Jacobson's rebuttal is perhaps more fascinating than the Atlantic article, though I think the context of the article is necessary. Details such as: Johnson would coax two or three dealer errors per day in play, valued at +$200,000 per day; or that the Canadian mathematicians took some strange shortcuts in modelling or running simulations.
Johnson was very aggressive and belligerent at the table. He made the dealers and pit nervous and agitated. For example, he would sometimes half-way signal his intention and if the result was not to his liking, dispute that he had asked for a hit card. He would pound the table and shout. And the casinos were willing to give him the benefit of the doubt because he was such a high-roller.
Fascinating! Echoes of Phil Ivey arranging to play baccarat with a deck and dealer of his own choosing ... and the casino agreeing to it until learning that Ivey thus had a bigger edge than expected.
