What are the 80/20 fundamentals I should learn?

[Eithman]

I have tried learning C++ in the past and have always failed because it was so overwhelming. I recall when I tried in the past, I would frequently run into multiple things that achieved the same end and I would also run into things that I could not think of as ever being useful. I have decided to give this another go and use a more Tim Ferriss oriented mindset. So my questions is:

What are the 20% of C++ principals that I should learn that will enable to make pretty much any program? EX: Variables, IF statements, ETC.

I am not looking to be a seasoned or efficient programmer. Just a hobby in my free time. I want to have a basic tool kit so I can pretty much do anything with a little 'Ghetto Rigging'.

I have always fantasized about making a Black Jack game and that was always the goal when I tried learning in the past. If there are any specific things you can think of that specifically apply to making that, please share!

Thanks for any help!

[Catfish666]

I have tried learning C++ in the past and have always failed because it was so overwhelming. I recall when I tried in the past, I would frequently run into multiple things that achieved the same end and I would also run into things that I could not think of as ever being useful.

You need to decide what you want to do, then do it.

Want to learn C++?
http://www.cplusplus.com/doc/tutorial/
http://www.cplusplus.com/reference/
http://en.cppreference.com/w/
http://www.parashift.com/c++-faq/
http://www.icce.rug.nl/documents/cplusplus/

Want to stay away from C++? (this is mostly for laughs)
http://yosefk.com/c++fqa/
http://harmful.cat-v.org/software/c++/
http://www.horstmann.com/cpp/pitfalls.html

I am not looking to be a seasoned or efficient programmer. Just a hobby in my free time. I want to have a basic tool kit so I can pretty much do anything with a little 'Ghetto Rigging'.

Grab Visual Studio Express 2013 (freeware).
http://www.microsoft.com/visualstudio/eng

I have always fantasized about making a Black Jack game and that was always the goal when I tried learning in the past. If there are any specific things you can think of that specifically apply to making that, please share!

Then also grab SFML, a C++ library designed mostly for 2D games.
http://www.sfml-dev.org/

[CplusplusAcolyte]

I would recommend starting by reading up on variables, arrays, loops, if/else statements and ternary operators, as it is likely all would be used in a program such as a Blackjack game. I recently coded a game of war making use of all of these, and considered the changes required to convert it to blackjack.

Luckily, these things are all pretty basic, and don't require a large amount of research or practice to get the hang of.