Peter Griffin: A Math Genius in a Blackjack Table

Peter A. Griffin was born on 1937 in New Jersey. He is among the seven pioneer members inducted at the Hall of Fame for blackjack players. Frank Loxley Griffin a well-known mathematician was Peter's grandfather. Griffin was the author of the book "The Theory of Blackjack" regarded by many as a masterpiece in investigating the mathematics that envelope blackjack games. Griffin died in 1998 due to prostrate cancer.

Biography

Peter Griffin was born in New Jersey. Peter, Allan and Barbara comprise the Griffin family. His father works as an insurance statistician who later on manages his own insurance business. Peter's grandfather, a mathematician taught at nearby Reed College and had written down a number of mathematics textbooks. Griffin moved from Williamsport, Pennsylvania, later transferred to Chicago and finally settling in Portland, Oregon, where he met Lydia and soon married her.

He took up college education at Portland State University, furthermore receiving his Master's degree at University of California at Davis. He taught differential equations, calculus and statistics at California State University starting in 1965 until he died in 1998.

Peter Griffin initial experience to the game of blackjack happened in 1970, after he suggested a class dealing with the mathematics of making a bet, and set off to Nevada in to make particular research work. Peter Griffins, in one article written in New York Times reads, "Promptly cleaned his clock," thus motivates him to focus more seriously at his research works.

Griffin was recognized for bringing together extensive information and statistics on popular blackjack players doing their wares in Atlantic City, in addition to comparing samples against blackjack players in Reno or Las Vegas. Griffin was one of few persons that first to work out the percentage drawback an "average" blackjack player obtained which equals to two percent.

Peter Griffin's best acknowledged book was The Theory of Blackjack: The Complete Card Counter's Guide to the Casino Game of 21 written in 1978, is regarded as classic in its area of interest, together with Edward Thorp's 1962 book Beat the Dealer.

Works

* The Theory of Blackjack published in 1978, by Huntington Press, * Extra Stuff: Gambling Ramblings published in 1991 by Huntington Press,

Peter was recognized as a bicycling aficionado, as well as an enthusiastic hiker (on one occasion walking the distance across the Grand Canyon, beginning on its north rim to its south rim, just in a day). He too loved traveling across the world together with Lydia, gaining knowledge of speaking passable German, Italian, and Spanish in the long run.

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