Like poker, blackjack is a game of skill. And just like poker five years ago, blackjack's stock is on the rise with a professional tour underway, a feature film in production starring Kevin Spacey, and whispers of television shows in the works.

But where poker is player-versus-player, blackjack pits player against the casino. To have any chance of "beating the house," a person must be armed with the proper knowledge and training, which is exactly what two former members of the infamous Massachusetts Institute of Technology blackjack team offer. Their Blackjack Institute Group Seminars are coming to New York for the first time, and returning to Vegas this summer.

The Blackjack Institute's intensive one-day seminars are slated for Saturday, April 28, at the W Hotel Times Square in New York City; and Saturday, June 23, in Las Vegas at the Platinum Hotel and Spa. "MIT" Mike Aponte, a manager of the MIT blackjack team and World Series of Blackjack champion, along with David "Mr. J" Irvine, a fellow MIT blackjack team member, impart their wisdom to students. They focus on topics such as basic strategy, card counting, deck estimation, betting strategy, money management and game selection.

Along with this knowledge, Aponte and Irvine reveal effective training exercises to help students develop skills, as well as talk about the pitfalls and adventures they experienced while playing on one of the most successful card-counting teams ever assembled. Each group seminar runs from 8:30am to 5:00pm, and enrollment is capped at 50 students so personalized instruction can be provided. The seminar cost is $899.00 per person.