"21" Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner

I remember hearing about the story on CNN a few years ago. A team of brainiacs from MIT got together and devised a mathematical scheme to count cards in Las Vegas to win lots and lots of money. In 2003, Ben Mezrich put the story in writing in his book, "Bringing Down the House", and now, it is the movie, "21".

The story begins with MIT senior, Ben Campbell, who is about to graduate, planning on attending Harvard Medical School, and needing $300,000 for tuition. A mathematics professor, Micky Rosa, spots Campbell in class and recognizes his potential. Campbell is invited to a special study session sponsored by Rosa and introduced to the "team". Working together with the help of Rosa, the teams plans to milk some money from Vegas Blackjack tables.

To start the system, one of the students sits at a table, places minimum bets, and counts the deck until it is determined that the deck favors the players more than the house. When the time is right, the player at the table signals another player who has the real money to step in with the real bets. The system works well as long as everyone follows their cues and they all keep away from letting emotions interfere with the business. After winning over $300,000 in a few months of play, Campbell gets careless and refuses to leave a table even after the signal is given that the numbers no longer favor him. He loses $200,000 and angers Rosa, who leaves the team in Vegas and heads back for Boston.

Abandoned, the team tries to work the tables themselves, and they do well until a sneaky Rosa tips off House Security. Cole Williams of House Security nabs Campbell while the others escape. Williams and his "guys" take Campbell down to the basement, beat him mercilessly, and force him to leave town. Campbell is left with the promise of a brutal death should he ever return.

Campbell returns to MIT only to discover that he has lost more than he thought. During his ordeal, he neglected his friends, who now abandon him. He also learns that Rosa has stolen all of Campbell's money, (he had it stashed in the ceiling of his dorm room), pulled academic strings to deny him his degree, and pretty much wiped out his chances of ever going to Medical School anywhere. Yet, all is not lost.

In an apparent move of repentance, Campbell makes up with his friends, makes amends with Rosa and gets all to agree to one more visit to Vegas to make one last, big score before

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