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could anyone suggest a book or sequence of books i could read in order to give myself a crash course.
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My best recommendations would depend a bit on where you're likely to play and other variables, but in general I would recommend learning one of two count systems: The High-Low (specifically Wong's adaptation of it) or the KO system. If you use the KO, you need to get "Knock-Out Blackjack" by Vancura and Fuchs. If you go with Wong's system, the first book I'd get is "Blackjack Secrets" by Wong followed by "Professional Blackjack".
In either case, assuming you want more material than this, my top 4 supplemental book list includes:
Griffin, "Theory of Blackjack"
Wong, "Basic Blackjack"
Schlessinger, "Blackjack Attack"
Anderson, "Burning the Tables in Las Vegas"
Recommendations (pro and con) on other blackjack books can be found at:
http://www.jetcafe.org/~npc/reviews/...y-subject.html