Stanford Wong

John Ferguson was born sometimes around the year of 1940. In his early 20's, as a student of the Stanford University, he decided that he needs a scene name as a blackjack player. As the university helped him a lot, he decided that this is the perfect name for him. At that time, he also began to study the art of blackjack cards counting, switching from casual blackjack Sunday playing to professional blackjack in Las Vegas Casinos.

The Beginning

For the period 1960-1970, using a machine to calculate odds was unusual. Wong used those machines in his advantage, sometimes even during games. He was not concerned about being caught, as the casino Pit Bosses neglected the small device. However, he was noticed because his unusual high earnings, and some casinos begun to wonder if the device was somehow connected with the player's winnings.

Wong had to give the machine to his colleagues. Using advanced communicating methods, he managed to increase his earnings even more. The player using the machine was always losing some small bets; therefore, he remained unnoticed by the casino staff. The role of this player, called "the rabbit" is huge, and Wong always stated that a good rabbit is mandatory for a successful blackjack game.

Sweeping casinos away

In the early 1960's, the player managed to become one of the best blackjack players in the world. He continued to study, as he was perfectly aware that a sharp mind and additional knowledge are mandatory for a successful player. Moreover, the new devices that he was allowed to test in the university were also helpful for his blackjack playing; therefore, he had no interest to quit studies. He specialized in Statistics, becoming the biggest threat for any Las Vegas casino.

Stanford Wong made only one mistake in his career. As he was always confident about his possibilities, he used only three or four casinos to gamble. Soon, the casinos realized that something was wrong; therefore, they introduced more than one deck of cards for every game. Wong had to employ complicated strategies, and he needed more smart players on his team. Although the earnings were substantially decreased, this move helped him to become worldwide recognized.

In 1974, after 5 years of studies, he managed to create the perfect strategy for the 4 decks blackjack game. By that time, the player was banned from the majority of the casinos, but his team was experienced. Therefore, Wong stayed home to develop strategies while his team was winning at large. The team was torn apart somewhere around the years 1980 because of the increased demands of some members.