No comments about MEGA MEMORY As seen on TV.

5 comments about Scarne's Guide to Modern Poker.

1. Scarne's Guide to Modern Poker, though over 20 years old, holds more useful info on poker than I've seen in any other poker book. Scarne covers topics such as rules for Draw and Stud Poker, with many variants, some major poker probability principles, money management in poker games, which poker games to avoid, and popular poker cheats (something most poker books ignore). This book deals exclusively with real poker games, played in a group of people, where the only possible house take is a fixed percentage or amount per pot (and he shows you how to figure out if a commercial poker house is giving you a bum deal). If you want to learn how to deal with video poker or casino poker games like Caribbean Stud, let me tell you right now -- you can't possibly make money in the long-term playing those games. Scarne himself will tell you this in one of his other gambling books.

   There's basic sound advice to be found in this book, advice you will find elsewhere: obvious things such as don't borrow money to play poker, don't play against people highly superior to you at poker, and don't play when drunk or emotional (unless you really want to lose money). However, there's advice I haven't seen elsewhere (except when they're copying Scarne): ways to prevent common card cheats, ways to calculate whether one should stay in a pot based on pot size versus your odds, and ways to mix up your play, so as to make people uncertain of your style -- so that people will stay in the pot when you've got a sure winner, and so that people will drop out when you're bluffing. I've used this last bit of advice in playing poker with friends; they know I play close to the vest (I'm very conservative on risk), so when they see me calling & raising bets, they think I know I have a sure thing. I've gotten away with some pretty horrendous bluffs with this technique. The name of the game is: don't do it too often.

   There are complaints about the number of stories Scarne tells about himself (and sometimes he refers to himself by name, and I go back to check who wrote the book.) Actually, in most of the stories, Scarne's not the central character; rather, some prime poker player is the center of the story. Some of the stories of the tricks he's performed is rather neat. But more to the point, I think these stories are good examples of the kinds of tips and strategies he talks about -- he mentions stories of cheats, of bold betting, and of people who have gone from great poker players simply to good, because they lost betting courage and needed to find games more their monetary limit. More to the point, I feel Scarne is completely justified in "puffing himself up" in these stories of high-roller games and visits to the Merv Griffin show - he can back up his self-promotion with actual knowledge and skill. Scarne also knew how to write a book that would serve poker players at any level, giving specifics as well as general principles to follow. For those wishing to improve their games, this should be the first book you get.




2. This book has quite a few good points and strategies along with probability theory. I believe it will greatly improve a beginner and average poker players style if he/she reads and applies some of the basic principles herein. However quite a few of the strategies are common sense (never play with money needed for groceries -- duh).

   Mr. Scarne himself is an egotist (anyone familiar with John Scarne should know this), so one must take him with a grain of salt while reading. Mr. Scarne believes his poker should be the definitive one. I don't think Scarne's rules will ever be "the rules" for poker, and his "according to Scarne" (takeoff of "according to Hoyle") stance on poker rules is a little outlandish. One must remember for all the card tricks and stunts he can pull (and they are REALLY good!), this man has never won a major poker tournament. You can build a cold deck, but that still is cheating in honest poker.

   Anyway, get past the man for it is a decent treatise on poker strategy.




3. Humility is not one of John Scarne's traits but he has room to talk. The man is a genius in the realm of statistics, gambling, and gaming. He is self taught which makes his intellect even more astounding.

   That aside, this book is all you need to play poker and play it successfully. By following the guidelines set forth by this genius it is only a matter of time before your experience catches up with your knowledge and you will be unstoppable.

   Ok, maybe it takes alitte more work then that but you get the point. Scarne's books are the best, hands down. If you can find some of his older book (Scarne on Cards is my recommendation) pick them up. They are invaluable.




4. There are many books out there that no poker enthusiast should be without. This is not one of them. Although mildly entertaining in the beginning due to the author's bombastic nature, the book becomes a truly tedious read. The biggest problem is that the book is dated (1984 copyright) and compiles poker strategy into general rules for five card draw and stud (forget about hold em or omaha). The author then expects the reader to extrapolate the given strategies into seven card games. As an added bonus, most of the strategy (if not obvious even to the most oblivious newbies) is either unsound or irrelevant. The only redeeming value of this book is for those who are seeking an encyclopedia of dealer's choice games. Please save your money or buy another book (Peter Steiner's Thursday Night Poker is superb for amatures, Slansky and Brunson are essential for aspiring pros).



5. WARNING: This is the most annoying book you will ever read. Scarne spends 95% of the book telling you how he's the greatest card player on the planet and 5% on stuff you actually care about. He spends most of the book promoting so-called great innovations he named after himself, such as the "Scarne riffle," the "Scarne Poker shuffle," "Scarne's Generalized Rules for Commercialized Poker," "Scarne's Poker-Betting System," "Scarne's Poker Playing System," and even a game he named after himself: "Scarney High-Low Draw Poker." Let's not forget the "World-Famous Scarne Cut," which is an illegal cut of the cards by removing cards from the center of the deck instead of cutting the cards like you're supposed to---supposedly to prevent cheats. Yeah, right. Oh, then he goes on this long diatribe about how "According to Hoyle," a general term used for all card games, should be changed to "According to Scarne" because Hoyle died before poker was invented, "so Poker cannot be played 'according to Hoyle.'" Guess what, Scarne, the word "computer" didn't exist when Webster published his first dictionary, but we still consult "Webster" for the definition.
   
   If you can get over Scarne's incredibly annoying and distracting hubris, there is useful information in the book. Unfortunately, you have to get around Scarne bragging about his connections with the mob or how he once was on the Merv Griffith show to get to it. The book is also poorly structured, so good luck finding it. I cannot emphasize, however, just how much Scarne's arrogance permeates every page of this book. It was just too distracting---I recommend trying something else.

5 comments about Aces and Kings: Inside Stories and Million-Dollar Strategies From Poker's Greatest Players.

1. One of the consequences of the big poker craze is that books are coming out a million on the subject. Aces and Kings is a perfect example of the fad, but it bares none of the hallmarks of quick production. The prose reads very much like what one would expect to find in a mainstream magazine; which is not surprising as several of these chapters appeared first in places like Cigar Aficionado. The book, on the whole, is quality and chocked full of details. It's main focus concerns those who try to make an easy living in the hardest way possible, i.e. the professional players. With ESPN and The Travel Channel, they have ever-increasingly become the focus of the public's attention. Aces and Kings attempts to inform readers about the poker life by analyzing its biggest names and figures. Many of these cardsharps have become celebrities overnight. Their mini-biographies are extremely interesting and are told over the course of 15 chapters. Three of them, "Web Kids," "The Women of Poker," and "The New Superstars" concern, groupings of players rather than individuals. In this, I think that they made one major error because Daniel Negreanu deserves a chapter of his own. That guy's personality is big enough to fill a warehouse.
   
   Nearly all of the pros have lives that make for good reading, but, in my opinion, the most fascinating entry was the one concerning Chris Ferguson. In case you might not recognize his name, he was The World Series of Poker 2000 champion and is one of the most recognizable players in the game due to his Black Bart cowboy hat and huge Oakley shades. We discover that his appearance, just like every aspect of his persona, was carefully calculated in the hopes of discouraging his opponents from perceiving just how mathematically oriented he actually is. Ferguson has a PhD in mathematics/artificial intelligence from UCLA, and has spent years forging his probability based approach to the game. His huge black binders are brimming with statistics and determine how he will play hands and scenarios. The results, as we know, have been fantastic. What impressed me most about him was that he went on a severe cold streak in 2002, but did not get discouraged as he "recognized a statistical deviation" when he saw one. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and, even if you are not a huge poker fan, the plots within are about as interesting as something written by Nicholas Pileggi.



2. This is a great poker book. But be warned, it is not a book on poker strategies. It is, however, a wonderful book with each chapter detailing a bio on a different poker player(s). The read does provide a glimpse into the style of the different players. But it does not go into great depths on specific strategies and so on. This suits me just fine considering that there is now a mountain of poker books covering strategies.
   
   So if you're interested in getting a broad feel for how some of the elite poker players slugged their way to the top, this is an excellent book. If you enjoy literature and poker, this will make an excellent read when you need to pass the time (e.g., airplane ride, can't sleep at night, etc.) ...



3. It was an entertaining read but it just did not deliver on its titles promise of providing any "million-dollar strategies". It also has a very dis-jointed feel to it-start, stop, start again. Well, after reading it through, that minor annoyance makes sense. This is a collection of articles written by the two authors put into book form so the flow is uneven and a little distracting. I enjoyed reading about the great gamblers and poker players, but it just left me a little disappointed having bought it with different expectations.



4. If you're a poker player looking for another purely instructional manual --- save your money here. If on the other hand you'd like entertaining stories of today's & yesterday's most successful pros and what made them that way then you will thoroughly enjoy this book. It gives profiles on some of poker's all-time best players past and present while managing to deliver the "nuts" using specific examples from their successes at the table. The main message of this book is that there are as many ways and strategies to win at poker --- particularly Texas Hold 'Em as there are players, REALLY! The best lesson it gave me was to figure out which of these many players' "style" of play best fit my own and go to school learning. Additionally, at the end it gives brief summaries of pokers most popular games along with a poker dictionary of terms. I really think the beginner as well as the expert can take something valuable away from these pages.... The profiles of the players are every bit as informative as they are entertaining and insightful. So pick up this book and get a "read" on some of the games greats to improve your game!



5. I liked this book. Not quite a 5 star offering but pretty close.
   
   Fun stories about crazy gamblers!
   
   Get a copy.

2 comments about Mastering Hold'em and Omaha Poker.

1. this book seems to have really been written by mike cappelletti, and the impression otherwise is misleading, if not disingenuous. (though presumably there is some publishing rule which was followed to accomplish this? likewise, if, inconsistently with the text itself, caro and cappelletti actually did co-write the main text, that also should have been clarified.) what was written by caro are little "tidbits" in blocked greyed type. (caro's notes, while sparse relative to the text, appear to be worthwhile and are a bit more straightforward than the more enigmatic approach of the text's apparent true author.)
   
   at the same time, caro's page sized charts of hand play seemed like a big waste of space. does one really need over half a page taken up solely by the blank side of every player's playing cards? also, figuring out the play of the hand on these over sized charts (explained as well in the appendix, but I urge you not to "cheat" and consult therein) could be looked at one of at least two ways. a bonus exercise in problem solving, or a pain in the buttockia. what makes it amusing is that it seems that the point of using a whole page to convey a hand lay out that could be easily conveyed in a fraction of the space, would be for the sake of simplicity and clarity, not the opposite.
   
   the Hold em section is not reviewed here, since there are so many books on hold em, and so few on Omaha. that said, so far the Hold em section seems like a worthwhile read.
   
   while the Omaha sections contain their share of stating the obvious type filler sentences, cappelletti also includes a large amount of the opposite; that is, advanced or thoughtful concepts expressed far more succinctly than perhaps many readers may like. however, the side result of this is that the book also, indirectly, gets one to think about the game a bit more as one tries to figure out what he may mean. (also, note that the book covers both Omaha, and Omaha hi low, which one would not necessarily get from the title.) while this may seem like a drawback, it may not be, particularly as the book is not written for beginner or neophyte Omaha play, and sometimes thinking about conclusions rather than just inadvertently trying to memorize or "learn" them, can be as, if not more productive.
   
   thus, the author also presumes a lot of knowledge, including on hand selection. this last would seem to be reasonable, given that hand selection (and how to play those hands pre flop) is a fairly elementary concept, not a "master" concept. but on the other hand, many players do not seem to understand it in Omaha. (although that again may be semi purposeful or self reinforcing on their part, as many players, online at least, play hands that are so atrocious (which can be okay), and then over play them post flop to incorrect odds (which is not), that one wonders how they do not manage to bankrupt their roll. some in the so called tin foil hat club may more reasonably suspect that it is possible that this is because some online play may not in fact be truly random -- whether done purposefully or more likely by unacknowledged imperfections in the idea of computer generated randomness at certain levels of play (and/or whatever is being used as input data), a question that given the popularity of poker has seen surprisingly little erudite and COMPREHENSIVE, rather than incomplete and overly presumptive, analysis).
   
   so if one can follow what cappelletti means, or, perhaps even better, at least figure something out which the reader thinks he may mean, there is a good bit of helpful and even advanced analysis in the book.
   
   Another thing which cappelletti does which is somewhat unusual, and very helpful, is that he helps the reader think more about the overall situation and impressions, and how that might play into overall strategy as well as the play of individual hands. as a result, his analysis is not overly formulaic, but helps the reader not only to potentially absorb some interesting ideas, but learn to think about the game itself more broadly.
   
   in sum, while this book, which by virtue of its double bifurcated subject approach only devotes about a quarter each to Omaha hi and Omaha hi low, may leave different readers with vastly different impressions, overall, it seems to be a worthwhile read for the non neophyte Omaha player.
   
   one non poker point, which may seem picayune. but do poker authors sometimes not believe in editors? maybe certain types of grammatical or editing mistakes may lend a little salty coolness to poker books. but confusing "than" and "then" is not among them. while these terms get botched on occasion (or inadvertently when in a hurry, but "then," if one is in a hurry this may be more productive "than," as with many grammatical errors, taking the time to edit), to make this mistake in a published book is petty sloppy. while cappelletti's book seems to be worthwhile and add to the overall quality of information and thought on this game, there are a lot of crap books out there on almost every subject, written by seemingly anybody and everybody with an opinion. not that this is necessarily bad, as what is "good" is ultimately subjective, and it should be this way at least when it comes to opportunity (although a lot of trash, particularly in other subject areas, most notably politics, tends to cover up far better AND MORE ACCURATE material). but what is not subjective is editing for basic mistakes. and this book makes a pretty bad one.



2. This book is misrepresented. It is not written by Mike Cappelletti and Mike Caro. It is written by Mike Cappelletti, with Caro sanitizing only the first half on Texas Hold'em. In the introduction Caro says he didn't touch the Omaha section, relieving it of his discipline and mathematical validation. This is a great disappointment for his insights into Omaha play would be invaluable, should he ever deign to share them. It's a major reason I bought the book, only to be let down.
   
   Second, this book was twelve years old when it was published, even by the authors' admission. It is on limit Hold'em and Omaha, not no-limit / pot-limit. Twelve years ago - even five - limit was the most popular form of Texas Hold'em, and all books were only on how to play it. Today, no-limit has far surpassed limit, and it's hard to find a limit Omaha game. Even Omaha high-low is mostly played pot limit. (But if you want to see something funny, such as all 10 players in all the way to the river, sit in on a limit Omaha game. If you can find one.)
   
   If you are interested in limit Hold'em and Omaha, this is possibly the best book I've seen. The instructions are clear, smart, and well founded. You will get a much better idea of what you're looking for, what you can expect, and what you're trying to accomplish for both games than poker books.
   
   But whether in Europe or the US, Omaha has always been by far mostly played pot limit. It's even rather silly to play it otherwise. And despite the author's assertions that much of limit strategy can be transferred to no limit, there are significant differences.
   
   This book is a disappointment for not giving accurate authorship nor admitted its limit limitation. The latter didn't matter 12 years ago, but matters a lot today.
   
   But one little inset box on page 69 may make this book worth the price for many players: an operative definition of aggressive play.
   
   All poker authors do the same thing: describe a tight entry strategy, then say, "But play aggressively." That's like saying, "Be happy," or, "Don't be mad." How do you "be" anything? Most of us can barely control what we do. If I could control my being I'd be a saint, or possibly a god.
   
   In Super System 1, Doyle Brunson is at least a little more helpful. He adds, "But don't be foolish."
   
   But in Mastering Hold'em and Omaha Poker, on page 69, Mike Caro tosses in a description to give the reader some idea of what is meant by these references to aggressive play. It's well worth reading.

5 comments about Poker: A Guaranteed Income for Life by Using the Advanced Concepts of Poker.

1. This book focuses on winning maximum money in poker and earning a living on it. Therefore, it is a rather serious book that outlines the 120 concepts of winning poker. This may sound confusing, but once you read it, you will understand it fully. This book is a great book if you want to win money. If you only want fun, don't bother.



2. This should have been the poker book that ended poker books. At the time it came out, it was far, far deeper and more sophisticated than anything else in the field, and in some ways, despite the exponential improvement in poker literature, still is. When the Jacoby's and Rubens's were telling us to keep stakes down, quit by midnight, and don't let players get hurt, Wallace knocks down those barriers like wooden fences in a category 5 hurricane.

   As with Wallace's other writings, he purports theory without many specific examples. that's up to you, which demands a lot of the reader. But this book is the only one I know of which provides a framework for working a maximum-win approach in home poker games, with stark amorality and requiring a tremendous amount of work (and patience, a necessary poker virtue which Wallace severely underemphasizes). That approach isn't what most poker players want, and few of those would work hard enough to implement it decently, but for the handful of others it could work.

   The book gets its true greatness at the end, when he explains that for all the possibilities inherent in poker, it's a losing proposition. After teaching us to be "good players," he explains why the "good player is the biggest loser in poker." Why, you'll have to read. This book is no match technically for the products of Sklansky, Malmuth, Zee, and others, but has a vision which stands tall even today. Poker is work - if you want it, you can excel at it. and that's true for a lot of the rest of life as well.




3. This book has some unintentional entertainment value, as the author lays out his Machiavellian mind set. But I found almost nothing of actual use at the poker table.



4. Wallace's is surely one of the best books ever written about playing poker. His is not the scientific how to manual that will make you more technically proficient. For that read any of a number of books about specific brands of casino poker (Sklansky, Malmuth, Caro, Kreiger, Jones, Carson can help you there). But if you want the quintessential book about how to take advantage of poor home game players then this is your bible.

   Intentionally or otherwise, in the process of showing you how to best fleece your friends and acquaintances at poker Wallace forces the thoughtful reader to examine the underlying reasons we play this game. Do we really want to get friends into feeder low stakes games, dupe them into thinking they're pretty good, convince their spouses that they're doing OK at poker, while luring them into higher stakes games where we can go for the kill? If we do, this book shows us how. But even if don't, by showing us how, Wallace forces us to come to grips with how far we're willing to go to win at this fascinating game.

   The book is not without its flaws and holes however. Wallace's statistical tables in the back are in error. Check out Scarne's tables in his books or Caro's from the MCU on line. And Wallace doesn't even touch on tournament poker or playing in a casino or on the now-popular forms of poker like Hold Em and Omaha. But then, Wallace begins his instruction as if you are already a solid technical player. His tutoring is on how an already good poker player can win the most money from other home game players. In that regard his book is a masterpiece.

   As a final aside, it's interesting to note that in Wallace's later works -- the whole "Neo-Tech" genre -- he clearly has gone off the deep end. But this book was written before these bizarre excursions into psuedo-science and seems sane, though obsessive.




5. Right I stumbled across this on the net. Don't be fooled ino thinking that there is much to learn about poker in this book unless you are a back stabbing low life. After reading a few pages it soon becomes apparant that there is a nasty undercurrent running through it. The book actively encourages deception, deceit and a selfish mindset. At one point it even suggests a characters actions caused the death of one of his poker 'buddies'. The only regret being he was no longer available for fleecing. This is a book written by a cult leader and should be treated as such. See his site at neo-tech.com to see the real reasoning behind the 'tatics'.
   In conclusion an interesting look into the mind of a mad man.

No comments about Poker, Sex & Dying: Inside the Mind of a Gambler.

No comments about POKER WHIZ WHEEL (Texas Hold'Em).

1 comments about Full House.

1. I was lucky enough to get the ARC of this book and wanted to come and review it for others who are considering purchasing it.
   
   With story contributions by many of today's prominent YA authors, Pete Hautman puts them together in this collection of stories which have poker as the central theme.
   
   We have "Poker for the Complete Idiot" by KL Going which features a hot-shot kid who thinks that because his competitors live in a trailer park, they don't know the game. Watch for the fun twist in this one.
   
   "Dealing With the Devil" is about a man who tells the story of the night he -almost- ended up in a game of cards that could last an eternity.
   
   Then there is "The Scholarship Game" by Pete Hautman himself. A tale full of twists and turns that reads as if you were on a waterslide winding down and around. I won't give away any plot elements, you must read it for yourself.
   
   Plus there is the artwork and layout of the book, which is delightful. Each page looks like a giant card with page numbers and suits on both the top and bottom of each page which completes the immersion into the tales.
   
   Pick this one up, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

5 comments about The Rules of Poker: Essentials for Every Game.

1. Bykofsky and Krieger have written the ultimate poker argument settler. This is the clearest and most comprehensive book I know of, dealing with the rules of poker. It is divided into clearly marked sections making it easy to find the specific rule that applies to a particular problem or controversy.
   
   It covers cash and tournament play and offers insight and clear direction based upon the research, experience and wisdom of the authors. I benefited from reading it immensely.
   
   I hope it becomes the standard text and ultimate authority for poker rooms, tournament directors, public cardrooms and home games everywhere. This is a book the poker world surely needs.
   
   Neil D Myers, Author, Quick and Easy Texas Hold 'em and Limit Hold 'em Hand by Hand



2. Book is great for settling disputes for home games.



3. We play often on Saturday night and this has stopped all the fuss and muss over the rules. I am not much of a rule person in my personal life but when you are playing poker 'you gotta' love those rules - especially when they help me win!!!
   
   This book is so easy to follow it is great for beginner and long time players alike.
   
   Thanks for making the rules of the game so simple!!



4. Krieger and Bykofsy's book discusses tournament and poker room rules of poker, but they are not stated in a clear cut fashion. There are a lot of examples of applications of the rules, so if you are looking for a book to give you a fair understanding of how the rules should be applied, this is good, but because the rules are not presented clearly or in an order that is easy to follow, it has not been very usable during a poker game.
   
   Also, while the rules are more for advanced players. There are no basic rules of poker here. It's all about tournament rules and casino games, such as what happens if you say "Raise" and only put in an underchip. As to whether a straight beats a flush, or even what a straight is, the book has no answer.
   
   In the introduction, the authors even state: "This is not a poker instructional book, and we assume that you are not picking this up to learn the basics of play...Rather, we assume you know how to play.." Funny, you would think a poker rule book should be all about the very basics of play, for what are rules, if not the basic backbone of the game?
   
   The Rules of Poker: The Essentials for Every Game does not even have the essentials of the most basic game of straight poker.
   
   I have not found this book to be an authoritative answer to rules disputes. Also, there are no rules for the many different variations of poker often played in home games.
   
   If you want a book of poker-room rules exercises, this is a fairly good book. If you want a book that clearly states authoritative poker rules when you need them, look elsewhere. Search "poker rules" for a selection of alternatives.



5. This book is comprehensive and informative, while still being entertaining. You probably won't want to read it from cover to cover. The index is very useful and every rule of poker is covered. Hopefully, this will become the standard for poker tournaments and cash games the world over.

3 comments about The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Poker Tells (Complete Idiot's Guide to).

1. I'm a regular player and was really looking forward to this. But I was even more disappointed when it arrived. Reads like the writer has never played, just a rehash of cliches. Save your money.



2. Thanks to the power of television, the games of poker (especially No Limit Texas Hold 'em) have emerged from their seedy backroom origins to the elegance of multimillion dollar hotels and tournaments. The Idiots Guide To Poker Tells: Learn How To Read Your Opponents' Every Move by Bobbi Dempsey and Andy Bloch (a top poker pro who has won over $750,000 playing poker) is an informed collection of advice on winning at poker by playing the players as much as the cards. The Idiots Guide To Poker Tells provides readers with foolproof tips to help recognize all types of "tells" (behaviors that reveal the strength or weakness of an opponents hand), as well game-saving advice on avoiding tells, recognizing fake tells, surefire strategies for dealing with the five different player personalities, and techniques for sharpening already natural skills at reading other players. For its outstanding knowledge of the game's inner-workings, The Idiots Guide To Poker Tells is a compact and portable paperback, and very strongly recommended to all poker players whether they are playing for high-stakes or peanuts.



3. I agree with the last poster! DO NOT.....I repeat, D o N O T waste your money on this book!! It's a complete waste of time and tells you absolutely nothing you shouldn't already know yourself! Reading tells is pretty self explanatory. It's just a matter of practicing so you read the subtle ones. 9 out of 10 people won't be playing with professional poker players anyways so what's the point. And even the pro's try as hard as they can to hide their tells by wearing glasses so you can't see their eyes, etc etc. All you have to do is watch the person and see if their mannerisms change or if their eyes get shifty or if they get over confident or their voice changes. It's basic knowledge.
   Whatever you do, don't waste your money. This guy wrote a book about nothing in order to take peoples money. Keep your money and practice. That's all it comes down too is "PRACTICE"!
   :)
   He named this book correctly too. You're an idiot if you BUY this book!