No comments about Essential Poker.

1 comments about Gambling Times Guide to Blackjack.

1. The author Stanley Roberts calls himself the Blackjack Guru of the 80's. gu·ru ( A teacher and guide in spiritual and philosophical matters. A trusted counselor and adviser; a mentor. A recognized leader in a field: the guru of high finance. An acknowledged and influential advocate, as of a movement or idea: This description is totally accurate. A contemporary and a contributor to the founding fathers of Blackjack. Stanley Roberts writes to the beginning Blackjack Player and shows them how to advance through the levels of play needed to become an expert Player. Stanley does this with a minimum of "hype" for any particular system which is so evident in many other Blackjack books. Stanley starts with the development of Blackjack theory and methodology for beating the game. He expalains about the affect of casino rules on the house advantage over the player using noted author Lance Humble as his expert. Stanley explains the use of Basic Strategy as well as any other author. He even goes on with the help of Julian Braun to give the extremely rare and vital information on Double Exposure and Home Game basic strategy. Arnold "the Bishop" Snyder contributes a chapter on the casino conditions and other topics. Jerry Patterson contributes a chapter on a topic that became the next area of attack against the casino, the order of the cards and how it is affected by the shuffle procedure. After all the mathematics of the strategy and count systems had been developed then teams came into play. Ken Uston writes two of the most interesting chapters on team play and getting Barred. All areas of play are discussed including cheating, bankroll management and a plan for progressing up the ranks to an advanced player. This is a terrific for a beginner. There is no advanced strategy for Sale. But, it is written by a true visionary in the gaming world at a time when Blackjack was a Main course on the casino platter.

1 comments about Nick The Greek: World's Greatest Poker Player and Gambler.

1. I purchased this book already knowing most of the biographical information about Nick the Greek. I was really hoping it would have a few interesting stories surrounding the life of the century's greatest gambler. Instead, I got a poorly written book that took famous quotes out of context and then fictionalized a "cleaned-up" story around them. Not only was the writing style painful to read, it took events out of context, attributed sayings to Nick that were actually said by other people, and had no sourcing or original interviews/insights from people who actually knew the subject. The entire book is done as a "fictional" story, but with the details cleaned up to the point that I had to check and make sure it wasn't a "young teen" book, rather than one for an adult. If you like Nick the Greek, don't buy this book.

1 comments about Knightmare Chess: The Original Game of Chaos on the Chessboard : Cards.

1. Bent Larsen, the Danish Chess Grandmaster was quoted as saying that "Chess is a beautiful mistress". Well, my mistress has shown me her dark side!

   Nightmare Chess consists of a set of 80 heavy-weight playing cards. Each of these cards, when played, modify the standard game of chess in unique and entertaining (or bizarre) ways. Some effects apply only to one piece, others to many or all pieces. Cards can even interact with each other. Its like playing "Magic: the Gathering" over a chess board.

   The cards themselves are high-quality. Each has a painted image related in some way to the effect of the card. Most of the imagery is dark, some even slightly disturbing. (nothing offensive, or even too worrisome for parents) The rules are straightfoward and brief. Most questions about card interactions are resolved by the basic rules, the remainder should be resolvable with a quick discussion with your opponent.

   Gameplay is a chaotic blast! I love chess, but the addition of the Nightmare cards infused the game with a wonderful unpredictability.

   For fans of chess or games like "Magic", you need this game! I would encourage anyone that enjoys games to give this a try.

1 comments about Winning at Gin.

1. This is the same book as How to Play and Win at Gin Rummy by Chet Wander. See my review of it. This is the hardcopy version. This is one book that you want to read. If you have a choice the writing in this book is larger than the paperback.

1 comments about The Oxford Guide to Card Games (Oxford Guides).

1. There are many books describing the rules of card games, but this is the only book that explains why the rules are what they are. David Parlett's text winds through the intriguing history of card games. From early gambling games to modern contract bridge, this book explains why we play what we play. This book is for anyone who ever wanted to know where the jokers came from or what all those suit symbols meant. A great gift for the game players in your family.

5 comments about Phil Gordon's Poker Box Set: Phil Gordon's Little Black Book, Phil Gordon's Little Green Book, Phil Gordon's Little Blue Book.

1. This box set will cover the absolute beginner up to a fairly strong player. Gordon writes in an engaging and lively style and admits his bad moves when he plays them. Like the titles say, these are little books, so they are quick reads. Great for reading a few pages before bed. That does make them a little less dense with helpful information--combined with writing style and size, Harrington's books seem fuller. The green book is probably the one that you will be refering back to the most as it deals with core play, with the blue book a close second for information on particular situations. Like most books out there, it focuses most of its ink by far on tournament play. I wish it had more information on shorthanded and low-stakes cash games. The black book does touch upon low-stakes games, but really glosses over strategy there.
   
   BTW, if you are living abroad, this box set is a great deal. Not only do you have a bigger discount than buying the three books individually, but also the box set counts as one item when shipping, not three. So saved ten dollars on shipping.



2. I have won a number of important hands after reading this book. It let's you know what the pros are thinking. I know a lot of ambitious amatuers have this book. Pick it up, read it and apply it!



3. For begginers and expirience players!
   
   The black book: Begginers
   
   The green book: Expirienced
   
   The blue book: Professionals



4. Excellent three book set that starts Black)with a beginners guide. The Green book is or will be a classic. Blue present problems and solutions. A great read.



5. hi all,
   
   i have read the first one of the three and i haver just start reading the green book, i think they are very useful to starting players because he aproximate us to the mind of a poker player.
   
   he knows how to take the attemption of the reader and you can read it very fast because it is very easy to read and very interesting.

No comments about Joy of Bridge.

5 comments about Blackjack: The Real Deal.

1. Blackjack: The Real Deal is right on the money! Its basic strategy section increased my understanding of the game and brought my winnings up an average of 30%. J. Phillip Vogel's style is easy to read, straight forward, logical and based on statistical facts, not luck or superstition. (Mathematics don't lie.) What's more, he covers casino etiquette, money management and other handy tips. I think quite a few gamblers could use this book, whether or not THEY think so. I see he is also coming out with a craps book that, personally, I can't wait to read!



2. The review by Booklist--a very respected source of book reviews--caused me to buy and read Blackjack: the Real Deal. Relatively new at the game and wanting to improve my chances to win, I was impressed by the information in this book. Now I'm on my way to Vegas and to try out my new skills. I recommend this very logical and readable book to anyone interested in improving their game !



3. Blackjack:The Real Deal was by far the most informative and logical black jack book I have purchased. I've been going to Atlantic City for some time now, and I have never won so often in my life. I've read many other books on this game and this was the only book that was written in a way that I found easy to understand, and, beyond a shadow of a doubt, WORKS!! J. Phillip Vogel goes into such topics as casino etiquette, betting stratogies, and easy to read charts telling you when to take a card, split your cards, and so on. Since I have read this book, my winnings have increased by at least 45%. My recommendation would be to defanitely buy this book, read it, and be ready to "WIN"!!!



4. I enjoy reading about gambling almost as much as I like playing it, and I have found Vogel's work to be an excellent source for any player, especially a novice. His basic strategy methods are right on the money when you compare them to every recognized strategy, any he even includes a basic section on card-counting which is important for beginner players. Some of his discussions on trends and probability will probably confuse some players who are less-than-mensa material, but he tries somewhat successfully to make them read easy.

   The basic breakdown of the book is a separation into what he terms "The Successful Six" which is generally a breakdown of the six most important weapons in a gambler's arsenal: proper bankroll, knowledge of the game, self-control, strategy, understanding probability, and patience. All of this information is highly useful, and it is presented in a thorough, enjoyable manner.

   As a semi-professional gambler myself, I would recommend this book to any gambler, and call it essential reading to any novice.




5. This is the only blackjack book needed. J. Phillip Vogel covers everything needed in order to beat the casino. He includes basic strategies, easy to read charts and even card counting. No gambler should play without reading this first.

No comments about The Rough Guide to Poker (Rough Guide Reference).