5 comments about The Dark Side Sourcebook (Star Wars Roleplaying Game).

1. This book, in short, is a must have item for any Game Master. It is loaded with information from the Sith era on up and backed by excellent art and photos. Information only hinted at in the Core rule book is fully explained and new feats and skills aplenty. Further it is not limited to the Sith- Emperor's Hand,and Imperial Guard, to name a couple are detailed. Further a galaxys' worth of NPC's and complete revised stats on your favorite Darksiders from the movies. Nothing is left untouched. The icing on the cake are numerous helpful GM tips on running a Darkside campaign. In close, I would even recommend this book to non-players who are fans of Star Wars, due to the volume of information, photos, and all around great reading.



2. The Dark Side Sourcebook is largely for a gamemaster who wants to produce serious villains, or for someone who wants to run a Dark Side campaign. It contains all the tools necessary for either of these tasks, including a load of very powerful prestige classes (including the mighty Sith Lord) and jaw-dropping items (including the Sith Talisman and Orbalisk Armor). There is also included the requisite gallery of known baddies, and some monsters that will pose an extreme challenge for even the most powerful heroes.

   There are only a few problems with this book. Let's start with the most obvious one: the lack of a sourcebook for the ancient eras where Dark Jedi ran rampant. Most of the prestige classes, items, ships, and individuals mentioned in this book are exclusively available in that time period, so this absence is significant. This can be addressed soon, however, and is not one of the 'embarrassing flaws' I mentioned. The charts for the prestige classes have odd discrepancies in convention that seem to be a halfway point between the original and revised core rulebooks. For example, reputation is either noted as ever-increasing or a series of +1 and +0s, and lightsaber damage is listed as +1d8 +1d8 +1d8 ... +2d8 rather than 'increase lightsaber damage.'

   Some other gamemasters might have noticed another interesting problem. The Sith Lord prestige class has 10 levels, but it is impossible to become a 10th level Sith Lord (I'm assuming a 'non-epic' campaign here). The reason for this being that the class requires a reputation of 10, and it is impossible to get that in 10 levels. A more obvious problem is with the Emperor's Hand prestige class, since there can only be one Emperor's Hand. This rather limits the potential of the class, does it not?

   Of course, the gamemaster is by no means held to obey the whims of this sourcebook. I simply threw out what I thought was unreasonable and went on with the game. Though I generally found the book to be a worthwhile investment of time and money, it could have been far more satisfying with a bit of improvement in the range of options available. This especially applies to campaigns run in the Rebellion Era which, let's face it, is the only really FUN era to run in!




3. To clear up the confusion of one of the previous reviewers, it should be mentioned that the Dark Side Sourcebook was published *before* the Revised Core Rulebook, and thus uses the older, obsolete ruleset. Fortunately, there is an update file to be found at the Star Wars section of the Wizards of the Coast website that addresses these changes, and brings it in line with the new rules.

   That being said, I liked this book back then, and I still like it now. The DSSB really set the stage for the high-quality, full-color, hardcover books that would later become the standard.

   I really enjoyed the sections on Dark Side Spirits and Possession, but I think my favorite part was the large selection of Dark Side characters. There is also a wide range of new Dark Side force skills, new feats, mutated beasts, killer droids, and deadly weapons... and not to mention the comprehensive history of the Sith tradition itself, starting from its break with the Jedi Order over 25,000 years prior to the events of the movies.

   In short, this is still a solid book, and if you're an evil player, or simply an evil GM, this one is for you.




4. Hey men !
   what's up too long delay. wait from february and now in May still waiting until july !!
   
   Hope that you give me a discount for items due to the lack of buisness.



5. I just recieved Star Wars, Dark Side Sourcebook and I love it. I have not put it down since. It has help me create and play a dark sider better than before.

1 comments about How to Play Chess Endgames.

1. Bought this book from amazon.de recently, and I am enjoying it very much. Chapters like the one on Fortresses, Domination, Prophylaxis are interesting.
   
   This is my companion volume to "Fundamental Chess Endings" and Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual.

2 comments about Will Shortz Presents Let's Play Sudoku: Middle of the Road (Will Shortz Presents...).

1. This is a very error-free collection that really increased my skills at Sudoku. Difficult, but not impossible. I would now trust any sudoku collection in the "Will Shortz" catalogue.



2. I love Will Shortz sudoku puzzles. I bought this book in hopes that it wouldn't be too easy or too difficult. In general, most of the book's puzzles are of moderate difficulty, however, I have found that there are quite a few puzzles that are pretty hard and even demanding. Every now and then I find a really easy one or two. In general - a good buy.

5 comments about Winning Omaha/8 Poker.

1. There is very little material out there on this game. If you follow Mark's advice you will win in the low to middle limit games. The style is tight and somewhat boring but it works.



2. I am a novice at Omaha/8, so I write from that perspective. I have Zee's book and Cloutier's book. Neither of them come close to offering the material Tenner and Krieger present in "Winning Omaha 8" for the beginning player. I think Zee and Cloutier believe you already know this stuff; Tenner and Krieger make no such supposition and start from scratch.
   
   I am one of those players (and a pretty good one) coming from Hold 'em to Omaha/8. Over and over and over, Tenner and Krieger tell me Omaha/8 is NOT Hold 'em, and give example after example. They tell me to often muck pocket aces. What? Muck pocket aces? Yeah right! So I go to Zee's book and find one sentence: muck weak pocket aces. Tenner and Krieger devote a whole chapter to properly playing aces. Guess which book is more informative to the novice. Ever so slowly it dawns on me just how good their advice is. Ever so slowly I go from being a big loser to a small winner at the tables.
   
   Over and over and over, they say Omaha/8 is a game of scoops, not of splits. For at least a month I think they are crazy. Why would I not play the nut high straight even if I had to split the pot? But they say it so often, it gets in my head like a song you can't get rid of. And I go from being a small winner to a much bigger winner.
   
   The book is packed with facts. It has to be read, underlined, reread, reunderlined. I recall the chapter on Playing the Flop. I remember praying to God to please let this chapter come to an end. And yet it is the best chapter in the book, even if it has to be practically memorized word for word.
   
   One small criticism. While the book is most certainly complete enough for the novice (and the intermediate and maybe even the expert who writes the other review and pans the book), it is missing a few paragraphs. It fails to say anything about playing Pot Limit Omaha/8. Maybe the casinos don't spread Pot Limit Omaha/8, I don't know. But the Internet poker sites most certainly do big time! I would have wanted even a little advice on how to adjust playing the game to pot limit.
   
   I think this is the first book I've given 5 stars. I wrote this review in answer to those who criticized it. Please don't buy it if you might end up at my table.
   
   UPDATE: Two and a half years have gone by since I wrote this review. The problem I mentioned then has enlarged greatly, that is, at least online, (practically) ONLY pot limit Omaha/8 is played. A book not containing a large description of the pot limit game offers almost nothing to its readers. I would very strongly suggest the authors update this book. Otherwise I would no longer recommend it.



3. Little is published on this game, so if you are into omaha 8 you should buy it all. My main objection to this book is the writing style. I like a less conversational approach; 'just the facts' and if it's important put a star by it.
   This book gives organized guidelines on flop play(page 106-107) that are quite helpful to a new player that wants specific advice, and any points of play considered important are emphasized.
   I would be wary of reviewers that praise this book above all others. They tend to be new players. There are great insights in books by Zee, Cappelletti, Ciaffone, Slotboom, Brunson, etc. If advice contradicts try to reason out why and you'll probably become a better player.
   For a new fixed limit player this is a good start but I would also get Zee's book. Also just go online and get what you can from websites.
   Then get experience and be a nit. lol



4. After reading the book, I can see why I have a hard time winning in the on line games. Since I have read the book, I have been holding my own, but using the author's information on starting hands, I sure sit on the sidelines watching a lot of the action.



5. If you've read very many books on Hold'em you are probably familiar with Lou Krieger and his "Hold'em Excellence" books. Well, Krieger has done it again - this time with Omaha/8.
   
   There are other books that cover Omaha/8, but none that I think do it quite as well for the inexperienced player. After reading Tenner and Krieger and putting their advice into action you'll probably want to check out Ray Zee and other authors of Omaha/8 books.
   
   The book contains introductory chapters dealing with how Omaha/8 is played, basic elements of strategy and basic poker etiquette. Then a chapter introduces the basics of counting outs and calculating odds as needed in Omaha/8 with a table on page 72 giving percentage probability of hitting your hand for four to twenty outs. If the effort required for memorizing this table is a turnoff (it is for me) you'll find that you can accurately calculate the probability of hitting your card on the turn or river by multiplying the outs by four then subtracting the outs in excess of ten.
   
   The next chapter discusses starting hands and I think this may be one of the most valuable sections of the book for many players. Most authors of hold'em books give an easy to remember list of starting hands, but most writers on Omaha/8 are more vague. This is probably in large part because of the number of possible hands in Omaha. Omaha/8 is a high-low game and the hands you want to play will be either high or low. Tenner and Krieger give a brief set of principle-based rules for starting hands that should make sense of the almost infinite possibilities.
   
   Other chapters deal with playing on the flop, playing hands with two aces, playing from the blinds, kill pots, playing flops with a pair, bankroll requirements, playing online, and much more.
   
   If you aspire to become a capable Omaha/8 player this book will get you off to a good start.

4 comments about Gigantic Jumble: A Colossal Collection for Dedicated Jumblers.

1. A paradise for jumble fanatics! The book is a bit heavy on the lap, but it's a wonderful way to pass time on a car trip.
   
   Would recommend for anyone who loves jumbles.



2. FOR THOSE WHO LIKE OR LOVE DOING WORD JUMBLES THIS IS THE BOOK TO ORDER- IT HAS PLENTY OF FUN PUZZLES. I DO SOME OF THE PUZZLES ALMOST EVERY DAY, IT RELAXES ME. I WOULD DEFINITELY ORDER OTHER JUMBLE PUZZLE BOOKS.



3. I always loved doing jumbles in the newspaper. Now with these books you can have a great time and keep your mind active at the same time. My mother also loves them. If you want to stay sharp, pick up a few of these books and keep them around the house.



4. I was amazed at the number of puzzles in the book(over 500),so many puzzles at such a reasonable price. GREAT

5 comments about The Ultimate English-Spanish Dictionary for Horsemen / El Primer Dictionario Para Equitadores Ingles / Espanol.

1. I love this book. I did a whole report in spanish about horses and at first i couldnt find any translations for the different horsemen terms until I found this book. I would highly recommend this book to anyone. Very useful.



2. I searched high and low for an industry specific English/Spanish dictionary...this book is a show stopper. Organized into topical chapters (shoeing the horse, feeds, feed supplements, racing, polo, etc), the words are organized alphabetically within each section. It is comprehensive and easy to navigate. It is the gold standard for English/Spanish dictionaries. Everyone on my team owns one!



3. This book is truly a "must have" if, like me, you live near the US/Mexican border and own horses. Actually, this is the THIRD copy of this book I've purchased because when I've loaned these books to people, I never see them again.



4. I bought this book primarily to take with me to Argentina where I play polo. While this book was still useful, there are lots of words and phrases that are just different down here. For instance, nobody calls a polo mallet a "martillo de polo" (polo hammer), everyone calls them tacos. Calling it that seems just as odd to Argentines as "baseball mallet" would seem to Americans. A polo ball is not so much a "pelota de polo" as a "bocha." To play "stick and ball" is to "taquear" (an important verb not in the book). The polo field is almost always called a "cancha" not a "campo." A match is "un match," not usually "un juego." The word "montar," while understood, is never used, using "andar a caballo" pretty much exclusively. Some of the equipment and some of the words are also different down here. This may seem nitpicky, but Argentina is the most important polo country in the world and horses are probably more important in Argentina than in any other Spanish-speaking country.



5. This book is the best I've seen and a must have for anyone in the horse industry. I just ordered a second copy for my son-in-law an equine veterinarian. It makes it easy to communicate with barn workers, trainers etc. who speak Spanish as their first language. An absolutely great tool that it easy to use and filled with vocabularly you can't find anywhere else. I think every college with an equine-related major or minor should have this book available in their bookstore.

5 comments about Building Robots With Lego Mindstorms : The Ultimate Tool for Mindstorms Maniacs.

1. I am very impressed with the book. It addresses robotics in a broad sense then drills down to the specifics of hobbyist robotics using LEGO and the RCX. Many tips and tricks, great insights into performance challenges and remedies, and lots and lots of cool project ideas! Great Book!



2. Don't get me wrong. The models are cool. However, they usually need some tuning up before they are full functional. The majority of programs is written in NQC (as described in the book), however there is one in lego script which works only for newer RIS (2.0). I tried to contact the publishers and authors on many occasion but I've only managed to get my name on the spam list! This is not a nice way to treat a costumer.



3. Great accompaniment for the Lego kit.



4. MindStorms is an absolutely fascinating robot building system for children, adults, and those who don't fit well into either category. This book helps you delve more deeply into the principles behind making really cool robots with MindStorms. The opportunities for learning are just never-ending, and at the same time, the limitless fun anyone can have, from pre-teen to geezer, makes the learning very rewarding. This book helps open this potential.
   
   This book takes you beyond the step-by-step instructions in the Constructopedia, and doesn't shy away from the physical principles behind robots, so it is suited for the more experienced and mentally mature builder. I use it to get ideas for things I can build with my 9-year-old son. It won't be long until he's ready to have a go at the book himself, though.



5. I bought this book to get a better understanding of the Mindstorm NXT system. While this book is very interesting, it does not cover NXT -- so the descriptions of the programming, the sensors, even the basic lego pieces do not match what you'd get in a NXT package.

5 comments about Ghosts at the Table: Riverboat Gamblers, Texas Rounders, Roadside Hucksters, and the Living Legends Who Made Poker What It Is Today.

1. "The wild weird money world of professional gamblers is illustrated with stories from the riverboats to Vegas. Your own way to learn all about the World Series of Poker but for the price of this book instead of the ten thousand dollar buy in."



2. a must have book for anyone who has the slighest interest in poker or gambling. a really great book!!



3. Wilson starts his book with a helpful preface that divides poker into four ages: the initial frontier stages, that lasted from the game's introduction to the US to the closing of the frontier, which in poker terms correlates with the last mineral booms in the 1890s/1900s.
   
   The second age starts much later, with the heyday of the Texas road gamblers in the 1950s. This is a short era that is followed by the Las Vegas era, which symbolically began with the first World Series of Poker held at Binion's Horseshoe in 1970.
   
   The final age of poker is the current boom, fueled equally by television and the Internet, which most people would date to 2002.
   
   It's a good division, though it neglects the "rank and file" of poker in some ways. The thousands of backroom poker games that sustained the "sport" during the first half of the 20th century, for example, are nowhere here. There's good reason for that-they were mostly undocumented, and little heralded. For good reason. There is nothing exceptional or heroic about them. But history is rarely exceptional or heroic.
   
   The book properly begins with Wilson checking into the Bullock Hotel in Deadwood, South Dakota, and learning that a real ghost lives there-the spirit of Seth Bullock, the original proprietor, who frequently shows his disgust over the current staff's lassitude by shaking the odd plate or turning on a random blender.
   
   That's when I realized that the ghosts of the title aren't a metaphor: for Wilson (and for poker players) the legends of the past really are ghosts, who still have an incorporeal presence and can still do us harm.
   
   As Wilson admits in the preface, this is not an exhaustive history of poker as a historian would write it, chronological narrative interspersed with hard-won quantatative data about numbers of card decks sold, arrest for poker-playing, and the like. Instead, it's an impressionistic journey-literally-through the past and into the present of poker.
   
   Wilson's strategy is to revisit the scenes of past poker greatness, from Tombstone to Texas to Binion's Horseshoe, and through research, interviews, and observation, try to recover what is lost. Luckily, many of the figures of the last three eras are still alive, and those that have passed on are survived by friends, rivals, and associates. There a real richness of detail here, and no matter what your previous knowledge of poker, your insight into its history will be enriched Ghosts at the Table.
   Two sections that stand out are Wilson's conversation with Amarillo Slim, probably the most controversial poker figure in its modern era, and his investigation into the disappearance of 1979 WSOP champion Hal Fowler.
   
   Wilson's writing on Slim has a balance that is rare-most people either love or hate the lanky rounder-and the facts that Wilson's unearthed about Fowler, while in the end a bit underwhelming, are a neat bit of detective work, and show an inquisitiveness that's too rare in most students of the game. Ditto for his questioning of the Johnny Moss/Nick Dandalos proto-WSOP 1949 match, which has attained apocryphal, if not mythic status.
   
   One of Wilson's strengths is to integrate the present of poker into its past. The reader really sees how today's players slowly took control of the game from the legends of the near past. In the future, historians will be grateful for such an immediate account by a knowledgeable observer of the earliest days of online poker, and of the proliferation of poker in Europe.
   
   As an active narrator, Wilson himself becomes a character in the book. This has the potential for disaster-should the writer show up as a swashbuckling hero, the reader might be turned off by the braggadocio. But Wilson appears as an honest, curious, student of the game, who's taking a trip and bringing a few close friends-including you, the reader-along with him. He's the foil to some of the game's legends and rising stars, driving Amarillo Slim's ranch and listening to his act, seeking out Bobby Hoff in a California card room, and almost invisibly eliciting recollections from other poker icons. When he does step into the frame-in the book's coda-it is for him to try his luck at the 2007 World Series of Poker. Since he's humble without being self-effacing, the reader can't help but root for him.
   
   Don't view this as a narrative-see it as a collection of stories told to you as you're driving down a dark, endless Texas highway (or English road) on the way to your next big game. If you are a poker player or are just curious about this quintessentially American game (and its ghosts) you should definitely read Ghosts at the Table.



4. WELL WRITTEN, EXCELLENT PICTURE OF POKER SINCE THE 1800S. VERY ACCURATE WITH PLENTY OF NEW MATERIAL.



5. 2008 World Series of Poker starts May 30 and runs through July 17, 2008. The biggest event in poker today is described in this anthology of United States players from old western gaming in Arizona, Texas, and Nevada. We are swept along the trail from North Dakota and meander down the gold and silver rush towns to now ghost towns. As time passes in the twentieth century we are told of the exploits of Wild Bill Hickok and how he played poker with his six shooter. In response to a full house, Wild Bill said that he had 3 Aces over 2 sixes, when the other player said he saw only one six Hickok put his pistol on the table and said here is the other six. He won the hand!
   
   This anecdotal form of writing is most interesting as Des Wilson takes us through the portals of moments when ghosts are visited in many poker parlors as he tries to imagine what it was like to have lived in that bygone era. Brief skirmishes are recounted as he tells of battles which were fought and the connection to poker is related in all of them.
   
   His description of the gun fight at the OK Corral is wonderful, and the fact they all played poker the night before is fascinating.
   
   The book seems to be two books in one; Wilson is so enamored with the WSOP that the second half tells of the personalities of the players of today. He does relate the formation of the event by Benny Binion at his famous Horseshoe in Las Vegas in 1970 and touches upon his ghost. Those players who will pay $10,000 to enter Harrah's Rio, the situs of the 2008 contest, owe their opportunity to play to the ghosts of the past and those of the present. Being lucky and getting good cards is only part of winning in Texas Hold 'Em, winning the gold bracelet is exemplified as being a paragon of the bluff.
   
   Clark Isaacs
   Reviewer

No comments about Secrets of Professional Poker: Winning Strategies for Serious Players.

2 comments about The Very Best of Jumble Brainbusters: More Than 500 Brain Bending Puzzles.

1. My mother is homebound and I wanted to get her something that would keep her mind active. She always loved the Jumbles in the newspaper but I couldn't find a bok of them in any local stores. I had a choice of several onAmazon.



2. Book is full of fun but much larger than expected about the size of a phone book and therefore difficult to carry around.