2 comments about Crime And Puzzlement: 24 Solve-them-yourself Picture Mysteries.

1. Lawrence Treat presents 23 (not 24 as the book's cover claims) pictures of crime scenes and invites the reader to solve the crimes. To aid the reader, Treat presents lists of questions that more often than not make the solution obvious. Still, the book represents an hour or two worth of mental exercise, and the reader is of course under no obligation to read the questions that may telegraph the solutions. For an inquisitive and mentally-active teenager, this book might be a great deal of fun. The most significant criticism of the book is that in a few cases, Treat relies on probabilities that are not close enough to certainties. In other words, at times the solution depends upon one or two educated guesses that could very well be wrong. However, as an exercise in deductive thinking, reading the book should provide a young adult with an afternoon well spent. (The twenty-fourth puzzle is not a crime to be solved but instead a pair of pictures in which the reader is to find the differences between the two.)



2. Man, these books were my _favorites_ in middle school. Fifteen years later, the original still hasn't lost its sheen. Looking for mystery picture puzzles with charm and wit? Plunk your $8.95 here. Adults will like them as well as teenagers.
   
   Each puzzle greets the reader with a detailed mise-en-crime scene (or piece of evidence) and a few short but vivid expository paragraphs. Each of the subsequent yes-or-no questions prompts the armchair detective to examine a different aspect of the evidence closely, leading her down the path of deduction toward the proper conclusion ("Do you think Rubitsh had been fishing?" "Is there evidence of a fight?"). Not that these will always make the solution apparent, of course, but if you don't care for the hand-holding, you can, as the text suggests, dive right for the final question. Do, though, stick to working through the entire question list for the toughies; it points your eyes to the details which pack the pictures and might otherwise escape notice. (Bonus: the questions are a useful aid in teaching logic to younger readers - if the perp used an everyday object from the scene as a weapon, for example, was the crime likely premeditated or spontaneous?)
   
   Competently-constructed mystery puzzles litter the market, though; the style is why these books have stuck with me for fifteen years. Cabarga illustrates with homey detail but also deliberately co-opts the dramatic lighting and shading (and occasional fedoras) of '40's noir. (There's even the tiniest splash of Art Deco.) As a result, every focal point has stage presence and a little "Maltese Falcon" mystique. Treat's writing lays out exposition crisply and cleanly, but he also grabs you with wry humor dropped coolly and off-the-cuff, mixing the droll with the daffy ("As the clock struck five, ninety-year-old Mrs. Mirabel Fallwell dropped out of the window of her spacious twelfth-floor apartment. On the fourth stroke she struck." "Romano Rubitsh was undoubtedly the most hated man in Endicott County, and his life was often threatened, even by children."). As I can personally attest, even if you've already solved every puzzle, the prose and illustrations are a pleasure to revisit. Together, the artists create menace and atmosphere, painting in the corners and making these goofy little scenarios come to unique life in the space of an investigation.
   
   (About that menace - as several of the puzzles evince, Treat and Cabarga understand that intrigue and mystery can benefit from a *touch* of the macabre. The curtain from Mrs. Fallwell's apartment window flies ripped in the wind, still fluttering from her lapsed grip; a burlap hood shadows the mouth and eyes of a strangled bookworm while a smiling Santa doll perches on his chest; the childlike scrawl and misspellings in the "note from a desperado" convince us that, yes, something "terribel" will happen to Josephine if the villain is not stopped. Nothing's overtly gory, mind you, though much is certainly unnerving. The cover intro gives a good sample; flip through in the bookstore if you're a parent on the fence. Again, middle-school kids should be safe.)
   
   My fellow reviewer faulted "Crime & Puzzlement" for taking latitudes with logic; I can only surmise that he was Johnnie Cochran. I can find precious little here that is unintuitive. I find plenty, though, that is evocative, entertaining, and proof that puzzles don't have to be dry, perfunctory scraps to be tossed away after the blanks are filled in. The title's been in print for almost thirty years, yet it still stands as one of the most innovative iterations of the craft.

5 comments about Chess Exam and Training Guide: Tactics: Rate Yourself and Learn How to Improve.

1. I loved this book. I could hardly put it down! You do all the problems, and fill out the graphs at the end (no cheating! you have to be honest). Then when you get is a scientific report of your strengths and weaknesses in different areas of chess. It's uncanny how accurrate this is. The best thing is you know where you need to focus your training, and he gives you advice for that. If you are interested in improvement, then this is a must.



2. This contains an extremely well selected set of 120 questions. Unlike typical "Find the best move" books, the author gives 2 questions for each position and 4 multiple choice answers. None of the problems are simple, and force you to think deeply before answering, looking for every possible resource from both sides. The answer explanations are very instructive as well. You can't go wrong with this book, it will tell you what your stength is and which tactical theme/technique you need to improve.



3. This book really helps to know how good/bad you are in Chess. Everyone will feel that Igor Khmelnitsky invested tremendous effort to make this book. This book comprises 120 questions to assess different levels of your chess knowledge. The good thing about this book is when you go through it and finish your exams and know your scores you will be amazed by the accuracy of the test. With this test and his recommendations everyone can play better chess after this. I found its very useful book even for beginners (like me) to assess their weakness and strength and improve further. Worth of buying it, highly recommended.



4. This book has really helped me determine which areas I am strong and which I need to improve in. I am a 1550 level player and have been at this level for over a year. I wasn't able to figure our why I could not beat stronger players but after reading this book I am now much clearer.
   They have very simple pictures and very easy to read information , unlike lots of chess books out there.
   This will help everybody who is looking to got one notch above where they currently are. Lessons in Tactics, counter attacks, strategies, defense are all very well given. Also very easy to follow. I recommend this to everybody who wants to play better chess.



5. I haven't finished working my way through the test positions yet, however, I've seen enough to reccommend this book to anyone trying to improve their game. The positions are challenging. It enables you to isolate and identify gaps in knowledge so your efforts are more focused. I'd like to see more books like it.

5 comments about Sharn: City of Towers (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Eberron Supplement).

1. I would agree with the other reviewers in that this book is an excellent buy but for it not having an index. Luckily, the author of the book, Keith Baker, has been putting together a detailed index on his website.
   
   You can download it for free here:
   http://www.bossythecow.com/sharnindex.htm
   
   The NPC, Locations, Services, and Organizations sections have been put together with the rest, I believe, coming soon.



2. I found the book to paint the city in vibrant tones. It took the immense job of describing a multilevel edifice of a city in a way that was while general provided specifics for character where needed. Over all a very enjoyable read as well as informative.



3. If you're looking for a highly detailed city book for an Eberron campaign you can't go wrong here. Sharn provides endless outlets for adventure, from thieves guilds to corrupt officials to exotic and interesting locales in the city itself.
   
   This setting book is focused almost exclusively on the city of Sharn itself, with only a brief discussion of the rest of Eberron and how it relates to Sharn politically and economically. Those who are looking for additional crunch - rules and Prestige Class - will be disappointed, though what is here is very well integrated with the city.
   
   The bulk of the book breaks the city down into Districts and presents extensive information on these smaller sections of the city. Prominent businesses, guilds, NPCs, and other such information is presented. Politics, law and order, and life in Sharn each receive their own detailed chapter.
   
   Eberron fans can't pass this one up. While the information is only focused on the city of Sharn, the feel of the book is entirely Eberron.



4. This book is only useful if you are a DM running an Eberron Champagn. If that describes you, then this book is a must have. Most modules, characters or general adventures start out in Sharn, the capital of Korrivare's melting pot. It's the onlt place really that anyone of any race and nation can meet up, without half of them being persicuted and hunted before you start. This book details down to every districe and level what Sharn is. It also provides NPCs, such as the Mayor of Sharn. This book also normalizes an important city, in that since you don't need to invent it, the city's integrity will run throughout your champagn and someone elses. Take note that this book is only background fluff. There are a few city maps, but other then that it's purely information.
   Also take note that the CD is poor at best.



5. Sharn: City of Towers is a nice addition to any Eberron collection. I found that it was a good book to help plan an adventure or a course of action because the layout of the book is not very good. So it actually takes a while to find a district of Sharn on the spot. There is no index in the book so you kinda have to guess where to look. Unless you read this book all the way through you will never really know what's in it. It does do a good job laying out the different districts of Sharn and gives some good NPC info. Otherwise I would say the book is a DM manual for sure.
   I do enjoy this book and the content of it is useful, it's just hard to figure out. Also the CD that comes with this book is a nice soundtrack for gameplay.

5 comments about Color in Spinning.

1. if you are a spinner or a knitter you need this book for dyeing your own yarns (handspuns) I enjoyed this book . it is a refence book plus a great book for inspiring your dying projects. I d reccomend this book to any one into dyeing and spinning ~



2. I first saw this book as a novice handspinner who was interested in hand-carding small quantities of fiber blends for my fiber arts experiments. I checked it out from the library, spent the entire time that I had it absorbing information, but did not feel the need to own it. Much of the material seems directed more at production spinners or fiber artists who are blending large quantities. It's an interesting read, but if you're working with small quantities, you're likely to be just as happy with simpler (less fussy or precise) methods.
   
   Now that I'm more experienced and have acquired a drum carder, the book is a must-have. When I paint, I find that the colors I mix on my palette are richer and deeper than colors straight from the tube. With fiber, I find that the same is true. Blended colors have a vibrancy that is lacking from commercially dyed fiber that is usually dyed in large uniform batches.
   
   Most importantly, the book gives the fiber artist the skills needed to blend colors consistently from one batch to another. When I was hand-carding small batches for experimentation, I was much less concerned with how easy my results were to replicate than I am now that I'm going to be carding larger batches across multiple batts. If I'm carding a pound of fiber in 2 ounce batts, I want the 8th batt to be almost indistinguishable from the 1st so that I don't get strange color shifts in my yarn or my finished project. This is the skill set that Menz is trying to offer her readers and it is one which will be invaluable in my continuing development as a fiber artist.



3. Coming from a formal art background, I really appreciate this book. Not only does it cover the basics of dyeing and carding/combing well, but it also provides lessons in color (beyond the basic color wheel) where you directly see the results of mixing and using different color combinations. There are samples of finished knitted pieces using similarly-colored yarn yet with slightly different properties. Readers are encouraged to use the exercises for future self-directed study. Great cataloguing ideas are offered.
   
   I highly recommend this book!



4. Gave me so many ideas for dyeing and spinning my fiber. it has lots of info on colour theory. I do think it was missing more simple dying, and a lot of the colourways it shows have 10+ colours in them, but it is a GREAT resource.



5. As a beginning spinner I immediately began blending yarn to achieve the colors in this book and she's right! Everything I tried using the instructions in this book came out exactly the way I planned. There are lots of beautiful ideas here - I wish I had time to try them all!

5 comments about Get the Edge at Craps (Scoblete Get-the-Edge Guide).

1. The book is just bragging about his ability and trying to convince you to take the seminar to actually learn "the secrets". Don't waste your money.



2. This book is alright and teaches what you want to know but I recommend "Golden Touch Dice Control" over this one. They basically talk about all the same information except this book goes into more detail about math formulas which I really don't care about, I just want to learn how to throw the dice.
   
   Also I don't recommend getting both books, pick one or the other as they contain basically identical information.
   
   Just one is written by the best out there and this one is written by the guy that proved it all. I thought I'd prefer this book over the other one for that reason but in the end I liked Golden Touch better.



3. This is a fantastic learning tool for vocabulary, odds, percentages, setting the dice, gripping the dice, throwing the dice and betting strategies.



4. Great from basic rules to detailed strategy...will be a resource that you will circle back to over time



5. Use this book to compliment the Golden Touch Dice Control Book and you will pretty much have the complete course without the instructors. I read the negative reviews, and let me tell you that this book gives a few pointers that the other book does not have, and it has improved my throwing tremendously.
   
   I have been throwing off and on since Augustr 07; in October the same year I shot dice in Vegas and landed a Hardway bet that someone else had placed and won that person quite a bit of money; nothing too serious, but the crowd went nuts! My longest roll then was at least 14 before the 7! I had to stop after that due to personal reasons. Anyways, I began practicing regularly again in July 08. I shoot on a 12"x12" board with a 12"x12" wall with pyramid rubber backing, and land the dice on the board pretty consistantly after reading this book. If you have tried, or try to, throw on a board that small with no side walls, it is hella hard to land the dice; however, like I stated before, I am beginning to become very consistant on having the dice hit the wall and still have the dice die on the board. Believe me or not, its up to you. It's A LOT of hard work, but this works.
   
   P.S. I practice at least 2 hours a day, just to give you an idea of how many hours I have invested. I'm going back to Vegas in December and am confident that with a sufficient bankroll, that I will walk away from that trip a winner =)

5 comments about Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures Official Strategy Guide (Bradygames Official Strategy Guides).

1. I guess my main issue is with the way the book presents material. It doesn't give any hard numbers for feats or skills. On any given feat or skill it'll say something like "give small chance" or "gives small increase". What I want to know is, is it worth my time to learn that skill or feat. How much of a chance does it give? That's what I need to know. Half the book is on character creation and all the info they give is fuzzy. Not really useful at all.
   
   
   Also the maps are useless. They are there but they have no info on them. No markers on where people or places can be found. Aside from looking nice they have no function. You get better info from the in game mini-map.
   
   
   Professions and crafting are there but once again they're missing important info. If you want to make potion X this book will tell you what ingredients you need to make it. That's good. But the book doesn't tell you what potion X is or what it even does.
   
   
   All in all this book is good for some quest info. I had some trouble locating a few things in dungeons that had no mini-map. Sure, it had a quest marker but with no map I had no idea how to get there. So the book did help with those which is why it gets 2 stars instead of one. But that info can be found online for free.
   
   
   Don't bother with this book. We didn't even get an in game free item for it.



2. There's a lot of unknowns in Age of Conan: from the peculiar stat system to the actual numerical effects of certain buffs and skills. I purchased this guide hoping it would expand on the pitiful game manual -- suffice to say, it doesn't.
   
   Everything in the guide can be read from the game tooltips, and there's no in-depth explanations at all. Class descriptions are sanitised and mostly the same ("an excellent solo class, but don't forget to buff up before a fight blah blah"). The back of the guide even devotes pages to "maps" of hyboria that are simply screenshots of the game... just press the "m" key.
   
   A total waste of money, especially considering the massive patch changes that Funcom continues to implement.



3. This was sort of helpful in picking what class to play, but didn't really give in depth guides to anything.



4. This guide is incomplete, its a rush rush job with very little help full detail. Maps are blank with no important details.
   
   you can't get updates from the website either.
   
   Wait for V.2 of the book to be released.
   lvl 45 ranger
   Wishbone



5. Complete waste of time and money. This "guide" frankly isn't any help at all. Most of the graphics are just screenshots and are very small and fuzzy. I can't believe that this is "official."

No comments about Bachelorette Bash (Mad Libs).

5 comments about Power of Faerun (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Forgotten Realms Supplement).

1. Very short review time. This book has NO CRUNCH. no prestige classes, no feats, no new spells. It does, however, have a lot of interesting information and tips on how to conduct an epic-level game in the land of Faerun.
   Not to say that the book isn't fascinating, but its about 8 light years away from what I've come to expect from Forgotten Realms supplements. Know what you're buying, and if you think this sort of thing might interest you then give it a whirl. I can't give it more than faint praise overall though.



2. Power of Faerun
   Written by Ed Greenwood and Eric L. Boyd
   Published by Wizards of the Coast
   www.wizards.com/forgottenrealms
   160 full color pages
   Hardback
   ISBN 10: 0-7869-3910-9
   $29.95
   
   Power of Faerun is devoted to bringing the game outside the dungeon and to the courts, churches and wilderness by focusing on areas of character growth that while involving power, often involve power of a sort not traditionally associated with Dungeons and Dragons characters.
   
   Ed Greenwood and Eric L. Boyd are two of the best scribes of Forgotten Realms material and while the game mechanics fall flat more often than not, thankfully the majority of the book is in the form of non-game mechanics with background details.
   
   Interior artists include Lucio Parrillo, who also handles the cover, as well as fan favorite William O'Connon along with others like Eric Deschamps, Francis Tsai and others. Kyle Hunter handles the cartography this time around and provides maps that are generally easy to read and easy to use.
   
   The graphic design, like most of the Forgotten Realms books, is top notch. The yellowed parchment pages still look great even years latter. Use of sidebars with darker yellow easily catch the eyes. Chapter titles are at the top of the page centered while on the bottom are page numbers. Layout is standard two-column format and makes good use of white space despite the page within a page design of the book.
   
   In terms of coverage, the book provides little bites on numerous areas. It starts off with wielding power in the courts and moves to the battlefield. From the battlefield to the churches. From the churches to the market. From the market to the wild frontier. From the frontier to patrolling the roads.
   
   Each section provides use of the Leadership feat as well as how to `play' that type of game. For example, when looking at Keep the Faith, information on what religious leaders do, as well as methods of daily worship, are provided. One nice resource is the listing of Faith Specific Prestige Classes in one spot.
   
   Notes on moving up the different ranks are included. Looking at the frontier section for example, provides information on being a vassal state or a fiefdom, how to hold a territory and how to fight off the various threats ranging from bandits and brigands to diseases and monsters.
   
   Each section has it's own maps and NPCs to help the GM use the material right away. If you wanted some sample frontier strongholds, you have Wolfwatch Manor and Stormhawk Keep, each mapped out with an overview and numbered with details. Stormhawk for example has fifteen different locations from the Foreyard to the Feasting Hall.
   
   The section on Play the Market provides Dabron Sashenstar, a high powered merchant prince and his unique mount as well as details on his challenge to the Iron Throne's hold on weapons trade in the Heartlands. A place where clever players can start with Dabron as a patron and perhaps move into their own efforts.
   
   
   My favorite part is probably the section on the market. When reading one of Raymond Feist's books, there was a whole section with the characters working the market and effecting change on the setting not through swords, but through trade. It's an area that despite six years of an open game license, has rarely, if ever, been detailed. The only weakness is that the section relies on the user have the Dungeon Master's Guide II as it uses the rules for running a business.
   
   From there it moves on to discussing challenges for high level characters. Some of these are obvious like working for or against deities. Regardless of character level, deities are often able to provide challenges. After deities the older dragons are another great adversary. The most interesting option for high level characters though, are other high level characters.
   
   This involves the most work on the GM's part while providing the most dangerous options. For some GM's, it's almost too easy to customize a villain to counter a player, especially a player whose ultra-specialized in one field. Have a fantastic ability to deal death with a greatsword but a terrible fortitude save? Have awesome abilities with fire magic but no enchantment? Still, the advice on using rivals is a good place to get ideas.
   
   Sometimes though, it's not the strength of an individual enemy, but rather, that enemy's horde that you have to worry about. Wizards of the Coast recently put their money where their mouth was with this idea and their adventure, The Red Hand of Doom, deals with adventurers fighting against humanoids and their masters, the dragons.
   
   In addition to details on different character options, details on the Border Kingdoms are included. The Border kingdoms fill a useful role in being a place that the GM can manipulate for his own use, much in the way a similar named kingdom in the Warhammer setting can be used. A place where characters should be able to make long term changes.
   
   Details are included for numerous parts of the land including Bedron, The Land of Two Princes, Owlhold and the Realm of the Ready Sword. Each section gets it's own brief details but is more or less there to provide the GM a place to put his own marker, much like say the Wilderlands of the old Judges Guild.
   
   The book closes off a bit weak with a section on how to rule. This includes expanded Leadership scores and rules for bringing in, and losing cohorts and followers. It's a solid chapter but could be used for any campaign as opposed to just a Forgotten Realms game. Included with the expanded chart for Epic Leadership, are feats to augment leadership such as, yes, Epic Leadership and Born Leaders, a feat that provides a bonus to your leadership score and a bonus to your Influence modifier.
   
   Power of Faerun is a solid book for any D&D campaign. While the specifics are Forgotten Realms, they can serve as examples for someone running a Greyhawk or Eberron game. The rules and methods of working for the church or fighting in the courts are often overlooked in the game and this book provides background information on ideas of what type of conflicts and rewards await those whose dungeon is a castle or cathedral.



3. not update info on the epic characters ofthe realms
   could have used some more umph like epic spells and the like



4. Ed Greenwood has lost whatever he might have had. The man is responsible for killing my interest in Forgotten Realms RPGs. He has turned magic into somethat that can be bought for a few pennies out of a vending machine. Everyone in the realms seems to have some uber powerful magical item to make free use of. The history of the place has been way over developed and the creatures that are running amok across the countryside, its amazing that there is anyone left alive, but then if someone does die no big deal, just raise them so death does not matter either. Also there are way to many gods, as pointed out in some other book its amazing there is not a god for dinnerware. Also I fully agree with previous article about the man being obsessed with naked women oddly attracted to fat bushy old men, I noticed that in Spellfire and he repeats it in every one he has written, is there one of the Seven Sisters that Elminster hasn't scored with?



5. Why is it that in the Forgotten Realms only high-level characters rule things? Why is it that in the Forgotten Realms there are no political demarcations, despite the multitude of city-states and 'kingdoms' that dot the face of Toril (and the ethnic regions in the campaign setting don't count)?
   
   "Power of Faerun" is a ham-fisted attempt to provide an answer to these questions and in doing so Boyd and Greenwood embarrass themselves. There is so much wrong with this book that I really don't know where to start - so if my critique seems a little scattered I apologise in advance.
   
   The underlying assumption in this book is that a person doesn't have any ambition to rule anything until they are 32nd Level and have a stone horse (that actually looks more like a mechanical horse...) and a "+3 evil outsider bane flaming burst longsword" (I can hear the munchkins now..."+3! Is that all?).
   
   Why does FR not have any 0-Level Church Patriarchs? or 1st-Level Merchant Princes? Because that would have required a paradigm shift in the thinking of the authors and they have clearly opted for the path of lesser intellect whereby they cater to the munchkin market.
   
   Everything in this book is based on character level and feat selection, everything from mustering troops to garnering profit from a mercantile enterprise. Can someone tell me when the last time a CEO of Lockheed sold an airplane? Or when a General recruited some army privates? No one can, because they never have. The book completely ignores the necessary infrastructure that is essential for anything beyond a sole trader/lone mercenary.
   
   This book is nothing more than an exercise in simplification and dis-jointed expression of ideas. When WOTC consumed TSR they took possession of the "Birthright" game line. Birthright was everything that "Power of Faerun" tries to be. Using the 2nd Edition AD&D ruleset, Birthright allowed everything from a troupe of adventurers running around bashing monsters and looting tombs to merchant princes and lords of realms.
   
   The important difference is that the writers saw that adventuring didn't set you up to be a ruler, nor could it explain the 16-year old heir to the throne who had done nothing but live a decadent lifestyle and was suddenly ruling a large kingdom with a massive army and dynamic economy, warring religious factions, and so on...so you had 0-Level kings with 10th level bodyguards, not the other way around.
   
   FR should stick to what FR is - that is groups of adventurers running around bashing monsters, getting the treasure and then buggering off to a city, healing up, selling/identifying the treasure and then off to do it all again. The entire premise the "Power of Faerun" is predicated on is fundamentally flawed and unworkable.
   
   Simple advice - do not buy this book. Buy the core rules for Birthright instead and you'll see what I'm saying.

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 Advanced Limit Hold'em Strategy.

1. This book deserves a place in your poker library whether you are a limit hold'em specialist or not. It will help make you a better poker player in general. The author notes that his goal is not to give you a game, but rather to improve your game, i.e. this book is not intended for beginners. Consistent with that goal, there is no glossary of poker terms, no description of the basic rules for how to play, no hand rankings, and no odds charts. These areas are all to often included in other "advanced" poker books and serve only as filler.
   
   The chapter entitled "Making One Big Bet per Hour" will be very useful for anyone looking to move up successfully to higher limit games. Seven specific skills are listed in the order that professionals will have added them as their games improved. The reader can quickly see where they fit in this poker skill continuum and determine which specific abilities they will need to acquire or improve upon if they wish to move up.
   
   The author's writing style is very reader friendly and the information is presented concisely without excessive hand descriptions or war stories.
   
   
   Hold'Em Poker for Advanced Players (Advance Player)The Theory of PokerWinning in Tough Hold 'em Games: Short-Handed and High-Stakes Concepts and Theory for Limit Hold 'emWinning Low-Limit Hold'emLimit Hold'em: Winning Short-Handed Strategies



2. A good book for those wanting to transition from say $3-6 to $10-20. Thought provoking book which should plug some leaks and get your big hands paid off. I particularly liked the discussions on giving the "illusion of action" and what's required to make +1bb/hr. Well thought out and accessible writing. I'd think 80% of us playing under $20-40 would find something here to improve their game.



3. I was taking a Limit Hold'em mentoring class just over 4 months ago and I decided to pick up Barry's book as an accompaniment to the class. I'm an avid reader of his columns in Cardplayer and it came as no surprise that this book is well written with thoughtful, concise and easily understood explanations of some of the more advanced concepts and techniques in Limit Hold'em.
   
   Recently there seem to have been a deluge of poker books hitting the market by new writers that just seem to regurgitate lessons written previously by the more notable poker authors. You may only find one or two tidbits of information contained within those books that may be truly useful, if you're lucky. Virtually every page of Barry's book had information you could readily use and adapt into your game.
   
   If you are a beginning to intermediate player this would be a great addition to your poker library. I would rate it right up there with "Small Stakes Hold'em", and "Hold'em poker for advanced players.)



4. I liked this book, it is:
   Easy and enjoyable to read.
   Covers a lot of topics, from preflop starting hands, to river play.
   Concepts and ideas explained clearly and logically.
   It contains a discussion about FUD which stands for Fear Uncertainty Doubt. Barry believes you need to mix up your play so your opponents
   1. Fear you
   2. Are uncertain what you have
   3. Doubt themselves and you
   After reading this book you will feel like You've been given an expensive 10 hour Lecture on Limit holdem by an expert.
   Just about everything on limit holdem is covered, but there is only 1 or 2 examples on each topic, thus only 4 stars.



5. Either Mr. Tanenbaum is not that great of a poker player, or he is unable or unwilling to teach what he knows to others. The subtitle of this book ("Techniques For Beating Tough Games") is completely misleading. The advice presented in this book is merely a statement of the obvious. Here's an example of what I mean from page 85;
   "[Y]ou bet the flop and get called. You missed your hand,
   so you correctly decide to check and fold the turn.
   So far, so good. But your opponent becomes happily
   conditioned to the fact that, when you check the
   turn, he will bet and you will fold.
   To keep him out of this comfort level, you must
   sometimes check the turn when you have a real hand,
   planning to either check-raise the turn or allow your
   opponent to continue a bluff on the river."
   If the above advice comes as a revelation to you, then maybe you can benefit from reading this book. However, this book will not get you ready to play in "tough games". In my opinion, the level of information in this book might be beneficial to someone looking to step up from a completely passive 3/6 game to a more aggressive 4/8 or 6/12 game. However, if you're looking for help on how to play in the "tougher" middle or upper limit games, this book will not help you.