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Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions

#1 National Bestseller!
The amazing inside story about a gambling ring of M.I.T. students who beat the system in Vegas -- and lived to tell how.
Robin Hood meets the Rat Pack when the best and the brightest of M.I.T.'s math students and engineers take up blackjack under the guidance of an eccentric mastermind. Their small blackjack club develops from an experiment in counting cards on M.I.T.'s campus into a ring of card savants with a system for playing large and winning big. In less than two years they take some of the world's most sophisticated casinos for more than three million dollars. But their success also brings with it the formidable ire of casino owners and launches them into the seedy underworld of corporate Vegas with its private investigators and other violent heavies.
Filled with tense action, high stakes, and incredibly close calls, Bringing Down the House is a nail-biting read that chronicles a real-life Ocean's Eleven. It's one story that Vegas does not want you to read.

As the cargo of millet was unloaded the shelters for the Vietnamese had to be moved around the ship as there was insufficient room in the cargo ship's crew accomodation.

Below is an account by Kristine Vu:

In 1978, my family and I left our homeland of Saigon, Vietnam, amidst a sea of chaos. We embarked upon a new journey toward a brighter destination filled with hopes, dreams, and wonderful promises of tomorrow.

Despite failed attempts to find a viable escape route, we tried our best to persevere the stress and anxiety as we fled towards a better future. We found ourselves exhausted, disappointed, penniless with no time left to spare. However, escape was the only hope for my sister, Nghiem, as well as my mother.

My family consisted of three adults and four children. The only male in the family was my nephew, Luan, (the son of my fourth oldest sister) who was six years old. Chi, Thuy, and Van (my oldest sister's daughters) were my nieces who were ages 14, 12, and 10. The entire family, especially the adults, was puzzled and alarmed due to the uncertainty of what the future held. What was to be expected from this foreign land as we left Saigon? We have never stepped outside our own neighborhood, let alone our country. The children appeared more oblivious; perhaps it was because they were under the impression that we were simply going on a leisurely trip. Little did they know, this journey was permanent; and we were deeply unnerved about their future and the swerves and detours that this path could take us.

It was not that simple to get to our destination. We had to overcome danger and blend in with our surroundings just to avoid being caught. We could not fathom what lay ahead and what obstacles lurked around each corner. A sigh of relief was had when our boat became visible.

Once we set foot on the boat, we were exasperated from the seemingly endless and strenuous journey. However, we were packed like a can of sardines at the bottom of the boat which did not improve our situation. There was no room to move or breathe. We were forced to lie on a damp floor, and the stench the dripping sweat from the person next to you was wildly nauseating. We had to endure noxious living situations along with the smell of diesel gas, sea water, all mixed with vomit while dripping over our heads. We were exposed to the foul odors for days as the boat rocked back and forth relentlessly.

As the sun was setting, we became frightened as the blackness of the night consumed the horizon. The only sounds that could be heard were the waves crashing against our boat. Darkness did not come alone; it was accompanied by other unfortunate challenges. The compass began to malfunction, and the steering wheel was damaged. The sea water was slowly leaking into our boat. The water pumper was useless and as a result, we had to manually dump it out. We were no longer in control of this vessel. We stood helplessly as the ocean determined our fate. On the fourth evening, underneath the heavens, a storm was quickly making its way towards us. The atmosphere and attitudes dramatically changed. Not only was the ship damaged, our resolve and morale was damaged as well. Our worst fears were becoming reality. The only thing that awaited us was death. Just as misfortune seemed apparent, a small bird resembling a sparrow appeared out of nowhere and planted itself on top of the sail. It perched itself without a care in the world. Even with a raging storm stalking us, the bird was there to assure we saw the light through this dimly-lit tunnel. All it took was a bird to calm everyone down and give them hope. Everyone believed that the bird was a sign of a predestined fate because as soon as it appeared, a miracle happened. The Wellpark was our savior, and came just in the nick of time. Four hundred lives were saved and the reality of how fragile life was on full display that fateful day.

After we were rescued, the Wellpark continued its course with 346 new and relieved passengers on board. Two weeks passed and we docked in Taiwan. Shortly after, our new residence was Kensington, London. My family tried to adapt to our new life in England. London was archaic; it was a sight straight from the history books. We were surrounded by ancient buildings and architecture. I recall hearing the evening bells ringing throughout the seasons. I also remember the yellow street lights along the bridge guiding my path across the Thames River. As I gaze upon this beautiful scene, happy and sad emotions run amuck throughout my body as I reminisce about the loved ones left behind in Vietnam. After a couple of years in London, my second oldest sister was able to sponsor us to America. We prepared to leave London, but we would also leave our memories, friends, and times shared together.

Today, those who were blessed enough to be rescued by Wellpark, have an obligation and duty to thank and show how grateful they are towards the crew members of Wellpark. Their selfless a

A 15mm M-10 17-pdr tank destroyer and some British infantry. What puzzles me is the hull machine gun... the M-10 never had one!

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Table-top wargamers from all over London and the Home Counties converged on a Dagenham school on Saturday and Sunday June 27/28 for the annual two-day Rampage wargames show.

More than 300 fans of the hobby were at All Saints' School, Terling Road, Becontree Heath to take part in two days of competitions set in several different historical periods. There was a public open day on the Sunday which saw demonstrations by several regional wargames clubs, traders selling new models and research material and a busy 'bring and buy' where unwanted hobby related items were recycled.

Rampage 2009 was organised by Ilford Wargames Club. This year's guest clubs included Dagenham, Hornchurch, Gravesend, Mid Anglia, Southend, Enfield, Braintree, South East Essex, Whitstable and Herne Bay, the Model Armoured Fighting Vehicle Association and the Lance and Longbow Society.

Table-top wargaming with miniatures first became popular in the UK in the 1960s with the arrival of cheap plastic models from Airfix and the pioneering books of Donald Featherstone and Peter Young. But earlier authors such as Robert Louis Stevenson and H.G.Wells had enjoyed the hobby - Wells wrote a book in the early 1900s called Little Wars. Wells thought it an enjoyable game for people of all ages but he'd also hoped it might serve anti-war purposes.

Modern wargaming is divided into real historical battles or fantasy combat based on science-fiction sources. This last has become almost a separate hobby for fans of Dungeons and Dragons and Warhammer. There is now a thriving cottage industry supplying model soldiers for almost every period, mostly made in white metal but plastics are once again becoming common as new manufacturers return to that material.

A spokesman for Ilford Wargames Group said: "Rampage is a showcase event for our hobby. It allows newcomers to come along and find out what wargaming with miniatures is all about as well as creating challenging competitions for experienced players."

Most table-top wargames use rules written to reflect the weapons and tactics of a chosen period. Tape measures are used to measure weapons ranges and a chance element - normally dice or cards - reflects the influence of the unknown. "However it is not about luck," said the spokesman, "Players have the rely of judgement, skill and out-thinking the opponent. It has been called 'chess with a thousand pieces' and that's a pretty accurate description."

One of the highlights of the show was a huge table at one end of the main hall replicating the Dam Busters raid of 1943 where players were allowed to try their hand at avoiding Luftwaffe night fighters and then fly low over a model lake in the face of intense anti-aircraft fire to drop 'bouncing bombs'. This game was presented by Whitstable and Herne Bay wargamers - one of the areas where the real-life bouncing bomb had been tested in 1943. Several original dummy bombs have been recovered in the Herne Bay area in recent years.

New Zealand film maker Peter Jackson (who directed the Lord of the Rings trilogy) is currently in pre-production for a re-make of the classic 1950s British film 'The Dam Busters'. Several replica Lancaster bombers have already been built in New Zealand while British author Stephen Fry is writing the script.

Piece together tons of fun with this puzzle that features an undersea adventure. This colorful, detailed Underwater-themed floor puzzle is made of heavy-duty cardboard with an easy-clean surface that helps keep the puzzle looking new. 48 pieces. Measures 36" x 24".

Beginning puzzlers build dexterity and problem-solving abilities with this colorful, 2-by-3-foot floor puzzle. A green-and-blue ocean-floor background is crowded with colorful and weirdly shaped marine life, from octopus to crab, fish, and coral. The complex image builds matching skills for sure, as children use the box picture to identify and place each of the big, easy-to-clean, 48 pieces. Alone or with parent or playmate, this scene makes a fun challenge they'll turn to again and again. Glued and matted, it'll also make a wonderful wall hanging. --Ava Natov