The High-Tech Gambler: The True Story of Keith Taft & His Astonishing Machines (English Edition)

The High-Tech Gambler: The True Story of Keith Taft & His Astonishing Machines (English Edition)

In 1972, Keith Taft's toes secretly tapped, sending messages to a 15-pound computer strapped around his waist. Tiny red, green and yellow lights flashed on and off in the frame of a pair of eyeglasses signaling how to play his hand at blackjack. By 1977--the 15-pound monster was a calculator-sized computer with a tiny keyboard attached to his thigh. In 1983 a mini-video camera inside his belt buckle could glimpse the dealer’s hole card. Thor appeared next, a godlike program able to accurately predict where the cards were after a shuffle. These are just a few of the inventions of Keith and Marty Taft, fully described for the first time in this book.

Keith built his blackjack-beating computer in the early 1970s and he never stopped inventing. He and his son Marty invented and deployed commercially the first portable network, the first wireless network, the first commercial digital camera, the first button camera, and the first mouth keyboard. They were true technology pioneers.

It is probably a pretty good “bet” that if you are a member of the non-gambling public you have never heard of Keith or Marty Taft, but most serious blackjack players have. And the casinos absolutely knew who they were. In the mid-1980s, Nevada outlawed devices brought into casinos for the purpose of strategizing. One man is responsible for making this happen--physicist, inventor and church choir leader Keith Taft.

In the blackjack world he was legendary. In 2004, he was inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame, joining other world-class players and people who have made major contributions to the sport of blackjack. From Keith’s inventions, blackjack players from around the world have taken millions of dollars from the casinos.

Until now, many of Keith’s inventions have remained secret. This book lifts the veil and reveals the amazing and wonderful minds of inventors Keith and Marty Taft.

Keith’s background in no way indicated his future path. He majored in both music and physics as an undergraduate, and taught music for five years. After receiving a Masters degree in Physics, Keith began working in the burgeoning semi-conductor industry. A “chance” stop in Reno in 1969 is where Keith discovered blackjack. He won $3.50. He was hooked.

The History Channel's series “Breaking Vegas” featured Keith and Marty in an episode called “The Gadget Gambler.” Now learn the rest of their story as, for the first time, Keith and Marty’s secrets are fully revealed.

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