They traveled to Atlantic City during the spring break to win their fortune. In 1979, six MIT students and residents of the Burton-Conner House at MIT taught themselves card-counting.

They thus know the probability of getting a high card (10,J,Q,K,A) as compared to a low card (2,3,4,5,6). The idea behind all card counting is that, because a low card is usually bad and a high card usually good, and as cards already seen since the last shuffle cannot be at the top of the deck and thus drawn, the counter can determine the high and low cards that have already been played. Since the early 1960s, a large number of card counting schemes have been published, and casinos have adjusted the rules of play in an attempt to counter the most popular methods. Beyond the basic strategy of when to hit and when to stand, individual players can use card counting, shuffle tracking, or hole carding to improve their odds. Blackjack can be legally beaten by a skilled player.