Stanford Wong

John Ferguson, who writes under the pen name Stanford Wong, earned a PhD in finance from Stanford University. His academic background gave him the tools to analyze blackjack with mathematical rigor. He began playing professionally while still a student and quickly recognized opportunities to improve on existing card counting methods.

Wong's 1975 book "Professional Blackjack" became the definitive guide for serious advantage players. He also developed the technique now universally called "Wonging"—back-counting tables without playing, then joining only when the count is favorable. This technique dramatically increased player advantage by eliminating the need to play through negative counts.

Wong's approach emphasizes efficiency and precision. His back-counting technique allows a player to play only in favorable situations, maximizing expected value per hand played. He was among the first to use computers to analyze blackjack variations, calculating optimal strategies for different rule sets with precision.

Wong founded the newsletter "Current Blackjack News," which provided advantage players with up-to-date information on casino conditions worldwide. His software and analyses allowed players to quickly determine optimal strategy for any rule set. He also wrote influential books on other gambling topics.

Stanford Wong is considered second only to Edward Thorp in his contributions to blackjack theory. His "Wonging" technique became standard practice for professional players, and his publications educated generations of advantage players. He was inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame in its inaugural class of 2002.