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5 comments about Winning Blackjack Without Counting.

1. After listening to my friend explain his card counting methods -- I was impressed (actually amazed at his winnings) but discouraged to think I'd have to spend that much time and energy to beat the dealer at a game of Blackjack.

   So I found a book for the non-counter by Donald Dahl titled Progression Blackjack. A worthwhile read, but while using his strategies playing online, I quickly saw that the systems were "missing something."

   Then I read "Winning Blackjack Without Counting Cards" by David S. Popik! It's a real eye opener! He simply and powerfully shows that BJ is not a game of chance when certain rules are adhered to.... But MORE than that, he teaches a truly brilliant system for consistently beating the house! It's so simple a 12 year old couldn't lose with this strategy. The book's about an hour's reading time (or a little more to carefully go over all the numbers -- the author carefully documents all his findings)

   In my first game online after reading this book, I won over $500 in less than 2 hours. Don't miss this one!




2. This book is fantastic. It is an easy read and a logical system based purely on mathematics. It does require some discipline, but when followed the system has proven to be profitable and substantially easier than learning to count cards. Will be useful to the occasional player as well as the consistent player.



3. I play blackjack for a living, and that means before I decided to do so you need to seperate the good from the bad books. I'm not the person to tell you what to do relating towards your goal playing blackjack, but one year after me trying to get it done the easy way, I,m glad that I switched to cardcounting. Remember do no think that blackjack is a easy money program. Many system sellers are making only money from selling books, or working indirectly for casinos. Any form of progression betting will get your cash in the longrun. I know from the early years of me playing blackjack that playing any form of progression you are able to winn money in the short run, but it will burn you out playing into the longrun, and I played too Popik's theory. But you can't compare a flip of a coin with 2 outcomes with a game of blackjack where you have 13 different outcomes relating to your hands.

   I play about 100 hours a month, 1200 hours a month. It is not about the no. of sessions you winn, but the no. of hours.

   Using Popik's system I won a majority of the sessions playing it in 1991, but the sessions I lost, I lost all what I won related to my winning sessions before. This is happening to all forms of progression play.

   Therefore I would suggest you to start reading work from Stanfort Wong, Lance Humble, Arnold Snyder or Peter Griffin.

   Again, I want you to winn but If you will ever decide to choose the profession I choosed you will realise that playing fulltime any progression system will hurt you playing about 1200 hours a year.




4. I red the first edition of this book. First of all the basic stratedgy slightly differs from what other books say (like doubling 9 against dealer's 7).
   The main idea of the book is to bet on a series of wins/losses. If you win first bet you should increase you bet K times, if you lost your unit bet (and after that other 2) you increase you bet K times again. If it doesn't help, you keep loosing a unit bet at a time.
   The simplest way to proove the authour is WRONG is the following: he claims that every unit you add to K increases you chances to win by 0.5% (you probable win). Take K = 1000. Do you get 500% edge? No it can not exceed 100%.
   The author makes the fallowing mistake: if you average probability to wit is p=0.47 then the probability to loose is 1-p. Our edge (in bets) is -(1-2*p)=-6.0%. We are loosing. The probability to win 2 times is p*p, to loose the second time is p*(1-p). So he says the edge is -p*(1-2*p) is less than -(1-2*p) in absolute value and theirfore (due to blackjack and doubling) he says you can win money. What'a wrong here? It's not an edge. An edge in this situation would be -p*(1-2*p)/p. Because out of 100 bets we only will apply this stratergy p*100 times. And our edge is once again exactly the same -(1-2*p) = -6.0% in bets or (-0.3% in money under playing conditions he describes). You could just increase your everage bet once again with the same result.
   A word of causion. If you want to try geometric progression system (doubling you bet every time you loose), it would work, provided you could place an unlimited bets. But as long as maximum bet is restrected, in everage, you will loose onse again. If your chances to win were 50% (much better then 47), your mathematical expectation would be exactly 0.0 dollars to win. The problem is that every time you win the doubling chain you only regain 1 unit bet, when you loose your maximum bet you loose double your maximum bet minus unit (taking into account account what you lost already from the start). You can triple, the result would be the same (when the maximum bet is fixed).
   If there is a lawer who belives he could make this guy to pay for deceiving people, I'd be more then happy to help (tol60@hotmail.com).
   It doesn't mean you can not win with this strategy. I could give you another one. If it works, you might get reach, if it doesn't, you won't loose much time in a casino: take all your money you have for betting and bet it all (no more then you are redy to loose). If you win, drink free coke and go home, if you loose, do the same. And you save those 10$ for the book.



5. Yes...forget the math. As we know, you cannot make a progressive betting strategy pay off "in the long run". Playing blackjack can, and should be a series of short runs. With David's approach to progression, you can make money. I say "can", not "will". The key is money management and quitting when you're up.
   
   I've tried David's system in a combination of simulated play (using a reliable simulator...you know, the one counters train with) and actual table play. I've logged 240 sessions, with almost 11,000 hands played. I'm up 500 units. While that's not the "long run", I feel I can make the system work with David's 3 to 1 approach and good money management (loss limits, pull plateaus, discipline and reasonable win expectations). Heck, I wish I were bankrolled enough to use $100 units. If I can make 2.4 units per hour as an average over, say, 100 hours...well, I'd sure be doing it.
   
   Why does it work? Probably because it's the real world, and the player controls when he leaves or stays. There is some real world reality to streaks and clumping.
   
   Why do I give it a 4 and not a 5? I think the math contains some fuzzy logic (as a previous reviewer points out). It could be about a twenty page book...but then, would it have any credibility?
   
   I liked it and would recommend it to casually serious non-counting players.

4 comments about Poker on the Internet.

1. Poker On The Internet by poker authority Andrew Kinsman is a thoroughly "user friendly" guidebook to the recent and rapidly expanding pastime of playing poker on the internet. From choosing the right online cardroom in which to play; to evaluating the risks of being colluded against or cheated; to available newsgroups and poker resources on the net; and so much more, Poker On The Internet is a superbly organized and presented up-to-date reference and resource for players of all skill and experience levels -- whether they seek to relax and kill a little time, or want take maximum advantage of the internet to improve their gaming ability and eventually turn professional.



2. Great beginners and low-intermediate guide. If this is your first holdem book, or you've put in a few hundred hours online in low limits but are eying the online game, then you can't go wrong. This is a very thorough book and covers all the basic strategies at every stage of the game. Andrew Kinsman takes a very "user friendly" approach to describing the game and fundamental strategies thoroughly. Kinsman also addresses the specific techniques applicable to online play. Highly recommended!



3. I purchased this book because of the very positive reviews. After reading the book I was quite disappointed. The very positive reviews were not accurate. This is not a four or five star book. Its marginally adequate, nothing more. The information is very generic; narrow in scope, with no great insights.
   
   In addition to being informationally weak, I felt the author was subtly pushing several internet poker sites. Parts of the book read more like an infomercial than an unbiased informational book. Upon finishing the book, I was left feeling disappointed. The book did not deliver.
   
   As an alternative selection, I highly recommend "Winning at Internet Poker for Dummies". Although I find the title "for Dummies" offensive, the book is excellent, offering indepth, thorough discussions of the various topics involved with internet poker.



4. This book will do little to help your play but may help you learn how to sign up and play online.A great deal of this book looks like an informational for poker sites and the information is mostly inaccurate due to the time when this book was wrote.I wouldnt recommend this book to anyone and certain parts of the book are very misleading.A miss for me even though I respect the author Andrew Kinsman.

2 comments about 1000 Best Poker Strategies and Secrets (1000 Best).

1. This is a good beginner's poker book that is easy to read and breaks simple and more complex concepts down into small sections that are easy to follow. Unlike many books this one talks about more than just Hold'em and covers strategy of other poker variations as well. In addition to poker stratergy the author also shares some interesting thoughts about various professional players you might have seen on TV along with their tips for poker success.
   
   This book is ideal for someone that has been playing for a little while but is still new to poker and is just looking for some pointers to improve their game.



2. this book was given to me as a gift.
   how bad is bad ?
   i will be using the pages from this book to start fire's when i go camping.
   this book is a big stinker

3 comments about Mathematical Strategies to Winning Casino Poker.

1. In his new book, Mathematical Strategies to Winning Casino Poker, engineering Ph.D. and mathematician Michael Stelzer shares simple playing and betting strategies that guarantee poker players will leave both tables and tournaments as winners.
   
   Providing a brief history of poker and basic playing strategies, Stelzer's approach does not require players to have any previous skill or experience, nor does it involve learning a complicated system or counting cards, making it practical for players of all levels of experience in both casinos and private games.
   
   Stelzer's study of poker began as a hobby based on his extensive mathematics background. The discovery that many poker games offer players odds as favorable as 50/50 inspired Stelzer to test gaming strategies of six popular poker variations. Using computer simulation, Stelzer was able to establish strategies for determining whether or not a hand should be betted on based on desirability.
   
   Stelzer encourages responsibility in betting and gambling, emphasizing that Mathematical Strategies is not a "get-rich-quick" book. However, players who follow these tested probability methods will find that they can minimize losses by folding undesirable hands while capitalizing on virtually guaranteed wins.



2. The passion for gambling dates back to ancient times, with poker being one of the oldest and most popular forms. Author Michael Stelzer became fascinated with the game and convinced that his knowledge of math could help him understand and beat the odds, decided to investigate its complexities from a mathematical standpoint. Letting the chips fall where they may, he formed his own astute conclusions on poker's risks and rewards, and his findings make up this terrific little handbook. Mathematical Strategies to Winning Casino Poker, which is one that good poker player can't afford to be without.
   
   Whether you are a novice or an expert player, you'll find lots of fascinating tips and tricks to get the upper hand on your opponents. Stelzer suggests that the games are actually not stacked as highly against the player as you might think. Any good player can win big money on poker and walk away with those winnings, he found, and this discovery so buoyed Stelzer's own confidence that he began hitting the casinos himself to play.
   
   Lucidly and elegantly, Stelzer gives the reader a concise history of the game as well as those all important poker basics. His thorough analysis of the various poker hands, as well as their accompanying mathematical proofs, is straightforward enough so that anyone can benefit.
   Readers will learn playing and betting strategies, such as play or fold decisions, hand derivations and game strategies, how to manage a bankroll and more. Encompassing years of personal research in casino poker games, Stelzer's book is packed with enough information to help anyone play better and enjoy poker more. Knowledge is power, and with this handy guide, any reader can have the confidence to win.



3. This is a good book for players who want to win.
   Very easy to read and understand.
   I used the strategies to hit more than once.
   Well worth the look.

2 comments about Poker Nights: Rules, Strategies, and Tips for the Home Player.

1. Scott Tharler knows how to make us think. He has written a handbook for people who want to understand. Tharler presents the full spectrum of poker playing. Poker Nights is fun, humorous, and tremendously helpful. I recommend this book to all who are involved or interested in poker. It spells out what you need to know. Read this book and learn.



2. If you are looking for a book for the home poker game that is more than just hold'em this is the one. Has great tips, such as how to set up your bank to the best way to deal and bet. Has a large amount of games to keep the home poker party fun for hours. So if your looking for a guide to set up a home poker party this is it.