2 comments about Beyond Counting : Exploiting Casino Games from Blackjack to Video Poker.

1. For professional gamblers, this book is the best you'll ever get.
   
   Grosjean presents a wide variety of material. This text assumes the reader is a successful gambler, and has mastered all beginner and intermediate material. If you are a blackjack card-counter and have made 50k from BJ, you have the background to fully appreciate this book.
   
   This presents material from two different angles, each of which is original. He first analyzes traditional games (not just Blackjack) and shows you ways to beat them, with a mathematical focus on exploiting weak dealers (there is an exceptional analyzis of 3-card poker). Second, he presents a new way of thinking for "textbook gamblers" (those who profit from books, but don't develop original ideas for themselves.) This focus opened my eyes to new ways to profit, notably in Blackjack. One other thing that is surprising for a book of this price - the methods explained are legal.
   
   Some auction sites will list this book from $500-$2000. If 1. you don't know people "in the know", 2. you have at least 50k in capital, and 3. you play a lot of +EV BJ, this book is worth the auction price.
   
   Before you buy a used copy, be aware that Grosjean is releasing a new edition of "Beyond Counting" in 2006 or early 2007. Grosjean's website notes that there might be two versions - the normal one, and one for accredited professionals. Given what I read in the original edition, it would not surprise me if he removed a lot of exceptional material for the republication.



2. This is an amazingly lucid and very useful book. It provides valuable advice to get an edge in many casino games - all legal advice, of course. Essential, but, sadly, hard to get.
   
   Regarding the sequel: It is already about a year late, and the publishers stopped posting publishing date updates on their website in February 2007.

5 comments about Casino Gambling : A Winner's Guide to Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Baccarat, and Casino Poker.

1. I found this a delightful book. It's very easy to read, covers all the major games, and contains lots of practical, useful advice.

   And at less than $20, it's excellent value for money.

   My only criticism (a very minor one) is that the Roulette section focuses mainly the "double-zero" wheel, used in the USA. The "single zero" wheel used in Europe and in Australia, doesn't get much coverage.

   However, this is a minor issue. Overall I found this an excellent book, containing a wealth of useful advice.




2. This book helped me incredibly understand the odds and help beat the casino at their games. I recommend it.



3. This book is great, it's very funny and will provide many laughs. Unfortunately, if you are looking to read a book on how to gamble well, this is not it.
   
   This book states how to beat Craps (controlled rolling of the dice to land on certain numbers), Blackjack (taking advantage of non-random shuffling and finding groups of high and low cards), and Roulette (watching for a zone on the wheel where the ball repeatedly falls due to the dealer throwing the ball with the same speed).
   
   These methods of how to beat the casino are all completely irrational, unattainable, and at times just plain ridiculous.
   
   If you could beat craps by controlled throwing of the dice, don't you think the casinos would recognize this and change their dice rolling procedures. To avoid having controlled rolls is the exact reason is why they make you hit the back wall in the first place.
   
   If you could beat roullette by taking advantage of dealer memory, where they always throw the ball with the same speed and therefore produces certain zones on the wheel that are hit consistently, don't you think the casino would recognize that certain numbers hit more frequently and change their procedures. The obvious fact that the Author fails to mention is that in order for this method to work, the dealer would always have to throw the ball with the exact same speed and he/she would always have to release it at the exact same spot on the wheel...which is nearly impossible or at least so low a percentage, that I would not bet on it!
   
   The Blackjack stategy is the only one that even resembles rational thought, but even this method of taking advantage of non-random shuffling and finding pockets of either high or low cards and then increasing or decreasing your bet accordingly fails to mention one obvious fact. Even if you do see pockets of high or low cards, you never know how big the pocket is...you could see two hands of all high cards, change your bet accordingly, then the next hand could change to a pocket of low cards.
   
   In summary, this book tells you how the Author consistently beats the casino using these methods...I think the Author needs to realize that he is just getting lucky using his less than scientific systems. If you want to read a book on how to gamble well you should pick one that explains how to minimize your losses, by decreasing the house edge. At least find one that is non-fiction!



4. I looked at this listing and found that the description was for the "paperback" version. Well this book, "Casino Gambling: Winning Techniques for Craps, Roulette, Baccarat and Blackjack" (C)1982-3 is said to contain chapters with silliness like how to control dice and spot a roulette wheel. That description is NOT for this book! It is for a book called "Casino Gambling : A Winner's Guide to Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Baccarat, and Casino Poker" (C)2000. The newer book lists several authors. The added sections must be from the new authors and account for the lame "beat the system" advice. The 1983 book is very solid with excellent math and logic only! It tells you up front that you can't get an edge on a casino but shows you exactly what the house edge is on every single bet. This makes you an informed consumer at a casino. Such a book is refreshing in a sea of books about gaming that purport to give you a "secret" to gain riches. HA! The best you can do in a casino is either get up early and stop, (but you could also get down early) or play smart and loose small amounts slowly while enjoying the game and maybe some free drinks. If you want to learn to play casino games and want the straight info about the risks of each play, this book is perfect. If you want to hear a fairytale about how to "beat the house" look any ware else. PS this book IS paperback as well. ISBN: 039950656X



5. This is a great just basic book I wouldnt say it goes into any great detail just give you the basic understanding of the games and where your odds a probably better at making money. But in reality the house always has the advantage your almost better off going the first minute you get to vegas take all your money right to the roulette table and go black or red if you win take the cash and enjoy the rest of your trip not gambling!

5 comments about The Education of a Poker Player.

1. Poker books of late, for the most part, have all been about strategy. If you're already figured out how to play small pairs in early position or if you're looking for a poker book that isn't about "odds", this one is about as good as you're going to get.
   
   I don't know if all the stories are to-the-letter true or not- Yardley may have exaggerated some of them a wee bit- and it was definitely written in a different time but overall, the organic advice about the gamesmanship aspects of poker is spot-on accurate (from my perspective as a winning NLHE and mixed games player). There is just so much more that goes in to beating this game than pot odds and hand selection.
   
   I don't think this book will appeal strictly left-brained sort of people who view the game of poker almost entirely as a mathematical exercise, but it will appeal to everyone else.



2. I have purchased several copies of this book over the years. I bought the first one to sharpen my play and my wife's play when, in graduate school, we got together with our best friends (two other married couples) and played into the early morning hours (A total of $15.00 at stake--$2.50 each!). This latest purchase is a gift to a friend who is interested in the beginnings of our current intelligence agencies--NSA, CIA etc. No doubt there are better poker guides on the market: No doubt Yardley's guide is the only one worth reading just for the fun of it. (See Yardley's "The American Black Chamber")



3. But mostly, it is a collection of autobiographical anecdotes by one of the most interesting characters in twentieth century American history.
   
   Actually, it is about an even split between poker and the exploits of Herbert O. Yardley, but it is hard to tell which aspect the author invested more of his energy in.
   
   Regarding poker; both the mathmatical disciplines of poker and the psychological game of poker are well addressed in terms that make the knowledge easy to apply. Well structured breakdowns of when to fold and raise based on straight probability make the book straight forward from the numbers aspect. Anecdotes of various poker games and player that Yardley knew address the psychological game, including bits on reading the other player and how to present yourself at the table. A little dated, perhaps but mostly relevant.
   
   Regarding Yardley; the anecdotes provide a portrait of a man you do not want to trust with secrets. Vain, arrogant, self-serving, and possessed with the belief that laws are for other people, but he still conveys surprise and resentment that he was put out of the American intelligence community (such as it was) in the 1920s. This book should be a cautionary tale for people deciding who an organization should place in a position of trust. If someone sounds like Yardley, DON'T put him in a sensitive position.
   
   Still, the advice on poker is good, and the tales are exciting (whether historically accurate or not; I have a hard time believing that Yardley was the hero and 'James Bond' type that he paints himself). Also a great adjunct to serious reading on game theory, both for the applications and psychological vignettes related to the subject.
   
   E. M. Van Court



4. Pros- Very entertaining read. It definitely hearkens one back to a time long past in American history- wild rough-neck types plying their wits over a card table in any given Saloon in any given town in any given state, a century ago.
   
   Also, it was pretty much one of the earlier books to ever address poker from a mathematical perspective. Things like "pot odds", while not called "pot odds", are discussed in an easy to read, organic fashion. Later poker classics like "The Theory Of Poker", while much more factually comprehensive than Yardleys book, are clearly built on a foundation that was originally laid by "The Education...".
   
   Cons- Save for the chapters on 7 Stud, most of the games talked about in this book are no longer played on a broad scale, save for the occasional home game. Games like 5 Card Draw, 5 Card Stud, 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo without a qualifier, 5CD Deuces Wild... These games just don't occupy the same presence today that they once did, so a lot of the technical and strategic information, while still "valid", is a bit dated...
   
   ... but like I said in the title, this "con" is also very much a "pro".
   While games like 5 Draw and 5 Stud are no longer kings of the hill, they are most definitely experiencing a resurgence of interest as players expand their interests beyond Omaha, 7 Stud and Hold Em. As strategy books on these games, "The Education" is absolutely top flight- read it and heed it and you will find yourself crushing your friends the next time they decide to throw a 5 Draw or a 5 Stud into the rotation at the next home game because someone just got done watching "Cincinnati Kid."
   
   Also, a lot of the principles, while discussed in the context of somewhat 'dated' poker games, still apply to *all* poker games...
   
   Pretty safe bet that as long as everyone is informed in advance that this poker book mainly deals with older games, there won't be a single buyer who regrets purchasing it.



5. When I started studying and playing seriously a decade ago, this book was mentioned constantly by all the old masters. Read it and see why.
   Yardley is a solid writer and player, and you learn the poker basics here as a by-product in this entertaining tale. He's quite a character and was a real player in our various nefarious intelligence agencies; his brains and wariness suited him well at the card table.
   This little book is a quick and easy read and has a lot to say about poker and life. While not the strategic masterpiece its adherents often claim, it is nonetheless one of the first books to really detail the how-to's of good poker. Add to that the non-poker aspects and it becomes one of the more engrossing reads in the poker-book world.
   Highly likely to be in your local library. Try to get an older copy; the various semi-lurid covers are most humorous. Poker IS a seedy gambling game full of harlots and ne'er-do-wells, after all. And, well, maybe one or two fascinating, intelligent, funny characters...
   Better to stay in church.

5 comments about Winning Methods of Bluffing & Betting in Poker.

1. Lots of people picking up cards for the first time just push bets in to keep things going, because it's what everyone else at the table is doing and they want action. Lynne Taetzsch gives helpful pointers about why every bet, check, call and fold you make has a purpose as well as when and how you make them. She also gives simple lessons on how playing the man or woman opposite you at the table is just as important as playing your cards correctly.



2. The book took a week to get to me, but it was in good shape -- 5 star service, if not for the shipping time. I would buy from them again!



3. Since I am a professional poker player, I actually hope that lots of players read this book and take its advice.

   In the introduction, the author starts off by saying:

   "I played for years in a weekly game in a university town".

   This book shows it. Doubtful if he has ever played in Vegas or any other large cardroom for significant money. He actually recommends bluffing frequently. Hope he manages to sit in my game some time...

   All the examples are for Stud or Stud hi/lo split. The latest book in his bibliography is 1975 and the earliest is from 1940.

   Fortunately, I did not buy this book but checked it out from the library and skimmed through it in about 30 minutes. This book is a waste of time and money.




4. I play poker with a local group of gals and we all loved this book. I'm sorry I shared it with them, actually, because I was winning a lot more before I did. Being a bridge player, I've always had card smarts, but this book shows that you need a lot more than that to win at poker, and tells you how to do it.



5. I found this book helpful in many ways. First, it explained clearly with lots of examples. Second, it wasn't just about using statistics to figure out whether to bet or not. It covered the psychological aspects of playing poker, which is another dimension to consider when playing serious poker. I recommend this book to anyone who plays regularly or wants to.

5 comments about Poker: One Hundred and One Ways to Win.

1. If you have read some books on poker, have you EVER read anything about coping with a check raise? What do you do when you place a bet and someone who has already checked puts in a raise? COPING WITH A CHECK RAISE is but one valuable chapter in this fabulous book on practical poker. There are 101 chapters that are useful for the novice and the professional player. Another chapter title is WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU HAVE AN EARLY LOSS. Another is THE IMPORTANCE OF MARGINAL HANDS. As you can tell, this book is worth hundreds of times its purchase price. It has helped me move from the recreational poker player level to the semi-pro level. The highly recommend this book.



2. This book contains some interesting thoughts and lessons for serious poker players. However, David Sklansky's "The Theory of Poker" is clearly superior, and essential to the aspiring player.



3. I sure wish I had this book available when I started Playing poker. It would have saved me a LOT of money while I learned the game.
   Many books deal with statistics and starting hands. This book deals with strategies and emotional factors. Like facing up to ourselves as our own worst enemy. And what to do when another player puts us on tilt with a check raise. And why other players do such crazy things. Learning how to cope with life at the table is what this book is about and Mr. Nelson has done a fabulous job of helping us develop winning skills.



4. -
   I really don't know whether to love this book or hate it.

   As a 51-year-old novice player losing regularly, I decided it was time to buy a book or two on how to play poker. On Amazon.com there must be 100 or more such books so I began perusing the Reader Reviews of all of them. Two books floated to the top and I ordered both. I should point out that I put great faith in Reader Reviews because they are, generally, honest about content. I read Andy's book "Poker: 101 Ways to Win" and began to realize that the book should have been called 67 Ways to Win (or maybe 43 Ways to Win) because the writer's goal of 101 ways to win (apparently, so as to have a catchy title) forced me to slog through page after page of tripe masquerading as worthwhile content.

   His sophomoric analogies drip with clichéd syntax and uninspired thought. Let me give you an example from the chapter on Trapping, (which he never did explain): "Visualize how a big cat stalks its prey. He chooses his victim and watches. Without movement or sound, he sets the perfect way to bring it down. The cat is sneaky, silent, serene and has the heart of a killer. He doesn?t move a muscle until the precise moment and with the ferocity of a tornado, he takes down the prey. With awesome quickness, with improbable power..."? Need I go on? This is a book about poker, right?

   The trouble is, when he does deliver something good, it really is good. I was able to see the mistakes I'd been making and how to avoid them. Basically, I learned how to be a better player. And that's where this book shines. It's a great book for the once-a-month poker player because it will elevate your game to a higher level than that of most opponents. It's plainly obvious that Andy's won a lot of money playing poker and his somewhat unscientific approach to explaining the game is easy to absorb. I've also reviewed David Sklansky's "The Theory of Poker," a book I strongly recommend.




5. I am a life long poker player having started in high school. Now I teach in a Big Ten school and have made a nice part time income from poker, lately from Texas Hold 'Em. I have purchased and read every book on poker that is in print. There are several good books on statistics and philosophy. I have found that 101 Ways to Win provides some unique and special insights not covered by other books.
   There is the routine stuff like patience, position, starting hands, etc. The parts I like are the sophisticated stuff. Chapters such as: BE AS GOOD AS YOU THINK YOU ARE, DO YOU PLAY OR PLAY TO WIN?, TROUB LE HANDS SPELL T-R-O-U-B-L-E, READING OPPONENTS. These and other chapters I found incredibly useful.
   I fully recommend this book to inprove your game!
   I am now reading the rest of Mr. Nelson's books because I like the way he expresses himself.

5 comments about Optimal Strategy for Pai Gow Poker.

1. This was recommended by the American MENSA Guide to Casino Gambling book, and rightfully so. Pretty much all angles are covered in this book, and the price is right.

   It's quite thorough for anyone who wants to play Pai-Gow poker at casino-level stakes. However, due to its thoroughness, it can be confusing to the novice (or the very tired). I recommend skimming the details chapter, then concentrating on "An Approximate Strategy". This arms you with a great strategy to set your hand the best way possible.

   The math presented is good as well ... Isn't it interesting to guesstimate that you'll win 50% of the time if you have a pair of jacks and A-8?

   For knowledge synthesis, one great part of the book is approximately 20 pages of practice hands. The optimal results are shown, and the number of the sub-chapter to review if you didn't agree with the answer.

   Buy it and read for yourself ... Good luck!




2. Wong has charted unexplored territory here in his study of Pai Gow. This is probably the only book in print that exhaustively explains the correct optimal strategy for player and banker in every hand scenario. I can't fault the content, yet there is some additional information I wish Wong had provided to make this book more practical.

   1) While the optimal strategy is indeed powerful, it was devised (as Wong explains) to be the best possible response to the best possible pai gow strategies. In other words, the best response to the Wong strategy is to play the Wong Strategy. This is what makes it optimal. However, real casinos do not play the Wong strategy, they play a much simpler strategy known as the house way. (and even this strategy differs from casino to casino) What would be most useful to a reader would be an optimal player strategy to counter the house way. The banker strategy would also need to be refined - once for heads up play against the dealer, and again for play against a full table.

   2) To this end, the book would have needed to provide current "house way" policies in Nevada and elsewhere, and updated stats on house edge and bankers edge with the new strategies.

   3) I hoped that Wong could have condensed his optimal strategy even further than he does in chapter 4, providing a simple page of rules for the casual player, and then explaining what the house edge is if the player employs the simple condensed strategy.

   But these reservations aside, you can't find a better book on pai gow poker. His prose is very readable and straightforward, and you'll surely be impressed by all the research in the book.




3. This book is complete crap. Unless you have a photographic memory, just do a search on the internet and you will get the same info in an easy to understand manner for free. But just so you know....
   
   1-NO explaination on how to play Pai Gow poker. WTF???? Any book on anything starts with 1 chapter on the rules. The first page he is talking about bankers and this and that. On the XBox there are no bankers (bicyle casino). If he would have explained the rules I would have know that.
   
   2-All charts. I mean, all charts. You want an explaination? Look at the charts. hmm, ok. It's like 120 pages with 100 pages of charts. WTF? What do they mean? I have yet to figure out these charts because no explaination is given on how to interpret them. How about that?
   
   3-He says he doesn't use the charts so he has another chapter on a simplified system, but almost as confusing. Hey pal, look at Knockout blackjack. There is simplified stagety, basic stategy, KO rookie and and then a KO preferreed and finally at the end are the matrixes. On the basic stategy, there is one page with what you need to remember. Even the preferred system only uses the top 18 matrixes. You don't need all of that extra stuff at the beginning of the book especially when the author days he doesn't eve use the,. If Wong had followed this lead, he would have had all the charts at the back of the book. Instead it's too confusing. In fact, there is no basic stargety page. It's a whole chapter. There are places on the internet with basic guides.
   
   4-Al in all, this whole book could have been 10 pages long. Do yourself a good thing and save the money. I give it 1 star cause it made good kindling for the fireplace.



4. Do not buy this book. Useless info. If youlove Pai Gow as I do just do some internet surfing you will get more info.



5. Wong wanted to call his book "Professional Pai Gow" but Mike Caro beat him to it, so we get "Optimal Strategy." As it is, this is more accurately titled; for most Nevada players will never sit down to a game where they can get an edge (see below).
   
   Wong has done a fair amount of computer analysis on how to play each type of hand, and his presentation of it all is positively exhausting, if not exhaustive. There is chart after chart after chart of proper play guidelines, with short explanations. As a pretty regular player of the game, I was left shell shocked with all of the exceptions to the exceptions to normal play...to hands which you will only be looking at maybe a couple of times a night if you're lucky, and the difference in how you'd play them might amount to .05% difference in financial expectation. It was a bit much. His condensed, easier to memorize guidelines are a big help...why not organize the book around them, and leave all the charts nobody can use for an appendix? The point, as even Wong points out, is not perfection in play, since even that compared to lackadaisical ordinary handsetting yields at most a .3% difference at the end, but rather to get the most play quality from a medium investment of effort.
   
   Two sections I found to be of most use, and the first was on the proper odds you will face...typically from 2.4 to 2.9% against, which is worse than blackjack, video poker (played well) or craps. Bank big and play small is Wong's advice, good so far as it goes, but this will be more applicable to California tables than Vegas games which tend to restrict either frequency of players banking or variation in bet size or both. As banker you need to bank for between 6 and 14 times your normal player bet to break even; pretty tough to find that kind of game, and your bankroll swings will be legendary. On page 17 Wong outright states that, "seldom or never will you find a Nevada Pai Gow poker game in which you can break even if you bank only 1 hand in 7".
   
   The second section which is useful is the 20 pages or so dedicated to practice hands, with references to chapters where he explains optimal play of these hands. Many players mess up play of two-pair; this section will help cure you of it far better than attempting to memorize Wong's charts.
   
   If you don't have a problem poring over charts of numbers this book does contain a lot of information in a highly condensed format. If you are looking for a more wordy and easily explained way to play, this is not the book for you. Most actual hands you will see virtually play themselves; this book will cover the rest. But for a .3% difference, it seems like too much work.

2 comments about Winning Concepts in Draw & Lowball.

1. I bought the book for help with playing 5-card draw on the internet. Nowhere in the description of the book did I see that he discusses Jacks-to-open as his draw game. This is a very different game for guts-to-open that is played on internet sites that I know. I wish I had known.
   
   Then he spends the first 39 pages with an introduction and as many as 50 reasons for each of the following actions: Open, Call, Fold, Raise, Check, Bet, Bluff, Play, and Quit, including such gems as this reason for checking: You are planning to sandbag.
   
   He lists some errors that are commonly made by players, and I found this interesting, along with a few other things that prevented me from rating this lower than 3 stars.



2. The book is terrific. The service was terrible. I accidentally double ordered the book and the Amazon clerk refused to allow me to cancel one order, saying that "The book was already pulled, boxed and ready for shipment." Although it was only two minutes since I had ordered the book twice by mistake. I now own two copies and will never do business with Amazon again,

5 comments about Lawyers' Poker: 52 Lessons that Lawyers Can Learn from Card Players.

1. Professor Lubet's book is thought-provoking, instructive, and entertaining. The similarities between litigation and poker are evident to every litigator, but Professor Lubet's accounts of various poker maneuvers and strategies will cause even the most seasoned litigator to reexamine conventional thinking. One example: the traditional strategy in defending a deposition is to limit the deponent's responses as much as possible. Professor Lubet suggests the contrary-that showing your cards in a deposition may increase the pot because 90 percent of cases settle rather than proceed to trial.
   
   Similarly, the early raise (presenting substantial discovery early in the case) even if a bluff (because counsel does not have the resources to consider proceeding to trial), can pay dividends.
   
   Whether the reader is a card player or not, Professor Lubet achieves the difficult task of presenting poker big game moves in an understandable but exciting way. This book is a valuable, entertaining read for every litigator. The uninitiated poker player will have a new found respect for the game.



2. Inexperienced poker players often mistake poker for a game of chance. In fact, good players recognize that good hands and bad hands even out after many hands. It is the skill with which they play that separates losers from their money.
   The advocacy system of law in the USA can appear too much of a game of chance to outsiders. However, Steven Lubet uses poker as a metaphor and guide to the methods behind the apparent madness of lawyerly questions and argument. The writing style is elegant without drowning in complicated language or "legalese." The author's dry wit is an added joy.



3. There's far less that could be learned from this book than one could by watching a few law-related TV shows.
   
   The poker related explanations are rather mediocre so that poker players would get bored, and one gets a feeling that the author is stretching to find an anecdote to fit every situation.
   
   The text is peppered with anecdotes that are mildly interesting, both poker-related and from legal cases. If there's the ideal book that brings the two topics together, this is not it. I found no eye-popping revelations, it felt like a routine drill, covering all the angles--never going too deep.
   
   I actually picked up this book to see if I could learn anything in preparation for a tort case--as I am not a lawyer but a competent poker player. I learned one thing from this book--conceptually, it is not a bad idea to share enough information before trial (during or before discovery) to arrive at a situation where the opponent has enough to achieve an optimal settlement.
   
   So many aspects of law are so complicated that by the time you get to be a lawyer, poker has little to teach you that haven't already seen. The book proved this belief.



4. The author (Lubet) uses anecdotes from famous trials to compare actions of poker players with trial lawyers and the witnesses they examine. As a recent law graduate, I noticed he is the same author as two of my trial advocacy text books from law school. Since the publisher is not known for producing pulp, I bought the book for some post-graduate light reading and was not disappointed. However, don't come here looking for secret trial strategies that nobody else knows, nothing in the book is truly earth shattering.
   
   There is a false assumption among some reviewers (and somewhat present throughout the book) that poker players are quite similar to lawyers. This comparison is as predictable as it is delusional. Most law school graduates can make a modest living in law, but most people who can play poker (even very good players) will unfortunately lose their shirts if they were to attempt to make it their livelihood. Though there may be some behavioral similarities among the two, doing even moderately well at poker takes considerably more skill than doing so in law.
   
   The author points out important differences, particularly in the areas of ethics, lying and flat out mechanical cheating. Lawyers can get away with things that poker players cannot, and vice versa, and the limits of each adjust with the passing of time and the advance of technology.
   
   One of the most interesting observations the author makes is that as the respectability of poker playing is on the rise, the respectability of the legal profession is in decline. Make of this what you will, but unfortunately I agree with him here.



5. I practiced law for 30 years, most of which I was a litigator. From that perspective, Professor Lubet's book is a wonderful metaphor for learning trial practice at its most essential level. These are complementary skills that teach practitioners of both poker-playing and lawyering about probability, risk, reward, and dealing with opponents and less-than-perfect hands. These skills are best learned in a small-bore environment where lessons can be learned and reflected on without risk to one's clients.

4 comments about Powerful Profits From Internet Poker.

1. If you are looking for a good poker strategy book, look elsewhere. I found this book unfocused and full of "filler" material. It gives advice on several poker variants (Holdem, Omaha, Seven Card Stud), but offers nothing ground-breaking or in-depth on any. Most disappointing is the extra material thrown in to "fill out" the book. There is a compendium of cyber terms, explanations on how to use Party Poker and Poker Stars, instructions on how to fund your account, etc. If you are looking for a good poker strategy book focusing specifically on Holdem, I recommend "Harrington on Hold 'em Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments Vol 1". I don't believe this book is worth the money for the majority of players.



2. 
   This book is one of those rare gems that you don't often find in poker literature, or poker books. Not only does this book offer important insights on how to handle the online poker boom, but it also provides the means of learning how to find your way through all the pitfalls, and the hype, and get to the real meat of winning.
   
   The strategy portions of this book are particularly important, because they focus on the specific differences between the real-world poker, and the kind of poker being played on the Internet. There are very big differences, and if you don't know how to handle it, you won't be winner. You need to know how to adapt to the Internet poker play, and this book is the perfect way to find that out.
   
   There are many good strategy books out there, most of which are about the "traditional" poker, like that which is played in the real-world poker rooms. This author's other poker book is among them, although that book also sets up the strategies and information found in this one. This book is perfect because it takes you away from the "tired old thinking," such as you might find in some "traditional" strategies, those that may not apply to the 21st century world of online poker.
   
   As a result of this book, I have won more tournaments online in one month than most of the "name" players win in a year. I have won Hold'em freezeouts, rebuys, sit-&-goes, Omaha/8, and cashed-in in over 70% of the tournaments I entered. Furthermore, I learned how to establish online accounts, how to manage them, how to set up a Neteller account, how to avoid collusion, and how to play well in that online world. I'd say that's about as good as it can get.
   
   This is a book you should have, if you want to learn the world of online poker, and be a winner. It's your choice, but to my mind the few dollars you spend for buying this excellent book is well worth it.
   
   Just look at it this way: Spending around $15 for this book made me wins of $1,600 and $1,200 back-to-back in $5 buy-in Hold'em tournaments, and many more wins of several hundred dollars each in small buy-in tournaments. Of course, you can make up your own mind, but I'd say I made a good deal.



3. 
   This book was given to me as a gift. I am really a blackjack player mostly, and so I didn't have much experience with poker. I did play poker several times in the casinos, but nothing serious. I also didn't play on the Internet. But that's all changed now!
   
   At first, I just wasn't all that interested in Internet poker, but after reading this book I found out it's a really good game. What I like most about it is that I can do it from home, and not have to travel to a casino to play poker. But I didn't know much about the Internet poker, and had little clue about how to get going, and how to play, and not be taken for a ride.
   
   After reading this book, all my fears went away. This book shows how to get started, how to find the games and tournaments, and how to play winning poker specifically for Internet poker play. This was all new to me, but with this book in hand I quickly learned the tricks. I was also given this author's other poker book, Powerful Profits from Poker, because in that book I could learn more about the poker games. With both books together, I soon became quite good at this. I won my first tournaments by following the advice in this book, and I have been happily playing ever since.
   
   Since I read this book, and the author's other book on poker, I also read some of the others. While I agree with this author that reading more is better than less, I do want to say that I find Royer's style clear, refreshing, and to the point. He talks about this difficult Internet poker craze in simple terms, and that makes it easy to become a winning player.
   
   I also like that this author gets down to the facts, and speaks about the realities of exactly what it is that you will find when you play poker on the Internet. There is also a nice chapter about the legality of Internet poker, and the author makes it very clear that there are no laws in the USA that in any way prevent you from playing on the Internet.
   
   All in all, this is an excellent book about Internet poker, and the various poker games you find there. If you want to play poker on the Internet, this is the book you should get, and read, and study.



4. Victor H. Royer, Powerful Profits from Internet Poker (Kensington, 2006)
   
   First off: it's well worth noting that this book constitutes an extension of Royer's earlier Powerful Profits from Poker. If you haven't read that one, start with it instead.
   
   Powerful profits from Internet Poker is a companion volume to the earlier book, in which Royer focuses on the differences between brick-and-mortar and Internet poker playing. So if you're looking for general hints, tips, and strategies for poker playing, this is not where to go. If you spend most of your time playing poker on the 'net, though, you may find some things of use here if you're not already well-read on the subject. If you are, you're going to wade through a lot of retread, but that's not necessarily a bad thing; it's often useful to brush up on the basics now and again.
   
   There are three chapters devoted to the three main games played at Internet poker sites, one each for Hold'em, Seven-card stud, and Omaha. (When is someone going to write the definitive book on Crazy Pineapple? That's what I want to know...) Two more chapters are devoted to detailed analyses of PokerStars and PartyPoker, and the interleaved chapters deal with such topics as general strategy tips for Internet poker, poker and the law, etc. (That last is a must-read chapter as the Internet Gambling and Enforcement Act nears a Senate vote, by the way.) You'll see a lot of stuff you've already seen, especially if you're already a student of one or more of the games discussed (as, I would assume, anyone picking this book up is) and/or you already have an account on PartyPoker, PokerStars, or both. If so, just read the stuff that'll be new first, and go back and read the whole book later on, when you have more time. If you're a greenhorn, though, this is a quick and easy overview of stuff you need to know, and is worth your time. ***

1 comments about Tim Biskup's Lucky Stack.

1. For any Tim Biskup fan, this deck of cards is a MUST HAVE! Each card is different from the next, giving you 52 separate pieces of artwork (plus Jokers!!). And the metal tin is cool too! This great stack is sure to make the owner nothing but Lucky!!