5 comments about How to Turn Your Poker Playing into a Business: Knowing What to Deduct to Improve Your Odds With the IRS.

1. This author has written a easy to understand guide for anyone who play's poker and want's to know how to take every legal deduction available. It help's you figure out if you are truely in a positon to take deduction's as a pro or if you are just playing for fun. Very down to earth and fun book even if it is written by a C.P.A.



2. whether you're filing as a professional poker player or just play for fun, this book is a must have for tax purposes. The book is concise and organized. The most helpful thing in the book are the example tax sheets she fills out for both the hobbyist and pro (2 of each case with different situations). Recommended



3. For all professional Poker Players who want to save money on preparing your tax return, you must have this book !!! UNLESS YOU WANT ANN MARGARET JOHNSTON TO DO YOUR TAXES which is better !!!! Either way, it is the NUTS !!!!



4. The book was very informative and helpful. It was an easy read and certainly will help me in preparing my taxes for this year.



5. If you win at poker you NEED the advice in this book.
   
   IRS rules are often rather arcane, but failure to adhere to them can be disastrous. Johnston's advice just might prevent you from making a mistake that could lead to a learning experience you'd much rather avoid. She carefully defines and discusses in detail differences in tax consequences, and procedures for reporting, for "hobbyists" vs. "professionals."
   
   The presentation is well done, the writing is clear, readable, and essentially free from typos and grammatical errors. Each chapter begins with a conversation in which a poker player reveals ignorance of a specific point of the tax code. The chapter then develops that particular topic to the "intelligent layperson" level.
   
   If you are a CPA or are experienced in preparing business tax returns you'll view this book as little more than a simplification of IRS rules. However, if you don't have that caliber of experience you'd properly view it as a guidebook through a potential minefield.
   
   For example, if your business is playing poker you should be able to deduct all poker-related expenses - right? Maybe! If you still collect a "regular" paycheck the IRS may decide you're not really a poker pro and disallow all expenses except for actual provable losses. And if they do, you may get the opportunity to prove not only the losses but also everything else on your return. And to prove everything on last year's return as well.
   
   If you win at poker you should read this one.

5 comments about Xenogears Official Strategy Guide (Bradygames Strategy Guides).

1. Some strategy guides are vague and are a waste of money. They leave a gamer wondering where exactly to find an item or a location, learn a certain ability, or how to defeat an enemy. The Xenogears Strategy Guide blew these flawed strategy guides out of the water and proved that there are guides with all the answers to your questions! I strongly recommend this to anyone that owns Xenogears!



2. This is a lot like other walkthroughs that I have used before, it is easy to go through and understand and makes it extremely beneficial for a player to have. It may not be the best for the first time playing through the game because of some of the spoilers that it has throughout (mainly screen caps of the anime sceens), but I would highly recomend it to anyone



3. There are online walkthroughs available that are more helpful than this guide. However, this is a must-have for those who love to collect video game strategy guides. Personally, I liked the artwork. Also, the guide is made of quality materials, unlike more recent strategy guides. The cover and the pages seem to be made of thicker paper. I highly recommend this for those who loved Xenogears.



4. I'm probably the only one here who is going write a review bashing on this guide for it's quality. I don't mind the plot spoilers in the guide because...well it's a guide. Every guide has spoilers (and yes I actually DID get my hands on an FFVII guide by VERSUS BOOKS so don't tell me "well you should see THAT guide" I KNOW, but even that one had a few spoilers...just not plot spoilers).

   A guide is meant to do just that guide you. The reason I gave it a three was because the guide misses a lot of secrets, the bestiary lacks and there are no maps in the walkthrough.

   Let me start off by saying this, at least we can all agree on this, Maps are ESSENTIAL to a strategy guide and ESPECIALLY RPG guides. That goes without saying and for that I couldn't let the guide come within a mile of five stars. Second, a guide should NEVER spoil the ending. Plot I'm okay with but the ending is the whole reason you play a game in the first place. Sure it's no fun when you know the plot but if you know how the game ends then that just plain stinks! So I don't mind the plot spoilers but the fact of the ending being spoiled really made me mad.

   The walkthrough is dim too. The screens are blurry and out of context and the content that the guide contains is not always clear. The directions they give you in dungeons are only going to help you in getting lost. The bestiary doesn't detail a monsters weakness instead the only good thing we really get is how much HP they have.

   So in short, the guide isn't the best buy for you. It has a complete walkthrough and it actually isn't all that bad. Boss strategies are nice and you get the general idea of what they're telling you to do. But again, I didn't give this guide a considerably low score for the plot spoilers. I never actually even read the plot spoilers since I was using the guide as a reference book and not a magazine.




5. For a new company this is a great way to start out by never over rating an item for sale. I can say I am happy with my purchase,since it was in better condition than what I percieved.

1 comments about The Game Design Reader: A Rules of Play Anthology.

1. Curious minds that have delighted in games will love this book! I adored the compilation of shared thoughts from "Who's Who" in game design. Aesthetically, the book is so cute! My copy sits on my coffee table. The book had me at the cover...

5 comments about Pandolfini's Endgame Course: Basic Endgame Concepts Explained by America's Leading Chess Teacher (Fireside Chess Library).

1. Pandolfini writes in a way that is clear, logical, and just plain easy to understand. Any of his books are "must haves" for a solid chess library. His Endgame book covers an area that I belive is often overlooked in favor of the latest opening. This book is just what it says, a "course on endgame concepts" that would benefit any chess player.



2. I agree with the many reviewers who think this is an excellent book but are troubled by the typos. For those of you considering using the book, there's a very helpful Houston Chessclub website with a collection of corrections to the book. If you do a Google search for "Pandolfini's Endgame Errata" you can locate it easily. Once you have that, there's no reason not to get this very worthwhile book.



3. 
   Probably anyone no matter their skill level can benefit from this book, but I think is best suited for beginners to intermediate players. The author describes the techniques employed in the most important and typical endgame situations, presenting more than 239 positions that clearly describe how a good player will solve the problems encountered in each one of them. If you have read and liked the style of any other Pandolfini's chess instructional books chances are you will enjoy this one.
   
   The book is divided in three parts. A complete part of the book is devoted to king and pawn endings, but also enough coverage is given to endgame positions where the knight, the bishop, the root, and the queen, and a combination of minor and heavy pieces play the important role of helping promote a pawn or act to accomplish a mating solution.
   
   As the author states "the book is designed to improve the skills of the practical player who is interested in wining the ending clearly, simply and efficiently."
   
   I bought this book as part of a used chess book collection on an auction, and I was not disappointed at all with this title. The book systematically showed me how to think and analyze typical positions that as a matter of fact I have encountered during accrual play. One the things I like the most is the Instructional format of this book, clear and easy to follow. For me is absolutely a must have, especially if you are a beginner.
   
   The book uses algebraic notation, but I guess this is just a matter of preference and it actually doesn't affect the quality and usefulness of the information presented. Nevertheless you should take this into account in case you prefer descriptive notation.



4. First, download the errata as mentioned in other reviews and get that much over with. There *are* more errors than there should have been (1/2 star taken right off the top).
   
   That said, this should be your *second* endgame book. Why? Because the writing style is terse and laconic. The book is made up of a long series of endgame positions, one per page, with a paragraph of descriptive text and a nearly, if not completely, un-annotated list of moves below the paragraph. It's up to you to digest the text, and relate it to the moves as you play them out. I believe that to do this effectively, you need some basic endgame background, hence my statement that this should be your *second* endgame book.
   
   The book is quite complete, providing at least one example of all important endgame situations. It is not an exhaustive text, such as Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual or some others, but it leaves out very little, even if what is covered is at times brief (a single example) or at a high level.... but that is not a bad thing. At this stage of learning, you want clear examples, not problem-like esoterica.
   
   Four stars overall. (Another half off for the at times difficult presentation style of text/move list.)
   
   (What would be the first endgame book? Briefly, I'd use Robertie's "Easy Endgame Strategies" or even better if you don't mind an older book in descriptive notation, Horowitz's "How to Win in the Chess Endings.")



5. Pandolfini has won me over. He is a great chess teacher, and it shows in the way he has set this book up. Each page covers one endgame problem, beginning with a discussion written in an easy and interesting style explaining what the problem is intended to illustrate.
   
   Studying the endgame is not necessarily fun... but the endgame is where the money is in Chess, similar to putting in golf. It is very important to study it if you want to improve. What Pandolfini does is makes it palatable by presenting a series of one page self-contained problems. I have found this an excellent addition to some of the Convekta software I am using to study chess, because he explains the ideas behind the endgame positions in more detail and with clarity.

5 comments about Lasker's Manual of Chess.

1. This wonderful classic is very well written for an adult (would be difficult reading for most kids) who is either a beginner or a player who has aquired basic skills. It provides a good mixture of basics with even some more advanced concepts. Lasker was a great chess teacher.
   Then why 3 stars instead of 5? This is because the book requires some serious updating. For the more advanced player the openings are very outdated. The book needs to be written in the more modern and efficient Algebraic form of notation. And, as already mentioned, it is difficult reading for possible use by a young reader.



2. This is one of the best Introductory Chess Books ever written for an adult. The only drawback is that it needs to be written in Algebraic Notation.
   The former world champion also covers some more advanced concepts throughout the text.



3. I like this book. It starts off with the basic rules and quickly gets into openings and strategy. I wish they would put it out in "algebraic chess notation" which is the only drawback. Since I get an A in all my classes as a 7th grade student I can understand this book well even with the old form of chess notation.



4. "Lasker's Manual of Chess" doesn't mess arround. It is absolutely perfect for someone who needs a brief reminder of the basic rules and then is ready to get quickly into the strategic parts of chess. It is a well written book for an adult reader or older teenage reader; younger kids or someone who is a super beginner should start with "Chess For Jrs" or possibly "Learn chess: A complete Course".
   This may be an older book but it is very well written and a largely forgotten about classic.



5. This has got to be one of the top chess books . It is superbly written and by that I mean 6 stars . Lasker was world champion for 28 years -- you read his book and you will be champion in your small league for sure!!
   I haven't gone through the whole book but already am losing sleep over it --- it is that good !! Do yourself a favor -- pick this up NOW . I am an average player and I do not write good reviews like this . Lasker will show u how and why to play . Will definitely improve your rating to 2000+ -- NO MATTER WHERE YOU START FROM !! If you do not see any improvement , I will say this --- you have not read this book ! It probably stayed on your shelf for too long .

5 comments about Life & Games of Mikhail Tal.

1. 6 stars! This book, along with My 60 Memorable Games was the best book I have ever read. Mikhail Tal explains his ways from a junior player to a GM and even WCH!



2. Mikhail Tal's autobiography is unique among chess literature. It combines Tal's self-effacing humorous style with his analysis of the games that made him one of the greatest combinational players of all time. He discusses his meteoric rise to attain the world championship and without any complaint, discusses how he lost it in the shortest period of time of any world champion. But most of all, are his games, his daring sacrifices, and his ability to pull wins from thin air (hence the nickname "the Wizard of Riga"). One thing a chess reader should not do is attempt to analyze Tal's games with a chess engine like Fritz, for Tal made many mistakes. His brilliance lies in the fact that his chess ideas were so complicated and beautiful that they overwhelmed opponents whose minds could not operate at pentium processor speed. Probably players in the intermediate to advanced range will find the book most enjoyable. However, the beginner will derive great benefit just from getting to know Tal. In any event, this book is a must have for any chess library.



3. 
   Doesn't get much better than this regarding chess books. Agree with a previous writer that Tal ranks near the top in terms of chess players -- along with Fischer, Capablanca, Alekhine, Morphy, and Kasparov. Tal was known as the king or master of the sacrifice.



4. This is simply the best chess book I have ever seen! Learn from Mikhail Tal's games,from his beautiful,strong and humorous language! According to me,he tells how exactly chess should be played. This book is about 400 pages and includes 100 Tal games,beginning from his youth , all the way to and beyond his winning the world championship. As he says: "Chess fans are surely more happy to see grandmasters risk,rather than just push wood."



5. This is simply one of the best chess books I have ever read. Not only does the reader learn a number of valuable things from Tal's games or positions from those games (each of which is annotated by Tal himself), but we also learn about the man behind these great games. Part chess book, part autobiography, "The Life and Games of Mikhail Tal" is one of the most immersing, engrossing, and fascinating books available on any game.
   
   Mikhail Tal was a Russian chess player who, for a very short time, was the World Champion. He is famous for his brilliant attacks, but in this book, I found much more. He wasn't just an aggressive player; he loved to attack, but he didn't do just that. Instead, he tells you something about every part of the game, attacking, and defending, and much more, all while making the reading experience enjoyable, which is a great achievement in itself.
   
   The book is written like an interview. A journalist and a chess player converse about the latter's career and games. The chess player - Tal himself - vividly describes his life in the chess world to the journalist. Although you may not think the life of Tal is very interesting, I assure you that you are wrong - it's fascinating! He tells wonderful stories and describes many great games, almost as if you were at his house, asking him him about chess while he tells you about his life experiences. A wonderful book, as it blends wonderful chess lessons with great stories into one wonderful volume that every chess player should have in his/her library.

5 comments about Master Pieces: The Curator's Game.

1. Pick up this book for fifteen seconds and you won't put it down. It immediately got me involved with its "curator's game" of showing small details of great art-and then challenging me to match the details to a famous artist and the complete painting. Where had I seen those haunting eyes before? What story is being told by the reflections in the small mirror? When you turn to the complete paintings in the back of the book, and see how the piece fits into the masterpiece, you learn a lesson that will stay with you for a long time. The lesson: Look carefully at all parts of a painting instead of just standing back and admiring the work as a whole. It's true that "God is in the details," so this book encourages you to relish and delight in those details.



2. This is a wonderful book for art buffs and and novices alike. As Hoving says in the introduction, it's based off of a game that curators often played together at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Each identification "challenge" comes with a brief biography of the artist and unusual fact/perspective on the piece or its depiction, and the book's unique format helps me remember (and want to share) everything I learn. It's great for dinner parties, long car-rides, or just curling up with on your own to sharpen your eye for art. It makes the perfect gift-- I'd recommend it to anyone!



3. Former curator of the MET introduces us to the "classic" curator game of showing small samples (pieces) from famous works of art and trying to determine the artist and name of the piece. The curator who won (the master of the days pieces) would get a free cup of coffe for the week. We only get the satisfaction of knowing our art. Along with the satisfaction though is the honing of your art identity skills and an overall increase in your awareness of art. From Giotto to Hockney the 'test' covers 57 masterpieces from 700 years of western art. The pictures are used more then once so you really need to know your art to get them all right. The end of the book has a quick bio and review of the masterpiece.
   
   My only complaint would be the book is a little small, Hoving talks about using the book to study the details of the pieces yet some of the pictures are only 2x3 inches, makes seeing the detail tough.
   
   Strongly recommended for anyone interested in western art. As this book assumes a basic knowledge of art, I would not recommend for an art novice looking for an intro to art.



4. Thomas Hoving was the director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art for a decade (1967-77). He presents the humble public with this shining book/game with obvious love and appreciation of its contents.
   
   He starts off by recounting how every week during the long coffee breaks at the MET, a select person would bring in photographs taken of certain details from various famous (and not-so famous) works of art. It was then the pleasure of the art buffs in the room to discern just where it was they'd seen those images. There were easy details, there were mind-bending details. They came to call this the "Curator's Game."
   
   Equally as entertaining are Hoving's assorted thoughts and interesting side-notes on the works. He never shies away from providing his own opinions. For instance the clue from a Renaissance piece on pg.28 reads that the artist's women "had a softness that his rival Michelangelo never achieved."
   
   The first half of the book has all of the details along with their respective clues. You'll find angels and men, dogs and instruments as it winds down to incredibly difficult background images. The second half houses all of the paintings from which the details were taken along with a brief description and examination of them. And don't fret, if you fear you won't be able to find them all, Mr. Hoving has been kind enough to provide us with an answer key.
   
   As has been written by others, this would make a wonderful gift. It also proved a great way to pass the time on a rainy day. Recommended for my part.



5. Stimulating book - took me back to days as an art student. Enjoyed very much.Purchased as a result of borrowing the book from the local library.
   Excellent.

5 comments about Total Sudoku.

1. If you like to sit and think for a long time this is the product for you. I really enjoy this book.... the only thing is the order. It jumbles around from easy to hard to medium ect. I would also like it more if it had more solution strategies. Overall this is a good first book of sudoku.



2. This is a fantastic book for sudoku starters everywhere. It has instructions that are really well written and a huge grid that is much easier to use and see than others. Another reviewer said that the levels are spread out, but that is so you can try different levels and work yourself up to levels. In a way it keeps you on a "roll." If you chose any sudoku book let this be the one.



3. This Sudoku book is both great and a major disappointment at the same time. The great part is that the puzzles are printed nice and big so that you have enough space in the number squares to write down the possibilities. And the paper is strong enough so that you don't make holes in the paper as you write and erase. I had other Sudoku books where I ended up making a copy of each page before working on it.
   
   The disappointment is that some puzzles are not properly formed, and have more than one solution.



4. I love this one! Each puzzle is big, big, big -- one puzzle per 8 X 10 page. Lots of room to solve in. The quality of the paper is great. And there are 16 by 16 grids in the back -- my favorites. Buy this one, not the so-called "jumbo" puzzles by the same author.



5. I enjoy using this book, paper is great, space is wonderful and the easy is not too easy! I do the puzzles everyday because it is a joy to work with!

No comments about Pokemon Battle Revolution: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides) (Prima Official Game Guides) (Prima Official Game Guides).

No comments about Brain Building Games: With Words and Numbers.