viewed in :I pas-
ili"e way mt her Ihan beinG j udg(d a
funhe. C'\len quasi-c.ti minal pursuit:' He
re:lli:t.cd ha w rdreshing it was 10 play
"OUI in Ihe o pen." he: says. afltr ht' fai led
Iht' ttSl. Seems Ihal on U$-
100's w: ry firs t day in IhC' casi no one: of
IhC' pit bossts $.3w Ihrough his ps)'C'hi-
' IriSt 'S and ICI it be known Ihal Mr.
8lad.,jaek in lown,
USlon, Not only ""'as thc "wi, 100 ilchy
an}"4'rt)'" bul IhC' unv('ilinl gave him Iht'
chanet' \0 play Ihe t hrillinr. rol( of
IU: himself.
If nothing the M:rn..'tcrc: focused
allcmion on a shado .... 'Y subculture. one
thut glvC'S to t .... 0 key qut'Stions; HO\\'
man), counlcrs arc Ihere:.
and hOVo' mut h do they ""'In'? The COlIn
ten; thcmseh'($ claim thai are no
72
0005 COUPLE _,,-,
more than SO or 0;() of their numbel .... ho
Win s(lio us lIlunc)' ..... lth any con:!ohu:ncy.
8 uI Rob Griffin. presicknl of Grimn In
\ C5I1KUllom. a detecl i,'C' ligen y th .. 1 !<Cr
\ ice!> 30 casinos and maimalllS an mf;,
mous "black book" of some !.SCM)
phOlOJr.lphic on chcab and
counle". estlm:IlCS Ih:u thcrC' lire " 100
lonown major leaJu( countcrs and pr0b-
ably another 100 \\,'ho :Ire undclted.
Thc IMI II.' I greedy come 10 our 111-
Thc ones Ihm a rc contel\t lO \loin
$300 10 S400 a day ",iShl go undctcclcd
ror }C&I'\."
for " how much?" ResorlS sa thm
in January liS bbcl;jad: ..... Werc cut in
h:llf. or !lOme S80.000 to S 100.000 I d:l) .
110 .... much of Ih3\ wu.'> causcd
by the: posthohd:IY lull and ho\o' much
by Ihe ) ktlls of Ihc counlCIS is indeler
n\l n4bll:: . HO\lo c,"cr. Uston orrcn: onc
),arcisllclo; he s,,'t) Ihal nnd h\'e
leamm:u(S won SI45.000 in thell I)-<b y
ning beforc the boom was lo\IouC'd. Un-
bdnownSi 10 Resorts... IWO or
confedcr,tt& dt'IC'Cl ion and
played on until thC' lum broke cilmp on
FC'b. 22. ncuing an addit ional S30.000.
()veran. Osten ('ilirnatC$ Ihat
win up to SI million annually In Ihe U.s.
For Ihe fi \'e years he has been on IhC' ci f'
euit . playing in Ihe U.S .. the Bahamas.
Aruba. Panama. Mncao and in Ihe ma-
jor in Europe. USlon claims Ihal
he and Ihe 40 or so lOP playe rs th3t hC'
has learned with ha\'e " 'on 53. 4 million.
Evcn l ilowina ror Ihe penchant of
&amblcrs 10 uauernte. the filures nrc
Ihc Io:ind that compel casino spolo:amcn
li ke Nort on. engagina in II lillie hyper-
bole orhisown. tu sa),. " If cou01en arc 11-
IowC'd to pia), in Allanl k City. it ""iII be
economic suicide." The fael thai RC100rtS
has somehov.' ma naged to alooa
on IvC'ragc daily re\'C'nu of $663.000.
or triple: Ihe Hl kc or lhe larlest Nevada ca
sinos. calls to mind another
maxim: ne"n bel on any thine Ihat lalb.
Fact i\. a pmblin.J fever is upon lhe:
land. The IfOSS revC' nun for all NC' vad<i
casinos laJt year ",,'C' fe a rord SI .IS bil-
lion. up 21.6% O\'ef 1971. And there is
no doubt as 10 lhe: spark for Ihc boom.
It'$ bl8ckj3ck, which has surpassed craps
10 bttorne Ihe most popula! cuino &arne
by a runaway marlin. (Ntr 'he past d
ade in Nevada, the: gross re ' enl.KS
year from Ihe: game: have incrc:asn1 from
t1 17. 3 million 10 SS19.6 million. II
gro .... lh of mor(' I han 400':1. In Reno Ihe
number of bl:K'kjllc\: labk:s h3$lripled 10
2.700 10 the past d3dc.and
M'min::n':\o tcaching card-<:OlJnlinA
ha\'C' opened in 10 nlajor ei tfcs aro und
IheU.S.
Thc highlY addicll ' C' appeal of black-
jack i< Ih:t1 il is Ihe only cllsino gamr
thai can Ix consistC:OI ly bc .. te:n by Slmt-
('8)'. Thai j( oc"C'.JUSC' it nOl subject 10
the law of mdcprndcn\ trl3ls... II n13th
('matial edici me:anin& th:" in games Itle
cr .. ps. rouleuC' and k(oo. one pia)' IS un
rdated 10 IhC' ncxt. ForC':(Implc. thc odds
thai a cnlpshootcr will roll a 7 I In 6-
And thou'" II .shooter milht roll
7s III 3 ro\\'. the odds thut he Will do
asain on the cighth roll are still I In 6.
jusl liS thc}, .... C're on each oflhe: o;cvC'n pre-
roth. As thcy say III the: pits. the
dkC' ha\:(: 00 mC'mof)' .
Ul a<"kjack hands. hOVo'evcr, are \'el')'
much dcpendclll n what C'..rd.s ha\'c: :il-
ready been pI3)'ed. and Ihe odds fOI or
.. ", inst the: pl:i)'C'r tl!,tCtU:itc accordin.dY.
Nelli 10 aces. no atrds :lfe bcne
hcial 10 IhC' playcf Ih:," .. he l o-.. nl uC'
C3rds-j:tC.ls. quC'.C'ns. kill8 Ind the lOs
thcmse:hn. Primarily. that is beC':'usc the
rull:) rC'quire the duler tocominue dra",,-
ing umi l he has a lolal of 17 or morc.
Thus. whC'n IhC' deck is " hoc:' 01' rich in
10\':l1ue cards. it is to the pl:t)e.rs ad
,' .. ntagc loslandon a "szitr'(l nyhand 10-
taling 12. 11. 14. 15 or 16) and lei the
de:i lcr toke the ril;k of dro ..... inl one 0(
the 10-\'8Iuc cards and bustina. In such
inslanCCS. lhe playe, 's ad\'an13ge o\ 'er the
house ca.n riJ(: 10 5% or mol"('.
One of the first to diS('()\'cr. codify I nd
('a!toh in on Ihi!!. suuislical windfall 110'&$
Dr, Edward Thorp, the pfather of
counlers. In 1961. whcn he ..... as a 28-
)'ear-old math professor at MIT. Tnorp
an IBM-704 compuler 10 plumhIhc
mYSlcries of l.he 34 million di fl'crr nt com
binali on.s in whk h Ihe cardscan be deall.
His concl usion: livcn" Mt limil ofSSOO.
the: !JI1ll(' cOUld be ('on5IslC'nll y bel len at
tht fatc of SI2S an hour.
Thorp had II fat bt'1IC'r ,elum ..... hen.
... 'hite fick1-leninr. his system in Late i a
hoc. he and ooc of his 1"'0 millionaire
backC'rs won SI7,OOO in Ont' tWO-hour
..... hirl. And when h(' fCVC8Jc:d all in his
1962 beSl.wller. Beal Iht- {}tal!":r, Thorp
btcamc to blae:kjack ..... hat Einstein IS to
reI3ti \'1ty. In no tim<'. his book was the
trIOlit-req\KStC'd volume i n the las Vep!to
torNonuftf
It ItS(' cmmming to m:btcr , bot
counte:rs pnK"Iict' daily ""hh nash card"
mumbling 10 " When do you
Ii i u pair of 90s? Whe: n the dc,iIle:r "
howin, an),lhln, from 2 109 but r.m 7."
Q. What b yO\lr bQa play I f )0\1 h." e:
I}!"drof 7s,Ig:Jl nsl Iht' 10'
A. !-Iii In Las Vtsas, stand In Iht'
h,unO'und surrender In At lantic Cit y.
docs nOI ml'an tt1e counter
hould IUm hi msclr in to the
, 1J. "lRk II is bUI of houw rul",
lh<:l l vary widel y. and .. nr utT1 th\'
Stratci)', In Atlanltc Cil)' thc
p13)'Cr i$ ol lo""'td 10 rold hi' hand and fOf
feit one h::ilf of his bel before: thc dc;llcl
t httk$ his own do\I.- n c:11d to scc ir he
h:'5 blad;Jac.k. Called ur ly ) urrtndcr. \I
is Il<M to bt confused ""ilh eOtwel'l l ional
SUr'l'Cndcr. five variations on doubling
(IOwn or the: Myriad other adjusullenls
the a)lInttr must IC:lrn to make If he: i<
l03void p n, homc in a barrel .
"JlMo:n comes Ihe 1'C311y h:ud p.1tl - ac
wally playing. Mall Y :IfC the counters
whO h-:.vt: perfe(: led thar systems I t home
onJ)' to tum into bumbling idiots when
rnl money i .. on the line. It II unique
!rilin of Stecly-t.ycd i nfighltr 10 survi\'c
the suspi ion, fmilUC, hoslile
de'"lcrs .nd. worsl of 11 11. inevi table los
In,.$I(caks. Ifhe doc:ssurvi\'e-ifhc doc)
not make the' common. f:ll31 misllIkc of
t rying 10 recoup loss by uceedins the:
bet limit by bis bankroll - then
and only then the t'otIntcr may IIchic\'c
his 1001 of turn in, t he 1.5% adv-.I nt .. ge
the hOLlse has o\'cr the ;I\er .. gc player
into;l adwntlli.e fOf himself.
PrO'-'ided. lhat house: is not play-
inl 1he more and re\engeflJl.
pIne of needn, Ihe lIeecer. To I man.
t.he daim thai the e:asinos arc
Ruill)' or 11 11 manner of dastardly taco
li($ includin, OUt -and-out che:uin8- Of
CO\Ir$e. such acc us.:lli ons arc onl y that.
and make .. colwenient n cuse: for los
In&- And. JuSt II$' \'chemenlly, the r.Kl nos
den)' Ihal they would risk losi n, their Ii
by doinl all)"\hinl undern'\JId,
St iJI. charges of st:ld:cd decks, phalllom
,shumes. doclored drinks and oou!O(" " me-
cMnks. .. or crookcd de3krs, art so orte:n
bc=3rd lhat the cloud linters. In hi:;. book
Your Iksl Ik" Mikt Goodman. a fOf"
Ilkr Las Veps C'3Sino manager, ea5ua1ly
admits thDI. btfore a cr.K:kdown. some
of lhe Nevada casi nos rout inely removed
Io-value ards from " for yeaD."
ODDS COUPLE _m""
The:- C:b UtO!. know their quarry') h3b
Ib well: eonccnw.t t lon. d:ll1 illlil
and- Ihe belling
p;Utem,. To compensat e: , the a)lInleri
11m ); " fooll .. h "co\'cr bC' ts" 3nd cngage In
more e:vl\si ve: 3e1l00 .. lhan a
Indeed. for the hooked, thc: 100(lgue "
part of the high, no mi.Sl:.tl.e. ,,"01'
blinB !lupcrel.cl li n,." Tafl. II blaet
Jack subculture UOIO htmself
B
orn Kt"uh
Jr . raft remember) httlc ofhl)
father , c:xccpt 10 \:I )' , " Well.
Ihe first lime hto Yo'tlS In prison
h;ld w mct hinB to do Yo'il h :oelJin, vndr
airplane enllnf.. .... thmug,h
mails. The nexi lime ..... as for rum' lun-
ninlil." Taft s su:pfalher, whou surnarnt"
he lbsulI1ed, ... 3S n m31h teacher 31 UI
Junior High. and )'oung Keith ... a)
Ihe ne:lrSightt'd kid who fOl'C'\'u
buildin& born})) in chem la b ilnd .. hock
109 leachcrs by heM wlrlng the ir
room He hummed around
lown in a three whet!1 electric car of hiS
own dt':Sign tha t 11 looding Cli -
h,\l1S1 mJ)C borrowed from a church
0r&3 n. He also built a st ubby win! :ur
pl3ne: ..... ilh an outboord motor that made:
it OUI of the p rage and down the drive
way but, alas. got off Ihe !found.
" I was 3 real weirdo," he says.
While: altcndinlil COOCOf'dia College In
Moorhead. Minn .. TlIft designi It blinlp
in whie: h he planned to
t he: earth. Instead, aOer cradu!u ion. he
wenl b:ICk to Montana to leac h hiah
schoo ph)'sil:s and mu:s.ic, and build \I
proteMYpe oflhe firs t snowmobile. 3 hUle.
growling. 13nklikt" thinlil that " aliened II
neighbor's fenee, " I couldn' t &<'t il OUI
or 8ear.- he S3ys. E\,cntu:tU)' he
look an e: ngincc:rina m3nager's job Yo'itb
RIYlheon and in 1967 moved to Sun
nY\"3k. whtch is 40 ,niles soulh or San
Francisco in the be:an of "Silicon Viii
ky," so ailed becau!>t' or t he: conccn
tratioll of electronic finns in the area.
Then C'.une Ihe fmeful lueity-buc trip
to Reno in 1969. More than !I..S 3 handy-
man's ninlil. Taft viewed his secret black
j ack proje:ct ;u :1 "new fronl kr, a ch3nee
to break OUI of lin increasi nBly part i
tioned world. Whate\'er OUleome. I
fd l I could justify a ll Ihe work ilwoh'ed
by Ibe tecbnic31 kno .... ll!dgc I would pin.
Cel1:1inly, makin, additional moocy Wa!>
:1 SlfOI1li1 mot\\':tlion but only insof:IT 3) "
wuuld buy my fr<:c:'dom to become whal
I'\'c :11W:fY' wanle:d I n be-all " wcnl or.
t'311 11 3 W:Jlter Mill Y dre':J m. bul I \II ....
Ihe: gambling computer :1\ 10)' bridlte to
Ihe Independent life."
Ikcausc: he W3'!1 'Mnkllli under "" mp".
TaO h:td to tnch hy u\hllil the
computer nl"l1uah like recipe For
lite: bcller P.1r1 of hHt ) ean Ite hi)
... ed:endS and In an upo.;luir.
bedroom. Icsting. ploll ing and -.ol -
dcri ng more lh:m 2.000 liny jollU:o.. Tmin
111& SCMiOC\) wcrc eq uall)' Wh,le
dm' ing. Taft plu)'cd hccn-.c pl:lu' hlttel
JBck by WIggli ng bl lil 10C"i 10 ford
the numbcr\ on eBrs. f amily
memlx'rs too\( turns de:\ling him mOfe
Illan 10.000 the dintnB room 1:1'
bae while pla)'ed t hei r rod
rC'Cord) al full blb t 10 slIllulllle the recl
of II recurring problem: the
10,000 tOC movt"me:nts requi red for an
eigbt-hour :!CSSion of plll Y him pain
ful Sml hn, Ihrough, he :1110\10' 5
Ihat " Ihe Ihrill of \' iet orY is
tempered by Ihe aaony of de feel ."
Taft c:ll lcoJ IllS fif)\ computer Gcorge':
1\ ..... as II \.ind orCro-Maa.non forebear of
I);l\' id. His milial sal udon to the prob.
km of Gcor&C's output Yo'asas in
gcnious as iI was complc:(. WOf'kina Yoilh
the .,recision of :. WlItchmaker, he insert
ed :!I row of scve: n liny lighl'emining oJi
odes into the rr'3me or hi, blaclc horn-
rim eyeglasses jUj t abo\'e lhe:- right k:n).
The diodes connected to thc com-
puter by II fi ne ..... ire: thai W;l!i combed
int o his h:.i r and rUIl down baCk of
hh collal . When all the: diodes R;bh;: d
on-sl al1d, When lhey :111 011'-
hit , And so Oil . through:a color-coded sc
rics 0( winkin, liplS tlllil cOYCl'Cd the
rongc ofbcttina :md playi n, opt ions.
Filltl l1 y. in early 1972, Tan W3li ready
to plug all the ('(l mponlenlS logcther for
a shakedown trial. like: some suburban
Dr. he: turned on the juice
Bnd stood in v,,'onder as his p:ttch .... ork
creation bl inked to life and re.spondc:d
perfect ly to his every COftl mand. " I' ve
1\C\'er been so t hri lkd." be says-
Uut Gcorie WliS a sure
enough. A( the time:. the Siale 0( com-
puter al1 was such Ihat what Taft had en
\'isioned II. II lighl. unh turned
OUt \0 be a I S pound mas., of bmssen-
C'.tSed computerwa re, nk kel-cadmlum
banery IXU:b, lisht:.;. cuble:) anoJ
wires. Suitl up. with the v,,'hol e rig fi t-
,w"i" ..... J
77
led mlo an ' Ipron lmt! Iru,-.cd to In, Uppel
bod)' by an bandage, he looked M,\.'
o( SlIl r IVan..
Ew: n 0;0. tilt S)'Slems go, -.ct OUI 10
lap Nc .. -ada in 3. lICries of v.cdcnd fOf'
ays... Though j illef)' and limping bec-dUSC'
of lOC f:niguc. ""enl largciy unnoliccd
he dr!lggt"d himself through the 1:<. '
s1nO\ wi lli the IS pounds or :tddcd bul\.
pulsi n, bc'neath hiS OUISI;r.C pea COOL He
renlls, " I fclt likc I was nine months
prcgnant"-and re;:Jdy to del iver. Ac-
cordina to Inc meti culous notes he kCPl ,
pulse ml e dropped lKlow 110
""' hill.' playing..
N
01 10 worry, Rinsed " 'ilh t01;l1
recall, Inc magic machine was
a born con anisl. 11IDI i!o. if II
pil boss was leroing m. il
,:-ooled lhe " hcm" by dictlll ini winning
pial'S Ihal ",,'cre so smingly
siand on II 12 apinst II 10, hil a hard 18.
split a pair of lOs-as 10 no dis
cernible "..lIe-rn OIhC'r Ih3n dumb luck,
Moreo\'cr. the compuler ulso sus
pl.c.ion by fruing Tart for tM kind of ehil -
chal lh:1I would !ohatl er Ihe cOf1CC'ntrnlion
ofa counler,
"It s juse a fun piece of equipmenl ."
Tan, who once il a (un quC$
lion: How much ve )'ou Amwer:
lhe computer sivn the pla),er :l 2.5% ad
vantage the: house. or nearly double
the: ""' in potential of lhe professional
coonter. " And during tht shuffte," Taft
adds.. " il'lI do your horoscope. "
All Taf,' s si&ns wt.e in the
e)' on his first swing through Ihe C3Si nO!>,
Oh, there wa): a probkm ",,jlh a b.lIIel')
acid le:d: Ih:n ale: through his :lnd
iruo his chest. but Ihe sca r is hard I)' no-
ticeable:. Undaurued, he wo n SSOO the
fifSl weekend, in Iht' 55-lo-SIS
r.tng.e, " And I won the nUl ",,' kend."
he says. lracing his progrC$S Ofl a amph,
"and Iht' neAt ""'kcnd and Ihe nt'xi 2nd
Ihe: and I said, ' 1l ey. 1 ga l it made!' ..
1)U1 not on the home (ron I. Taft ') nOlO
for Ihe ptriod show anothtr.
nC:g:ll h'e. Irend: " DorOlh)' UPSCI o\'er m)'
gambling. , .. llol in 3S.i:1in, ... Dol
on of nI.:""'OU5 Sht' Cl( .
pla;ns. " I WlIS fearful ofso many IhinSS-
of losing a 101 of mOOC'y. of Ihe Mafia .
and Keith bei n, harmed in some wa)'.
llul my worst (c3or was thai he would
come 3 compulsive gambler. He was de:
"ol ingso much time 10 Ihe compUi cr Ihm
,.
ODDS COUPLE
II PUI a 'trd.n on Ihc (amlly. AI church I
al"" a)') had 10 m:.ke eAeuSC!\ aboul .... 'here
h(, ""a.,. and it ""'as very hard o n my
AI limes Ihe "11'3;n was aimO'iI
unbearable,"
Tafl :mempwd 10 paCIf')' hiS ..... ife wllh
Iwo lines o( reasoning. FiDI , he SOl)S. " I.
100, eon!ol der gambl ing a \'ice Ihm lead'
10 Ihe breakdown of societ)', bUI I ",,'as
pUDuin, il only as a me;lRs 10 a
rctJetmabk end. Sptcificall)' . I ""'anI 10
build industrial robou 10 (rtt people
from drudgery so Ihey can do SOmtlhing
more ntc-.lninaful. In lhal M:ItSC I' m mix'
ing Christianit)' and blad ;j:n:t . I'm God's
g;smbltf,N he SOl)'S, " Gambling
implin and I didn' I,"'
lend 10 do Ihal, I win inleresled in pUI-
linl in enough hours SO thul luck didn' t
counl and Ihe sl;l. istics would lake o\'er,
For me: , blackjack is no t g:un bli n&. i l') :I
busi ness," Doroth)'. her image of the dev-
iI's pasleoo..rd.s unshaken. si mpl y.
" It s aambling. "
So Ihe)' struck a Nt8llin, Taf, 3gr.:."C'd
10 play until he eilhcr won SIO,OOO or
lost S4.00n, At Ih:n stage his lCeord .... '3 ..
12 winning weekends OUI of I J and, pick-
ins up on Ihe lingo, Ilc decided 10 "chunk
' em rcal cood"-incrcase his bet !c\'eI
from S 10 10 5200, He got clobbered in'
stead. losi ng 52.600 :lnd 51.800 O\'er IWO
exltnded ""'ee1r:ends. " Statb lically, Ihe
odds llgainsl my losing Ihal consistent I)'
I,)\'er Ih:l l period of lime ",'ere RlOf'C th;1O
.. million 10 L" T:tft, "So )'ou
to Jonk 10 an outside (orce. To me iI WOIS
d e-JT th:u God didn' , want me 10 bee:ome
a millionaire duotlgh gambl ing."
Th ... machine had, in fael , " o n n1:lII ),
mo re Ihan iI h3d 10,1.1. and if Tufl
hid al the 5200 1e\'CIlhrouahoUl, he
would haVe ntlled a tidy sum. "So Ihe
eonlpuler WIIS a winner." he say), " bul
God mode me a lose r," J\nd tho-; on l\le""
YCllr's Day 1974, the Fasiesl Toes in Ihe
WeSI refired, limping. and peace
o nce usain upon Silicon Valle)'.
U).:e Tuft . USlon 1'10' SOb)" nh,I"
t n n:une. He "liS bom Kenne lh Scnlo
Usui , His ([Uher.lIl't'tired Yale langu:age
is Japanne, American lind hi,
mOl her is of Auscrian e ... tnu:lion. USlon
bamc enamored of malht;'m:n ia a\ :I
bo), when he tepi his o ..... n.sct of c:labor.lIe
oUljar k:asuc b;t.scball stathtics. A(ter
HOlVllrd Business School he became :I
t),pical slalistic himsc: lf: m:lrrkd 10 airlinc
siewardn": thr children: ' pln-\e\'el IR
"I:C" Lonoon, OlIO,: hamber
of C(lmrnere.:; Ch;lIrnmn, Uml<:d Fund:
YMCA,
In 1968, U"lon left hh JOb 3 .. ::tn teo-
nomic foreca.sler fOf Southern Nc"" Eng
land Ikll :llld one of hi!> pop-
ul31 ion-mobilit)' eUf\'e5 to Cal ifornia,
""here he as a financial eoo. .. ul-
tllnt before joi ninc (he Pacific Siock EA'
ch:lnse in 1969. Though upwardly roo-
bill', he w.:tnltd II) gcl OUI (rom under. ' 1
J USt couldn' , slulld Iltt office poli tics Ihal
c:c ilt'tl in e ... ery place I worked." he i>a)'S.
Dj\'orccd in 1973, he 50ughl Iherolp), b)
pL'l)'lAg J3ZL pillna in Ihe mannel 0( Er-
ro\1 G;t.rnc:r, " m)' ;absolute aUI\mc favO\" -
lie musical KIoI. R DUI the ailhi.'
siock cxchanSoC h:t rrumplu .. -d when ht ""
diSCO\'ered plo)'ing rilfs in ",, hour bb
Iros in Iht l1n:mci:c1 dislricl, ndignlfied,
was (mOl her occasional es'
and .. was IhrOUgh 3 (rlend th:!!
USlo n heard aboul a kgcndary counler-
call him Hig AI-who had repuledl)' "" Oft
""ueh!l bundle :1I small ClIIslno ill Dieppe,
France Ihal he put Ihc dub OUI o( buSi -
nes ... , found his fi rst metling ..... lth
the old pro in t.he tumbledo ..... n hou)\!
.lieross Ihe 8 ridge " Ironscendent."
NO! only was he imprcssed by Il lg AI's
drill-scrgeanl lraini ng roulincs. bUI he
also sa ..... in the maro'elous " DIS I'layc, "
CO\'er scam-about which more later-
a role for which ht ft ll pfl:dcslined.
was tnn:ly wit heul a deck 0(
cards Ihcrc!lfltr, fi e prncliced :11 SlOP.
lighl s- in elevulo($ and lhe loded
door of his offict while his secre\ul)' put
Ihe outside world on hold. The \r,.msfor-
mali on, grlldU:11 al beeamc
pronounced ..... I\h each wttl.:
end thm h(' joined Oi l AI') lellm (or mId,
o n Ne\'ada cllSinns. Finally. one Fn-
da)' .. fternoon \\hen U\ IOO ""':&5 rushin,
10 cateh Ihe neX! jtl to Vegas, his '<a'-
retar)' .... id. " Mr. USlon. you look ,try
lump)' " U'lon recall;o.. " And )uddelll ) I
reah,e,J. 85 gn1nd in tltsh docs 1001.
lump),,),Qtl ).:no\\'."
A 101 lumpier Ihan Ihe S42,SOO II year
he earni ng'lI Ihe el'change. U'ton\
resigl1lll 1011 U\ 197<1 10 pursue:l " model
businC!\s" romplclI..-d the rcinmrn;lllon
aoo the ',mrd Wa) around Vegas Ihat
a 1lC"" and a"" n;ome supcrflake
In lhelr midst. He had to be \Cen to be dl'"
bchc\cd. The gelup-grC'Cn palenl ,lemh
er "" ilh Ihrtt'irK'h Slack ... , ir-
id('''t'('nl slaeh. dl:lmoodSludded w!ltch.
pjnkie ringand m:llchi nl bimbos on each
arm-was dh'enin. mou,&h,
oUI Ihe mo,'es! int Vil\ls .. e
us. the moves looked like triptercvel'$C
minuets, His Riclmarnes-the Ph:lntom,
the MLMI Bomber. the Roadrunner-<iid
not do him justice. Ytlhooin, and knock
inA b:tc:k doubk Scc:Mehes()rHherocks.
'be rorely s:n down but smcd 10 carom
oR' the blaeij:tCk tables like a pinball,
plxin,. SI.OOO bet here, n S700 susck
or chips there. :md lbcn stippin, oft' to
play six h:lIlcis simulllR(ously while nib
blinathc ned: ofa cod:tail wailrcss.
Vegas had seen its sh:llrt of outrl&eoU!
hilb rollers. bu, Ihis dude was spctinl.
He WI' wjnnillB, Ail ihe time, Once. in
II !lashy display or spli u ifl&,. rcsplillin,
:md doubtina down :11 the Fremonl Ho
td. the Mad Bomber had 12 hands goi ng
atlWO tables allhe same time-and won
I.hem all when both ckolers bUSted. Forty
five: minutes later-yahoo:-he boo,icd
orr v.-i th a S27.600 killini.
alurally all the casinos were e3ger
10 h,wc him 00 hand when his win
disintepUted. No potC'ntlltC' was ever
more \avbhly accommodmed. E\'cry
lhinAo if'l('luding call girk.
"'ItS complimentrlry, Caesars Palace of
rl!red 10 Jet him and his cnlour.lse to
Irro i n its privllte 707, In his capacit)' as
C:tIcsal'S c:3Sino executive. AI Rosen, now
the prcsicknl of the New York Yankees,
personally Illendcd to his every necd. Us-
ton was put up in S800-ad. .. y suiles wil h
white baby yand pianos lind privute ban
stocked with SlS bottles of Mumm's
Rene Lalou.
BUllhe losingslrtJt never C1rne, And
IS the weelS and months wore on. the
Bomber become lhe subjcct 0(
fCf\Itl ny . nen. in 1976. a pit boss
Ul the Sands fisured OUI t.he method 10
madnrss. The scenario: six Of so of
Hi, AI's counlef'$ would enler II casino
sep;lrllcly, take scalS :III differenl tabk$,
bet. tbe minimum and II')' to blend inlo
backaround. Enter the pre
1endin, to boou and whoop h up while
in flkt he: was cnrd'ully sun"e)'in, t he
couRIers and (or t he hand sil'
nals thai would tell him when II deck was
hot. Ofkn Sf!\'eraJ decks heated up at
and hl!ncc the smingl y bium'
dashin,about. Farfrom rash, the: Bomb-
er's bets ,,"'ere so dcapt i\,ely shrewd ttl:&1
roc nine mont hs of hit-and run pby, Di g
AI's learn claims to ha"e \A'on S480,()(X),
ODDS COUPLE
As for the: Bornber. or Big P1ayer. as
Ihe role is known In Ihe coomet's tmde,
USlon " I wn.<Ii only acting out ..... hat
I really wuRlcd 10 be-:II rich. fun lovln,
hiah roUcr,"
Since then UStOO hll$ become II St u'
del'll of di'!;guises. He has hal( a dozen
roles. including Billy Will iams, a drawl
ins. yippeeyiyo cowpoke ("1Ii)'3, my
friends ClIII me Tex" ) swaddled in denim
and pearl bUlIons. He also had Mike
Wesl nJore. thl! Holl ywood makeup man,
build him \I r:.Isc nose and buck 1t(:lh for
SOU, With the additioo of:t lill ie tapc
on the: eyes nnd 3 101 or COHan in the
moulh. Uston turns into 3 Chine.sc hi!
man who " is so ual)' thai the pit
carl' l bear to look III him,"
U
US(" his winnincs 10 buy
3 S90.000 condomi nium in the
Las Ve83..<; l ockey Club. where
he wroce of his expktilS in II
book ti l led, mitch, The Bis Player, He
also founded the USton IMlituleof Oluck
j:td (price for Iwo-d3Y adval'lCed COUfSC':
S397). which he hopes win be Ihe "foun
dlllion for II whole empire of schools and
real estate. H In faci. no sooner had he
hung OUI his professor's shinaJe in 1977
t han he hud 3 call from an Inll!restl!d IXIr
Iy- Keith Tuft,
In the two years si nce he had con
signed Gcorse to the used, pll ns pik, Tan
had moved his family InlO II new ranch
home thai had enough room off the gao
rage for him 10 build a k>ngcdfor work
shop wit h by Rube GoIdl:Jl!rg. MOSt
imponant, thanks to t he kno ..... ledge he
gained by assembll na Georae, T;ln had
quit his job at RaYlheon to become
II S60.000-Ilyear
consultan!. Heady wit h Ihe frdom 0(
il all. Tan bc:pn bui ldin, 8
Si ne airplane In his prase und toot up
pislol shooting and $OIIrin... And he
booJ,ht a Kawasaki motorcyde th:lI.
when he took il OUI for I IonS test spin
one wttkend. wife
S3)'l di3boHcally-endcd up in Reno.
" Just fooling around:' TuA SUlnw
samblina apin. counl ins 1I'Iel'll:llily and
winning 5200 10 5300 on an odd ...... eek-
end. Yes. he had some mor'JI compunc-
tions. bUI he Pf1Iyed for guidanee lind
lot " no flCpuive (ttIiOB-i " In e(fcct. he
says, " I ;L<; ked. 'Whilher goest 1?' lI nd God
answered. ' To the SaharJ.' And He didn't
mean lhe
51iU conrounded by his one t um of
bad luck in 1974, Tan proa.rnmmed
George 10 play one million hands
of the 1argcsl SIImple ever
amassed, Nisht and day for t"" O wttks
the com pUler winked aw:.y in Tan's
worbhop, And when over Ihe
!'Cams or results. he discovered that "the
vl'lpricsofchance arc ,"cry wild incked,"
The sampk showed , hal II pbl)'er puning
in 30 houl$ a week could htl\'e a losing
streak Ihatl:tStcd six nlOflths!
Oe .. rly. Taft concluded. the de-
againsl lhut kind of wlckcd lum of
f3tc was the funds and laclics aV3iL .. ble
through team computer play, So he .. r
mnged II meeting \A'ith USlon :md dem-
onslr',Jtcd his masic mll chinc, USIOfi al-
lowed Ihal thcrc WM only on(" big
qucstion: Would they "",in 52 million or
53 million? PhOloJrnphs were taken and
USton mounted his print in his scmp-
book under Ihe inscriPtion, "Thc:sc: IWO
men will make gamblin,hislory!"
It ",,'n. .. decided that the toe: switches
werc tOO difficult to masler on ;I tcam
basis. So TaO and USion <kviscd an ebb-
omte dodlC' Ihat called for the Oi, Plu)"
er to sit li t a blad:jack lable and ..... ort in
landem with a l.."OlInter who ..... ould min
gJe with intert'Sted ooklotC'1'S. Usi ns II
keyboard hidden in his pockel, the c;ount -
cr would feed Ihe C' drds to a computer
bandaged to his thi &h alon.g with a radio
trans miner and ballery pack, The coni-
putl!r would then relay ILS eommands
Ihrou&h Ihe trnnsmiller 10 Il receiver built
into the h1 of Ihe 8i, Playcr's leA shoe,
The rec:ei\'cr in tum would IICtivote a tap-
per built inlo t he Instep of Ihe shot". Tan
calkd the: new computl!r, preeursor
of David. Goor&e II: it was a ",ore ,svelt e
if schizoid descendant of Georgc I.
A San Fmncisco cobbler, swom to sc-
crecy. was enpaed to conSlruel six pairs
of lhe eUSlommade wedge shoe for
S 1,200. U.5tOO :IIgrel!d to supply the 8i&
Pla.yers, Out where would the counters
come from' Enl er the Singin, TaO Fam
ily, ready. willln, and wired, All but
Rcntt, 24, that is. who had "1f'Uve mor
al doubts." And DorOthy. of course.
lody. 22, Many. 25. :lind his wife Ro-
sie. 2S, quit their jobs. and Dan3, M. len
his premed scudics to join the team. They
practiced 31 home while Dorothy looked
on fretrully and Renee Karched the 8i-
ble for re<imin, passages. Then. Idling
Iheir friends Ih:n Ihey ..... ere going to build

II nbm at u.l.;: Tuhoc. Ihc) k fl for Nc
.. -ada. " Wcahll from g.lmblm, <lUIC"')
Renee
At u lealll mCClms al La .. c Tahoe. the
Tar. cI<ln and thc (he UI8 Pla)e r'
had \tgnl"<i on di:cidcd on thclf eodc
nallle' and rehearwd theIr .. pial team
knock-fap, fliP . fap'-the comput
er'.; " a)' OrS3)' mg 21. or bl;lck;Jcl. "The
'<Cttt) "fun.- !>aId. Jud)' In l\cr
lIohc 1.11-.0 nOled II eh"n!;c In Ixr (:uher.
ho had U beard :lnd Ull'(l
ins a roI C)' CO" 00) hal unlll e\'cr)'one
I:wshcd hInt Oul of II . " l lhulk my rUl her
rather laken In h) tht Oig PI3)'t"r .. ltfc=
SI)' 1c: ' .. he ",,rote. " He hl!, a ha:)i\ or Icll-
inS cruder JO"t'!O Ih:1I1 :md C\'en
' .... canng
D
n Apn119. 1917. five 1 .... O-0\3 n
team .. r;lnnet! OUI Ihroush Ihe
La, cgm, r1aYJng otT
aJOinl bank or S50.000. On Ihe
\cry firs l day. :I nd hiS p:lnnc:r rc,
he\'cd Harr.lhs of S1 7,6OO. ane Ihe leam
doubled bant 10 S 100.000 in less than
a During a break. Dana .... ho whls-
pen.-d " PnuSC' the lord" e"ery time hi,
panMr won . .... ent to vuit Rcn!e in DJI-
. .... here she is a music: slUd:1lI al che
Unlv('tSit)' of Te';'3s. And "hen he re
turned he annOUnced th:.t hc had lIo"n
the rum or hk 1Io':lYS. " G:utlbl b. h "ueh
a gray 3re3:' he lIOS)'S. " but baSIc."ly
)ou' n: I;,klng the money from )()rllebod)'
t!<.c . and some Christi:ms 11th\: Iha\ IS
wrong." He loot his S2.650 share. boughl
:I used car (or S650 and fClll mro to hIS
premed
And none too !IOOII. On Ma) I I a ea,
sino aRklal at Ib .ncy!; ClI .. b circled
a ,....dio n:eei\'cr and tok! him
to lio>tI: p into a back room. Ther!. M
fj \'e forcibly suipped
him. confiscated his compult'r :lnd lold
hinl. " We're Joing 10 ba\h )'our br:ai n)
in " 'lI h a ,"o-by four: U,I; "I:I)' ln,,).3rt
ncr. an nUr.tctl\C young ..... oman ..... :u abo
delained. bUI thOugh she ..... a) ",urchcd
Stri pped. the)' eoold not find hef fa
dlO eQuipmenl. Finllll ),. )he under
threat" Ih:tl thcy Oin8 10 m;toh:.n
die MarlY i(.,he did 1101 C'(l()pCr:ttc. she
,ho"t.-d Ihem thcl>hO&.'. Arlcrbcinganlkd
for four hour.<i. to.-larl Y and Ihl' )'O\In8
.... 'oman "cre lumed o\er 10 Ihe police.
fingerprinted. bool ,,'(j ror s .... lndhnf, :md
bunco and 011 S2.000
lxul each
80
ODDS COUPLE
Thc compulcr .... 10 Wash,
Ingt on. D.C. (or 3nal)') I) by FBI
\Io' ho eandLKIcd Ihal II nOI a
dc\te/:' Ar!;llIng th:u lhe IC3m
W1&\ onl) ma"mg U\C of mrormat,on 11\"'11-
uble to :111 blac,' .. jad. pI3)er.. Good-
man. the La) \I('gao,; ulwycr. $3).
' "There's nOlhlnlll1cpl uboul uSIII&cam-
putcn. It 'lIo nodifferentlhan thc gU)'"
make notations at the l oukttc \\h.ccl"i on
pa\J) proYldC'd b) tht The: com-
puter Ii m('rci y It lIIort' wphl\ueaccd
me- l hod .. Club and the Nevad;,
gllmin, COmml \:i-IOn tlPf"lrC'lIl ly IIIVC'cd
Chargc, ,,"ere ne\er pressed
"l'hc bust .... as my fauh. "
" We kn('w Ihe h(,31 on bul I gol
veedY " There ..... ere C'ompcnS:llIons:. In
22 dll Y) of pia)' Ihc nJt, Ust on 'eam
thc lord- S I 30.000
Tne g:&mc has since toughC'lIeti up In
c\ery ..... ay. a"i !>Ian Will :mC"'it La'1 u'
gU)t. "ti er being banned (rom the
Mone)'t ree in Reno. he exeh;tnged:l
a s"urit )' guard In %I n al ky
and PUOChl-d OUI. check lind lem
pie bonC"i broken The left SIde (tf hi S
face required elHensi,c plast ic )urgcry
USlan IS suin, for S1J mIllion.
or late. Ullolon S3)'S thOlI he fccb
111011 I,. lailing him. \\ Ilich 1\ of,
len. h" ,..Iees a ..... :l.y In 3 cold .. ,
kC'ep telltng m)" dr. N:,". Ihey \Io, ouldn' ,
bump me 01T: Out JIfIlillY HoOil Ihat.
100. NOl lon, alo I slarl.:d up nl)' c;lr.
burd a funny nOI<;e. le3ped 1)101\ and hid
behind a pillar."
More o(lcn U"iIon hkc!. tu r(' nect on
the poslliye of 1m unillcly ca
recr-the SI OO.OOO he carns annu:Jlly
flm his S2 million rcal<cstalC: holdings.
the S5.6 milliOfl movM: " e('!otOiI or The'
[Jig Playef Ih3! ..... IU start thl!.
fall . " I enjo)' bdng a cc!d)rity:' he
" h j ullot blollo's me OUI . I don't kno ...... m3)"
be 111 bcrome II I. ind of Nick the Cirt'clo:
Ch3r3eler fOf':1 .... hlle. One Ihlng for )ure.
when Ihh gambling )t ufT is o\'er . I'm
Joinl to si l and plliY jal.l piano II
13 Errol! Gamet In .. kep), Ilute J371
joint in San Fr-..anel'-Co.
";\ ) for the moment . ..... ell. II J;urc t)cab
drawin3ch:trt) ;&1 the ellOeha nge . FOI
the finl lIme tn my hfe. I e:t n tdl Ihe
..... odd 10 go to hell. And Ihal. 111 )' ((lend.
hllsa yalLtC )-00 connot compute."
Keith Taft stron&1)' allhough
he would li l.c to pin nlOre freedom by
'Otlli ng a \lIlue Ihat doc ... eomputc. Re
(emly. 1I)(".:d ;I\\ ;ly In a San Fran
ClloCO financu:J! Journul elilled Ihe J,};JI/)
Comm{'rclal Nc"'S, Iherc \10'3":
CO" L.Alll) 8""o."'u. 11 M
U 1'011 Un I, Co\"'''O I'u.,
SS.OOO-h ctuu.) TJt,\I'I"C,
l'iw \l m' l l .... ()4(.""IIO ... C ",u l " In
141 51 561-9795
" 0 ,1\ Id b SO ) .... t .)() TaR.
" thai I thOUght some other )X'Opk: mi,hl
be lntefdlcd In 11. 100. Ofeoursc. on mor
III I won'l mal.e it t\\'nilabh: 10
Ihe publi C. 10 profesSIonal pmhkn
....ho "ould be playing, regardless.
" With Ihe appear:mce 0( thh anlcie.
I Inlend to go pubhC' . so to speak. and
no longer invohe tIl)')C1f in
g.&mbling on :I I'Cgular basis. It \10,'111 m3ke
m)' wife h:IPPY. nnd I h:l\ e Other proj
ech I .... am 10 pUNIC. Be-.itll.'5. I doubt
that C'omputergamb1ina I)ull thaI unlquC'
:1I1)'more. RIght now. I'U bel there :lrc
17 guys out Iherc who arc Ifed. nnd
Ihey're nOII:llkinllo :tnybody."
Surprisingly. one: of the $Cert't com
pUler gamblcr.<i mi",1 be the once-rtg!lI'
eous Renee. Wlwn he31d fronl , shC'
V.Ob mello\lo,tng 3nd ha.d made an Inter
o;ling conjecture: " 8111y (j".Ih:tm "3)\
Ihere Ilio nOlhlll8 10 the Ili ble pm'
blmg:' Nor there: anything :1&310)1 II
yoong lady helping to pa)' her \0; 3y
Ihrou,h college. which Ren(t' figures she
mlSht he ahlt It) do wi th :\ linlc help
from her friend lhYid. Praise Iht: Lord.
Recently. u(ler famil), gal hcred
arQ\lnd the li\'ing'room piano to Stn!
Sc-ck Onl y Thy I';:r(l"f:f Way. Taft r.: neel
ed an the (uture. " One thing I could
he s:.id. " IS build the ... computer
Ih31 could lett t"em the skill or a blad ..
jack pla)'er within minutes."
E"en 50. he (hal it III prob-
:Ibiy wke lIoOmclhlOS ",ore compelhns 10
pique hl<;; daY' - like j ump-
inS off a mounlain:' he " From
the beginnin" I tne.... the eomput('r
woo.ld pro\\<k the \:Ind o( c:hatlcnw:: I
WllS loo" in& fOf. Uut l obo re .. lilcd that
..... hen it w:ts over. c\'er)'lhing elQ>
..... ()Uld dull by cornpari\on."
So he be up 10 in Ihe nelll
.,;:ve!1llmonlhs?
" Well . u's (I !oret but much 111
tel l )'ou I sti ll Ihmk Ih3\ bltmp \Io,il1 go
aroon<! the worl d."
,\ ","urd Outl,loR;U if. .. ....