The Keith Taft Story

When it comes to the world of professional gambling, the types of characters that often reach the higher echelons when it comes to achieving notoriety are mostly mavericks.

Whether playing at an online casino or in a real casinos, professional gamblers, at their very core, are often complex characters who have larger-than-life personas.

One man who doesn’t fit that mould is Keith Taft. 

Inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame back in 2004, Taft is revered by Blackjack players all over the world and is regarded as one of the pioneers and  when it comes to implementing technology and card counting.

Despite passing away almost twenty years ago, Taft remains a pivotal figure within the Blackjack community and has left a legacy that will be remembered for decades to come.

Unknown outside of Blackjack circles, here is everything you need to know about one of Blackjack’s most influential characters.

How it Started and the Development of the First Blackjack Computer

Taft’s journey to the Blackjack Hall of Fame started in 1969 while on a family trip to Reno. Offered a couple of free casino coupons, Taft decided to try his hand on the Blackjack table. 

Instantly captivated by the game, Taft, who was a keen physicist, wanted to instil his passion for numbers and technology into his newly found favourite game to see if it could give him an edge over the house and help him turn a fortune.

After learning more about the game, Taft set out on a journey to create the world’s first card counting computer. The idea would be to build a device that would be capable of emitting a radio frequency to an operator who would be parked outside.

Taking two years to build, Taft was able to strap his device to his body and control the functionality within his shoes. Able to capture the dealer’s cards and his own, Taft and his machine were able to calculate odds and make bets determined on the outcome.

Initially, Taft and his machine, which he affectionately named ‘George’, got off to the perfect start, with Taft turning a profit for twelve weeks.

However, seeking his fortune, Taft raised the stakes and would end up losing all of his money. Distraught by his loss and with doubts over the viability of his machine he would subsequently quit the game. 

Keith Taft Sells his Story and Builds Second Machine

Having not played Blackjack for three years, Taft decided to sell his story to the local press and in 1976 made the decision to make a comeback and went about refining his machine.

With technology having advanced in the three years he was away from the tables, building a second machine, which he dubbed ‘David’, was far easier. 

Smaller than his original model, Taft’s ideas had caught on and unlike when he built his first machine there were others looking to get in on the action and this is where he met Ken Uston.

Over the next few years, the two would end up playing together and refining the machine. Happy with their work, they would form a Blackjack team together and along with a squad of 14 other players they would use their newly developed equipment and start to win some big money.

The End is Near, but Legacy Lives on

With casinos getting suspicious, Taft was brought to the attention of the FBI where eventually his machine was discovered and he was banned from playing in casinos.

Although never criminally charged, his legacy would endure. Credited as one of the first men who had tried to beat the house through extensive strategy, Taft was always able to maintain a special place within the Blackjack community. 

Regarded as somewhat of a godfather figure when it comes to counting cards, in 2004 Taft was inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame.

Although he sadly passed away in 2006, his legacy of being one of the first men to try and bring down the house will live on forever.