The Blackjack Hall of Fame
There are a lot of players out there who really enjoy the game of Blackjack. In fact, there are several who are pretty darn good at the game, and have become somewhat legendary in gambling circles. So wouldn’t it make sense to have a “Hall of Fame” based around the best of the best? After all, there is already a “Hall of Fame” for actors, musicians, and athletes, so this just seems like a natural evolution.
So yes, Virginia, there is a Blackjack Hall of Fame.
How did all of this come about, you ask? Well, the idea was established during the winter of 2002 in the lovely city of San Diego California. A popular San Diego area casino, known as Barona Casino, helped to not only establish, but also sponsor the creation of, the Blackjack Hall of Fame.
While being placed into the Blackjack Hall of Fame is indeed an honor, it does tend to come with a bit of an ironic twist. As the Indian casino is the physical location of the Hall of Fame, it allows the inductees a very generous lifetime comp of having unlimited food, drink, and room privileges… at the cost of never being able to play at their tables. Well, if there’s any consolation, it does allow players to work on their golf swings, catch a show, or enjoy a relaxing day at the Ambience Day Spa.
Voting for inductees is done through internet voting by the public. While several players were nominated and inducted into the Hall of Fame since its inception, 2006 had a change where only one person can be inducted per year. This was somewhat subverted in 2007, as a group of four people known as “The Four Horsemen of Aberdeen” was counted as one singular entity for abduction (this isn’t that odd, really – after all, we refer to John, Paul, George, and Ringo as “The Beatles”, right?)
The Hall of Fame inductees are not just the game’s professional players. Among the various inductees are book authors, blackjack mathematicians, founders and managers of Blackjack teams, Blackjack computer analysts, and even inventors of devices that have been used to help win at Blackjack.
Barona Casino is also home to the Blackjack Hall of Fame museum, which is a popular destination for players and fans alike. Among the museum’s many highlights is a selection of cheating devices that have been used to take advantage of the game’s rules and probabilities. You can look, but don’t you dare touch!!
If you ever find yourself in San Diego and love Blackjack, do yourself a favor and check out the Blackjack hall of fame – we promise you’ll be intrigued.
