Doyne received another phone call from Len Zane in Las Vegas. “Someone just walked into my office,” Len said, “and told me he was organizing a team of scientists and investors to build a computer for beating roulette. ‘Wait a minute,’ I told him. ‘I know just the man for you.’ The guy’s in my office right now jumping up and down with excitement. He wants to throw money at you. He says it’s coming from a lady with three million dollars who loves to play the game and wants to invest in a roulette computer just for the pleasure of it.”
“It looks like another bout of roulette madness is upon us,” Doyne tells me when I last talk to him on the phone. “What do you think about heading back to Las Vegas? Are you ready to take the heat?”
“You can count on me to roast myself in any casino you want. After all, I have a slice of Pie coming to me one of these days.”
“I have to admit,” Doyne acknowledges, “I’m getting excited again about roulette.”
Acknowledgments
This story belongs to its heroes and heroines. Its strengths come from the patience with which they instructed me in computers, gambling, and the eudaemonic connection; its weaknesses are my own. The manuscript was read entirely or in part by Doyne Farmer, Norman Packard, Letty Belin, Lorna Lyons, Edward Thorp, Tom Ingerson, Ralph Abraham, Ingrid Hoermann, Marianne Walpert, Len Zane, and Jim Crutchfield. I truly appreciate the care they took in getting the facts, and everything else, right.
My thanks go to the following friends who aided this project during the four years required to complete it: Bill Pietz, for supporting the book at a time when it might not have existed without him; Dana Brand, for lending his critical eye to an early version of the tale; and Wendy and Jeremy Strick, for their good company in Paris during the writing of a later version.
Among past and present intercessors at Houghton Mifflin, I would like to acknowledge the aid of Jeffrey Seroy, who knew what this book was about, right from the start; Gerard Van der Leun, who offered wise counsel throughout; Sarah Flynn, who saw it through to the end; and Nan Talese, whose advice and encouragement proved invaluable. Finally, I want to thank Nat Sobel, my agent, and Bonnie Krueger, my wife and best reader.
All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.
The diagram on page 157, from The Casino Gambler’s Guide, Enlarged Edition, by Allan N Wilson (copyright © 1965, 1970 by Allan N. Wilson), is reprinted by permission of Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc.
The lines on page 176 from the song “Hot Blooded” by Lou Grammatico and Mick Jones, are © 1978 WB Music Corp., Somerset Songs Publishing, Inc. & Evansongs Ltd. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
The lines on page 183 from “It’s All Right with Me,” by Cole Porter, are copyright © 1953 by Cole Porter. Copyright renewed assigned to Robert H. Montgomery, Jr, trustee of the Cole Porter Musical and Literary Property Trust. Chappell and Co., Inc., owner of publication and allied rights. International copyright secured All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Copyright © 1985 by Thomas A. Bass
ISBN:
Distributed in 2016 by Open Road Distribution
180 Maiden Lane
New York, NY 10038
www.openroadmedia.com
The Eudaemonic Pie Page 34