Don Schlesinger
2015
Researcher, columnist and long-time blackjack player. Author of the book Blackjack Attack, a favorite among professional blackjack players.
Don Schlesinger
Don Schlesinger is primarily known for his 1997 book, Blackjack Attack: Playing the Pros’ Way, expanded in 2001 and again in 2004. Much of the first edition of this book was an expansion of articles Schlesinger wrote for Arnold Snyder’s Blackjack Forum quarterly, where he penned a column for many years titled, “The Gospel According to Don.”
Many players revere Blackjack Attack as a reference bible on the game. The meticulous computer studies by Norm Wattenberger that Don commissioned and analyzed can be used to answer almost any technical question on the game of casino blackjack.
What are the most crucial hands for a card counter to accurately vary his playing strategy? What are a counter’s bankroll requirements based on his betting strategy and the game conditions he faces? How can a counter compare the potential profitability of games with different rules and varying conditions? Schlesinger developed “SCORE” (Standard Comparison of Risk and Expectation), a simple mathematical formula for comparing games to determine which offered the card counter the better profit opportunity. Schlesinger found precise answers to all of the most difficult-to-analyze problems.
Don has retired from his position as an executive director at Morgan Stanley, a Wall Street investment bank, but he still plays blackjack for fun and profit.