5 comments about Harrington on Hold 'em Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments, Vol. 1: Strategic Play.

1. This book may seem like heavy reading to someone who is new to hold 'em. After gaining a little bit of book knowledge (through lighter readings) and gaining some table experience, however, this book is exactly the type of resource needed to take one's game to the next level. Poker is complicated because of multiple players with varying styles, changing table position, a near infinitude of card combinations, and rising blinds. Analyzing a hand of poker to determine how to get the most value out of the situation is so much more than evaluating where a hand falls on a poker hand ranking chart. Fully analyzing a single hand of poker is so complex that most poker books focus on just a couple of aspects of a particular hand. Harrington's book gets much more in depth, opening the doorway to a much higher level of poker thinking.



2. Harrington's book is the best on tournament no limit poker i've read yet. Can't wait to get his other two books.



3. What's your bottom line? What were your results? My results after reading Harrington on Hold Em Volume One, I finished 22nd and 13th in the 1st two tournaments I entered. I like his style of play and I see a lot of what I do in poker as the same. I believe this book is worth every dime and finish in the money like I have and it's already paid for itself. Just started Volume II.
   
   Keep writing them Dan, thanks for the insight and go Sox!!!



4. This is the best poker book i've read so far. Very well written, cover all the aspects of the game, specially No Limit Tournaments and SNGs. Everyone who wants to play really well should read this.



5. I think Harrington's book and it's sequels are the best books ever written about no limit hold'em tournaments. The first part of the series covers strategic concepts about tournament poker, the second part tells how to play in the ending of a tournament, and third part is the workbook for reviewing the concepts of first two books.
   
   Before reading this book (and the sequels), I have been mostly playing online cash games and occasionally some sit'n'gos, but I am still a beginner in NL hold'em (mostly concentrated on limit games). Totally I have read some 10+ books in poker. Well, after reading this book series I finished 14th out of 2000 players in my first large NL hold'em tournament simply by following Harrington's advice, and slightly adapting in some points.
   
   What's best here is that Harrington is quite a practical guy, and practical guys win. For example, compared to Sklansky, one of the finest authors in poker, Harrington is actually able to teach how to play poker in practical level. In my opinion, Sklansky provides theoretical foundations for some very advanced strategic concepts, but more responsibility about how/when to utilize them is actually left to reader. I think these approaches complement each other very well, and both are great poker authors.
   
   I would say that the first book is also good reading for NL hold'em cash games, especially if you're a beginning player (I am not sure anymore though, since Harrington's cash game series is now out as well). The second book (excluding first chapter) relates only to tournament concepts.

5 comments about The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary.

1. I boiught this book for my sister because she plays a lot and it is good for on the go.



2. I received my scrabble dictionary very fast and it has been in use ever since....very speedy service...very happy consumer.....



3. This book is very handy, however we're looking for a different one. I do agree with the person who said that there are so many odd words that almost anything goes. I was a librarian and there were some words that I was convinced were not real "words" - Agentry for example! In other dictinaries they aren't listed but they are in this book. We bought the paperback version - not the large print. That was a mistake because it's very small print and it takes forever to find a word. However, we're big scrabble fans and use it often but since finding the word agentry we may throw it away. If you have great eyesight and like the strange words, then it's a good buy. However, I would recommend the hardback or the large print paperback.



4. I ordered this book to take on vacation in June. The whole family will be together and we like to play scrabble. I didn't want to take the huge webster's dictionary so this one looked small and just what we need. I haven't used it as yet in a game, but I have looked through it and I think it will help us when someone is stumped and needs a little word.



5. Generally helpful but, lacks in depth meanings of some of the words. Better than using the regular dictionary.

No comments about Keep on the Shadowfell (Dungeons & Dragons, Adventure H1).

5 comments about Kaplan GRE Exam in a Box.

1. first i will say that flashcards are best to learn these words and test yourself, which is why i got these cards. what i like about them: good word selection, synonims and especially sample sentences - they are very helpful to see exactly how some of these weird words are used. what i don't like: they are very small - the size of a business card - and very thin. i would have liked them maybe two times bigger and thicker/sturdier. overall, i definetely recommend them and will use them myself.



2. I used several study aids, including a software package (Kaplan GMAT/GRE/LSAT 2006 Platinum (PC)) which you might want to consider as well.
   As far as these flashcards are concerned... Well, they were EXTREMELY helpful in preparing for the verbal section of the exam. I always had a small stack in my pocket, and, anytime there were spare moments, I would run through them. They certainly brought my score up! Well worth purchasing!



3. Very Helpful. But you must also use other sources, so as to broaden your scope if you want to do well in the GREs.
   
   In fact, just read the review of the product itself. That is all you need to know. Its a great buy.



4. I think it is a very good idea for people who are lazy like me in writing and preparing their own flash card. There is word on one side and on the other side, beside the meaning of the word, synonym has been recorded too which I found it very helpful.



5. These cards are a helpful review, but if you have the time before you take the GRE you should memorize "root" words.

5 comments about Every Hand Revealed.

1. I already have a good collection of the major books. I saw this one and paged through it for a few minutes thinking I would put it down and walk away. I couldn't put it down.
   
   Now I will put a caveat on this book. It is almost every hand Gus played in this tournament. I really like the writing style of this book.. He goes through each hand and gives you his thoughts, analysis; the why's behind his plays etc. If you are looking for a chapter, "how to" book, this may not suit you. If you have read a few of the books out there you will probably enjoy it as much as I am.
   
   Gus describes what he knows about the others at the table, if he knows them, and if he doesn't. Then he goes on to explain the reasoning behind his plays and admits when he made a bad play, or when he made the right move and the cards fell against him. Also when he has the nuts and is trying to make the most of it,
   
   I can't wait to pick it back up again after work and keep reading. I am highlighting some of his thoughts and plays. I have learned a lot from this book already and can't wait to use it.



2. Once in a while a book comes on a subject which revolutionizes all previous thinking. This is one of those books. It's not a book for beginners. It is for those who want to take their game to a different level. If you really want to be at the top level in any game, probably the best way is to get into the mind of the real experts and understand why they do what they do. This book reveals what went into Gus' mind when he did what he did during the Aussie Millions and the thinking that went into doing what he did. It's magnanimous of Gus to share all these strategies....yes, everything....but then like he rightly says, " The most important skill of a succcessful poker player is to change gears and thereby always keep the opponents guessing!"
   
   Buy this book. I assure you, you won't be able to put it down once you start it. I DIDN'T!!



3. You'll learn from this one. Reading it is as close as we'll ever get to actually tapping into one of the great minds of the game. As Gus himself says in the final sentence of the Preface: "Welcome to my mind ...."
   
   If you watched the 2007 Aussie Millions Tournament on TV you may remember that Gus Hanson stepped away from the table after practically every hand to speak into a digital recorder. Now we know what he was doing - he was recording his thought process for each hand. His thoughts have since been transcribed and this book is the result.
   
   When I saw what Gus was doing I felt vindicated. I began playing online tournaments a few months ago and quickly found that one of the most valuable things I could do was to think carefully through each situation and to record my thoughts. After the tournament was over I'd review my actions in light of my recorded thoughts. It has proved to be an invaluable tool in improving my game. Now we have the benefit of Gus Hanson's thoughts along with the outcome of each hand.
   
   In the non-stop Internet Age where the objective sometimes seems to be maximizing the number of hands played we've seen poker become somewhat of a lottery. However, it is thought and analysis - deep analysis - that leads to insight and expertise. And playing hands at breakneck speed is the very antithesis of thought and analysis. Gus has done us all a huge favor by sharing his hand-by-hand analysis of the 2007 Aussie Millions Tournament. This book reveals the thought processes of one of todays outstanding poker professionals and careful, thoughtful reading of this transcript can only improve your game.



4. The best poker book I have ever read. Gus Hansen walks you through his thought process on every hand he played on his way to winning the aussie millions tournament. I could not put the book down once I picked it up. Gus almost never bluffs, but he plays aggressively always. He shows the math behind his decision making, and writes in a style that isn't boring for a second. I can't recommend this one enough!



5. I agree wholly with every 5 star review. So why did I give the book 4 stars?
   
   I noticed a strange thing. After reading the book for a while and then going online right away to play some, I would lose and lose badly. This happened several times, so much so that while I was sorry to get to the end of the book, I was glad too so I could stop losing money. All in all, this book has cost me several hundred dollars.
   
   Several hundred dollars, I figure, equals one review star.
   
   Don't be a donkey like me. Don't think you can read some of Hansen and take it to the tables with instant results. Stick with your own game, very slowly insert a little Hansen and proceed carefully. No need to thank me for saving you a bundle! :-}

2 comments about Harrington on Cash Games, Volume II: How to Play No-Limit Hold 'em Cash Games.

1. I just read both volumes on Harrington on Cash Games "How to Win at No-Limit Hold'em Money Games", I also had previously purchased both volumes of Dan Harrington's much heralded tournament series ...
   
   First Harrington again has done a comprehensive job of creating an epic; however I personally found him less of a revelation in the cash game series than in the tournament books. It could be me and my base of knowledge.
   
   Volume I covers Pre-flop play and play on the Flop.
   
   Volume II covers the Turn and the River as well as some sections on dealing with Loose Aggressive style players, Tells, Beating Weak Games and Bankroll Management.
   
   Bottom line, I wish he never wrote it... If a sucker has the brains and discipline to read it, learn it and practice it, he will be a better player. Harrington once again has wised up some suckers.
   
   Lucky for us, 90% of all people who claim they play poker think they already play better than 90% of all poker players. Thank the good lord that these people are too lazy and are not sufficiently motivated to read and learn.
   
   I posted this on my blog as well at [...]



2. This second volume is more useful than volume 1. In fact it speaks about turn and river play which is often underrated...many good problems explained by Harrington help the reader to develop a feeling for the different situations...it's far from perfect but more useful than volume 1...if you have to buy one buy this...

5 comments about Cash Games (How to Win at No-Limit Hold'em Money Games) Vol. 1.

1. In this book Harrington tries to describe the difference between No-limit tournaments and cash games. He has split his cash game strategy into 2 books. These books are divided into 12 different parts. This first volume will deal with the first 5 parts.
   
   Part 1: He explains some basic ideas of no-limit holdem like pot odds, implied odds and outs.
   Part 2: Harrington talks about how the stack sizes affect the game. Some other principles that he describes here are deception, balance, hand selection, pot commitment, hand reading, multilevel thinking.
   Part 3: Differences between tight aggressive play and loose aggressive play.
   Part 4: Teach you how to play on the flop when heads-up.
   Part 5: How to handle multiway flop with two or more opponents.
   Part 6: How to play on the turn.
   Part 7: River play.
   Part 8: Tells and observations.
   Part 9: Basics of the loose aggressive style.
   Part 10: Describes what weak games are and how to beat them.
   Part 11: How to manage your bankroll and transitioning to live games.
   Part 12: Interview with a great no-limit cash game player.
   
   The style and layout of this book is very similar to Harrington previous books. He will describe a concept and then illustrate this concepts by showing it with example hands. He will describe in detail how the players were thinking and how they should be thinking. He got a lot of example hands were he tries to show all the different concepts involved in no-limit cash game.
   
   If you enjoyed his previous book you will probably like this book as well. It often tries to compare differences between tournament and cash game no-limit games.



2. All the advice given in this book and the hand examples are so ridiculously obvious. If you cant think of this stuff yourself, stick to tic tac toe. This book covers no new ground at all and is so basic and simple. Seriously, if you cant figure out what this book contains on your own, you should not be playing poker. How many worthless books can 2+2 publish?



3. As a good-to-mediocre limit player, I searched a long time for a book that would improve my no-limit game given that I already knew a good deal about limit poker. This is that book. If you've never played hold 'em, this book is going to be over your head; you won't even understand the first few pages. If you've played limit hold 'em and want to become a solid no-limit player, this is the book for you.
   
   The book is in depth on all betting rounds and promotes the kind of thinking that a good no-limit player needs to have. I also learned a few new ideas about randomizing my play and river bets that I hadn't considered before. At the end of most chapters, a thorough set of problems is presented that really drill the ideas well. Self-testing on those problems alone make the book fun and worth the price!
   
   Like most poker books, the English is poor. Apparently something about playing poker well excludes knowledge of the subjunctive! It's still more readable than most poker books. The chapters on bankroll management and other miscellaneous topics in Volume 2 were unnecessary and thankfully brief. There were some minor inconsistencies in the book and maybe even some math blunders, but relatively few given that the two volumes together are around 800 pages.
   
   I think that it's a rare player that wouldn't stand to profit from buying this book and reading it. The book isn't complete without both volumes.



4. Dan Harrington's three volumes on no limit tournament strategy became instant classics in the world of poker literature. No one before had ever attempted such a comprehensive discussion of optimal tournament strategy, with unique and extensive hand examples drawn from real-world play. Certainly no one with Dan Harrington's record and reputation had done so. Now, in this planned two-part series, Harrington tries to tackle cash game play in the same style and manner as his tournament books. In doing so, he has written a good, solid book, but not a great one, and certainly not another classic.
   
   Harrington was destined to fall short tackling this subject matter. To begin with, no limit cash game play has been written about extensively, starting with Doyle Brunson in 1979's Super System and carrying on through a plethora of Sklansky's 2+2 books throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Thus, while Harrington was able to discuss several unique and unfamiliar ideas on no limit tournament strategy (including the importance of blind structure, the M number, chip management, inflection points, among many others), there's not much new ground here to cover. In fact, this book only contains two new "Harrington Laws", and both of them are lifted from Sklansky (the gap theory of calling an early position raiser and the unimpressive observation that more people in the pot means that a player needs a stronger hand in order to bet).
   
   So basically there's nothing exactly new here. I agree partially with the review by Don Nguyen below; the book does indeed focus way too much on level 1 thinking (i.e. how strong a hand do I "need" given a particular flop and position). However, to its credit the book does indeed move beyond this level of thinking, at least occasionally, to discuss playing back at loose maniacs with marginal hands or taking advantage of a handful of "prime" bluffing/semi-bluffing opportunities. But mostly, the hand analysis is fairly straight-forward, conservative, and unimaginative in the extreme. Things are even further confused by Harrington's odd insistence on assigning an exact percentage to whether he would raise, call or fold in a certain situation (sometimes on the order of 80% fold, 15% raise, and 5% call). I understand the need to randomize one's play, and could see Harrington making a suggestion such as a player should "mostly fold, but consider raising as a bluff against some weak opponents", but the random percentages thrown out by Harrington seem arbitrary. And who exactly is really going to glance at their watch to determine whether they should perform the 70% call, or the 30% raise? In my mind it's much better to vary your play to your opponent rather than according to a random number generator.
   
   All in all, this is a good, conservative tome on cash game play that's comparable to much of what's out there in the poker literature. However, many readers may remember that Vol. I of Harrington on Hold 'em Tournament Play was also very by-the-numbers and unimaginative, emphasizing a more or less rigid, tight aggressive strategy. I have high hopes that the next installment on cash game play will feature some of the same level of insightful thinking we saw in Vols. II and III of the Harrington on Hold em series.



5. I had great expectations on this book (and Vol II) but I have been a little disappointed. First part is quite obvious, pot odds, commitment and so on. Second part is an extensive but quite boring list of flop situations and how should be played...I would have liked more explanations and less percentages, but Harrington seems very fond of the latter. If you are a good player you'll not find anything new, If you are a beginner it will be quite useful.

5 comments about Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions.

1. I picked this book up at Logan International Airport in Boston after finishing a meeting at MIT. I had no backgound of the story, other than it involved a modified card counting scheme in Vegas. It was a compelling, fast-paced story that was made more fantastic given I had just left the campus. The book was finished by the time I landed at Dulles. I have a 14 year-old math wiz that I can see being drawn into the high stakes game. For Ben Mezrich's first outing in non-fiction, I feel he did a great job.



2. I saw the movie 21 and this was still a suspenseful account, with lots of interesting details about learning card counting that didn't make it into the film.
   Nice writing.



3. 21: Bringing Down the House - Movie Tie-In: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions my review for the book is excellent. and this was my first time using amazon and i was very pleased.



4. I'm not much of a book reader, even though I enjoy buying books I hardly ever read one completely and almost never a non economics book. But this particular book has given me the opportunity to feel everything the author wrote as if I was there, I don't know if I'm growing into a book reader but this book has an excellent writing very friendly and easy to read, it keeps your attention, long waiting hours on the doctor, bank or anywhere become short while you read it. Also it's a great introduction for the movie 21: Blackjack. If you're interested in card counting this isn't a "how to" book, although there is a essay in the last chapter on card counting that makes a more in depth description on the subject, it's more of a novel based on real facts. As one of the praises for the book says: "Perfect for a read on the plane down to Vegas".



5. I saw the movie and was intrigued. The movie wasn't great by any means, but it did just enough to inspire me to want to know the "real story". The first thing I noticed about the book, was it was a lot smaller than I thought it would be. The thing I remember about the book after having read it, is that it was too long.
   
   Frankly, I thought the book was too long and boring. There were parts that were interesting, and parts that kept me wanting to read more.... but "just barely". Most of the book was a chore to finish. I almost gave up a few times, figuring I've read enough. I did finish it, it wasn't horrible, but I'd rate it below average.

5 comments about Grand Theft Auto IV Signature Series Guide (Brady Games).

1. As others have stated, Game Guides have drastically declined in quality in recent years. Some seem to provide good information but appear to be printed on home computers, whereas some have excellent appearance, but lack desired information.
   
   This book applies more to the second category. I made sure to flip through the pages before leaving the store to make sure none of the pages were crimped or blurry. What I saw was a very cleanly printed book, void of unnecessary images or intrusive background images. Game content is provided with clear and explanatory side bars and sub-plots. The information is very neatly presented and is very easy to follow.
   
   However, readers will become discouraged when they begin searching for particular information regarding side-quests, extracurricular activities, non-player characters (your "friends" in the game), etcetera. The Table-of-Contents only shows the core missions of the game, along with the necessary "side missions" that grant 100% completion. There is no index, making it very difficult to find what you're looking for. This is especially frustrating when you're flipping back and forth through pages while mumbling "Well I know I saw it in here SOMEWHERE..."
   
   There are no appendices or any other breakdown for all the other content (and trust me there's a lot of it) that GTA IV provides. This book focuses on "how to beat the game and get 100%." If you want to find easter eggs, hidden content, or just that typical, cool stuff that GTA has always provided, you'll probably have to sit near a computer and employ creative search-engine strategies.
   
   Also, be advised that though the game documents the Achievements for the Xbox 360 system, it offers no advice on how to earn them.
   
   I'm glad I got it for 20% off by buying it with the game.



2. i tried it and im returning it i just dont like it. but i do like the prior gta's.



3. Just got the book today after i have completed about 20% of the game. This guide is pretty interesting as it gives you tips here and there but like other reviewers, i find it rather disorganised. Not having the list of cars is definitely disappointed.
   
   The plus points are the tips that are inside which is very informative for busy working class people who just wants to get to the game main storyline.



4. amazing guide thats all i can say... dont beleive other reviews , this will help you get to the top in the right way, at the begining at the game the magazine wasn't usefull at all but then when you get to the middle missions you will really need it because there are some mission whether (nico)'ll choose who kill and how you should be friends with, and other bunch of cool stuff so you dont have to repeate mission over and over again... this magazine help me a lot , also it gives you the flying rats ubication map.a poster with nico very nice.A+++



5. This guide is good enough to help you get 100 percent, but don't expect anything great. You frequently have to flip back to the table of contents to find what you're looking for, as info is seemingly randomly scattered throughout the book. It's as if the guide was rushed and not edited at all. Also missing is a detailed car list that I got used to in past guides, and it'd be nice to seem them all.
   
   Regardless, it's still a decent guide.

No comments about Dungeons and Dragons Core Rulebook Gift Set, 4th Edition.