5 comments about Commonly Used Conventions (ACBL Bridge).

1. I took the ACBL Commonly Used Conventions Course and was very impressed with this text. I think it helped me understand and use the conventions that I had an interest in using. Great help with weak twos, strong clubs, transfers, Stayman and several others that I now play. I would recommend this and the More Commonly Use Conventions Book for negative doubles and additonal conventions.



2. Without a doubt the most useful and readable bridge book I have used. What one learns by playing bridge with cronies is too often only partly right; Audrey Grant writes well, organizes her material in useful ways, and speaks with authority. She follows up with good examples, explains weaknesses in certain conventions, and is thorough. I will look forward to any other books she writes.



3. Audrey Grant's books - like Commonly Used Conventions - are exceptional. They are best used in a bridge class/training session where an instructor can lead and help the student through the the basics of bridge learning. The value of Audrey Grant's books are that they present a system of bridge which has revolutionized modern bridge. Even Bridge players who have played for years, soon learn that their conceptions, learned from past experience, of even the most commonly used conventions have been in error or misapplied. Recommend the reader try to find a local bridge class with an experienced teacher.



4. If you are new to bridge I highly recommend purchasing all four of Audrey Grant books in the ACBL Series... CLUB, DIAMOND, HEART AND SPADE. She is unquestionably the best bridge teacher for a novice. In layman's terms she is able to explain and unravel the mysteries of bridge. If you begin with the club book and progress through the series as they increase in difficulty... club, diamond, heart and spade you will be able to teach yourself how to become proficient in bridge painlessly. Her books are written in lesson formats... and they are used by many people who instruct bridge classes i.e. adult ed. Buy one... I'm sure you'll add the other three to your library. I also highly recommend her "Bridge at A Glance" pocket guide which is a quick synopsis of bidding and the appropriate respones thereof. I bought many bridge books before I stumbled upon Audrey Grant and wish I had found her books first! Good luck!



5. There are a lot of bridge books on the market. There are a lot of bridge books on the market that focus narrowly on conventions. If you play the Standard American style, you must own this book and its sequel, More Commonly Used Conventions.
   
   This book covers all the basics. It goes much further, too. The conventions are covered in short steps with numerous examples about what to do at each stage at the bidding. That alone is enough to make it head and shoulders above the rest of the market. But Grant goes further -- she explains precisely what agreements a partnership must settle on, and then gives a range of plausible alternatives, some simple, some more complicated.
   
   The layout of these books is also superb. The best feature is the exercises at the end of each chapter -- the questions are on the left page and the answers are on the right, and the spiral binding allows you to easily hide the answers while you're thinking about the questions. Even the examples are set apart from the explanations by enough space that allows you to use, say, a scrap private scoresheet from your last club game (folded in half, of course) to cover the explanations while you're reading.
   
   Buy two.

5 comments about Phil Gordon's Little Blue Book: More Lessons and Hand Analysis in No Limit Texas Hold'em.

1. If you have basic poker knowledge (read the Phil Gordon's Green book) then this is a great follow-up. Even if you didn't read the Green book, you'll learn something reading this book. It's an easy read, entertaining, and has some good info. For a casual player who wants to get better but doesn't want to get too involved in poker theory, there's no beating Phil Gordon's Green and Blue book. For a serious player, it's still a good read if not a bit fluffy, like Phil Gordon himself. READ IT!



2. When learning something like poker I like my information straight foreword, not with a lot of embellishment. While studying each hand I had to remind myself what I was trying to learn that particular hand without being distracted by the anecdotes.
   
   I'm sure many students will find this makes the learning more interesting but my goal when studying poker is to improve my game with the least amount of effort.
   
   About a quarter of the way into this book I asked myself how would I be better served? Should I continue with Little Blue or would I get more out of re-reading books I had already studied like Harrington Vol I or Little Green.
   
   About 5 problems into Harrington Vol I...there was my answer. Goodbye Little Blue.
   
   Bottom line...maybe this is a great book but if your learning style is similar to mine...take a pass.



3. Phil Gordon's three book set rivals Harringtons' as the best poker books on the market. This one in particular goes through several hands and strategies as well as warnings on getting trapped or lazy whilst playing.
   
   The Black and Green books are also great, in fact the green book might even be better than this one, but they are both must haves for someone that wants to improve their game.



4. Both Phil Gordon's little "green & blue" books I've purchased and given as gifts. Myself and family members have benefited and improved as players after reading these. They are practical and easy to understand and implement. I highly recommend these as must read or additions to any level poker player from beginner to advanced players.



5. I bought this book after having read Phil Gordons Green Book on poker. Do not waste your money. While the Green Book has valuable information that WILL improve your game, the Blue Book is a bad sequel and provides very little useful information as it is only a diary of previous hands played by Phil in numerous situations. You will learn more from watching Poker After Dark and visually watching how hands are played out by professionals.
   
   What really upset me about this book, was a hand that is described starting on page 73 and runs for 8 pages only to be told if you want to know the outcome of the hand to go to Phil Gordons website. I payed $22.00 for information in this book, not to be told to go to a website for the rest of the story.

2 comments about Bridge: 25 Ways to Be a Better Defender (25).

1. It is an excellent book. The subject is difficult to define a set
   of rules. However, this book tries perhaps too hard to force a variety of conventions which leads to some confusion. Nevertheless, the book is very useful and should be on the bookself with other bridge books.



2. Defence is the hardest part of the wonderful world of bridge. As in all their books, these writers offer tips that are not only first rate but understandable for the accomplished player as well as someone trying to learn the game and everyone in between.

5 comments about Secrets of Professional Pot-Limit Omaha.

1. If you buy into cash games for the minimum and want to reduce your risk, while raking in large pots, this book is for you. Rolf has written a unique approach that is really quite informative. It takes a real commitment to his strategy for it to work, but in the long run I am sure it works well. Even if you don't use this specific strategy, the book is worth it because it covers a lot of groundbreaking areas that other Omaha books haven't touched and it is well written. I haven't pulled the trigger yet on his strategy, but I learned a lot about the reasons behind a successful Omaha strategy. Well done Rolf.



2. A fresh view on pot-limit omaha, a must read for everyone seriously interested in the game. Helps you understand the strategy of shortstack play perfectly.



3. Ok folks, up front this is not a how to book. Actually there is very little information in this book about starting hands, semi bluffing ect. This book is more about Power Plays. It is about using betting to lure in the action, controlling the pot, and most of all: understanding a great players use of logic rather than pure aggression. Rolf goes through hand scenerios that he has been in, in specific types of games.
   
   For Example: He tells of his time playing in a loose aggressive game in Vienna and how he was able to develop a systematic approach in beating this particular game. P.S. It is fascinating to read.
   
   His style is very erradic but once you read a few of his "Tales from the Felt" (as I call it) you begin to comprehend why he plays these hands a certain way in one game and completely different in another type of game.
   
   If you are an intermediate player I would still say you should read: Jeff Hwangs, Pot Limit Omaha book first and then read this one. Because the concepts in this book are advanced and you must have a clear understanding of the game to fully grasp the ideas and plays in this book. If you don't you will loose alot of money attempting these Power Plays.
   
   On a Personal Note:
   
   I play Omaha hi/lo Ring Games at my local casino and there are moments when I can understand these plays and incorporate them into my game and they have helped me get that extra value for my hand that I could not get before.
   
   Hope this helps!
   
   - George Johnson



4. Having read these reviews, I thought I'd better give my sad opinion too, since most of the reviews miss the biggest point.
   
   Unless you are an advanced Omaha player, this book is not for you. If you don't have an exceptional understanding of the game, the stuff Rolf writes will go right over your head. God help you (and your bankroll) if you try using it in money games.
   
   One reviewer is right in saying to read Hwang first. Ciaffone would be another good choice.



5. If you are looking to learn PLO, this, Hwang, and Ciaffone are the standards.
   
   The only thing I dislike about any of these books is that they tend to show you the easy hands - you play good cards, you get hit in the face by the flop, and then they explain what to do from there, which is fairly obvious.
   
   They don't go into as much detail about what to do for what you really spend the bulk of your time doing, and that is getting cards that aren't that great, or whiffing on flops - because that is what is hard and requires thought and separates the beginners from the rest.
   
   These books are all for beginners and basically tell you what you need to know to minimize the hard decisions and minimize your losses.
   They also discuss a fairly tight strategy that is largely specific to full ring games and live. In that there are very few full ring games online, compared to the shorthanded 6max games that are becoming the standard for PLO regulars online.
   
   Of the standards, Slotboom's is probably the best in terms of the next level discussion, but even then it is a lot of him talking about hands he played - but he does show a lot of the thought that goes behind it and it is a good book.

2 comments about Bridge Basics 2: Competitive Bidding.

1. I learned a lot from this book; there is much information to be studied and digested. It is especially helpful for those who have been away from playing duplicate for a while. The title of the book, Competitive Bidding, says it all.



2. The field of bridge is full of wise old savants and we should listen to them and read their work. But if anyone is entitled to carry the bridge banner into the 21st Century, it must be Audrey Grant. Her BRIDGE BASICS 1, pre-requisite for this book, is good and sound -- and believe it or not, she spends a fair amount of time on telling people when NOT to bid. Newbies have to know that.
   
   And in this one, BRIDGE BASICS 2: COMPETITIVE BIDDING, Grant still teaches us kindly when not to bid. Under her system you might indeed miss a part-score once in a while; but once you've got a good hand and some rapport with partner -- or are in a position to torment you opponents -- this is a full-speed-ahead, friendly and very informative bridge book. The best bridge books struggle to impart wisdom, or perhaps better said informed judgment, instead of limiting themselves to "the rules," and this one is very good for that.
   
   I can heartily recommend BRIDGE BASICS 2: to anyone who loves to play bridge, whether the at-home type or the duplicate club type. I wish there were more up-to-date books like this. Perhaps in the not-too-distant future Ms. Grant will put her BRIDGE BASICS series into an omnibus volume.

No comments about More Hold'em Wisdomfor all Players.

5 comments about Bridge Basics 1: An Introduction (The Official Better Bridge Series).

1. Mike Lawrence is quite simply the best bridge teacher-author ever. All of his books are of consistently high quality, including his 'Look over my shoulder while I play' books such as "Dynamic Defense", "Play Bridge with Mike Lawrence" and "Play a Swiss Team of Four with Mike Lawrence." These books are not only wonderfully instructive and well written, they are FUNNY. The vignettes at the table are described with such wry detail that the reader feels pangs of loss when these books end. Unfortunately, this book, which contains no bridge, and concentrates on describing humorous table vignettes, is NOT FUNNY. Disappointing, but I felt much better after only a few pages of "Card Combinations."



2. I have studied with all four of Audrey Grant's previous series: the Club, Diamond, Heart and Spade books and I think, for basic information, Bridge Basics 1 is the best. It is not only easy to read but easy to understand. With her charts and practice lessons, one can learn a lot about bridge without ever taking a class.



3. We have several books on beginning bridge, but this is the best one. It is easy to read and has excellent applications. By the time you read this book, and work through applications, you should be ready to play. I



4. As a bridge teacher, I use this book exclusively for my new students. Not only does it teach the basics, but involves the player in the play of the hand right from the start. If you want to learn the best card game in the world, reading this book is the right start.



5. I am a brand new bridge player and I found this book very easy to follow and understand. There are numerous examples and illustrations. Quiz answers are explained very clearly. I would highly recommend it for the beginner

5 comments about Professional Blackjack.

1. Stanford Wong has done a lot for the followers of the blackjack advantage-play movement by writing this book. It is an oldie but still goodie because it covers just about everything you need to know about the Hi-Lo (or High-Low) card counting system.
   
   Wong is a master of the math of the game and many questions about the math behind why card counting works are answered in such a way that just about any reader can understand it.
   
   A definite blackjack addition to your library. Even if you decide that the Hi-Lo is too difficult a card counting system to use, the ideas in this book will make blackjack play on the winning side that much more enjoyable and interesting.
   
   Frank Scoblete: Author of Golden Touch Dice Control Revolution!



2. Great book. Only book that mentions half counting method. Similar to many high level where you give double the points for cards that give u better odds. Like counting 5 as a 1point and 2 as a half point. (Can just double if you don't like half points). Anyway, just remember, that you will not become millionaire just because you can count. In fact, you might not even make a cent if you can count cards. Big fat myth spread by the casinos, not players. However, counting cards will give you a slight advantage. How slight, 1%-2%. But, that doesn't take away from the fact that you'll LOSE less money counting cards, and some days you might even win some. This book is a good resource. Not the best counting system, since there is no such thing, but any counting system is good. Go read several blackjack forums before purchasing any books. Be realistic folks. I count for fun and for getting comps, not to make money.



3. No matter what level of counting skills you have, this will always be a great refference for life. Detailed technical information backed by multiple simulations, too bad this great book got less reviews than some scammers did (John May).



4. I read this dirt bag book, followed the four rules (seen below), and lost all my money, my job, my wife and children, and my dignity. I recently realized something on the bus back to my one room apartment in the projects (my ex won't let the kids see where I live, and the courts ruled agaist me too...due to the gambeling)...Wong wouldn't be trying to make money selling this book if his techniques were worth a hoot. The casinos should pay Wong for writing this book...and they probably do.
   
   Now I'm reading a book on guns.
   
   (1) make the appropriate playing decision (e.g. hit / stand);
   (2) bet more when odds favor that you will win;
   (3) have a sufficient bankroll available; and
   (4) play enough rounds



5. EXCELENTE LIBRO DE FACIL COMPRENSION PARA PERSONAS QUE NO HABLAN EL INGLES, EL ENVIO RAPIDO LLGA EN BUENAS CONDICIONES Y SIN PROBLEMA ALGUNO EN LA COIMPRA DESCAHO Y RECEPCION

5 comments about Blackjack For Blood: The Card-Counters' Bible, and Complete Winning Guide.

1. The bind quality of this book is not up to standard, appon reading a couple of the pages just came loose.
   The content however is far more substantial and makes one a believer in his Omega II system.
   Not a especially easy system due to the necessity of the ace side count (not ace reconed) it is more powerful than most systems in simulations.



2. EXCELENTE LIBRO DE FACIL COMPRENSION PARA PERSONAS QUE NO HABLAN EL INGLES, EL ENVIO RAPIDO LLGA EN BUENAS CONDICIONES Y SIN PROBLEMA ALGUNO EN LA COIMPRA DESCAHO Y RECEPCION



3. As a book, this is a great read. Bryce highlights the Omega II count system, and also tells a great series of stories along the way. There are sections on cover, what to do when backed off a table, and alternative advantage methods.
   
   I don't know if this is the best system, from a pure card counting standpoint. It's a level 2, with an ace tracking component, which is a bit of brain work. On the other hand, if you are a serious blackjack player, this book is a great resource on many levels.



4. This book gives an excellent overview of the game of blackjack and an explanation of how to use a powerful counting system, including many index numbers. I've used this system for single-deck games for several years and, for someone who truly knows what they're doing (if you are at all uncertain as to whether or not you fit into this category, you are not in it) this book is literally worth its weight in gold. Make that platinum.
   
   Several of the reviews posted here may lead a person to believe that card counting is easy money. I would caution anyone that it is not as simple as reading a book on a flight to Vegas. Blackjack just doesn't work that way. There is a lot more to consistently beating the game than reading one book, or even ten books. Counting is the easy part, getting away with it in casinos over the long term is a whole different ball game.



5. This book makes it simple to follow the basics and then more advanced techniques of counting. The author understands the risks in this and alerts people to many, most i wasn't even aware of. He also uses a brief history of the game and his personal stories to make the book more interesting than just 'memerize this or that'. The process is easy to follow, the information is easy to grasp as long as you practice it. If you think you're interested in trying this, the worst is that you become a MUCH better basic blackjack player, the best is that you master the basic and advanced systems and start making money. After studing for 2 months in Iraq, my first stop home is Atlantic City, wish me luck. Thanks to Bryce Carlson for the great read!!!

5 comments about Watson's Classic Book on The Play of the Hand at Bridge.

1. There is no other book comparable to this book for learning, improving and reviewing. I bought this book 30 years ago and I still go back and read some of the advanced chapters. Although the book is a little wordy, it pays to concentrate on what Watson is saying, if you are really interested in being a good bridge player.



2. I have 40 bridge books. This one teaches you the 90% of bridge, and all the others the rest 10%. Top classic.



3. Easy to read, well organized, this masterpiece needs to be studied carefully, a must have for any serious player!



4. First, my mother tongue is French, I'm sure you will excuse my style. In the past, I read Mollo, Kantar, Grant... always on a quest to find a great and complete bridge book and never entirely satisfied... too simplistic, too advanced, hard to read, poor teaching skills...
   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!
   
   When I was not really looking for a book anymore, I finally tried Watson's book. I hesitated at first, because I was told his style is a bit dry and too detailed. EUREKA!!! I regret not having started with this book the very first day I played bridge. This is the ultimate BIBLE! Not only it fulfilled all my above expectations, but it 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. It is like being thought secret knowledge by a wise guru, realizing how simple everything was in the first place. His style is clear, concise, and straight to the point, but he covers a lot of material. His summaries are ideal for fast and easy review. I don't have to mention how drastically my level of play changed.
   
   My quest is now over, I found the Grail, 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. I have a very early edition that shows a hand on page 418 (West has S-KQ72, etc.) that is ice cold if declarer wins the opening KS lead and immediately leads his low spade. The analysis incorrectly states that declarer will lose 1 spade, 1 heart and 2 clubs. Played correctly, as I indicate, a spade will be available for a club discard regardless of what West returns after winning the AH. This hand would be instructive if analyzed correctly and used as an example of the importance of correct timing.