No comments about Winning Strategies for No-Limit Hold'em.

No comments about 100 Winning Duplicate Tips: For the Improving Tournament Player (Master Bridge Series).

5 comments about Transformation Game.

1. Finally a board game, that is not based on owerpowering/winning over/undercutting others. The whole game is based on generating more connection between players, on all levels of depth. Spiritual (some could say New Age-y or Buddhist) in setup, the game leads each player through being born, and existence in the physical, Emotional, Mental and Spiritual realms until the player (the first one or each) blasts out through the final transformation. All this happens not before everyone needs to answer questions, act under certain circumstances, make decisions and express support towards others participating. The game includes hundreds of cards accompanying the movements on the board and describing what needs to be done at each step. I really liked how the game also helped to integrate the different world-view and the newly learned insights into my life by encouraging to write them down or follow them up after the game. Both good and bad events in life are handled with a nonjudgmental atmosphere encouraging equanimity in life and in our choices, overseen and supported by angels of different quality from the included angel card deck.



2. Excellent board game, very creative and really assertive. It helps you in your personal growth.



3. This is the most innovative game on the market for developing self understanding. I have been playing this game for years and now can laugh at the issues that come up whilst playing this wonderful game.
   A quick solution for extremely difficult situations if one really wants answers!



4. It's become a tradition with a friend of mine to meet on our birthdays each year. We read each others (tarot and other) cards and it gives us a chance reflect on the past year - our experiences, lessons learned, future plans. The cards often provide additional insight. I thought the Transformation Game might provide the same kind of feedback and give us both more a chance to participate; but the game was tedious, the directions unclear and some of the game feedback was not very positive. (One feedback was along the lines of "you haven't handled anger well, take 5 pain cards). I can see the intentions of the game and how it might work under some circumstances. But I think we'll stick with cards from now on. They are more specific, insightful and positive. Also cheaper.



5. My sister gave us this game-- I had never heard of it before. My husband and I played it last night and it was fabulous. I don't think I would play this game with people I did not know well or who were not open to this concept as the strucuture of the game is terrific, but the experience you have depends largely on your personal involvement. If you stand back and expect the game to "do its magic" on you-- you will likely be disappointed. Instead, it is all about the interaction and participation-- reflecting and responding and sharing insights.
   
   I can't wait to play it again and really want to try it with 4 people next time. Highly recommended.

4 comments about The ABCs of Bridge.

1. I've always thought William Root's books were very good, so I was glad to see his new offering. I'll be using in a small class for beginning players. It is so important to get new players off on the right foot, and it is far too easy to scare them away with too many gadgets or an unreadable book. The system the book teaches is a fairly standard modern system, although my opinion is that limit raises in majors should now be viewed as standard (the book mentions limit raises, but advises people to begin with forcing raises). That's a pretty small and debatable issue in an otherwise excellent book.



2. This is a good introduction to bridge, which covers enough bidding and card play (i.e. declarer and defensive play) that you can at least get to the table and understand the basics of all facets of bridge. Needless to say, as an introduction to a complex game, it won't make you an expert, but that's not its goal. My only objection to this book is that a feature of its bidding system is outdated (it treats raises to the three level as game-forcing instead of limit-raises).
   
   For an introduction without outdatedness, there is Eddie Kantar's "Bridge for Dummies". The disadvantages to Kantar's book are that it's a bit longwinded, and that it does not contain quizzes to help reinforce understanding.



3. very useful for beginners and all players could benefit from reading it again



4. Good book that covers the basics but I would encourage rank beginner bridge players like me to take a lesson with a good teacher who will make the game ccome alive. The book made much more sense to me after I had one lesson from a dynamic teacher (Gail Greenberg) who explained the game's goals in terms that I could understand--bridge is like a war where you and your partner are allies and where communications are limited.

5 comments about A Hard Man to Love.

1. Widow Montana "Monty" Blackstone plans to convert part of her Black Hills Ranch into the Black Creek Resort, a spa for people to escape from their daily lives. Her mother-in-law Helen hires Steele "Midas" Hardt, a former professional gambler, to run the ranch which has seen some neglect. Monty fires Midas within seconds of meeting him, but he convinces her to retain him before he kisses her. To their shock that kiss leads to them making love in the not opened spa.
   
   As Monty and Midas work together to make her dream come true, he hides his real agenda from her. Soon he finds himself in love and believes Monty reciprocates, but as he ironically tells his brother Sloan he will need all the luck in the world to pull off this deal without losing his girl.
   
   Steele definitely has the Midas touch as he goes from fired to sex in minutes. The story line is a lighthearted contemporary romp starring an independent woman who follows her dream and the man who can help her make it happen if she gives up some of her obsessive need for autonomy. Fans will enjoy the lead couple's differing dilemmas as they fall in love but she fears the loss of her freedom and he worries about what will occur once she learns the truth. A HARD MAN TO LOVE is a fine ranch resort romance.
   
   Harriet Klausner



2. A Hard Man To Love by Kathleen Lawless is one wickedly sensual tale.
   
   Montana Blackstone has her heart set on making the Black Creek Resort and Spa a success. She is used to depending only on herself, so when her former mother in law hires a new foreman it doesn't sit so well with her. Montana soon realizes that she could use some help in shouldering the burden of opening up the spa. But Montana can't seem to keep her mind or her body on business while Steele Hardt is around.
   
   Steele Hardt is the man with the magic touch. His visions and actions have turned many of businesses around. But Montana thinks he is there as her new foreman. Will she still want or need him when she finds out the real reasons why he is at the ranch.
   
   Montana and Steele set the room on fire from their first glance. Their chemistry is so hot your hands will be burnt from reading their scenes. They both realize that they have found something so much deeper that they must cherish it.
   
   A Hard Man To Love is a treat from page one. The tantalizing scenes between Steele and Montana will make you want for more. Its one hot book but also a deeply moving one as well.



3. Widow Montana Blackstone plans to open a deluxe spa resort at her Black Creek Ranch. Steele Hardt has come to the ranch under false pretenses - Montana thinks her mother-in-law has hired Steele to help with the ranch. In reality, Steele is a business troubleshooter checking out the spa and writing up a report for the investors.
   
   From the moment Montana and Steele meet, they are attracted to each other and basically can't keep their hands off of each other. Montana needs to be in control at all times - can she let go and let Steele in her life?
   
   I feel like I read a different book than the other reviewers. I didn't feel that this book was any type of sensual treat. Yes, the characters immediately have sex and continually have sex, but I didn't feel like there was any chemistry between them. That may be because I never felt like I knew the characters. There really wasn't much there about the characters - we read again and again about Montana having control issues, but what else about her - for example, what's the story on Charlie, her late husband? We get hints of what happened to their relationship, but nothing more. And I have no idea why Steele is so attracted to Montana.
   
   This is my first Kathleen Lawless book, so I don't know if this is a typical book. I would read another one, but I won't be rushing out to buy it.



4. Montana Blackstone is getting close to opening day at her ranch expansion known as Black Creek Resort. Trying to run both the established ranch, and opening the new spa are proving too difficult for her, so unbeknownst to her, former mother in law Helen hires a new foreman for the ranch.
   
   The minute Steele Hardt and Montana meet, sparks fly, and they immediately become lovers. Steele is a former gambler hired to evaluate and make recommendations on the success/failure of the new spa. He is undercover as the foreman, and the only one on the ranch that knows his true motivations is Helen.
   
   Montana has control issues and Steele has commitment issues - neither believing happily ever after exists for either of them. There is constant sex in this book, but not enough story telling. The characters are lacking in development - not only Steele and Montana, but others such as Sloan and Helen. We are given a hint at character traits, but no real explanation as to the reason they exist, and those that are hurriedly explained, are just glossed over. The premise for this story was good, and I expected much more.



5. So here is what you get when you read this book. A heroine who plays that "I am in control ALWAYS!" bit to the hilt, plus the "I hate you but lets have hot sex day and night!" Cliche? Yeah, I thought so too. The hero is a sex stud who has no self-esteam issues what so ever. He knows he's a hot sex partner, and is turned on by the heroines willingness to match his desires. The sex scenes are hot, but don't expect love and passion to be part of it. It's all lust and body contact sport. And there is a backstory, something about getting her ranch profitable by opening a deluxe spa and the hero being a secret undercover man who holds way too much control over the outcome of the ranch. And of course, he is a millionaire.

5 comments about All In: The (Almost) Entirely True Story of the World Series of Poker.

1. This is a nice, though incomplete history of the World Series of Poker. What's ther is well written and engaging. It is an interesting read but is far from comprehensive.
   
   I didn't really expect much coverage of the secondary tournaments, but I did expect a more complete coverage of the main event. With a lttle more this would be well deserving of 5 Stars. As it sits, it is more like 3.5-4.



2. Nope. There are no discussions of how to play poker here. But whether or not you play poker you will enjoy this book. As the title says, it's (almost) the entirely true story of how the WSOP got started, the bumps along the way, and of course, the characters involved. It takes you from the humble beginnings to the behemuth that it is today.
   
   And such stories...like the 1972 WSOP had 13 entrants, but only 8 of them played because they would rather play in the lucrative sides games than the WSOP. 1972 is also the year that Benny Binion made it a $10,000 buy-in...but paid half of it for the players who entered.
   
   You'll watch the rise of the Binion family only to see it implode along the lines of a "Dallas" script. You'll read where a tournament director was fired because he refused to move old grumpy Johnny Moss who didn't want to sit by the railbirds during the tournament. Stories of great poker players like Jack Strauss, Doyle Brunson, Amarillo Slim and others fill this book. Read how Jessie Alto, who made the final table 6 times, went on a full tilt after he was bluffed out of a pot.
   
   It's a fast read and I definitely recommned it to anyone who has a passing interest in poker.



3. Anyone who has an interest in not just the World Series but poker in general will enjoy this book. All In provides a thorough and detailed history of the World Series of Poker and the fascinating characters involved.



4. I have always been interested in seeing a behind the scenes look at a professional "wiseguy" sports betting group. Michael Konik, a top gambling writer, excuse me, a top writer...period, has done a tremendous job of showing exactly how a big-time, big-money betting team operates. Konik shows how they bet into the Vegas casino sportsbooks and later with the large offshore bookmakers. How did he write this excellent book? He was recruited and became a member of a wiseguy group and later formed his own group. I pretty much knew how these outfits operated but did not know who did their actual handicapping, and how. Now I do know. Great job, Mike.



5. When the Worlds Series of Poker started, the best poker player was chosen by a vote! Tidbits such as this make this an essential guide to the history of the burgeoning event. A lack of hand records makes some of the reconstruction of questionable reliability, however.
   
   There is very little analysis of the hands, although the match-turning decisions are recounted well enough. There are insightful bios into some of the players, including Stu Ungar, who had won three tournaments during the time the increasing size made this an incredible feat. Recommended for those with an historical interest in the event and the growth of the popularity of poker.

5 comments about Card Play Technique: The Art of Being Lucky.

1. If you buy only one bridge book in your entire life, this should be it. It is written with such skill and humor that it reads like a novel... not only will you learn a tremendous amount from this book, but you'll enjoy yourself in the process. The chapters alternate between Dummy Play and Defense, covering everything from promotion to grand coups. Players of all levels will benefit from reading (and rereading) this excellent book.



2. I have studied quite a few bridge books, and won a number of championships, but THIS one stands out over all the others on the play of the hand.

   I heartily recommend this to every intermediate or advanced player.




3. Not only is this a great book, its fun to read. It's not a dry technical book, its well written and enjoyable to read. The author "covers" many declarer topics from both sides (such as defense against squeezes or defense against endplays). The author has a knack for presenting a subject both clearly and succinctly. There are summaries at the end of each section and a short quiz.
   
   I found this book far superior to Watson's "Play of the Hand" (which seems to be geared towards beginners) but in content and style (its not boring, its fun).



4. First, my mother tongue is French, I'm sure you will excuse my style. This being said, unfortunately, I was very disappointed when I started reading Mollo's book. I wanted to find a book that was covering both the dummy play and the defense. Also, I wanted to revisit the very basics, to have a solid start, and then to go gradually into more complex techniques, covering virtually all aspects of the play, including the more advanced techniques. I was looking for the ultimate book: the Bridge Bible written by a brilliant teacher!
   
   Unfortunately, Mollo starts saying that he will not insult us covering the simple finesse, but will jump right away into the double finesse... The other chapters are similar. This book takes into account that we already have a sound basic technique and covers some variations and tricky situations. Each hand must be studied with actual cards to understand the supposedly "obvious" conclusions he draws.
   
   When I was not looking for a book anymore, I finally tried Watson's book. I hesitated at first, because his style is supposed to be dry and too detailed. EUREKA!!! This is the ultimate BIBLE! Not only it fulfilled all my above expectations, but he goes one step beyond, he is a genius, each chapter is a revelation. I did not learn techniques; I learned the principles underlying the techniques. I now understand why Watson's book is recommended by most schools around the world. This is probably the only book you will every need about the play of the hand.



5. You shoudl have at least a year of experience and read a few other books on technique, such as Bill Roots "How to Declare a Bridge Hand". This one will open your eyes to many other more advanced techniques. Its a great compact presentation. It's a starting point, not a comprehensive presentation of all aspects of advanced methods.
   
   1. Play for a year.
   2. Read some books on the way.
   3. Read this - your eyes will be opened.
   4. Play some more.
   5. Read some more.
   6. Work on counting.
   Repeat steps 3-6
   
   
   If you are a beginners this will be over your head. Some reviewers gave bad ratings. Thats a mistake. Its a great book, but only if you are ready for it.
   (giving this book a bad rating would be like me giving an audrey grant book a 1 becaus eits too simple for me)

5 comments about Poker Nation: A High-Stakes, Low-Life Adventure into the Heart of a Gambling Country.

1. "Poker Nation" is the perfect introductory book for those new to the game, especially if you've just started getting into the 2005 World Series of Poker coverage. It's more of a series of anecdotes, musings, and observations than it is an Xs and Os how-to guide, so you won't get overwhelmed by the technical aspects of the game. Bellin's personal style of writing conveys all the highs and lows that poker can entail, and does so in a humorous, self-deprecating manner. If you're like me and rarely read books from cover-to-cover, you might be surprised how much of an easy read this can be.



2. I dont play poker at all. I picked this book up with the intent of improving my stock, currency and commodities trading under the premise that professional poker players and traders are two of a kind. Despite my ignorance of poker, I find this book a real page turner covering not only poker skills and tactics, but its addictive and even devastating effect on life of many poker players. It's very interesting and informative. The author's writing skill is excellent. No matter whether you like poker or not, if you are interested in reading fascinating stories, you will be very satisfied.
   
   p.s. As per whether it will help my trading, a little bit, I must say.



3. If you ever wondered if the world of poker is for you, read this book! most poker players will never set at the million dollar game(or table) - most poker players have to grind it out hour after hour - this book tells you all about that world!



4. This book reminds me of another good poker book, All In by Jonathan Grotenstein & Storms Reback. It a little bit of many different things. There's poker advice, poker history, biographies, poker stories, and humor. It's a great book for someone who wants to learn a thing or two about poker but doesn't just want to read strategy books like Super System.



5. Ok, this book is a lot of fun to read, especially if you are a serious poker player, But can anyone explain this sentence to me from page 209? : "The petty crooks . . . are, in actuality, nothing more than the low-level criminals they turn out to be." Sorry to be pick out just one sentence, but this makes absolutely no sense at all. I would expect a professional writer, with an editor and proof readers to help him, to do avoid this sort of thing. Am I wrong?

3 comments about Killer Poker Online, Vol. 2: Advanced Strategies for Crushing the Internet Game.

1. I read a lot of poker books and a lot of the information in these books is repetitive. This is not the case with Killer Poker Online 2 by John Vorhaus. Vorhaus takes a more cerebral look than some other books that focus on technical analysis. This book is more about the philosophy and psychology of the online poker table than the other books I have read. Some of the concepts and information in the book I already subconsiously knew, but Vorhaus fleshed them out and made me think on a deeper contextual level.
   
   I like best the section on heads up play. I think it is better than Harrington's HU strategy(HOH Vol 2). I love playing heads up and I can thank Vorhaus for improving my HU game light years.
   
   This book will stay part of my poker library for years to come, along side the Harrington On Hold'em Volumes, Phil Gordon's Little Green and Little Blue Books, Brunson's Super System 1 & 2, and Caro's Book of Poker Tells. I am also planning to read Vorhaus's other poker books.



2. Killer Poker Online Vol. 2 was to be the redeeming value of this two part series. Most would expect that since the original book, "Killer Poker Online" left a lot to be desired, and focused on just about everything but actually playing, that this latest endeavor would expand upon the apparent foundation that Vorhaus was attempting to define previously. Unfortunately, we just get mostly more of the same useless information.
   
   The major flaw with this book is that it provides little insight into how to actually win big pots, lose small ones, and "crush the internet game". To make matters worse, some of the advice about actual play which is given has been routinely dis-proven via real life examples. For instance, Vorhaus mentions that Sit-n-go tournaments should be utilized for entertainment only, in that trying to build a bankroll via this method is hazardous. He further mentions that Sit-n-go tournaments require more luck than skill.
   
   The problem here is that many online regulars play only Sit-n-go games, and many famous, world renowned players found their way to stardom by focusing on Sit-n-go style games. But then to contradict himself, Vorhaus mentions that regular, multitable tournaments are your best bet. Any poker regular understands that multitable tournaments require luck as a prominent variable in your play. I don't understand how Vorhaus would consider luck to be too big of a factor in sit-n-go play, but not one in multitable tournament play. On top of that, at the final table in a multitable tournament the play is almost identical to sit-n-go games with the exception that not all players will begin the final table with the same amount of chips. Where are we to get this final table experience if we don't play sit-n-go games, especially considering that one position apart at the final table can be thousands, or even millions of dollars in payout differences?
   
   His advice on cash game playing is limited, and mostly focuses on the philosophy of getting a big pot when you have a big hand, or folding your cards before you commit too much of your money with a losing hand. This is common sense stuff.
   
   But sadly, most of the book involves the same type of "advice" given in the first; which is to talk about things outside of the game. Telling readers things like, "don't play tired", "don't play distracted", or "don't play with the TV on" all make sense and are worthy of mention, but I fail to see why they should be reiterated to the point of consuming a large percentage of the book.
   
   Advice on booking is reiterated here as well, which is keeping track of other players' habits. This is good advice and should be stressed because most players will not do this, even those that agree that it would give their play an edge. With online poker however, unless you are playing very high limits where you regularly (on a daily basis) play the same people over and over, you rarely see the same person twice. This becomes especially true when considering that a single poker site may have tens of thousands of players in your limit range, and you play at 3 or 4 different sites on top of that. Not to mention, it doesn't serve much purpose to keep track of play styles if you don't know which strategies to use against such playstyles. Vorhaus successfully convinces the reader of the advantages of booking, while simultaneously failing to teach the reader what to do with his findings.
   
   Something quite disturbing to me is that Vorhaus does spend quite a bit of time explaining what you shouldn't do, rather than what you should. He presents problems without solutions, and quite honestly gives more advice on how you can lose money than how you can make money. Any fool can go to a poker table and lose money, we don't need to learn that. While some may point out that examining mistakes is important in learning to avoid them (something I do not disagree with), it serves no purpose if a lesson isn't learned from it. For example, let's say I'm faced with a situation where big money could go either way on a big hand. Rather than simply understanding how I could lose big, it would be nice if a potential error was followed up with a practical solution or approach. So I know how not to lose big money on a hand, but do I know how to win big money on a hand? It seems to me a more productive approach to teach me the right way to do things, rather than teach me the wrong way to do things and then expect me to figure out an alternative.
   
   To be honest there is no substitute for experience, and I think we know that holds true with just about anything. Getting experience in online poker is expensive though, so books are a good way to offset that cost by giving insight and helping to develop your game faster. Unfortunately, this book won't do that for you, unless of course you didn't know that distractions can make you lose focus. If you have absolutely no clue as to what online poker is, then this book comes highly recommended, otherwise you'll get a better return on your money elsewhere.



3. I received this book as a Christmas gift from my brother who knows that I like to play online; my first impression was "Oh no, not another poker book...and worst of all, this one looks like a gimmicky attempt to address online poker rather than live casino play." I wondered whether it would teach me anything new, or whether it was simply going to be one of the dozens of books out there that have a simple preflop chart, and advocate a no-frills tight and aggressive playing style. I must say I was pleasantly surprised -- Vorhaus has clearly done his homework and understands that online play requires a markedly different approach than playing live. I (like many others) used to place too much emphasis on "reading people", which is of course impossible when playing online. Not having that tool at my disposal made me delve deeper into the mathematics and probability of poker, and I think ultimately has made me a much better player, both live and online. I think truly appreciating this book requires enough humility to "unlearn" the strategies that you've become accustomed to while playing live -- Vorhaus discusses a lot of sit-and-go and multi-table tournament play (maybe because that's what you see most on TV) but I wish he had devoted a little more space to cash games.
   
   Now for my constructive criticism: I can empathize somewhat with Vorhaus, because it's admittedly hard to write a book about online poker with a long life-span because the state of online poker changes so rapidly...for example, online play today looks substantially different than in 2004 (what some would consider to be its "glory-days"). The average online player today is better-educated, tighter preflop, and trickier post-flop. I think a lot of poker authors a few years ago got away with writing books advocating a simple tight and aggressive strategy, which was good enough to beat the average player back then, but at present might only be enough to turn you into a break-even player. But what I think Vorhaus COULD have included in his book -- or at least what I'd like to see published in SOME contemporary poker book -- is a description of the add-on software programs that have become more or less essential to optimize your online play. PokerTracker, PokerAce HUD, datamining tools...all of these I would consider to be a "must" for anyone wanting to get serious about their online game. Would it have been so hard for Vorhaus to at least pay lip service to these tools...? Sure, they may be outdated 3 or 4 years from now, but they've been the "gold standard" for the past few years, and I think any book about online poker wanting to present a complete picture of the online game requires a section explaining these tools and how to optimize their use. I guess one thing Vorhaus couldn't have foreseen was how the U.S. legislation in the Fall of 2006 would change the online poker scene forever...I think a lot of American players erroneously came to believe that the law made playing poker online illegal...when NOTHING could be further from the truth. It simply made it more difficult to deposit from the U.S., but there are still plenty of ways to fund accounts at the US-friendly poker sites. THe PokerSavior website has an oft-updated list of sites that continue to serve the U.S. market and the most frequently-used deposit methods at each. I think a book about online poker written today would look very different than Vorhaus' offering, although I will admit that his is one of the few to specifically address some aspects unique to online play...I've seen a few other books for sale that purport to discuss online poker, but they're simply poorly-written attempts to cash in on the online poker boom, and don't really offer anything new. Vorhaus' book doesn't fall into that trap, and I think it's a worthwhile investment for any online player.

5 comments about Once upon a Time: The Storytelling Card Game.

1. I love this game and recommend it if you have a large group of people over a lot and want to find a way to entertain.



2. This game is for 2 to 6 players and is recommended for ages 8 and up, although all you need to play are basic reading skills and a healthy imagination. The game consists of a 16 page rulebook, 112 "Once Upon A Time" storytelling cards, and 56 "Happy Ever After" ending cards. Blank cards are included, so players can add their own ideas if desired. The object of the game is to use up all your storytelling cards, and end up by playing your ending card. All the other players are trying to direct the story towards their own ending. There are two ways to interrupt the current "storyteller" and take over the direction of the story.
   
   The "One Upon A Time" cards are divided into five different groups as follows: Characters, Items, Places, Aspects, and Events.
   
   Examples of ending or "Happy Ever After" cards include: "And there they sit to this very day", "As dawn broke they could see it was perfect" - and my own personal favorite - "And he listened to his mother's advice from then on."
   
   Could be educational as well when used in a classroom setting (such as literature, theatre arts, etc.) to explore the different elements of a good story and how they are woven together.



3. Busted both the Once Upon a Time deck and the expansion deck (Dark tales) today in the class; grade 7s, quite verbally talented. They took to it immediately. It reinforces basic conversation skills - waiting for a pause before interrupting and listening. They've been at it for nearly an hour without any direction from me. I just ordered 4 packs of the make your own story cards.
   
   Linking it to any creative writing unit would be easy.



4. This is a really great card game and it incorporates lots of great fairy tale elements. I brought it to a sleepover with a bunch of my friends and after having a really fun time playing it the normal way we invented a new way. We each took 10 cards then spent five minutes making up a short story based on those cards. It gave way to our inside joke, "Once upon a time, there was a door!"



5. We played this game with 4 people all over the age of 25. We started at 10 pm had 3 games and stopped at 1am. It was the funniest, most creative card game we've ever played, and this is a group of avid gamers.
   I would recommend this game to anyone who loves to use their imagination and isn't too hung up on plot holes lol. We're going to create cards that can interrupt when ever there is a Monty Python reference or a Princess Bride parallel, just to name a scant few.
   Hours of fun, loads of laughs and only as much competition as you want. (My take on it is to see how long a person can go with a farm animal card and an island....dang it that's a Lost reference)