Keith Taft: From Teaching Music & Physics to Playing Blackjack
The late Keith Taft, who died in August 2006, did not know that he would someday become a professional blackjack player. As a matter of fact, nobody ever imagined that he would be playing blackjack as a profession. With his educational and career backgrounds prior to becoming a professional blackjack player, people would not think that Keith Taft would venture into the world of gambling.
As a student, Keith Taft obtained a double degree, one in physics and another in music. While completing his master's degree in physics, he was also working as a physics teacher and music teacher. In 1969, he took a trip to Reno, Nevada and that was where he was introduced to the game of blackjack. After winning blackjack games against friends several times, he realized that he had the potential to become a professional blackjack player. This was the time when he started to become serious about the game. Aside from playing blackjack often, he began reading numerous books about it. He primarily studied the art of card counting. And when he felt like he was prepared to compete professionally, he confidently started visiting casinos and participated in every blackjack game.
Keith Taft then realized that his forte was not card counting. This made him decide to come up with a computer-based technique that would be better than the card counting system. It was in 1972 when this professional blackjack player started to use "George," his computer that he attached to his body every time he would play blackjack. Such computer could electronically card count and could inform the player when to double down, stand, hit, or do other moves.
The success of such computer led to the invention of even more sophisticated devices to beat the game of blackjack. Keith Taft decided to team up with his fellow professional blackjack player Ken Uston to develop cameras and computers that could provide players a winning advantage. They even hired some blackjack players to test their technological innovation. Such device was a success, allowing them to earn more than US$100,000 in five weeks.
At first, the device was a success until casinos started to become suspicious. When casino owners found out about the device, charges were filed against Keith Taft, Ken Uston, and other professional blackjack players on account of cheating. However, when the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation scrutinized these professional blackjack players, as well as the equipment, the government agency came into conclusion that such equipment could not be considered a cheating apparatus. Therefore, the professional blackjack players were released from the charges.
Indeed, Keith Taft made notable achievements in the world of blackjack. This professional blackjack player did not only play to earn money for himself, he also thought of ways on how to make blackjack an easier game for him and for other professional blackjack players. Due to such accomplishments, this professional blackjack player became an inductee into the Blackjack Hall of Fame some time in 2004.